Make a new plan, Stan Advertising plan, that is Linda Barrington, MJE

You need a business plan to raise money. Here’s the best way to do it in journalism.

Publications production isn’t just about writing. It’s about learning skills that you will need in whatever career you choose.

Two of the most valuable skills that you can have are the ability to sell something and the ability to provide customer service.

The best way to learn these skills is by actually practicing them. And that’s why you have the opportunity to sell ads and take care of customers.

What do you need money for? More color pages Food for the newsroom. Contest entry fees Scholarships Awards Workshops and conventions

How many ads do you have to sell? Set a realistic target. (During the school year, perhaps one or two ads for each person.) Keep in mind, you may need to go to at least five places to get one ad.

#1 Target businesses that sell products to your school demographics. Create a list for your staff.

Neighborhood shops Bartz’s The Party Stores Arte Painting Lounge Bangles & Bags Finest Nails Car care centers Wash Brite Car Wash Scrub-A-Dub Car Wash Firestone Complete Auto Care Dependable Auto Service

Local clothing stores Salamander MOdE Urban Laundry Clothes Mentor Florists The Flower Lady Alfa Flower Shop Rose’s Flower Shop Welke’s House of Roses

Specialty food stores Simma’s Bakery Gigi’s Cupcakes Niemann’s Candies and Ice Cream Yo Mama Frozen Yogurt Hair cut/stylists Harwood Stylists Regis Salon Cody & Company Harmony Salon & Spa

Book stores Little Read Book Half Price Books Rainbow Booksellers Collector’s Edge Comics Restaurants Firehouse Subs Qdoba Mexican Grill Balistreri's Café Hollander Chinese Pagoda Ted’s Ice Cream and Restaurant

#2 Include new businesses who are looking to make a name for themselves in the community.

DO NOT bother with national chain stores. Local managers have little or no say about local advertising.

#3 Sign up for the businesses you want to contact.

Name: Linda Barrington Businesses from the list that I want to contact Fair Trade Brite Wash Car Wash Ted’s Ice Cream Shop Little Read Book Regis Salon Other businesses where I have a connection Delta Restaurant (I work there.) Photo Frame-for-You (My mom is the manager.)

Business manager makes assignments so that only one person contacts each business.

#4 Take copies of the following with you: Flyer Rate card Your publication

The business manager should prepare a flyer as an overview of why it’s important to advertise with your publication and how to contact you.

Your advertising packet should include a “rate card,” which isn’t actually a card, but a packet of information. The first page is the contract.

The second page shows ad sizes and lists exact dimensions.

The third page shows details about cost and color.

The last page shows details about advertising on our website.

Take several copies of your publication. Tab the pages with varied sizes of ads. quarter page vertical quarter page horizontal eighth page

Leave a couple copies for the owner or manager, whether or not the person buys an ad.

#5 Get out there and sell. And build a relationship with the business owner or manager.

NOW. Not this weekend. Not next week. Not the day before ads are due. NOW.

Promptly return your contracts to your business manager. Also list all the information for the places you went as a record of who you talked to and why they didn’t want to advertise or if they want to advertise later. Give this to the business manager also.

Two of the most valuable skills that you can have are the ability to sell something and the ability to provide customer service. REMEMBER Images from Hubspot (with permission), business websites (fair use), Mount Mary University Arches, and me.

Here’s where you can download this presentation and the following files: 1.Prompt for Approaching Businesses 2.CN advertising flyer 3.Ad flyer (Arches 2015) Arches rate card