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Marketplace:  Challenge of starting a business - VENT  |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 10:34:07 AM
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Not that it can't be done, because I am doing it. Whether or not it becomes a successful business or not is another thing, but in my attempt to get as much publicity as possible, I wrote a nice email to the Editor of the paper asking him about putting a small introductory article in the paper. His response was that I could write my own press release and they would consider it...:o
So I wrote a few sentences and emailed it back...only to get NO response, and aparently, no article. So I waited and then I sent an email to a few reporters listed on the newspaper's website. No response. *discouraged* So my dad, who is a financial supporter of this venture has come across a few people from the paper, and even went TO the paper telling them I was trying to get an article in the paper and for them to send someone by....well they did...and this is what happened:
The man comes in and starts talking to be about advertising rates, and block ads, and promotional things...putting an insert in the paper costs $600 plus the cost of paper/printing...so I had to nicely explain that I do not have money like that for advertising, "I was hoping for a small picture and a few sentences that a new business has opened on Main Street"...because it is news, right?It's not something that happens every day... I said "That's why I asked for a reporter, because they write article about the news." So he tells me that "they really dont write articles about that type of thing"...and I said, "but it's news when someone spots a deer in their back yard, or even grows a giant tomato, that's news??" at this point I was getting rather irritated...He said, "for businesses, they really want you to pay for an ad", I had to explain that "my husband has a painting business and we have run ads and specials and spent quite a bit of money trying to advertise in the paper, and we haven't gotten ONE single phone call, so I really don't want to run an ad just yet. I said" Actually the reason I was asking about an introductory article was that I saw the HUGE front page ad about the Holiday Inn Express coming to Farmville in 2009-2010, and I thought I could just get a mini version of what they put in the paper" DO you know what he said to me?? "Holiday Inn is a huge corporation and they are going to bring revenue to the town." So I said "SO that means I am not a big enough company to get recognition, because you know, the little guys are just as important as anyone else, and I pay taxes in this town too." *FURIOUS BOILING MAD* He said, "well, I'll go back and see if they could run a little something, but dont get your hopes up."
Can you believe this? He basically said I wasn't important enough to run a small article... :o <--- @#@&*^@#*&^ grrrr..
WEll, yesterday he came back and took my picture in front of the store and I gave him a copy of my little intro article that I wrote, and he thinks he can get it in there for Friday's paper.
So not only was that me venting, it was also a testamonial for all the other chicas that run into these roadblocks during any endeavor. My dad pushed and reminded me, and reminded me, and his persistence has paid off...don't get discouraged, espscially if you are looked at as a little guy/girl. Put your foot down and stand up for being a small/woman business owner and let your voice be heard.
It can be done!
Hugs and "Stay Strong!! to all the farmgirls out there trying to make a go of anything!"
Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are. - Roosevelt
www.thelittlegreenstore.embarqspace.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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country lawyer
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
1022 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 10:37:25 AM
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| Good for you! |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 10:37:59 AM
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| Alee, you have to tell me about the rice pack in your dolls. how you heat them safely, etc. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Lainey
True Blue Farmgirl
2401 Posts
Elaine
Waco
Kentucky
USA
2401 Posts |
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Sweetpeas
Farmgirl at Heart
8 Posts
Nancy
Silt
CO
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 3:47:59 PM
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I am assuming you are retail business wanting people to know your location and your product.
News print in general has not generated income or awareness of my business . People tend to read articles that pertain to their interests or hobby. They usually go directly for the section in which they are interested , and you may or may not fall on the page they are reading.Join your local chamber, when you join they do the business hype and get a picture with the chamber announcing your business.Good networking too. I learned after spending thousands of dollars on advertising. Who is your target market ? Demographics are very important to advertising, your local chamber can give you this information or Town Hall.
I look forward to reading your post on the effectiveness of your interview.
"We deliver the perfect sentiments with fresh flowers"Sweet Peas Gardens & Flowers www.sweetpeasgardens-n-flowers.com |
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frolicnfibers
True Blue Farmgirl
668 Posts
Diana
White City
Oregon
USA
668 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 6:51:35 PM
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Good for you. Hope the "little" article brings you tons of business!!
Diana
Please come visit my animals and my Etsy store on my new blog!
http://www.frolicnfibers.blogspot.com |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 11:36:43 PM
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Good for you!! The little town where Missy & I had a store always ran an article on new businesses with a picture. It was all for free. Newspapers do that kind of thing all the time. He was just trying to get you to spend money on advertising. Your best advertising will be word of mouth!! What kind of business do you have??
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
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Niamh
True Blue Farmgirl
140 Posts
Idaho
140 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2008 : 08:07:03 AM
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| I agree with Kay - word of mouth is the best advertising. I'm sorry they gave you such a run-around trying to get advertising dollars from you. Our little town's newspaper runs articles on the little businesses starting up. It's good business for them, too. |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2008 : 09:03:58 AM
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Here's my way of looking at it:
He said Holiday Inn is deserving of an article because they are a big corporation, and will bring revenue to the area. BUT> The for sale sign is still up where they are planning on building it, they haven't even broken ground, AND AND AND local people are not going to read the Holiday Inn article and then go spend their money there. (it is more geared toward the colleges and the sports games/teams.
versus
If local people read a little snippet about my store, they may go out of their way to stop here and get any of the great products I have.
I do understand that having companies come to this area is beneficial. I'm not saying that I am mroe important than Holiday INn, it's just that whole service versus merchandise difference.
The word of mouth has helped me a whole lot. I hang a card on each bag with a litle piece of raffia, and I have had a couple people come in with the card torn off that someone gave them, so I know people are talking about it.
Kay, I have a big variety of all natural and organic skin care, recycled pet things, organic pet treats, SAFE american made toys, and I'm getting into natural cleaning as well.
Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are. - Roosevelt
www.thelittlegreenstore.embarqspace.com
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2008 : 11:09:33 AM
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Cristine, is this your local paper or the big city paper? I know our big city paper would do the same thing, send the advertising salesperson out to get YOU to spend money on them rather than them do something like goodwill to you. Our local, hometown paper is just the opposite, almost all of their articles are on the small businesses that have opened up recently. Also, we have a department within the city that helps businesses get going. You might want to see if your city offers anything for small businesses.
Good luck on your endeavor. I know starting and running a small business can be quite challenging.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2008 : 11:34:47 AM
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| It was the local paper. they have about 8000 readers. They constantly cover gruescome car wrecks, wild animals spotted in someone's backyard, or the geese at the local park. They have one whole page that has individual articles about what's going on the Abilene area, the curdsville area, the shepperds area(these aren't even towns) and the articles talk about Mr Joe and hiw wife ate lunch at miss betty's house. Some of the things they publish are totally foolish and in my opinion, not newsworthy. |
Edited by - MsCwick on Dec 04 2008 11:40:15 AM |
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Marketplace: Challenge of starting a business - VENT |
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Challenge of starting a business - VENT
