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SEPTEMBER 2011
VOLUME 9 - ISSUE 5
We are
proud
to be a
member of...
The official communication link
of the Mid-Atlantic Community Papers Association
TO REGISTER GO TO WWW.MACPA.NET
MACPA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Hello from western Pennsylvania! The leaves here are
beginning to change color and we are all enjoying the
cooler temperatures. What a glorious summer it has
been. Lots of sunshine and being a tourist destination,
our area has had plenty of activity. As records fell for
high temperatures, so did records for attendance at our
state park and the beaches of Presque Isle. All of this
activity gave some of our hotels, retailers and
restaurants a much needed shot of revenue. We are
hopeful that the economic activity will continue through the fourth quarter.
Congratulations to all our community publishers in the state of O-H-I-O!
They will soon be allowed to run legal advertising. This represents a huge
win for all of us as other states will follow suit. Our own Government
Relations Consultant, Jim Haigh, played a big role in making this historic
legislation possible. Our MACPA benefits at work!
We just received our new CVC audit. The audit is chock full of great
information to share with our advertisers. The demographic information and
the supplemental readership study give us a great opportunity to tout the
value of our publications…another fantastic MACPA benefit.
Just a reminder, set your Star Date Calendars to March 9th and 10th and set
aside these days for our 2012 annual MACPA conference. We have some
fabulous speakers and activities lined up for all of our attending members.
Rumor has it that the “courtesy room “ will again be making an appearance!
Until we talk again, enjoy autumn and all the changes that it brings!
2011-2012 MACPA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jeff Hayden, President
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Seth Isenberg, Vice President
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Jan Daye, Secretary
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Karen Hutchison, Treasurer
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Charles Mulligan, Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/13)
Randy Miller, Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/13)
George Mitten, Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Larry Andrews, Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Gina Curcio, Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/13)
Justin Gerena, Assoc. Mem., Director
([email protected])
(term expires 04/13)
Robert Christian, Past President
([email protected])
(term expires 04/12)
Best Regards,
Alan Spoto, MACnet President
([email protected])
(term expires 4/12)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jeff Hayden
MACPA President
[email protected]
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
March 9-10, 2012
2012 MACPA Annual Conference
Go to www.macpa.net for more
information.
Follow MACPA & MACnet on Facebook
and get up-to-the-minute information
on all the exciting stuff coming up!
The Messenger
2
September 2011
www.macpa.net
ON THE ROAD WITH REGIONAL TRAINING
ON THE ROAD WITH REGIONAL
TRAINING
This Regional Training experience was one that
was very near and dear to my roots in the free
paper industry. My start at The Windsor Press,
although as a receptionist, found me drawn to the
drawing boards and to becoming a graphic
designer. I felt a bond with those in attendance for
the simple fact that I could understand the lingo
shared along with the tips and tricks Kevin was
sharing with the group. Kevin's expert style of
training topics which can be mesmerizing by
interjecting stories and jokes, kept the training
light.
It was a most interesting journey with Kevin that
began in Mansfield, Ohio at the Ohio State
University. We then traveled to New Castle,
Pennsylvania where we were hosted by Karen
Hutchison. We met the staff of the Weekly Bargain
Bulletin and met one of Kevin's favorite fans,
Mark Beers. Mark had Kevin sign a copy of TIP
which included one of his questions that Kevin
used in his column in TIP. What an awesome
opportunity. I watched as the employees at WBB
soaked in all the suggestions and tips. Our trip
continued with a five hour drive across the
beautiful state of Pennsylvania to Hamburg. There
we settled down at the Windsor Press for a day of
training. The morning provided the staff of The
Windsor Press with training in photo and pdf
corrections as well as other personalized training.
The afternoon provided callers with the
opportunity to attend two webinars with Kevin,
just for our members. Our travels continued to
Allentown that evening to meet with the Isenbergs
and the Haighs. The company was enjoyable,
conversation was light, and the music in the
background reminded us that just a stones throw
away MUSIKFEST was happening. And, our final
destination, Coatesville, Pennsylvania where we
were hosted by the faculty and staff of Coatesville
Center of Arts & Technology.
His ability to shift gears and provide training on
topics requested by the group without a doubt
was a huge benefit to those in attendance.
Two thousand miles later and quality time with
Kevin, it just might be worthy to be called the A &
K Road Show, sorry Ken.
