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SAPATodayAdMall: one of SAPAs Best!
The Bi-Monthly Newsletter for the Free Paper Industry January - February | 2009
In this Issue:
visit us at www.sapatoday.com
When the Benefit Committee proposed that we make AdMall SAPAs latest benefit there was no way we could see what a HUGE benefit it would become. Please read on to see what a few of our members have to say about AdMall.
“Thank you SAPA for introducing me to AdMall. From the first day I entered the web site and made my very first phone call, AdMall more than exceeded my expectations. I sold an ad for 5 weeks, paid in full up front, and he has committed to another 13 week contract. I not only sold that ad, but have found several leads that I did not even know existed had it not been for AdMall. The site is very professional, informative and user friendly; and along with the co-op leads and sales tips has become an excellent asset to my sales.
“Thank you again for all your fantastic efforts on our companies behalf. It is greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work!” Donna Horner - Smoky Mountain Publishing
“AdMall has put money in our bank account... No cost to our paper! How cool is that? I love the benefits of being a SAPA member!” Alan Lingerfelt - Piedmont Shopper
“Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that in my personal opinion Ad Mall is the bomb... I just got 100% co-op for a client who never was successful with the company doing her ads to receive her full benefit. With the information from Ad Mall I got to deal with the actual person to approve the ads in a timely manner in order to get her in the paper... Wonderful!!
“Last week I called a client to talk and mentioned co-op on several items he carried and now he is doing larger ads and also put a banner on the web site...LOVE IT!! Thanks for caring and sharing AdMall with all of the people representing free papers attending the conference. This will help all free papers grow and shine...” Judy Bryant - The Piedmont Shopper
Southeastern Adver t is ing Publ ishers Associat ion (931) 490-0400 (931) 490-0488 fax
page 2SAPA Board of Directors & CAN Corner
page 3Buyers Not Equal
page 4Words to Avoid
page 5It Takes More Than Brains
page 8Don’t Let Your Classified Franchise Disappear
page 10Calendar of Events & USPS Update
Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association
Advancing the free paper industry by providing resources for success and venues for sharing ideas.
January 15-17, 2009Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa
Downtown DisneyOrlando, Florida
Come fi nd out what Kidsville News! is all about and why it’sthe fastest growing children’s newspaper in America!
CONTACT: Bill Bowman, President or Nicole Burris, Director of Publisher [email protected] • 910-222-6200 or 877-4KVNEWS
VA LU E D PA R T N E R S :
It’s a TRUMAN WORLD After All and YOU Are Invited!
2009 PUBLISHERS’ CONFERENCELiteracy & Education Summit
ApprAisAlsNewspapers • Magazines • Shoppers
Discover the current value of your publication!Confidential • Customized • Comprehensive
ExpErt Court Valuation WitnEsstestimony • Depositions • Declarations
Formal Business
PlansCustom
BrokeringFeasibility
StudiesLabor
Negotiations
[email protected] www.kamengroup.com
Kamen & Co. Group ServiCeSNY (516) 379-2797 • FL (727) 786-5930 • FAX (516) 379-3812
3009 Grand Boulevard, Baldwin, NY 11510-4719
2 SAPAToday 11 SAPAToday
SAPA Board of Directors
Past PresidentMike Woodard
Tuscaloosa Shopper & Reporter
Northport, AL205-333-7525
PresidentRussell
QuattlebaumSoutheast Sun
Enterprise, AL 334-393-2969
Vice PresidentGreg Ledford
Shelby Shopper & Info
Shelby, NC 704-484-1047
TreasurerTony OnellionBargains PlusSlidell, LA
985-649-9515
Executive Director
Douglas FrySAPA Headquarters
Columbia, TN931-490-0400
Board MemberJW Owens
Savannah Pennysaver
Savannah, GA 912-238-2040
Board MemberCaroline
QuattlebaumSoutheast Sun
Enterprise, AL 334-393-2969
SecretaryAlan Lingerfelt
The Piedmont Shopper
Danville, VA434-822-1800
Past PresidentGary Benton
Peddler ADvantageParis, TN
731-644-9595
Past PresidentBrenda Finchum
Coffee County Shopper
Manchester, TN931-728-3273
CornerIn each issue of SAPAToday we’ll look at one of the membership benefits you receive from the Classified Ad Network (CAN).
When we think of the many SAPA benefits we often overlook our very own newsletter. SAPAToday contains information that every person in your organization can benefit from. We want to make that content available to everyone, not just the person it’s mailed to. So, we are converting our
newsletter to an electronic version that will be sent to everyone you tell us about.
All you have to do is call Douglas Fry on his direct line at 1.931.490.0400 and tell him who should receive the electronic version of SAPAToday. Alternatively you can email Douglas at [email protected] with the same information. He’ll see that all your people are well connected and informed.
mail covered by the Postal Service monopoly to a “modern” system for regulating rates and classes for market dominant products under a price cap regime. The price cap is based upon a consumer price index that is tracked on a 12-month rolling average basis going back to the last date that price changes were announced. The average CPI may change each month with increases or decreases in the CPI. As of the writing of this column, the averaged CPI for the year was approximately 4.3%. The CPI cap to be used for the February 2009 rate announcement is anticipated to be between 4 and 4.3%.
For budgeting purposes, mailers can plan upon rate adjustments in mid-May of 2009 approximately 4.3%. But keep in mind this estimate is subject to significant variations for a mailer’s individual type of mailings and mail profile. The rate cap regime provides that rates are set on a class level. This means that the average rate increase for standard mail cannot exceed the price cap. Within the class of standard mail, which includes a wide variety of mail of all types, the Postal Service has the flexibility to adjust its price and rates to reflect market (competitive) conditions, reward and encourage efficient (low cost) mail and to charge more for mail that is more costly or difficult to handle.
The Saturation Mailers Coalition (SMC) has made a pointed appeal to the USPS to adjust the prices for saturation program mailers with an eye to market and competitive conditions and USPS revenue opportunities. SMC representatives, including many free paper publishers, have shown that free paper publishers can switch from the mail to private delivery, have difficulty attracting desirable, heavier retail preprints and circulars, and can leave the mail if prices and postal operation requirements are burdensome. SMC members have also shown that free paper publishers, and other shared mailers, could represent a stable and growing source of needed revenue for the USPS.
USPS Asks Congress For Relief
In this season of budget bailouts, the Postal Service has also made its pitch to Congress for debt relief. One of the significant challenges the Postal Service faces is the steep debt service requirements of the 2006 Postal Reform Act. This law requires the USPS to pay anywhere from $5.4 billion to $5.8 billion a year to fund, in advance, the costs of Postal Service retiree health care. In describing its financial picture for 2009, the Postal Service Chief Financial Officer, H. Glen Walker, predicted the Postal Service would incur a $7.7 million loss for 2009 due, in large part, to the requirement that it prefund the retiree health benefits.
