Halloween Ideas

Here are a few revenue-generating holidays and events on Oct. 31st:

• Halloween
• Frankenstein Friday
• Samhain
• Harry Houdini's Death Anniversary
• John Keat's Birthday
• Magic Day
• National Knock-Knock Day
• Juliet Gordon Low's Birthday

Halloween brings all sorts of great ideas from spooky ads, weird articles, and haunted coloring tabs for kids. This year consider taking advantage of all of it and doing a Halloween issue to end all Halloween issues of your newspaper! Borders, clip-art, photos of columnists in costume can enhance the fun in this issue of your newspaper. Be apart of the excitement of this semi-holiday in as many ways as possible. Below are three ways to make this Halloween more profitable:

1. Support the Pagans in your community by writing an article about how various pagan groups are celebrating Samhain, one of their "sabbats" or special holidays which falls on Halloween. Eliminate fear and build tolerance in your community by educating your readers about this highly misunderstood faith. Interview the Pagans in your community for information, or see the many Web sites offering information. Encourage them to purchase ad space to publicize events or spiritual shops.
   
2. Hold a contest. House decorations, pumpkin carving, children's costumes, adults' costumes, pet costumes and other categories can be a fun way to get involved in the community. Take photo entries or hold an event and allow local businesses — perhaps costume and candy shops — to purchase advertising associated with the winners' article or event.
3. Create a children's coloring tab with trick-or-treating safety tips. Allow businesses to sponsor the tab which can include fun pictures for kids to color and a safety tip on each page. Distribute in schools or stores. Parents and kids alike will love it.

In the Navy...

Here is a somewhat large cluster of suggestions for the holidays and events of Oct. 26 - 30:

• Mother-in-Law Day (26)
• World Priest Day (26)
• Hillary Rodham Clinton's 61st Birthday (26)
• Cranky Coworkers Day (27)
• Give Wildlife a Brake! Week (27)
• Navy Day (27)
• India: Diwali (28)
• Statue of Liberty Dedication Anniversary (28)
• Anniversary of the Creation of the Internet (29)
• Create a Great Funeral Day (30)
• Haunted Refrigerator Night (30)
• Anniversary of the "War of the Worlds" Broadcast (30)

Mothers-in-Law across the country have gotten a bad rap from just a small number of unpleasant relatives. Maybe it's time to showcase some of the loving, helpful and tolerant mothers-in-law of your community on Mother-in-Law Day. Encourage husbands and wives to write in about good experiences with their spouses' mothers. Also, pair this with some advertising offering ideas for gifts for mothers-in-law on this holiday.

Oct. 27th is Navy Day. Advertisers are always eager to show their support for the men and women serving in the armed forces. Bringing up this special opportunity to support Navy personnel is sure to get their attention.

The Statue of Liberty is probably our country's most well-known landmark. Everyone can benefit from learning a few more tidbits about our history and culture, so why publish some small bits of trivia about the Statue on the anniversary of its dedication. There are many websites offering fun facts about the large lady, and she has her own website where you can find some trivia to publish. Surround the trivia with patriotic advertising. 

It's unusual to think of planning a funeral as something that warrants a holiday, but Oct. 30th really is Create a Great Funeral Day. Consider creating a business building page, a special section or even a yearly tab guiding readers to the funeral planning resources in your area. Don't just contact funeral homes — florists, masons and resting places are a huge part of funerals as well. Get creative and offer some tips and insight for those planning the final celebration of their life.

Suggestions for Oct. 25, 2008

Here are a few revenue-generating ideas from Oct. 25th's dates:

• International Magic Week
• Make a Difference Day
• Pablo Picasso's Birthday
• Taiwan Expelled from UN Anniversary
• Saint Crispin's Day

Halloween is getting very close on Oct. 25th, and International Magic Week might be a good way to celebrate the spooky fun in your community. Host a magic workshop for elementary and middle school students. Invite some children's entertainment professionals from your area to teach kids about magic and the fun of illusion, and also give them a quick talk about trick-or-treating safety. 

Suggestions for Oct. 24, 2008

Here are some holidays and events, followed by a few ideas to generate revenue on Oct. 24th, 2008:

• Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships
• Prescription Errors Education and Awareness Week
• Anniversary of Stock Market Panic (1929)
• United Nations Day
• Disarmament Week
• Of the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman's Birthday (72)

The average age of newspaper readers in the United States is 55, so that means there are many senior citizens who are readers. Prescription Errors Education and Awareness Week could be especially helpful to those readers who rely greatly on their medication and need a few tips about the correct way to take prescriptions. An ad, or a few ads, from local pharmacies could include quick facts about the right way to take medication. 

United Nations Day might be an opportunity for your readers to expand their global knowledge. Consider having advertisers sponsor a page full of different UN flags and quick stats about the countries.

Suggestions for Oct. 23, 2008

Here are some revenue-generating holidays and events for Oct. 23rd:

• Cambodia: Peace Treaty Day
• Hungary: Republic Day
• Anniversary of the iPod
• National Mole Day (the number, not the animal)
• Michael Crichton's Birthday
• "Weird Al" Yankovic's Birthday

On these important days for Cambodia and Hungary, it might be a good opportunity to think about revolutions and the value of the republic. Yes, it's a stretch, but perhaps an international geography guide of basic historical dates and statistics might appeal to a community that is multicultural, especially near big metropolitan areas. A sponsorship for such a tab would be ideal for places like community centers, adult education centers, non-profit organizations, cultural centers and any other businesses that are relevant to a multi-cultural community. 