Midwest Parenting selects Evergreen
Printing
Midwest Parenting selected Evergreen because of
its quality coldweb and heatset printing, extensive
production capabilities, and outstanding work
with other PMA member publications, including
those of Carolina Parenting (Charlotte Parent,
Carolina Parent, and Piedmont Parent) and the
Parent Paper of North Jersey Media Group.
by Alyse Mitten, Executive Director
Although I'm not a part of the Ken & Kevin Road
Trips, our trip across the great region of MACPA
with Kevin was very enjoyable and quite
rewarding. I always look forward to Regional
Training. It gives me the opportunity to meet
people from our member publications who might
not come to our conferences. It allows me the
opportunity to tout the good deeds of the
Association and share with those in attendance
how the Association invests in their members
through training like our Regional Training,
Leadership Institute, and our circulation audits.
Evergreen begins printing Indy’s Child and Cincinnati
Parent
Midwest Parenting Publications has selected
Evergreen Printing to print its two
parenting/mom publications, Indy’s Child and
Cincinnati Parent, beginning with their July 2011
issues. Both publications have been in production
for over 25 years, reach more than 110,000 readers,
and are members of Parenting Media Association
(PMA), formerly Parenting Publications of
America (PPA).
The Messenger
Evergreen Printing Company is a publication
printer with heatset and non-heatset capabilities
offering circulation fulfillment and mailing
services for business, trade, and consumer
publications with local, regional, and national
reach. Evergreen is located in southern New
Jersey, just minutes from Philadelphia and two
hours from metro New York and Washington, DC.
3 September 2011
www.macpa.net
20 TIPS TO INCREASE SALES PRODUCTIVITY
Before You Sell Anything, You Have
to Sell Yourself
By Jonathan Farrington
Just as you are selling to people, you must also
remember that you are not only selling and
representing a product or service, but you are in
effect selling yourself. When beginning a sales
relationship, it is important to remember a few key
aspects to representing yourself well.
First, be interesting. If potential customers are bored
by you, they have less of a chance of being enthralled
by any product or service you are representing.
Develop intellect. Of course you are an intelligent
person, but can you converse in an intelligent
manner? Can you discuss related subjects with
thoughtfulness and hold your clients’ interest? You
are in their territory now, can you speak their
language?
Never be arrogant — never talk up or down to your
potential clients. It’s rude and will serve only to
alienate them.
Rapport is the most important process in influencing
others. It is vital if you want to maintain
relationships. Without it, you are unlikely to achieve
willing agreement to what you want. People who
have excellent rapport with others create harmonious
relationships based on trust and understanding of
mutual needs.
Do also remember that you cannot rely on logic.
Emotion drives 84 per cent of all buying decisions,
not logic.
What are the chief buying emotions?
They include ego, security, pride of ownership,
greed, health, prestige, status, ambition, and fear of
loss.
Be well aware of these emotions as you approach,
engage and deal with your customers.
Finally, the greatest compliment a customer can pay
you is to describe you as “professional”.
Respect the buyer, and they will respect you.
Don’t worry about being liked — be respected!
Customers do not buy from you because they like
you, but rather because they are prepared to trust
you.
Along the same lines, develop your empathy levels.
If you can relate to your customers’ situations
authentically, it helps to build rapport.
Being professional is not one thing, it is three – It is
what you do, what you say and how you present
yourself.
The Messenger
4 September 2011
www.macpa.net
WHY YOU SHOULD LAUGH
Why You Should Laugh Your Way To
Better Sales Results
By Jeremy Ulmer
Is your sales force not producing the results you
want and lacking the energy, teamwork, drive, and
the attitude that they need to have for great success?
Are you a sales professional or sales manager who is
carrying around too much stress, lacking motivation,
and not achieving your full potential? If any of this is
true, then listen up.
Laughter just might be the solution. You can
immediately reduce stress, increase productivity,
teamwork, focus and motivation for your entire
organization or team with laughter.
The bottom line impact from improving all of these
factors means better sales results. As a former
director of sales for multiple organizations, I was
always looking for innovative ways to motivate my
entire sales force. I wish I had known about laughter
exercises at that time!
There has never been a simpler way to bring more
laughter into the workplace until now. The most
powerful and effective way to bring laughter into the
workplace is to hire a certified laughter yoga leader
like myself, to conduct a laughter seminar.