The Postal Service, along with the support of numerous individual mailers and mail associations, has written to the Senate Majority Leader, The Honorable Harry Reid, making an appeal for relief from the 2008-2009 funding
requirements. In a letter to Senator Reid, the Industry wrote, “We are asking your support for efforts to help the United States Postal Service through our unprecedented national financial difficulty. The $900 billion mailing industry, millions of jobs, continued efficient universal postal services, and the long term survival of the Postal Service are at stake.”
The Postal Service, and the mailing industry, has been quick to point out that the USPS is not seeking a bailout. The Postal Service is simply asking for a cash management change that would give it temporary relief from funding requirements and stretch out the term for prefunding the debt. The industry letter notes:
The Postal Service has proposed an adjustment to that payment schedule which would preserve the law’s requirement for full funding of retiree health benefits, but lessen the financial demand upon the Postal Service for several years. It does not relieve the Postal Service of any existing financial obligation. Employee and retiree benefits are fully protected.
Without some form of relief, the Postal Service is hitting the debt ceiling maximum allowed by current law. In 2008, the Postal Service increased its debt to the maximum borrowing allowed for the year, $3 billion, and brought its total debt to $7.2 billion as of the end of fiscal year 2008.
SMC Anniversary
In early 2009, SMC will celebrate its 12th anniversary as a stand-alone organization with participation and support from free paper publishers, shared mailers, coupon envelope mailers, and reciprocal membership relationships with many of the fine associations that represent the free paper industry. Any person that is using the mail for distribution of a paper, or is interested in using the mail for all or part of your circulation, should contact SMC for membership information.
SMC was formed in 1997 to represent the common interests of its members in maintaining fair and reasonable postal rates and regulations, laws and postal policies that promote a viable, competitive and customer focus postal service, and a positive public image and response to mailed print advertising. Our efforts in the last dozen years, and 2008, include fighting to achieve rate stability and more competitive rates for saturation mail programs, proposing and advocating a simplified address format for free papers and shared mail programs, and promoting the value of freely distributed print mail products – whether in the mail or by other methods – as a consumer friendly, and environmentally sound, way of connecting buyers and sellers and supporting local business.
For membership information, contact: Donna Hanbery; Executive Director, SMC; 33 South 6th Street, Suite 4040; Minneapolis, MN 55402; Telephone: 612-340-9855; Fax: 612-340-9446; Email: [email protected]
USPS MailNews & Updates Continued
By John Foust, Raleigh, NC
In the 1980s, International Paper ran an award-winning “Power of Print” ad campaign, featuring a series of educational subjects – each delivered by a well-known literary figure. Here’s a sampling:
- “How to write a business letter” by Malcolm Forbes- “How to read faster” by Bill Cosby- “How to write with style” by Kurt Vonnegut- “How to read an annual report” by Jane Bryant Quinn
- “How to enjoy poetry” by James Dickey- “How to make a speech” by George Plimpton- “How to improve your vocabulary” by Tony Randall What do these headlines have in common? By using the two simple words “how to,” each ad clearly states a benefit. Readers instantly know what they will gain by reading the rest of the ads. If you want to accomplish the same thing in your ad copy, here are a few points to keep in mind:
1. Start with a relevant benefit. The vital first step in the process is to gather as much information as possible about the product or service you are advertising. Ask questions, probe for details, and look at the situation from the target audience’s point of view. Although all features have at least one corresponding benefit, remember that not every benefit will be a deal-maker to your audience.
Are your typical buyers most concerned about selection? Price? Location? Find the benefit that is most important to your audience, and build the advertising around it.
2. Use the words “how to.” These two words lead directly to a benefit – by way of a verb that puts the reader in the driver’s seat. You’ve seen this strategy in book titles, such as Dale Carnegie’s
“How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
The title (1) tells you exactly what the book is about, and (2) promises a benefit.
3. Be specific. The words “how to” will not work unless they are connected to a specific statement, as illustrated in this simple progression:
a) “How to save money” and “How to save a lot” are vague and ineffective. b) “How to save money on your new car” is a little better because it at least pinpoints a product category. c) “How to save money on your new Widget-mobile” is another step in the right direction because it identifies a name brand. d) “How to save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile” is even better. It clearly states what the ad is about, and promises a specific benefit. When you’re talking about saving money, it’s always smart to specify a percentage or a dollar amount.
4. Consider dropping “how to.” One of the most interesting things about this “how to” copywriting technique is that it can work without the words
“how to.” Crazy as it may sound, you can often eliminate the opening without changing the meaning. For example, “Save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile” says the same thing as “How to save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile.”
Headline-writing is an important advertising skill. You have to be willing to tweak the words until they’re just right.
(c) Copyright 2008 by John Foust. All rights reserved.
E-mail John Foust for information about his training videos for ad departments: j f o u s t @mindspring.com
3 SAPAToday
USPS “NEW YEAR” NEWS AND UPDATES
As 2008 comes to a close and 2009 begins, there is not much holiday cheer to report from the USPS. The nation’s economic woes have been felt in the sharp decline of postal business and volume. Here is a summary of what has been happening, and will be happening with next year’s rates and revenues, at the USPS.
Volume Decline Produces Big Losses
In the financial presentations given to the Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee and the Postal Service Board of Governors, the financial officers of the Postal Service were not delivering good news. The Postal Service saw a major decline in business for all classes of mail with a loss in fiscal year 2008 of 10% in total volume. The Chief Financial Officer for the Postal Service predicted an additional decline of 3-4% in volumes for 2009. Although the Postal Service has attempted to aggressively achieve cost reductions, and is in the process of making an unprecedented adjustment to its delivery route system, the Postal Service concluded its 2008 fiscal year with a net loss of $2.8 billion.
As the Postal Service is announcing it will do everything it can to contain costs, it has embarked upon an ambitious and unprecedented effort to adjust its city delivery routes. With a goal of achieving $4 billion in cost reductions, the Postal Service has set out to reduce fulltime city carrier routes by 9200 routes in fiscal year 2009. The goal is to achieve a savings of more then 32 million work hours in city deliveries. The ability to readjust routes can be attributed to the Postal Service’s success in reaching an agreement with the National Association of Letter Carriers that will permit the Postal Service to adjust city delivery routes using an expedited route evaluation and adjustment process.
Postal delivery represents the largest cost center for the USPS. With city delivery representing 75% of those costs, rural delivery accounting for 24% and highway contract route delivery accounts making up approximately 1%.
