News from the information industry

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September 2014 Newsletter

Newspapers are still here and still making money

The sky is always falling and newspapers are always dying.
For more than a decade, that has been a common and constant refrain. While working at washingtonpost.com, the Guardian US, and now, the Newspaper Association of America, I have been asked frequently about the state of the industry as people search for the worst.
Though newspaper media is enjoying the largest audiences ever as well as continuing to play a unique and critical role in our communities, there is one fact that always tends to be obscured or outright ignored - newspapers are still making money and newspapers remain a good investment. 

Borrell: Local online to rise 44% through 2015

Local online advertising is expected to grow 44% through the end of next year, according to a revised 2014/2015 local advertising forecast from Borrell Associates. The picture is not so bright for newspapers, which will see advertising fall off 11% this year and nearly 5% next year. 

Could it be that newspapers still matter?

With all the noise around strategies like native advertising and programmatic buying, it's easy to forget about the marketing potential of good old fashioned newspapers.
But a new study conducted by a trade group has come up with some numbers to show that print remains a valuable platform for reaching consumers via ads.
Seventy-nine percent of adults surveyed by the Newspaper Association of America, which advocates on behalf of the industry, had "taken action as a result of reading or seeing an ad in a print newspaper in the past 30 days," according to the study, which was released Tuesday.

10 Steps to reclaim your automotive sales revenue

Take it back from the noise of digital pure plays and own your market!
Today, +80% of buyers make their vehicle purchasing decisions through online research. They look for the specific make, model, and feature set they are interested in and then narrow down to their price point. Once the consumer has found the exact vehicle they are interested in online, they either inquire for more information from the dealer directly (via a digital lead channel), or go to the dealership in person to test drive the vehicle they have found online. 

The record industry is in a free fall

Maroon 5 could not be better known right now or more in the demographic that buys music. Yet their newest album, "V," is a bust. It sold 168,000 copies in its first week and fell about 51% to 78,500 copies in its second. No wonder Adam Levine doesn't depend on record sales for income. He's diversified into about ten different areas including TV and movies.
And we know the U2 story. They sent their album for free to half- a billion people. Only about 200,000 of them wanted it- and it was free. 

Home Depot Wants Less Print Ads, More 'Interconnected Retail and Technology'

While Target and other big retailers are having a tough time getting more customers through the doors, Home Depot HD +0.31% is having a better go of it: store traffic is up, and customers are spending more per visit. Yesterday, the company raised its full-year profit forecast.
That's good news for Home Depot investors. On the other hand, for companies hoping Home Depot might spend more money advertising in their print newspapers, the outlook is not good.

Can Print and Online Content Just Get Along? California Sunday Magazine Hopes So

In a few weeks, at the beginning of October, a new content effort called California Sunday Magazine will debut aimed at publishing, "thoughtful, reported features and beautiful photography and illustrations set in California, the West, Asia, and Latin America, for a national audience," of a demographic of 25- to 45-year-olds.
Starting a general-interest publication, offline or online, is not for the faint of heart, although the effort has attracted several million dollars in investment from a range of angel funders.

Stick a Fork in Your Newspaper

While we're on the subject of journalists, Clay Shirky points out something funny about the way we discuss the future of print: We tend to talk as if there might be one.
Pick up a Sunday paper anywhere in this country. It will be the biggest paper that week, stuffed with sections, and with ads. Sunday is the money-maker, when circulation is highest and browsing time most abundant. Sunday is also the day for delivering those pamphlets of coupons and sales touts from national advertisers like Home Depot and Office Max, Staples and Michael's.

A Sales Force to be Reckoned With

Search engine optimization. Social media management. Mobile. Pay per click. Google AdWords. These are terms that today's newspaper sales person should be knowledgeable about when speaking with clients. As the advertising landscape transforms and the needs of the customers shift to where the readers are, sales people are arming themselves with the right skills in order to get the best results. Whether it's repackaging their print classifieds section or training their sales force, publishers are investing in the continued growth of their printed and digital products and finding success. 

4 ways to embrace your digital audience without creeping them out

Reader engagement is not enough. Publishers must go further and provide audience embracement, which fosters trust and credibility with relevant (and not just targeted) content creation and advertising.
You've canvassed, contacted, and courted your online audiences. You've showered them with targeted prose and personalized promises. You've fed them cookies that you baked yourself and some that were made by others. You believe you've made a good impression.

What our customers have to say....
 

Profitable website from Day 1!

 

I would like to thank Mike and Joe Mathes and their staff for their assistance in getting our website up, running and most importantly, profitable from day one.

 

I was initially skeptical of inviting an "outsider" into my small market that is largely not trusting of salesmen they have not done business with in the past. After a few conversations over the phone, my fears were greatly put to rest. Joe has a soft spoken demeanor and delivery that instantly put my customers at ease and made for a very profitable campaign. 

 

In approximately 18 hours we were able to ink 30k in sales. 

 

Not only did we make money together, I made a friend and business partner. If you are considering Delta Communications, stop considering and do it, you won't regret the decision. If you have questions or would like to talk about this further, give me a call. 

 

Sincerely, 

Dave DeLost 

General Manager 

Pine Cone Press-Citizen

218-363-2002 P.O. Box 401, Longville, MN 56655

 

www.pineconepresscitizen.com


 

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