Many professionals have experienced the benefits of
laughter exercises first hand, yet laughter seminars
are still far from being mainstream. When I have
conducted laughter seminars, it is not uncommon for
perceived motivation and productivity to nearly
double, right away. Unbelievable, right?
3. Sales Team Building
“People who laugh together, work together”
John Cleese, a renowned British comedian, once
said during his visit to Mumbai for a laughter
seminar, that laughter is a great connector of
people. It breaks all hierarchies and is a force for
democracy. Laughter has the ability to change the
work environment drastically by making people
happy and cheerful, bringing positive mental
attitude, and optimism into the sales force. It also
increases communication skills which further help
in team building.
4. Sales Innovation and Creativity
Some of the most creative people in the world are
children. The essence of laughter exercises is to
cultivate childlike playfulness. This playfulness
stimulates the right brain activity which is where
the creativity originates. This helps to generate new
ideas and insights about sales challenges and
problems.
5. Increasing Attention Span During Sales
Conferences, Sales Training, or New Product
Training
Studies have shown that even after just 30 minutes,
the concentration levels start to decrease. A brief
laughter seminar can provide a great energy boost
during a full day of training, meetings or
conferences.
Below are some of the reasons why you should bring
a laughter seminar to your organization or sales
team:
6. Positive Sales Force Environment
Sales job dissatisfaction can compel people to
change jobs more frequently which will affect
productivity and profitability. Laughter creates
positive energy and improves communication
between people. Studies have shown that positive
emotions are increased while negative emotions are
decreased from laughter. Happier, more balanced
employees increases loyalty and commitment.
1. Reduce Sales Stress
While there are many tools available for stress
management, laughter seminars provide a unique
system that helps to reduce physical, mental and
emotional stress at the same time. It works
simultaneously both on the body and mind.
7. Sales Motivation
Laughter helps to bring a smile on the face and
generate good feelings within the body. This
enhances communication and motivation. Positive
energy is contagious, and will be felt by prospects,
clients, and the entire sales organization.
2. Improved Sales Attitudes
Performance is connected to attitude, and laughter
has the power to change the attitude and mood
within minutes by releasing neuro-peptides from
the brain cells called endorphins.
These are just some of the many reasons why you
should consider a laughter seminar to increase your
sales results. Most sales leaders have tried just about
everything to increase sales results and motivate
their sales force; however, it has not been until now,
that laughter has been viewed as a viable solution.
The Messenger
5 September 2011
www.macpa.net
BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS....!!
Free At Last!
Inside the Legals Victory
of Ohio
By: Jim Haigh
Years of persistence -- what some
have called blind optimism and
others, insanity -- paid off when Ohio
Governor John Kasich signed the
biennial Budget into law on June 30, 2011. Contained in
the 3,264 page document were 420 pages of provisions
that bring the legal advertising process into the 21st
Century. It is a model of comprehensive compromise in
both policy and politics, so much so that the key
stakeholders, locked in perennial antagonism all
declared victory at the end of the day.
Local Government cheered the very real cost savings on
otherwise unfunded mandates. The pay-to-read press
heralded the preservation of legal advertising in print,
which was not entirely a given this time around -- and
their enthusiasm spilled into an historical whitewash of
relentless opposition great and small.
And for the free community paper industry: We're
finally legal in Ohio.
All of which is best for the people -- as better informed
citizens and as taxpayers footing the bill. But this
legislated outcome didn't happen by itself. It didn't
happen overnight or with a Hail Mary as time ran out.
Nor because any major stakeholder suddenly
abandoned self-interst for altruism. Columbus
Messenger publisher, Phil Daubel, began his personal
crusade over twenty years ago with some very near
misses along the way. Guess which influential lobby
always managed to pull the plug?
From our rise as an industry generations ago, free
community papers have fought for the right to publish
legal advertising. For at least the last decade and a half,
measures have been introduced across state legislatures
that would take that public notice out of print and place
it all online. During this latter span of time, both
alternatives to subscription newspapers made advances
at the margins of select types of official notice. But
neither vision became the model of wholesale reform of
any state's legal advertising regime since our industry's
victory in Minnesota last century.