With such massive changes under way, mailers should be alert to service issues and should work closely with their local postal stations on mail delivery. The Postal Service has changed its move update standards and the time frame for move updates has been shortened. Most discounted mail must have address lists updated, with an approved method, within 95 days prior to the mailing date.
POSTAL RATE CHANGES AND PREDICTIONS
Competitive Products
The Postal Service announced price changes to its existing menu of competitive and shipping services in mid-November. The price changes will take effect on January 18 and will result in express mail prices increasing by approximately 5.7%, Priority Mail increasing by 3.9% and Parcel Select increasing by 5.9%. Additional competitive services include personal return service, international mail, and Express Mail International which all saw price adjustments ranging from approximately 6 to 8.5%.
Market Dominant Products and Rates for Saturation Mail
The Postal Service’s calendar for announcing and implementing postal rate adjustments for mail subject to the price cap standard is a mid-February announcement with a mid-May implementation date. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act subjects all rates for
Calendar ofEvents
10 SAPAToday
Not All BuyersAre Created Equal
USPS MailNews Update
SAPA Publishers Retreat 2009: In the cold month of January SAPA will hold its annual Publishers Retreat and Board Meeting. Where can you go during that month to enjoy a little warmth and sunshine? Orlando, of course. Plan now to attend and be refreshed.
AFCP Annual Conference 2009: On April 23 - 25, 2009, AFCP will conduct their annual conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For more information go to their website: www.afcp.org or call 1-877-203-2327.
SAPA Conference 2009: In 2009 we’ll be in Louisville, Kentucky at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The hotel is located across the street from 4th Street Live so there will be plenty to do. Mark your calendars now for August 28 & 29, 2009 in Louisville. Please give us a call at 1-800-334-0649 or email: [email protected] if you would like more information.
continued on page 11
The economy, unemployment, companies folding, people losing their homes--2008 has left consumers wary of businesses. And that lack of consumer confidence requires straightforward, honest advertising messages to regain marketplace security. In 2009, perhaps more than ever, the words you use in your copywriting can determine whether you make a sale or lose a customer.
Here are 10 words to avoid in your 2009 copywriting.
FREE
Ads that include messages about a free product or service promotions can work well during an economic downturn, but consumers need to see the products perform well. E-mail spam filters are tough on messages that include “free” in the subject line. While it might be tempting to use a subject line that says, “Open now to get your free widget,” that’s an e-mail spam filter red flag that will send your message to most recipients’ spam boxes. When the economy is tough, you can’t risk having your e-mails not make it to the intended recipients. Replace “free” with “complimentary” or “gratis” to sneak by spam filters without compromising the effectiveness of your message.
GUARANTEE
Fe w peop le be l i e ve in
guarantees these days. Unless you can prove your guarantee is real, use the valuable real estate space in your ad for a more effective message that consumers are likely to believe and act on.
REALLY
If you want to waste space in your ads, include “really” in your copy. This word does nothing to help your messages. Instead, it slows consumers down, and they are not likely to wait around for the complete message. Don’t risk losing them by loading your copy with useless filler words. Make sure every word in your copy is there for a reason.
VERY
Does a message sound more compelling with “very” in it? Is “When you need very fresh flowers, call ABC Florist,” more effective than “When you need fresh flowers, call ABC Florist”? If you answered, yes, reread the last paragraph.
THAT
Once you finish writing copy for your ad or marketing piece, reread it and make note of every time you use “that” in your copy. Chances are, you can delete 90 percent of them because “that” is a filler word that doesn’t advance
the consumer through the message. Instead, it slows down time-strapped consumers. Deliver the messages your audience is likely to respond to, and deliver them quickly.
A LOT
Don’t use vague copy with words like “a lot” that do nothing to differentiate your business f rom your competitors. Instead, quantify your messages. If you offer 20 varieties of roses in your flower shop, say so. If you respond to customer service calls within five minutes, tell people. Which is more compelling: “You can choose from a lot of shoe styles at Sally’s Shoe Boutique” or “You can choose from more than 100 shoe styles at Sally’s Shoe Boutique?” No doubt, “100 shoe styles” is more intriguing than “a lot of shoe styles.” A lot can mean different things to different people. Don’t leave room for guesswork in your copy. Make your messages extremely clear with no room for confusion.
OPPORTUNITY
You’re not helping anyone when you offer “opportunities” in your copy. Consumers don’t want opportunities. They want to feel confident handing over their hard-earned money. They want to know they’ll
9 SAPAToday4 SAPAToday
10 Advertising Words ToAvoid in 2009
get the results they want and need, not the opportunity to perhaps get those results. Don’t let them wonder what they’ll get when they pull out their wallets. Tell them.
TO BE (OR NOT TO BE, FOR THAT MATTER)
Write your advertising and marketing messages in the active voice, not the passive voice. If any form of “to be,” “has been” or anything similar appears in your copy, rewrite it. Writing in the passive voice doesn’t command action. Writing in the active voice does.
SYNERGY
This overused piece of jargon has had a long life, but it’s time to move on. Leave jargon and 10-dollar words out of your advertising messages. There’s no room in copywriting for buzz words and words that consumers need a dictionary to understand. Consumers don’t care about your “unique value proposition.” They care that when they pay for your product or service, it will deliver the results they expect. Naturally, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as B2B copywriting, where jargon might be expected. In most copywriting, however,
keep it simple.
DRINkABILITY
Budweiser is already using “drinkability” in its ads. Seriously though, the point is valid--don’t copy your competition. Instead, differentiate your product and business with unique copy and messages that your target audience is likely to respond to.
The rules of successful copywriting don’t change from one year to the next, but as the marketplace and environment change, so must your messages. Use the list above as a guideline to writing great advertising copy in 2009.
Susan Gunelius has more than 15 years of marketing and copywriting experience working for some of the largest companies in the world. Gunelius is the president and CEO of KeySplash Creative Inc., a marketing communications company offering writing and copywriting services, and marketing and branding consulting. She is also a published author, and her latest book, Kick-Ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps, is now available from Entrepreneur Press.
Copyright © 2007 Entrepreneur.com, Inc.
10 Advertising Words ToAvoid in 2009 Continued
continued on page 9
This is the worst recession of my lifetime. We have to take specific steps in the call center “right now” to avoid being a weak afterthought when this all ends. The bottom line is that we can’t wait for advertisers to call us, because they just aren’t calling. After all, is it called classifieds because of the classifications, or because of our “Top Secret” advantages? We need to tell every line-ad/word-ad customer that calls how many thousands of copies we will print and deliver over the next week. We need to do this on every single call, even our old faithful advertisers.
