Grand Haven (MI) creates multimedia Wellness program and generates $85k in new revenue
The Opportunity
The medical community of Grand Haven, MI, wanted more exposure for their services. The Grand Haven Tribune wanted more revenue from the medical community. During a planning session led by The Blinder Group, the staff of The Grand Haven Tribune decided to create a multimedia program that would help the medical community get their message in front of readers every week in print and online. This program, titled Health Matters, would not only give the medical community the type of exposure it wanted, but the newspaper would be able to generate some serious new revenue from a previously untapped local business category.
Program Overview
The Grand Haven Tribune developed a one-page medical feature that ran in the newspaper each week. The page included modular ad spaces as well as editorial space. Advertisers not only received ad space, but received editorial space as well. The larger the commitment, the more weeks of editorial space the advertiser received.
The newspaper created a Web site for the Health Matters program. The site was linked from the newspaper's Web site and included the same content as the weekly page in addition to links to health-related Web sites. All advertising that appeared in the print section also appeared on the site.
Sales Strategy
Armed with a one-page sales sheet created by The Blinder Group, that clearly and easily explained the Web portion of the bundled program, the sales team of The Tribune hit the streets. The Blinder Group assisted the sales team with introducing this exciting new product to advertisers.
Advertisers were offered a bundled package that included both the print and online version of Health Matters. Advertisers that purchased a print ad in the weekly editions also appeared online--their logos were linked to online versions of their print ad. They were able to keep their once a week ads active all week long by having them online in addition to reaching a new audience of potential customers. Advertisers buying packages with larger print ads received banners and tiles on the Health Matters site.
Results
In just three days of assisted sales/ training calls with The Blinder Group, the program generated more than $85,000 in new revenue. This program was well accepted by the medical community--giving them additional exposure for their advertising as well as giving them the opportunity to use editorial space to promote programs and services. "We were very happy with the results from The Blinder Group's visit, "stated Paul Bedient, publisher of The Grand Haven Tribune. "Get the calls scheduled and The Blinder Group will close those calls. And, at the same time, the staff learns another person's sales techniques--which never hurts. The Blinder Group will be back again for other projects."
Contact Information
The Grand Haven Tribune is a 10,300 daily newspaper located in Grand Haven, Michigan.
For more information about the sales strategy of this program, contact:
Rob Francis, Advertising Director
(616) 842-6400 x241
rfrancis@grandhaventribune.com
(616) 842-6400 x254
pbedient@grandhaventribune.com
Lead Consultant for The Blinder Group:
Mike Blinder
(917) 865-4827
mike@blindergroup.com
The Blinder Group
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New Port Richey, FL 34652 USA
(727) 847-2464 ~ (727) 847-5959 (fax)
profit@blindergroup.com
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