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Atricle Dump - Could Your Area Support Another Local Newspaper?
Personality Tests - Answers That Get You Hired
If you're just getting into the job market, trying to advance your career, or are an executive trying to land that career making position, chances are extremely high you'll be asked to take a corporate employment test, or personality test.You've spent countless hours preparing your resume, practicing for interview questions, and picking out the right interview clothes to wear. You know what to say, what not to say, and how to communicate your interest through body language.Why risk questionable results from the pre-employment personality test?It's not uncommon. The hiring manager will insist that you are "the one." But if negative test results come in, any corporate executive manager will recommend that the hiring manager "...go with the other candidate."That's because managers want to avoid risk. Nobody wants to have to explain why they were the one that hired the guy that had "skewed" results on the personality profile. So they will choose the candidate that the test results show to be the best choice.Don't let a quiz take control of your caree
e of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads. If you're just getting into the job market, trying to advance your career, or are an executive trying to land that career making position, chances are extremely high you'll be asked to take a corporate employment test, or personality test.You've spent countless hours preparing your resume, practicing for interview questions, and picking out the right interview clothes to wear. You know what to say, what not to say, and how to communicate your interest through body language.Why risk questionable results from the pre-employment personality test?It's not uncommon. The hiring manager will insist that you are "the one." But if negative test results come in, any corporate executive manager will recommend that the hiring manager "...go with the other candidate."That's because managers want to avoid risk. Nobody wants to have to explain why they were the one that hired the guy that had "skewed" results on the personality profile. So they will choose the candidate that the test results show to be the best choice.Don't let a quiz take control of your caree
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Getting Reimbursed for Business Expenses
Business traveling, even with all of its hustle, bustle, and flat hotel pillows, does have one perk: your company pays for it. Whether they reimburse you for cars from rental agencies or for the miles you put on your own vehicle, one thing stands between you and your financial compensation: tangible proof of what you’ve spent.Keeping financial records of business trips may seem – on the surface – quite simple. However, when more pressing matters get in the way – late plane departures, important business meetings, getting lost in a new city – it’s rather easy to lose track of what you are spending. Adhering to some of the following tips of advice can help you to keep track of all your expenses and allow you to stick it to “the man,” one mile at a time.Put your Receipts somewhere safe: Receipts on business trips are as important as money: they are evidence that you’ve spent what you say you’ve spent. Unfortunately, they are sometimes easy to lose. When you are in a rush, stuffing receipts in the pocket of your jacket and accidentally throwing them away later, or
Today, every large city has at least one major daily newspaper, and many have several papers, including specialized business news, senior citizen news, shoppers guides, advertising sheets, and so on. Some of these papers are published weekly and others may come out every other week, or every month. But in all these ways news and information, and lots of advertising, goes out to the public.Business traveling, even with all of its hustle, bustle, and flat hotel pillows, does have one perk: your company pays for it. Whether they reimburse you for cars from rental agencies or for the miles you put on your own vehicle, one thing stands between you and your financial compensation: tangible proof of what you’ve spent.Keeping financial records of business trips may seem – on the surface – quite simple. However, when more pressing matters get in the way – late plane departures, important business meetings, getting lost in a new city – it’s rather easy to lose track of what you are spending. Adhering to some of the following tips of advice can help you to keep track of all your expenses and allow you to stick it to “the man,” one mile at a time.Put your Receipts somewhere safe: Receipts on business trips are as important as money: they are evidence that you’ve spent what you say you’ve spent. Unfortunately, they are sometimes easy to lose. When you are in a rush, stuffing receipts in the pocket of your jacket and accidentally throwing them away later, or
Rather than hurting local newspaper distribution, the Internet has actually enhanced and often increased it. I may live in Sacramento, California, for example, but I can jump on the Internet and catch some of the local news in Portland, Maine by way of the local newspapers. I can even subscribe over the Net in just a few minutes. Such public presence makes every newspaper available to the entire world. The result of such exposure is a much wider audience, and more subscriptions.
The Need in Your Area
More than likely, your area already has at least one daily paper based in a nearby city, as well as other publications, such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. I’m sure there are also real estate guides, shoppers, business news, free papers that target farm or city readers, and other local or regional publications. You may wonder if there is really room, or a need for yet another newspaper.
Are Local Businesses & Readers Being Served?
You need to know the answer to the above question before you go very far in trying to develop a newspaper or other local publication. You need to have an accurate understanding of who you will serve, how you will serve them (what can you offer that no one else is offering), and why. You should be fully aware of other publications in your market area and what they are doing.