I’m suggesting, for classified liners, a dramatic change of course. No change in the fundamental principals, but a change in the standard day-to-day practice. We have had a good run of waiting for customers to contact us when they were ready to advertise. All the while, our numerous competitors were wooing our advertisers and luring them away, one at a time. At most publications, our reaction was to “not notice” as these advertisers drifted away from us. Often the advantages competitors tout (such as: “Our ads are Free”) are not as good as your advantage of tens or hundreds of thousands of regular LOCAL weekly readers in print and online. Better than a free ad is an ad that works.
This must change immediately. Here’s the plan: Get three tickle file boxes. Use 4x6 cards, indexed 1-31 to correspond with the days of the month, rather than a-z. Label them “Current”, “Dormant”, and “Prospects”. Put the contact info at the top of each card. Then put the date and what happened on one line for each contact you make. Make all of the calls behind that day’s number. Then move the card back in the box based on the frequency you plan to call.
1. Identify the top line-ad advertisers from the past three months (about 50 advertisers per ad-visor) and start a tickle file box for these current top advertisers, making note on their cards of how frequently each of them typically advertises. This is relatively easy to do, as the list of recent ads comes up when you call up the customer account in the system. Then, have the ad-visors call them up to get their next ad, instead of waiting for them to call us. This way, a good business advertiser won’t stop using you, and start using someone else without you knowing about it, and countering their claims with your superior facts. This box has top priority each day.
2. Identify the top line-ad advertisers that have done business over the last year to year and a half, but have done little or nothing in the past three months. (about 100 per ad-visor). These are the dormant or “going dormant” accounts. They believed in you just a few months ago. They are your top prospects for regaining the business. The cards you make on these advertisers would be in a different tickle file box. This box has second priority each day.
3. Identify 100 prospects for each ad-visor, that aren’t running now and haven’t ever run much (or any) with you. You find these on www.simplyhired.com, www.oodle.com, www.kijiji.com, www.craigslist.org and the other similar websites. These are kept in the third tickle file box, which has third priority each day.
This is a far more aggressive stance than I’ve previously taken in classifieds, and you may find that some reps can’t make the switch. We’ll miss them. At this point, we need people that are willing to do everything they can do
5 SAPAToday8 SAPAToday
Don’t just sit there & let your classified franchise dwindle away! by Joe Bonura
GREAT DAY?Six weeks ago I was in San Angelo, Texas, where I completed a successful field day with four sales people. The sales manager drove me to the airport for my 5:00 PM flight to Dallas, and then home to Louisville.
VOICEMAIL NIGHTMAREI had not checked my voicemail all day -- something I never do. When I received the message, my whole world turned upside down. My wife said that she was at the hospital with our oldest son. Doctors discovered that he had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball on the right side of his brain. That was the bad news; the good news was the tumor was benign.
PHYSICALLY FITHow could that be? He was in great physical condition. He was running five miles a day, three days a week. He lifted weights, bench pressing 290 pounds.
NO GO TONIGHTI was scheduled to return home to Louisville by 10:30 PM. I was already making plans to go straight to the hospital upon my arrival in Louisville. We boarded the plane on schedule, and the plane backed off from the gate.
FLIGHT CANCELLEDI knew there was a problem when they shut the engine down, and the pilot made an announcement that the airport mechanics were on their way. After four or five delay announcements, the airline cancelled the flight. If I remained in San Angelo, I would not arrive home until five the next day.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY
When I asked the airline person if
he could get me home earlier if I left out of Dallas, he said yes and booked me on the 6:00 AM flight out of Dallas with an arrival time of 8:00 AM in Louisville. It was the only option, so I took it.
ATTITUDE = ALTITUDEI spoke to my son and he was very upbeat and positive about the whole situation. In fact, he was taking the news better than I was. I told him I loved him and would see him in the morning.
ANGELS AMONG USThe next problem was to make the four-hour drive from San Angelo to Dallas. When I asked if anyone wanted to share a rental car with me to Dallas, a young man named Chase volunteered to share the car and the driving with me. After I told him my story, he said that he was going to Dallas anyway, and he would pay for the car. I asked him to at least let me share the driving, but he declined and drove the entire four and one-half hours. When we arrived in Dallas, he asked to pray with me. God sends angels when we need them, and he was my angel that night. In my weakened mental state, I don’t know if I could have found my way out of San Angelo, much less find a hotel in Dallas that was close to the airport. Chase knew the highways, and he knew Dallas as home.
PRAYER POWERMy son had surgery three days later, and the operation went better than the doctor had anticipated. Friends and relatives all over the world were praying for him, and his recovery was nothing short of miraculous.
MAKE CALLS, MAKE MORE CALLS, MAKE MANY MORE
CALLSThe doctor predicted that my son would be out of commission for
at least thirteen weeks. Ten days after the surgery, he was on the telephone making sales calls.
GET OUT OF HEREFourteen days after surgery the physical therapist released him from the hospital, saying that they could devote their time to those who most needed it.
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
He was told that he could be out of work for three months. He was back to work within four weeks. He was told that he would not drive for three months. He was back behind the wheel in six weeks.
DEDICATION DOES ITMy son has always been a very dedicated sales person, and his ordeal brought out the best in him. It has also brought out the best in many of us who have watched him cope and grow.
LISTEN FOR YOURSELFIf you click to the following link, you can listen to a telephone message that he left me one morning when he was making his sales calls. (if link is not clickable, please copy and paste into your Address Bar): http://www.bonura.com/audio/voice_mail_more_calls.mp3
PROUD AS I CAN BEDo I sound like a proud father! Yes, you bet! I am proud of him, his wife, and his three teenage children for the support they gave throughout his recovery.
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?Now when I hear sales people complain about making sales calls, I say, “My son had brain surgery and was making calls -- What’s your problem?”
© 2007-2008 Joe Bonura & Associates, Inc.
It Takes More than Brains
Display & Classified Ad Sales & BillingCirculation Direct Mail Payroll Accounting
Integrated Management Software designed by publishers for publishers
MERRIMAC SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES INC.TAMWORTH, NH 603 323 8811 WWW.MERRSOFT.COM
Justin Gerena, President, Director of Salesp: 888.592.3212 x710e: [email protected]
JB Multimedia, Inc. P.O. Box 704 N. Bellmore, NY 11710 888.592.3212 phone/fax www.jbmultimedia.net
M a k i n g p u b l i c a t i o n s i n t e r a c t i v e.
