Page Two Business Directory generates more than $76k in new business for Kenai (AK)
The Challenge
Newspapers have often struggled with competing head to head with local Yellow Page directories. The Peninsula Clarion in Kenai, AK, wanted to create a program that would allow smaller, local advertisers to use their Yellow Page dollars to buy more effective advertising in the newspaper. After meeting with The Blinder Group, the newspaper staff developed the "Premiere Business Directory"--a daily service directory that was placed in the coveted Page 2 section of the newspaper as well as on the newspaper's Web site. The Peninsula Clarion was able to give advertisers more advertising exposure in print and online--something the Yellow Pages could not offer.
Program Overview
The Peninsula Clarion re-designed the second page of their newspaper to allow for the outside column of the page to be used as a daily business directory. The newspaper offered 1-column by 3 inch ads to a select group of five advertisers in each daily directory. Each day's directory featured a different business segment of advertisers (i.e. Monday--Consult a Professional, Tuesday--Shopping Our Neighborhood).
All advertisers that participated in the program were featured on an ongoing basis within an online business directory. The online directory was promoted in the newspaper as well as on the home page of the newspaper's Web site. The advertiser's listing in the online directory was linked directly to the online version of their print ad. Since the online directory listed all the featured business segments, the advertiser's once-a-week print ad was actually live all week long online.
Sales Strategy
Advertisers were offered a bundled package that included the print and online directories. In print, the advertiser received a weekly 1 x 3 ad. Online, each business received a virtual version of their Page 2 ad.
All advertisers who participated in the program, had to commit to one year's placement within their weekly directory. All advertisers could change their ad's copy each week. A different pricing structure was created to accommodate those advertisers wanting to run 26-weeks instead of 52.
Results
Within just four days of selling with The Blinder Group, the team at the Peninsula Clarion was able to secure five advertisers for each category for the entire year--generating more than $76,400 in new revenue for the newspaper.
Contact Information
The Peninsula Clarion is a 5,500 daily located in Kenai, Alaska.
For more information about the sales strategy of this program, contact:
Stan Pitlo, Director Newspaper Division Alaska
(907) 561-4772
gm@alaskajournal.com
(907)283-7551 evelyn.gebhardt@peninsulaclarion.com For technical information, contact:
Pat Porter, New Media Director
(907) 283-7551
pep@morris.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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