Take the time to do a little research. Drive around and collect one each of every newspaper, shopping guide or trading post, real estate guide, and free magazine publication you can find. Spend a couple of days looking them over. Go through each publication more than once. Take note of the advertising, the news offered, the features (comics, puzzles, tidbits) offered. Ask yourself how well the people you know are being represented by these publications. How well are the small and medium sized businesses in your area publicized?
The second step in your research is to go out and visit with local business people. Visit briefly with barbershops, pet stores, cafes, repair shops, appliance stores, tax services, attorneys, clothing stores — all kinds of businesses. Stop in and ask business owners and managers about their advertising methods, their needs for new sales and new customers. Ask them how a publication might better serve the community and marketplace.
Next, go through the phone book’s Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why.
You’re Looking for two things:
1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services?
2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations?
As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media.
Demographic Information
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Restaurant Equipment Tips: Are Energy Costs Eating Up your Restautant's Profits?
We at Jean's Restaurant Supply want you to succeed with your business venture and rising energy costs are on the forefront of everyone's minds. Inefficient, or inefficient use of, food preparation equipment is the second-largest energy drain on your restaurant's profits. So here at Jean's Restaurant Supply, we have compiled some energy-saving tips for your commercial ovens. In doing so, we hope that with the implementation of some of these energy-saving tips, your energy bill leaves you with some profits still on your plate.Energy-Saving Tips for Commercial Ovens Eeny Meeny Miney Mo. Choosing the most efficient commercial oven requires only some investigation and vigilance on your part. Educate yourself on the "ins and outs" of oven design, such as insulation and quality. Pay close attention to timers and thermostats, which can help automate procedures and maximize your energy-saving efforts. Deciding which type of oven is best suited for the task at hand can also significantly impact your energy bill. ther newspaper.
Are Local Businesses & Readers Being Served?
You need to know the answer to the above question before you go very far in trying to develop a newspaper or other local publication. You need to have an accurate understanding of who you will serve, how you will serve them (what can you offer that no one else is offering), and why. You should be fully aware of other publications in your market area and what they are doing.
Take the time to do a little research. Drive around and collect one each of every newspaper, shopping guide or trading post, real estate guide, and free magazine publication you can find. Spend a couple of days looking them over. Go through each publication more than once. Take note of the advertising, the news offered, the features (comics, puzzles, tidbits) offered. Ask yourself how well the people you know are being represented by these publications. How well are the small and medium sized businesses in your area publicized?
The second step in your research is to go out and visit with local business people. Visit briefly with barbershops, pet stores, cafes, repair shops, appliance stores, tax services, attorneys, clothing stores — all kinds of businesses. Stop in and ask business owners and managers about their advertising methods, their needs for new sales and new customers. Ask them how a publication might better serve the community and marketplace.
Next, go through the phone book’s Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why.
You’re Looking for two things:
1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services?
2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations?
As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media.
Demographic Information
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Next, go through the phone book’s Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why.
You’re Looking for two things:
1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services?
2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations?
As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media.
Demographic Information
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local representation offered by other publications? Can you see a way of marketing/selling your paper to advertisers that will help them to see the immediate benefit to advertising with you?
With some blank sheets of typewriter paper, layout some page ideas for your publication. Sketch out some headlines, some ideas for main photos, some good ideas for ads, and the kinds of ads you want to run. Build a mock-up of your paper. How many pages will it have (think is sets of 4 and 8, since the printer will think this way). A 16 or 20 page paper is a great size for many small weeklies to start with. That gives you space to fill with information and ads, without giving you a huge mountain to climb.
As you work on ideas, keep in mind the segment of the population, and the specific businesses you want to center your attention on. Build a newspaper that appeals to the readers and advertisers you want to attract.
If you're like me, you'll also be going through the numbers, with a calculator and notepad, over and over and over. Spend all the time you want (and need) playing with numbers before you start trying to sell the first issue.
How many households are in your area (demographics)? How many of those do you plan to reach? How much will postage cost for the number of papers you want to direct-mail to homes, businesses, or p.o. boxes? Get to know your post office staff. Find out about Standard (used to be called Bulk) rates, route saturation mailings, and keep researching until you get the lowest possible rates for your paper.
Finally
Get quotes on every configuration of printing your paper. Find out about 4-color process, spot color, black ink only (more about this) and combinations of these, which pages will be color and which will be black ink only (if any). Adjust all your own rates according to this data. And remember that the market you choose to reach will determine much about your use of color and other options.