IPC CHARLIE HENCYE
800-243-7659 [email protected] FAX: 941-484-0828
140 Triple Diamond Blvd * Suite C * N. Venice, FL 34275www.ipcpoly.com
PRESIDENT
International Poly&
Promotions
Plastic BagsPromotional Items
Advertising Specialties
300 North DriveSuite 100
Melbourne, FL 32934
321.242.5000 x2214321.242.4074727.492.3562
phonefax
mobile
John Pourtlessdirector of sales - southeast
p d
c
PALIGODATACONSULTING
Ryan PaligoPresident
200 Kimberly DriveColumbia, TN 38401
931.334.1757
Display & Classified Ad Sales & BillingCirculation Direct Mail Payroll Accounting
Integrated Management Software designed by publishers for publishers
MERRIMAC SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES INC.TAMWORTH, NH 603 323 8811 WWW.MERRSOFT.COM
Justin Gerena, President, Director of Salesp: 888.592.3212 x710e: [email protected]
JB Multimedia, Inc. P.O. Box 704 N. Bellmore, NY 11710 888.592.3212 phone/fax www.jbmultimedia.net
M a k i n g p u b l i c a t i o n s i n t e r a c t i v e.
IPC CHARLIE HENCYE
800-243-7659 [email protected] FAX: 941-484-0828
140 Triple Diamond Blvd * Suite C * N. Venice, FL 34275www.ipcpoly.com
PRESIDENT
International Poly&
Promotions
Plastic BagsPromotional Items
Advertising Specialties
300 North DriveSuite 100
Melbourne, FL 32934
321.242.5000 x2214321.242.4074727.492.3562
phonefax
mobile
John Pourtlessdirector of sales - southeast
p d
c
PALIGODATACONSULTING
Ryan PaligoPresident
200 Kimberly DriveColumbia, TN 38401
931.334.1757
This is the worst recession of my lifetime. We have to take specific steps in the call center “right now” to avoid being a weak afterthought when this all ends. The bottom line is that we can’t wait for advertisers to call us, because they just aren’t calling. After all, is it called classifieds because of the classifications, or because of our “Top Secret” advantages? We need to tell every line-ad/word-ad customer that calls how many thousands of copies we will print and deliver over the next week. We need to do this on every single call, even our old faithful advertisers.
I’m suggesting, for classified liners, a dramatic change of course. No change in the fundamental principals, but a change in the standard day-to-day practice. We have had a good run of waiting for customers to contact us when they were ready to advertise. All the while, our numerous competitors were wooing our advertisers and luring them away, one at a time. At most publications, our reaction was to “not notice” as these advertisers drifted away from us. Often the advantages competitors tout (such as: “Our ads are Free”) are not as good as your advantage of tens or hundreds of thousands of regular LOCAL weekly readers in print and online. Better than a free ad is an ad that works.
This must change immediately. Here’s the plan: Get three tickle file boxes. Use 4x6 cards, indexed 1-31 to correspond with the days of the month, rather than a-z. Label them “Current”, “Dormant”, and “Prospects”. Put the contact info at the top of each card. Then put the date and what happened on one line for each contact you make. Make all of the calls behind that day’s number. Then move the card back in the box based on the frequency you plan to call.
1. Identify the top line-ad advertisers from the past three months (about 50 advertisers per ad-visor) and start a tickle file box for these current top advertisers, making note on their cards of how frequently each of them typically advertises. This is relatively easy to do, as the list of recent ads comes up when you call up the customer account in the system. Then, have the ad-visors call them up to get their next ad, instead of waiting for them to call us. This way, a good business advertiser won’t stop using you, and start using someone else without you knowing about it, and countering their claims with your superior facts. This box has top priority each day.
2. Identify the top line-ad advertisers that have done business over the last year to year and a half, but have done little or nothing in the past three months. (about 100 per ad-visor). These are the dormant or “going dormant” accounts. They believed in you just a few months ago. They are your top prospects for regaining the business. The cards you make on these advertisers would be in a different tickle file box. This box has second priority each day.
3. Identify 100 prospects for each ad-visor, that aren’t running now and haven’t ever run much (or any) with you. You find these on www.simplyhired.com, www.oodle.com, www.kijiji.com, www.craigslist.org and the other similar websites. These are kept in the third tickle file box, which has third priority each day.
This is a far more aggressive stance than I’ve previously taken in classifieds, and you may find that some reps can’t make the switch. We’ll miss them. At this point, we need people that are willing to do everything they can do
5 SAPAToday8 SAPAToday
Don’t just sit there & let your classified franchise dwindle away! by Joe Bonura
GREAT DAY?Six weeks ago I was in San Angelo, Texas, where I completed a successful field day with four sales people. The sales manager drove me to the airport for my 5:00 PM flight to Dallas, and then home to Louisville.
VOICEMAIL NIGHTMAREI had not checked my voicemail all day -- something I never do. When I received the message, my whole world turned upside down. My wife said that she was at the hospital with our oldest son. Doctors discovered that he had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball on the right side of his brain. That was the bad news; the good news was the tumor was benign.
PHYSICALLY FITHow could that be? He was in great physical condition. He was running five miles a day, three days a week. He lifted weights, bench pressing 290 pounds.
NO GO TONIGHTI was scheduled to return home to Louisville by 10:30 PM. I was already making plans to go straight to the hospital upon my arrival in Louisville. We boarded the plane on schedule, and the plane backed off from the gate.
FLIGHT CANCELLEDI knew there was a problem when they shut the engine down, and the pilot made an announcement that the airport mechanics were on their way. After four or five delay announcements, the airline cancelled the flight. If I remained in San Angelo, I would not arrive home until five the next day.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY
When I asked the airline person if
he could get me home earlier if I left out of Dallas, he said yes and booked me on the 6:00 AM flight out of Dallas with an arrival time of 8:00 AM in Louisville. It was the only option, so I took it.
ATTITUDE = ALTITUDEI spoke to my son and he was very upbeat and positive about the whole situation. In fact, he was taking the news better than I was. I told him I loved him and would see him in the morning.
ANGELS AMONG USThe next problem was to make the four-hour drive from San Angelo to Dallas. When I asked if anyone wanted to share a rental car with me to Dallas, a young man named Chase volunteered to share the car and the driving with me. After I told him my story, he said that he was going to Dallas anyway, and he would pay for the car. I asked him to at least let me share the driving, but he declined and drove the entire four and one-half hours. When we arrived in Dallas, he asked to pray with me. God sends angels when we need them, and he was my angel that night. In my weakened mental state, I don’t know if I could have found my way out of San Angelo, much less find a hotel in Dallas that was close to the airport. Chase knew the highways, and he knew Dallas as home.
