The document provides information about the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper and its strategies for audience development. It discusses the Herald-Leader's print and digital reach in the Lexington, Kentucky market, as well as its diverse portfolio of products and platforms. The document also outlines several of the Herald-Leader's strategies for subscriber acquisition, engagement, and monetization, including promotional campaigns, pricing strategies, and leveraging of content and events.

1. The Lexington Way
“Every Home, Every Day, Every Way!”
Aaron J. Kotarek
Vice President, Audience Development
Herald-Leader Media
Lexington, Kentucky
Texas Circulation Manager’s Association
102nd
Annual Conference
Austin, Texas
Omni Southpark Hotel
April 9th
, 2015

2. The Marketplace:
Lexington & Eastern/Central
Kentucky

3. Daily Circulation: 84,602
Sunday Circulation: 108,471
Distribute to two-thirds of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (72 counties)
2012: Fastest growing newspaper in Kentucky, print & online, and 13th
fastest Nationwide

4. Snapshot of the Lexington Market
#7 Most Affordable Big Cities in the U.S.
Lexington, KY
Cost of Living: 10.3% below U.S. average
City Population: 308,428
Median Household Income: $48,779
Median Home Value: $163,000
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Average commute to work: 19.6 minutes
Source: Kiplinger 2014

5. Lexington DMA
Lexington, KY Market Facts
• Vibrant, Dynamic, and Affluent Market
 Lexington population has grown over 13.5% to over
300,000 since 2000
 Scott County is the fastest growing county in KY
 2nd
largest city in KY and 63rd
largest in US
 41% of Fayette County residents have earned a
Bachelor’s Degree or higher
 Consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in
the United States
 The Bluegrass Region is a greater than $20 billion
economy marked by consistent, sustainable growth
• We Own The Market:
 Top website in the State (KY.com)
 Top Ad buy in the DMA
 Connect with 500,000 print and online readers per
week
 3 time Pulitzer prize winning property
 Strong brand identity within the communities we serve
 No need to highly discount our products and services
Lexington, KY DMA Map
Population: 984,000

6. H-L Products and Services

7. WHO ARE WE?
We are Central
Kentucky’s TRUSTED
source for news,
entertainment and
advertising that
delivers our multi-
media products
when, where and how
our readers want it!

9. Digital Platforms & Social Media
• Kentucky.com
– Top website in the State
– According to Hitwise we
have had the top share of
all new sites in KY 16 of last
18 months
• Reach 500,000 adults per
week (print/digital)
• 14MM page views per month
• Facebook
– Over 85,000 main page
likes!
– 5 Facebook pages
• Twitter
– Over 35 H-L accounts
(News) with over 100K
followers
• H-L You Tube Channel
– Over 1,000 videos
• H-L Mobile Applications
– Over 50% of our traffic
comes through tablet &
smartphone

10. 1.7 MILLION
Unique Visitors per month
14 MILLION
Page Views per month
Avg. Time on Site:
0:06:30
#1 in McClatchy
2015
* Source Catalyst January 2014 - December 2014. Omniture
Adobe Digital Marketing Suite January 2015

11. Source: KPCB Internet Trends Report (2013), Mmetrics, Google MultiScreen Report, TechCrunch, Pew Report
Mobile’s Rapid Consumer Adoption

12. Usage by Device
* Source: Omniture, October 2014

13. Let’s put our reach into perspective...
ur reach into perspective...
RUPP ARENA
23,500
capacity

14. RUPP ARENA
23,500
capacity
The Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com reach
MORE Readers in the
Lexington DMA (40 counties)
18.9 TIMES
10.2 TIMES MORE Readers in the
Lexington NDM (7 counties)
Source: Based on September 30, 2014 Alliance for Audited Media Publisher’s Statement. Past 7 days print + past 30 days online

15. The numbers don’t lie…
Apples to Apples
The best performing radio station reaches 1.6% of adults. The best performing other local
print product reaches 3.8%. Best performing TV station reaches 20.0%. The Lexington
Herald-Leader reaches 30.2% of adults in the Lexington market area.
How do you like them apples?
Source: Scarborough Research, 2014, Release 2. Radio- morning drive time + online over 7 days; Other print- average issue
readership + online over 7 days; TV- Primetime + online over 7 days; Lexington Herald-Leader- Sunday print + online over 7 days

16. 24/7 Audience
*
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17. What’s Your Niche?