To learn more about starting your own local newspaper, visit www.newspaper-info.com
We at Jean's Restaurant Supply want you to succeed with your business venture and rising energy costs are on the forefront of everyone's minds. Inefficient, or inefficient use of, food preparation equipment is the second-largest energy drain on your restaurant's profits. So here at Jean's Restaurant Supply, we have compiled some energy-saving tips for your commercial ovens. In doing so, we hope that with the implementation of some of these energy-saving tips, your energy bill leaves you with some profits still on your plate.Energy-Saving Tips for Commercial Ovens Eeny Meeny Miney Mo. Choosing the most efficient commercial oven requires only some investigation and vigilance on your part. Educate yourself on the "ins and outs" of oven design, such as insulation and quality. Pay close attention to timers and thermostats, which can help automate procedures and maximize your energy-saving efforts. Deciding which type of oven is best suited for the task at hand can also significantly impact your energy bill. ther newspaper.
Are Local Businesses & Readers Being Served?
You need to know the answer to the above question before you go very far in trying to develop a newspaper or other local publication. You need to have an accurate understanding of who you will serve, how you will serve them (what can you offer that no one else is offering), and why. You should be fully aware of other publications in your market area and what they are doing.
Take the time to do a little research. Drive around and collect one each of every newspaper, shopping guide or trading post, real estate guide, and free magazine publication you can find. Spend a couple of days looking them over. Go through each publication more than once. Take note of the advertising, the news offered, the features (comics, puzzles, tidbits) offered. Ask yourself how well the people you know are being represented by these publications. How well are the small and medium sized businesses in your area publicized?
The second step in your research is to go out and visit with local business people. Visit briefly with barbershops, pet stores, cafes, repair shops, appliance stores, tax services, attorneys, clothing stores — all kinds of businesses. Stop in and ask business owners and managers about their advertising methods, their needs for new sales and new customers. Ask them how a publication might better serve the community and marketplace.
Next, go through the phone book’s Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why.
You’re Looking for two things:
1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services?
2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations?
As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media.
Demographic Information
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Opening A Dollar Store - Does Location Really Make a Difference?
Are you opening a dollar store? Have you started looking for a location yet? If not, then it is important to know that finding the right location is without a doubt the most important tasks that you will undertake prior to opening your store. Take the time to thoroughly examine the location options that are available before you make a decision.The demographics of the potential dollar store shopper are very broad, and the number of shoppers within that demographic group is huge. Excellent visibility and high traffic count, coupled with easy access and convenient parking are key considerations. Before opening a dollar store be sure that you thoroughly examine not only present but also future planned traffic flow and building immediately around the proposed site. Carry your study to at least a one-mile radius around the location. (I used a five-mile radius for our large store.)The prospective location of the store, anchor businesses, and complimentary businesses are all part of the equation during the examination. Make sure that you are not around the corner from a compe
ing methods, their needs for new sales and new customers. Ask them how a publication might better serve the community and marketplace. Are you opening a dollar store? Have you started looking for a location yet? If not, then it is important to know that finding the right location is without a doubt the most important tasks that you will undertake prior to opening your store. Take the time to thoroughly examine the location options that are available before you make a decision.The demographics of the potential dollar store shopper are very broad, and the number of shoppers within that demographic group is huge. Excellent visibility and high traffic count, coupled with easy access and convenient parking are key considerations. Before opening a dollar store be sure that you thoroughly examine not only present but also future planned traffic flow and building immediately around the proposed site. Carry your study to at least a one-mile radius around the location. (I used a five-mile radius for our large store.)The prospective location of the store, anchor businesses, and complimentary businesses are all part of the equation during the examination. Make sure that you are not around the corner from a compe
Next, go through the phone book’s Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why.
You’re Looking for two things:
1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services?
2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations?
As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media.