PRAYER POWERMy son had surgery three days later, and the operation went better than the doctor had anticipated. Friends and relatives all over the world were praying for him, and his recovery was nothing short of miraculous.
MAKE CALLS, MAKE MORE CALLS, MAKE MANY MORE
CALLSThe doctor predicted that my son would be out of commission for
at least thirteen weeks. Ten days after the surgery, he was on the telephone making sales calls.
GET OUT OF HEREFourteen days after surgery the physical therapist released him from the hospital, saying that they could devote their time to those who most needed it.
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
He was told that he could be out of work for three months. He was back to work within four weeks. He was told that he would not drive for three months. He was back behind the wheel in six weeks.
DEDICATION DOES ITMy son has always been a very dedicated sales person, and his ordeal brought out the best in him. It has also brought out the best in many of us who have watched him cope and grow.
LISTEN FOR YOURSELFIf you click to the following link, you can listen to a telephone message that he left me one morning when he was making his sales calls. (if link is not clickable, please copy and paste into your Address Bar): http://www.bonura.com/audio/voice_mail_more_calls.mp3
PROUD AS I CAN BEDo I sound like a proud father! Yes, you bet! I am proud of him, his wife, and his three teenage children for the support they gave throughout his recovery.
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?Now when I hear sales people complain about making sales calls, I say, “My son had brain surgery and was making calls -- What’s your problem?”
© 2007-2008 Joe Bonura & Associates, Inc.
It Takes More than Brains
The economy, unemployment, companies folding, people losing their homes--2008 has left consumers wary of businesses. And that lack of consumer confidence requires straightforward, honest advertising messages to regain marketplace security. In 2009, perhaps more than ever, the words you use in your copywriting can determine whether you make a sale or lose a customer.
Here are 10 words to avoid in your 2009 copywriting.
FREE
Ads that include messages about a free product or service promotions can work well during an economic downturn, but consumers need to see the products perform well. E-mail spam filters are tough on messages that include “free” in the subject line. While it might be tempting to use a subject line that says, “Open now to get your free widget,” that’s an e-mail spam filter red flag that will send your message to most recipients’ spam boxes. When the economy is tough, you can’t risk having your e-mails not make it to the intended recipients. Replace “free” with “complimentary” or “gratis” to sneak by spam filters without compromising the effectiveness of your message.
GUARANTEE
Fe w peop le be l i e ve in
guarantees these days. Unless you can prove your guarantee is real, use the valuable real estate space in your ad for a more effective message that consumers are likely to believe and act on.
REALLY
If you want to waste space in your ads, include “really” in your copy. This word does nothing to help your messages. Instead, it slows consumers down, and they are not likely to wait around for the complete message. Don’t risk losing them by loading your copy with useless filler words. Make sure every word in your copy is there for a reason.
VERY
Does a message sound more compelling with “very” in it? Is “When you need very fresh flowers, call ABC Florist,” more effective than “When you need fresh flowers, call ABC Florist”? If you answered, yes, reread the last paragraph.
THAT
Once you finish writing copy for your ad or marketing piece, reread it and make note of every time you use “that” in your copy. Chances are, you can delete 90 percent of them because “that” is a filler word that doesn’t advance
the consumer through the message. Instead, it slows down time-strapped consumers. Deliver the messages your audience is likely to respond to, and deliver them quickly.
A LOT
Don’t use vague copy with words like “a lot” that do nothing to differentiate your business f rom your competitors. Instead, quantify your messages. If you offer 20 varieties of roses in your flower shop, say so. If you respond to customer service calls within five minutes, tell people. Which is more compelling: “You can choose from a lot of shoe styles at Sally’s Shoe Boutique” or “You can choose from more than 100 shoe styles at Sally’s Shoe Boutique?” No doubt, “100 shoe styles” is more intriguing than “a lot of shoe styles.” A lot can mean different things to different people. Don’t leave room for guesswork in your copy. Make your messages extremely clear with no room for confusion.
OPPORTUNITY
You’re not helping anyone when you offer “opportunities” in your copy. Consumers don’t want opportunities. They want to feel confident handing over their hard-earned money. They want to know they’ll
9 SAPAToday4 SAPAToday
10 Advertising Words ToAvoid in 2009
get the results they want and need, not the opportunity to perhaps get those results. Don’t let them wonder what they’ll get when they pull out their wallets. Tell them.
TO BE (OR NOT TO BE, FOR THAT MATTER)
Write your advertising and marketing messages in the active voice, not the passive voice. If any form of “to be,” “has been” or anything similar appears in your copy, rewrite it. Writing in the passive voice doesn’t command action. Writing in the active voice does.
SYNERGY
This overused piece of jargon has had a long life, but it’s time to move on. Leave jargon and 10-dollar words out of your advertising messages. There’s no room in copywriting for buzz words and words that consumers need a dictionary to understand. Consumers don’t care about your “unique value proposition.” They care that when they pay for your product or service, it will deliver the results they expect. Naturally, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as B2B copywriting, where jargon might be expected. In most copywriting, however,
keep it simple.
DRINkABILITY
Budweiser is already using “drinkability” in its ads. Seriously though, the point is valid--don’t copy your competition. Instead, differentiate your product and business with unique copy and messages that your target audience is likely to respond to.
The rules of successful copywriting don’t change from one year to the next, but as the marketplace and environment change, so must your messages. Use the list above as a guideline to writing great advertising copy in 2009.
Susan Gunelius has more than 15 years of marketing and copywriting experience working for some of the largest companies in the world. Gunelius is the president and CEO of KeySplash Creative Inc., a marketing communications company offering writing and copywriting services, and marketing and branding consulting. She is also a published author, and her latest book, Kick-Ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps, is now available from Entrepreneur Press.
Copyright © 2007 Entrepreneur.com, Inc.
10 Advertising Words ToAvoid in 2009 Continued
continued on page 9
By John Foust, Raleigh, NC
In the 1980s, International Paper ran an award-winning “Power of Print” ad campaign, featuring a series of educational subjects – each delivered by a well-known literary figure. Here’s a sampling:
- “How to write a business letter” by Malcolm Forbes- “How to read faster” by Bill Cosby- “How to write with style” by Kurt Vonnegut- “How to read an annual report” by Jane Bryant Quinn
- “How to enjoy poetry” by James Dickey- “How to make a speech” by George Plimpton- “How to improve your vocabulary” by Tony Randall What do these headlines have in common? By using the two simple words “how to,” each ad clearly states a benefit. Readers instantly know what they will gain by reading the rest of the ads. If you want to accomplish the same thing in your ad copy, here are a few points to keep in mind:
1. Start with a relevant benefit. The vital first step in the process is to gather as much information as possible about the product or service you are advertising. Ask questions, probe for details, and look at the situation from the target audience’s point of view. Although all features have at least one corresponding benefit, remember that not every benefit will be a deal-maker to your audience.