What I call the Buckeye Compromise embraces both the
The Messenger
realities of the digital age -- and the time-tested power of
papers without paywalls. Progress was methodically
paved over the last half-decade through the legal
establishment of a Task Force charged with making
change, constructively engaging that commission,
having hands in the direct process turning an eight page
report into nearly five hundred pages of legislative
sausage, and advocating the ultimate provisions as bills
and amendments. That is the essence of the long, slow
process where all parties were held to their bottom-line
gives and takes. Which is not to say that even the
agreed-to framework wasn't subject to backpedalling
and covert obstruction.
The publicly endorsed nuts and bolts -- legalizing free
community papers with audited circulations, capping
rates at lowest earned commercial, allowing for internet
posting in lieu of second paper for same notice and for
summarized descriptions on second consecutive print
publication -- cemented the fallback position, a
mousetrap of sorts. Our peers with the monopoly, and
the license to print money, still hoped to stall any
movement. While our friends -- and soon to be
advertisers -- would have much preferred doing away
with print altogether. That was basically Governor
Kasich's original proposal, and that worst-case scenario
feeling quite real drove home, finally, the wisdom of
expanding print to save it.
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the
number of prominent free community paper veterans
that have told me these last few years that our Legals
ambitions were doomed to the internet. But I, along with
enough equally stubborn folks, continued to believe that
we could finally achieve reform because of the internet.
Ohio can and should become the first state domino in
this still-new century. To do so we must leverage the
larger fear of the incumbent monopoly -- total migration
to the internet -- and continue working with Local
Government to quantify the very real savings we will
bring. This won't change the underlying competing
ambitions -- to stall just one more legislative session and
otherwise to push web-only or bust -- but having our
fallback option on the table at the beginning increases
the odds should process approach endgame. As we now
see in Ohio, not only can this be done but all sides can
even feel like they won when the dust finally settles.
Become a Fan of Legal Advertising Reform!
http://www.facebook.com/LegalAdReform
6 September 2011
www.macpa.net
WHAT’S NEW WITH OUR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
July PaperChain Update
By Brian Gay
The Campaign Committee is busy working on the
design for the 3 new pop-up banners. Only one
banner will have to be changed as the information
changes. We were spending more on shipping than
what the new banners will cost. The big benefit is
that the new pop up banners will ship for a fraction
of the cost of the old display.
The Member Relations Committee reports that Dan
Holmes is working on the Link –N- Learn book
project, Janelle Anderson and Elaine Buckley are
working on a new project call Link – N- Earn. The
purpose is to provide information to publishers that
can create new revenue.
The Technology Committee is working on blogs
posted on the PaperChain website. The committee
reported that Ohio has approved legals for
distribution in free papers. This was done in part
with the help of paid newspapers because they did
The Messenger
not want the legals going to the Internet. The
committee is working on plans to get the
PaperChain blogs to more members by using social
networks and using state and regional social media
presence, email links, and newsletters.
The Charitable Committee is working on a
replacement for Make- A- Wish. As you may recall,
Make-A-Wish decided to go in a different direction.
One suggestion is to check with the Ad Council and
see if there is a project that would fit what free
papers have to offer. The thought is that we could
get a lot of exposure to our industry by working
with this group. Their board is like the Who’s Who
of numerous ad agencies.
The Administration Committee will be working
this month with David Crawford from SRDS in
preparation for the next 2-year contract with
Standard Rate and Data.
Many in the industry believe this is the best and
most important benefit that is provided by
PaperChain.
7 September 2011
www.macpa.net
OUR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Bartash Printing
Richard Greene
5400 Grays Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19143
215-724-1700
215-724-3313
[email protected]
www.bartash.com
JB Multimedia, Inc.
Justin Gerena
P.O. Box 704
N. Bellmore, NY 11710
888-592-3212 x710
888-592-3212 (main/fax)
www.jbmultimedia.net
Kidsville News
Take advantage of one of
your Membership Benefits!!
Bill Bowman
208 Rowan St.
Fayetteville, NC 28301
910-222-6200
910-222-6199
[email protected]
Do you need legal advice?
Each Publisher is
given hour consultation
with Cynthia Sanders
Contact the MACPA office
to take advantage of this offer
Sell more Network Ads, Make more money!
Call 800-450-7227 for details!
The Messenger
8
September 2011
www.macpa.net