Demographic Information
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Try Live Chat
Live chat is a great way to communicate with business associates witout having to go through the hassle of e-mail or phones. Phones are instant communication, but you cannot send files over the phone, and emails are wonderful if they happen quickly. However, often times email can take a long time, and there are mistakes involved. With mass amounts of junk mail, people tend to erase things they need, or important emails can get lost in the bulk folder. Therefore, instant messaging is the perfect business software solution. Instant messaging offers avatar operators, and other avatar help ans well as hlpful 24/7 services. While it's true that the web allows you to push your online brochure to people all over the world, most websites fail to offer any form of interaction whatsoever, and having a webcam at your desk to allow people to watch you work is hardly the cutting edge of professionalism is it?If, however, you can offer some form of live sales and/or support from your website, then you're offering the visitor a very useful means of contacting you with their questions
nformationLive chat is a great way to communicate with business associates witout having to go through the hassle of e-mail or phones. Phones are instant communication, but you cannot send files over the phone, and emails are wonderful if they happen quickly. However, often times email can take a long time, and there are mistakes involved. With mass amounts of junk mail, people tend to erase things they need, or important emails can get lost in the bulk folder. Therefore, instant messaging is the perfect business software solution. Instant messaging offers avatar operators, and other avatar help ans well as hlpful 24/7 services. While it's true that the web allows you to push your online brochure to people all over the world, most websites fail to offer any form of interaction whatsoever, and having a webcam at your desk to allow people to watch you work is hardly the cutting edge of professionalism is it?If, however, you can offer some form of live sales and/or support from your website, then you're offering the visitor a very useful means of contacting you with their questions
Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like
CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/
U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/
Free Demographics PDF file download:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf
You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word “demographic” and the name of your city, county or state.
When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people.
Going Door to Door
Even so, you will get a better “feel” for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads.
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local
Small Business Brokers
Business brokers act as matchmakers in the world of business. They bring together small and medium-sized businesses. Small businesses have their own limitations owing to their limited presence in the market. Though most of the business brokerage firms help in selling all sizes of businesses, there are specialized business brokerage firms for selling small businesses also. Through their contacts with big corporations, they can get a good selling price for a small business.For this they could charge a small fixed fee and then a commission. The commission is calculated with the sales price as the base. It is generally negotiable. Various surveys have indicated that as many as one-third of the business brokerage firms in the US fall into the ""small businesses"" category. The small business brokerage field can yield a lucrative income.Even a sole proprietor in this business has an average income which runs into six figures. The smaller businesses can sell for around 200,000 dollars. That could mean revenue of around 10 to 15 thousand dollars from one single transaction, f
e of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads. Business brokers act as matchmakers in the world of business. They bring together small and medium-sized businesses. Small businesses have their own limitations owing to their limited presence in the market. Though most of the business brokerage firms help in selling all sizes of businesses, there are specialized business brokerage firms for selling small businesses also. Through their contacts with big corporations, they can get a good selling price for a small business.For this they could charge a small fixed fee and then a commission. The commission is calculated with the sales price as the base. It is generally negotiable. Various surveys have indicated that as many as one-third of the business brokerage firms in the US fall into the ""small businesses"" category. The small business brokerage field can yield a lucrative income.Even a sole proprietor in this business has an average income which runs into six figures. The smaller businesses can sell for around 200,000 dollars. That could mean revenue of around 10 to 15 thousand dollars from one single transaction, f
All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But it’s the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And you’ll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area.
Practical Applications of the Data
Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target.
Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local representation offered by other publications? Can you see a way of marketing/selling your paper to advertisers that will help them to see the immediate benefit to advertising with you?
With some blank sheets of typewriter paper, layout some page ideas for your publication. Sketch out some headlines, some ideas for main photos, some good ideas for ads, and the kinds of ads you want to run. Build a mock-up of your paper. How many pages will it have (think is sets of 4 and 8, since the printer will think this way). A 16 or 20 page paper is a great size for many small weeklies to start with. That gives you space to fill with information and ads, without giving you a huge mountain to climb.
As you work on ideas, keep in mind the segment of the population, and the specific businesses you want to center your attention on. Build a newspaper that appeals to the readers and advertisers you want to attract.
If you're like me, you'll also be going through the numbers, with a calculator and notepad, over and over and over. Spend all the time you want (and need) playing with numbers before you start trying to sell the first issue.
How many households are in your area (demographics)? How many of those do you plan to reach? How much will postage cost for the number of papers you want to direct-mail to homes, businesses, or p.o. boxes? Get to know your post office staff. Find out about Standard (used to be called Bulk) rates, route saturation mailings, and keep researching until you get the lowest possible rates for your paper.
Finally
Get quotes on every configuration of printing your paper. Find out about 4-color process, spot color, black ink only (more about this) and combinations of these, which pages will be color and which will be black ink only (if any). Adjust all your own rates according to this data. And remember that the market you choose to reach will determine much about your use of color and other options.
To learn more about starting your own local newspaper, visit www.newspaper-info.com
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