Are your typical buyers most concerned about selection? Price? Location? Find the benefit that is most important to your audience, and build the advertising around it.
2. Use the words “how to.” These two words lead directly to a benefit – by way of a verb that puts the reader in the driver’s seat. You’ve seen this strategy in book titles, such as Dale Carnegie’s
“How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
The title (1) tells you exactly what the book is about, and (2) promises a benefit.
3. Be specific. The words “how to” will not work unless they are connected to a specific statement, as illustrated in this simple progression:
a) “How to save money” and “How to save a lot” are vague and ineffective. b) “How to save money on your new car” is a little better because it at least pinpoints a product category. c) “How to save money on your new Widget-mobile” is another step in the right direction because it identifies a name brand. d) “How to save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile” is even better. It clearly states what the ad is about, and promises a specific benefit. When you’re talking about saving money, it’s always smart to specify a percentage or a dollar amount.
4. Consider dropping “how to.” One of the most interesting things about this “how to” copywriting technique is that it can work without the words
“how to.” Crazy as it may sound, you can often eliminate the opening without changing the meaning. For example, “Save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile” says the same thing as “How to save $2,000 on your new Widget-mobile.”
Headline-writing is an important advertising skill. You have to be willing to tweak the words until they’re just right.
(c) Copyright 2008 by John Foust. All rights reserved.
E-mail John Foust for information about his training videos for ad departments: j f o u s t @mindspring.com
3 SAPAToday
USPS “NEW YEAR” NEWS AND UPDATES
As 2008 comes to a close and 2009 begins, there is not much holiday cheer to report from the USPS. The nation’s economic woes have been felt in the sharp decline of postal business and volume. Here is a summary of what has been happening, and will be happening with next year’s rates and revenues, at the USPS.
Volume Decline Produces Big Losses
In the financial presentations given to the Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee and the Postal Service Board of Governors, the financial officers of the Postal Service were not delivering good news. The Postal Service saw a major decline in business for all classes of mail with a loss in fiscal year 2008 of 10% in total volume. The Chief Financial Officer for the Postal Service predicted an additional decline of 3-4% in volumes for 2009. Although the Postal Service has attempted to aggressively achieve cost reductions, and is in the process of making an unprecedented adjustment to its delivery route system, the Postal Service concluded its 2008 fiscal year with a net loss of $2.8 billion.
As the Postal Service is announcing it will do everything it can to contain costs, it has embarked upon an ambitious and unprecedented effort to adjust its city delivery routes. With a goal of achieving $4 billion in cost reductions, the Postal Service has set out to reduce fulltime city carrier routes by 9200 routes in fiscal year 2009. The goal is to achieve a savings of more then 32 million work hours in city deliveries. The ability to readjust routes can be attributed to the Postal Service’s success in reaching an agreement with the National Association of Letter Carriers that will permit the Postal Service to adjust city delivery routes using an expedited route evaluation and adjustment process.
Postal delivery represents the largest cost center for the USPS. With city delivery representing 75% of those costs, rural delivery accounting for 24% and highway contract route delivery accounts making up approximately 1%.
With such massive changes under way, mailers should be alert to service issues and should work closely with their local postal stations on mail delivery. The Postal Service has changed its move update standards and the time frame for move updates has been shortened. Most discounted mail must have address lists updated, with an approved method, within 95 days prior to the mailing date.
POSTAL RATE CHANGES AND PREDICTIONS
Competitive Products
The Postal Service announced price changes to its existing menu of competitive and shipping services in mid-November. The price changes will take effect on January 18 and will result in express mail prices increasing by approximately 5.7%, Priority Mail increasing by 3.9% and Parcel Select increasing by 5.9%. Additional competitive services include personal return service, international mail, and Express Mail International which all saw price adjustments ranging from approximately 6 to 8.5%.
Market Dominant Products and Rates for Saturation Mail
The Postal Service’s calendar for announcing and implementing postal rate adjustments for mail subject to the price cap standard is a mid-February announcement with a mid-May implementation date. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act subjects all rates for
Calendar ofEvents
10 SAPAToday
Not All BuyersAre Created Equal
USPS MailNews Update
SAPA Publishers Retreat 2009: In the cold month of January SAPA will hold its annual Publishers Retreat and Board Meeting. Where can you go during that month to enjoy a little warmth and sunshine? Orlando, of course. Plan now to attend and be refreshed.
AFCP Annual Conference 2009: On April 23 - 25, 2009, AFCP will conduct their annual conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For more information go to their website: www.afcp.org or call 1-877-203-2327.
SAPA Conference 2009: In 2009 we’ll be in Louisville, Kentucky at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The hotel is located across the street from 4th Street Live so there will be plenty to do. Mark your calendars now for August 28 & 29, 2009 in Louisville. Please give us a call at 1-800-334-0649 or email: [email protected] if you would like more information.
continued on page 11
2 SAPAToday 11 SAPAToday
SAPA Board of Directors
Past PresidentMike Woodard
Tuscaloosa Shopper & Reporter
Northport, AL205-333-7525
PresidentRussell
QuattlebaumSoutheast SunEnterprise, AL 334-393-2969
Vice PresidentGreg Ledford
Shelby Shopper & Info
Shelby, NC 704-484-1047
TreasurerTony OnellionBargains PlusSlidell, LA
985-649-9515
Executive Director
Douglas FrySAPA Headquarters
Columbia, TN931-490-0400
Board MemberJW Owens
Savannah Pennysaver
Savannah, GA 912-238-2040
Board MemberCaroline
QuattlebaumSoutheast SunEnterprise, AL 334-393-2969
SecretaryAlan Lingerfelt
The Piedmont Shopper
Danville, VA434-822-1800
Past PresidentGary Benton
Peddler ADvantageParis, TN
731-644-9595
Past PresidentBrenda Finchum
Coffee County Shopper
Manchester, TN931-728-3273
CornerIn each issue of SAPAToday we’ll look at one of the membership benefits you receive from the Classified Ad Network (CAN).
When we think of the many SAPA benefits we often overlook our very own newsletter. SAPAToday contains information that every person in your organization can benefit from. We want to make that content available to everyone, not just the person it’s mailed to. So, we are converting our
newsletter to an electronic version that will be sent to everyone you tell us about.