18. Successful Top-Line Revenue Strategies
Be CONSISTENT and PERSISTENT

19. Premium Content Days
•Value Proposition: Enhanced, Local,
Relevant, and Differentiated CONTENT
•Execute 10 days throughout year
•$1--$3 charge per HD subscriber
•Sunday Single Copy Pricing ($2.00)
•Generates over $900K Annually

20. Early Sunday Single Copy Edition

21. 1. Remind subscriber that FULL RATE for their particular subscription package is $XX.XX and
they are receiving a discount of $XX.XX by paying their current rate of $XX.XX
1. Increased published full rate to $10.00 a week (for marketing purposes)
2. Promote value of the newspaper:
1. Digital suite
2. Award winning UK athletics coverage by John Clay, Jerry Tipton, Mark Story & H-L photo
staff
3. Three-time Pulitzer prize winning journalism as well as award winning Public Service and
Investigative reporting
4. Special sections such as: Uniquely Kentucky, Readers Choice and UK sports previews
5. Over $11,000 in annual advertising circulars and coupon savings
3. Offer our Reader Rewards Card, $9.99 value, with over 60 restaurant offers that are reusable
for continuous savings
4. Offer a $10 gift card; choice of gasoline, grocery or movie tickets
5. Offer both reader rewards card plus $10 gift card
6. Negotiate a “slight” rate concession with the intention of garnering an incremental increase
from subscribers previous rate
7. If customer still states they want to stop, offer to downgrade their subscription package to a
Weekend, Sunday Only or Digital Only package.
8. Opt-in to Sunday Select product
Employ Aggressive Stop Saving Measures
Good Luck Stopping the Herald-Leader With These Barriers 

22. EZ Pay Subs
13 Wk Term
26 Wk Term
52 Wk Term
New Subs: Introductory Offers
Accept Incremental Rate Adjustment
Stop Negotiate Rate Concession
Widen Your
Funnel Diversify Your
New Start
Portfolio
“Get Them In The Door Approach”

23. Re-Acquisition
“Low-Hanging Fruit”

24. Open Dialogue
Accessibility to
Executive
ABC “Always Be
Closing”
No Money Down
Offers
Admit
Shortcomings
Fix Problems
Don’t Hide
Behind Desk

25. Re-Acquisition
Direct Mailer—30 Day Money Back Guarantee

26. Love Letter—We Miss You
Re-Acquisition Campaign
Valentines Day, 2014
Return Rate: 2.84%
CPO: $24.00

27. Herald-Leader Introductory Pricing
“Netflix Model”
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Total
EZ Pay DS: $0.99 $18.38 $18.38 $37.81
Weekly Avg. Rate: $2.90
Term DS: $0.99 $18.78 $18.78 $38.58
Weekly Avg. Rate: $3.00
The Hook:
1. Money Back Guarantee up to 30 days
2. 70+% Discount Off Full & Published Rate of $10.00/wk
3. Package Includes Unlimited Access to Digital Suite
4. $4.99 Activation Fee Waived (Pre-Paid)
5. EZ Pay Rate Held for 6 Months (then Matherized to determine HH’s propensity to
pay and at what amount)

28. 4 HOUR SALE
Perpetual Pay ONLY
Short Call to Action
Limited Time Only
Email to Former Subscribers
FSI in Single Copies, TMC, etc.
Social Media Push-Out
$0.99 for the first month
Money Back Guarantee
WHO COULD REFUSE!?!?!?

29. Persistent and Aggressive Re-Acquisition Campaigns Are a Must
LOW HANGING FRUIT
3-Pronged Approach: Post Card, followed by Email and Telesales

30. Turn the Tables on Craigslist 

31. Digital Engagement & Social Media
Marketing

32. Daily AM Digital Engagement Email
•Daily “push out” to all subscribers
•Provides easy path to Digital Platforms
•Touts that mornings content as well as
upcoming content
•Displays top Videos from the week
•Engages Plus subscribers to authenticate
Press + account (if they have not already
done so)
•Entices Print Only subs to upgrade to Plus
Package

33. A-1 is Prime Real Estate: USE IT When Available!

34. Use your Social Media
platforms as acquisition
avenues
Ardent social media
users are low hanging
targets for Digital Only
packages
This offer was placed on
over 50,000 Facebook
walls of residents of
Lexington and
surrounding counties
for only $200!