All you have to do is call Douglas Fry on his direct line at 1.931.490.0400 and tell him who should receive the electronic version of SAPAToday. Alternatively you can email Douglas at [email protected] with the same information. He’ll see that all your people are well connected and informed.
mail covered by the Postal Service monopoly to a “modern” system for regulating rates and classes for market dominant products under a price cap regime. The price cap is based upon a consumer price index that is tracked on a 12-month rolling average basis going back to the last date that price changes were announced. The average CPI may change each month with increases or decreases in the CPI. As of the writing of this column, the averaged CPI for the year was approximately 4.3%. The CPI cap to be used for the February 2009 rate announcement is anticipated to be between 4 and 4.3%.
For budgeting purposes, mailers can plan upon rate adjustments in mid-May of 2009 approximately 4.3%. But keep in mind this estimate is subject to significant variations for a mailer’s individual type of mailings and mail profile. The rate cap regime provides that rates are set on a class level. This means that the average rate increase for standard mail cannot exceed the price cap. Within the class of standard mail, which includes a wide variety of mail of all types, the Postal Service has the flexibility to adjust its price and rates to reflect market (competitive) conditions, reward and encourage efficient (low cost) mail and to charge more for mail that is more costly or difficult to handle.
The Saturation Mailers Coalition (SMC) has made a pointed appeal to the USPS to adjust the prices for saturation program mailers with an eye to market and competitive conditions and USPS revenue opportunities. SMC representatives, including many free paper publishers, have shown that free paper publishers can switch from the mail to private delivery, have difficulty attracting desirable, heavier retail preprints and circulars, and can leave the mail if prices and postal operation requirements are burdensome. SMC members have also shown that free paper publishers, and other shared mailers, could represent a stable and growing source of needed revenue for the USPS.
USPS Asks Congress For Relief
In this season of budget bailouts, the Postal Service has also made its pitch to Congress for debt relief. One of the significant challenges the Postal Service faces is the steep debt service requirements of the 2006 Postal Reform Act. This law requires the USPS to pay anywhere from $5.4 billion to $5.8 billion a year to fund, in advance, the costs of Postal Service retiree health care. In describing its financial picture for 2009, the Postal Service Chief Financial Officer, H. Glen Walker, predicted the Postal Service would incur a $7.7 million loss for 2009 due, in large part, to the requirement that it prefund the retiree health benefits.
The Postal Service, along with the support of numerous individual mailers and mail associations, has written to the Senate Majority Leader, The Honorable Harry Reid, making an appeal for relief from the 2008-2009 funding
requirements. In a letter to Senator Reid, the Industry wrote, “We are asking your support for efforts to help the United States Postal Service through our unprecedented national financial difficulty. The $900 billion mailing industry, millions of jobs, continued efficient universal postal services, and the long term survival of the Postal Service are at stake.”
The Postal Service, and the mailing industry, has been quick to point out that the USPS is not seeking a bailout. The Postal Service is simply asking for a cash management change that would give it temporary relief from funding requirements and stretch out the term for prefunding the debt. The industry letter notes:
The Postal Service has proposed an adjustment to that payment schedule which would preserve the law’s requirement for full funding of retiree health benefits, but lessen the financial demand upon the Postal Service for several years. It does not relieve the Postal Service of any existing financial obligation. Employee and retiree benefits are fully protected.
Without some form of relief, the Postal Service is hitting the debt ceiling maximum allowed by current law. In 2008, the Postal Service increased its debt to the maximum borrowing allowed for the year, $3 billion, and brought its total debt to $7.2 billion as of the end of fiscal year 2008.
SMC Anniversary
In early 2009, SMC will celebrate its 12th anniversary as a stand-alone organization with participation and support from free paper publishers, shared mailers, coupon envelope mailers, and reciprocal membership relationships with many of the fine associations that represent the free paper industry. Any person that is using the mail for distribution of a paper, or is interested in using the mail for all or part of your circulation, should contact SMC for membership information.
SMC was formed in 1997 to represent the common interests of its members in maintaining fair and reasonable postal rates and regulations, laws and postal policies that promote a viable, competitive and customer focus postal service, and a positive public image and response to mailed print advertising. Our efforts in the last dozen years, and 2008, include fighting to achieve rate stability and more competitive rates for saturation mail programs, proposing and advocating a simplified address format for free papers and shared mail programs, and promoting the value of freely distributed print mail products – whether in the mail or by other methods – as a consumer friendly, and environmentally sound, way of connecting buyers and sellers and supporting local business.
For membership information, contact: Donna Hanbery; Executive Director, SMC; 33 South 6th Street, Suite 4040; Minneapolis, MN 55402; Telephone: 612-340-9855; Fax: 612-340-9446; Email: [email protected]
USPS MailNews & Updates Continued
SAPATodayAdMall: one of SAPAs Best!
The Bi-Monthly Newsletter for the Free Paper Industry January - February | 2009
In this Issue:
visit us at www.sapatoday.com
When the Benefit Committee proposed that we make AdMall SAPAs latest benefit there was no way we could see what a HUGE benefit it would become. Please read on to see what a few of our members have to say about AdMall.
“Thank you SAPA for introducing me to AdMall. From the first day I entered the web site and made my very first phone call, AdMall more than exceeded my expectations. I sold an ad for 5 weeks, paid in full up front, and he has committed to another 13 week contract. I not only sold that ad, but have found several leads that I did not even know existed had it not been for AdMall. The site is very professional, informative and user friendly; and along with the co-op leads and sales tips has become an excellent asset to my sales.
“Thank you again for all your fantastic efforts on our companies behalf. It is greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work!” Donna Horner - Smoky Mountain Publishing
“AdMall has put money in our bank account... No cost to our paper! How cool is that? I love the benefits of being a SAPA member!” Alan Lingerfelt - Piedmont Shopper
“Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that in my personal opinion Ad Mall is the bomb... I just got 100% co-op for a client who never was successful with the company doing her ads to receive her full benefit. With the information from Ad Mall I got to deal with the actual person to approve the ads in a timely manner in order to get her in the paper... Wonderful!!
“Last week I called a client to talk and mentioned co-op on several items he carried and now he is doing larger ads and also put a banner on the web site...LOVE IT!! Thanks for caring and sharing AdMall with all of the people representing free papers attending the conference. This will help all free papers grow and shine...” Judy Bryant - The Piedmont Shopper
Southeastern Adver t is ing Publ ishers Associat ion (931) 490-0400 (931) 490-0488 fax
page 2SAPA Board of Directors & CAN Corner
page 3Buyers Not Equal
page 4Words to Avoid
page 5It Takes More Than Brains
page 8Don’t Let Your Classified Franchise Disappear
page 10Calendar of Events & USPS Update
Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association
Advancing the free paper industry by providing resources for success and venues for sharing ideas.
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