35. Digital Engagement
Spadea, March 2014
KHSAA Boys Sweet 16

36. Subscription Invoice
Back Page
Step-By-Step Activation Instructions

37. Consistent Activation Contests

38. Promote Your Digital Platforms and Encourage
Dialogue

39. How do you garner over
85,000 likes?
Consistent contests
enticing your readers!

40. Social Media Marketing is a Powerful Tool

41. Entice and Reward Readers
Facebook Photo Sweepstakes
Like us on Facebook and upload a
picture of yourself in Kentucky BLUE

42. Journo who gets it!
We’re All Marketers Folks
No Matter Which Department You Reside In

43. Educate Consumers on the Benefits
and Value of Your Digital Platforms
“I thought your big Digital Plus play was just a fancy
name for a price increase. I was pissed at you, and in
review you appear to be brilliant. I now use my iPad
to read your content here in the restaurant and I
used a computer from a hotel room during a recent
vacation. You all really know what you’re doing….”
Wayne Masterman
Owner, Portofino Restaurant
Lexington, Kentucky

44. Sacramento Bee
Maria Ravera, VP/Audience Dev.
mravera@sacbee.com
Bee rewards subscribers who
activate their Digital account
$5.00 gift card

45. Modesto (CA) Bee
Digital Engagement Rack Card

46. Brand Marketing & Monetization

47. Subscriber Appreciation Day
Herald-Leader Day at the Races is Thursday, April 24, 2014!
Find a FREE General Admission coupon on the front page of the 4/24 edition of the
Herald-Leader and join us at Keeneland!

48. Special Sections & Player Photo Pages

49. Repackage, Reprint and Reclaim
REVENUES

51. Push-Out Message
Email, Social, ROP
Promote Upcoming Content
Digital Engagement
Monetize “The Moment”

52. Special Sections, Posters, and
Player Photo Pages lead to
this……future readers 

53. Good Morning Big Blue Nation!

54. UK Students & Fans Loved These, $15
Printed on back of shirt:
@HLpublicsafety
#LexingtonPoliceScanner

55. Go BIG or Go HOME
Gift cards are
nice but…..
HOW ABOUT A
CAR!
OVER
70,000
ENTRIES
Entice readers to:
•Subscribe
•Authenticate digital account
•Consistently use Digital
Platforms
•Convert to Perpetual Pay
program
•Pay a longer term
•Upgrade in service
•Like on Facebook
•Follow your Twitter account
•Opt-In to Sunday Select
•Refer a Friend

56. Groupon
More than a sales tool…..helps
promote your products and
services in places that are hard
to reach
Examples: Pandora radio,
online radio station sites, etc.

57. Need some new Final
Four cover art for your
personal Facebook page?
Use one of the eight
images we've made
available for download
on Kentucky.com
Post one to your page,
and share the link for
others to go get their
own cover art from
Kentucky.com!

58. Kroger Grocery Store
Website Takeover

59. Interstitial “Enter To Win”
www.kentucky.com
1. Located on Welcome Page (first click from home page)
2. Clicking on this tile takes you to landing page to enter contest
3. Obtain key personal data (email, phone, address, sub vs. non-sub, etc)
4. Random drawing to determine winner(s)
5. Use data to RE-TARGET site viewers with Digital subscription offer

60. Upgrade Campaign
Make it easy for subscriber to
Upgrade
One simple click to move targeted
subscriber up a FOD
Gain incremental revenue
Deploy campaign when content is
most essential
Pushed out to thousands of
Sunday/Weekend FOD’s

61. eTarget Blast
75,000 targets
Non-Subscriber
College Sports Enthusiasts
Reside in Lexington DMA
Promoting:
•Print/Digital subscription
•Digital Only subscription
•Digital Platform Engagement

62. Not Bad Placement 

63. •Kiosks at UK home
football games
•Hawking single copies
and special sections
•Signage inside
Commonwealth
Stadium

64. Kentucky Roots-Kentucky Stories
TV Spot
http://youtu.be/ZDJ1q1ji_Sk

65. Who Is Talking About You?
Thanks Coach Pitino 
http://youtu.be/a8qa0mZzTCc

66. Doom & Gloom? I Don’t Think So!
RALLY THE TROOPS!
Check Out Our Pump Up Video!
We DOMINATE Our Market!
You Dominate Your Market!

68. Herald-Leader Culture
• Comprehend the difference between effort and results
• Total focus on top-line revenue enhancement
• Culture is collaborative and inclusive
• Feedback is respected and expected
• Non-silo approach: ALL key departments are included in setting
Circulation/Audience strategy
• Positive results are shared and celebrated throughout the
organization
• Strategies are integrated and promoted for both digital and print
• Non-political work environment: Open communication
encouraged
• Complete freedom to try new approaches: Fail cheap and fail fast
but expected to hit a few home runs

69. Questions?
Thank You For Your Time
Want to Network?
akotarek@herald-leader.com
(859) 231-3352
The Opposite of Networking is….
NOT WORKING!