The iPod is one of the most influential gadgets of the 21st Century. People from many demographics, from small children, to adults, and especially high school and college students own iPods. A special "Happy Birthday, iPod" page might be perfect for advertisements on iPods and the many accessories that go with them.

Suggestions for Oct. 20, 21 & 22, 2008

Here are a few revenue-generating suggestions to start off your newspaper's week:

• Business Women's Week (20)
• Pastoral Care Week (20)
• Dizzy Gillespie's Birthday (21)
• Anniversary of the First Incandescent Lamp (21)
• International Stuttering Awareness Week (22)
• Day of National Concern About Young People and Gun Violence (22)
• Annette Funicello's Birthday (22)

Many newspapers have done specials about women in business, but for National Business Women's Week take it a step further. Dedicate an entire page from your business section to celebrating women in the business world. Do a few profiles of prominent women in your community, and then do an up-and-coming feature about young women who have shown leadership in the community or an interest in the business world. A few statistics might be a nice addition to such a page, and some reputable ones can be found at the Center for Women's Business Research Web site. Allow a local business to sponsor the page, preferably one that would be relevant to women.

Depending on the interests of your community, there might be a few or a multitude of congregations who would love to show their support for their religious leader. Pastoral Care Week could bring a feature to your paper allowing them to do just that. Solicit churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and any other places of worship to offer them a chance to purchase an ad to publicly show their appreciation to their priest, pastor, imam, etc. for all their dedication and work.

Suggestions for Oct. 19, 2008

Here are a few holidays and events that could generate revenue for your paper on Oct. 19 and 20, followed by some ideas:

• National Massage Therapy Awareness Week (19)
• National School Bus Safety Week (19)
• Teen Read Week (19)
• YWCA Week Without Violence (19)

National Massage Therapy Awareness Week might be a good opportunity to publish an article on the benefits and myths of massage therapy and also create a business building page filled with listings of reputable massage therapists. Coupons are never a bad idea.

Teen Read Week could be celebrated a number of ways, but I'd like to suggest allowing a high school student from your community to be a guest columnist. He, she or they could write about their favorite books or book in review form. It would be a great opportunity to get involved in the community and a great opportunity for a student who is interested in journalism. 

Suggestions for Oct. 18, 2008

Here are some suggestions for revenue-generators on Oct. 18th:

• Persons Day (Canada)
• Sweetest Day
• World Menopause Day
• Chuck Berry's Birthday
• Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month

Persons Day in Canada celebrates the anniversary of the 1929 ruling that women are considered persons in Canada. A way to celebrate this day for Canadian newspapers might be to highlight some of the contributions women have made in their communities and to Canadian society. Or perhaps a page advertising businesses all owned and/or operated or catering to women would be a nice way to celebrate half the population's personhood.

Sweetest Day was invented by a worker in a candy company who thought it might be nice to deliver sweets to the sick and less fortunate. It is celebrated by doing something kind for someone else, less fortunate or not. One way to observe this day might be to feature a "Sweet Nothings" page in which readers can buy space to tell their loved ones how much they care, or to just thank someone important in their life.

WCAA Gears Up for 2008 Conference: The Classified Reality

Conferences have always been a key element for professionals to learn and network. The classified advertising industry is blessed to have several such conferences at the international, national, regional and state level.

The following story about the Western Classified Advertising Association conference will appear in the November 2008 issue of Inside Classified. To learn more about the organization, visit www.wcaa.info.

WCAA Gears Up for 2008 Conference: The Classified Reality
By Dana E. Blozis

The Western Classified Advertising Association (WCAA) is gearing up for another stellar conference. This year’s conference, named The Classified Reality, will be held in Portland, Oregon September 7 – 10 (see sidebar for details). This year’s program promises to be an ideal opportunity for members to network with colleagues, visit with leading industry vendors, see the newest technology, compare products and services, and share ideas with their peers.

WCAA President Deanna Whitmore of The Modesto (California) Bee is excited about the upcoming event.

“There isn’t a newspaper classified department that isn’t struggling right now. There’s so much competition for our business,” she said. “I’m anxious to hear from local employers, auto dealers, real estate folks and from other classified managers about how they are dealing with all of it.”

History

WCAA was established in 1950. It represents the 13 western most states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and western Canada. It is the largest regional classified advertising network in North America. In 2002, the California Classified Advertising Executives Association merged its membership with WCAA, bringing with it the organization’s treasury and two board members including Whitmore. WCAA currently has approximately 100 newspaper and affiliate members.

2007 conference

Amidst a struggling economy, last year’s conference theme was Positioning Classifieds for the Future. With 98 newspaper attendees and 28 vendors and sponsors, the programs focused on growing revenue without raising rates and appealing to Generations X and Y. According to Whitmore, last year was a banner year for new attendees, drawing 18 first-timers, the highest total in the last 10 years. Whitmore credits their “buddy up” program for the success in attracting new participants. With this program, a WCAA board member buddies up with a new attendee to introduce him to colleagues and vendors and to make sure he gets the most from the conference.

“You can’t beat it for networking,” Whitmore said.

This year’s program in brief

According to program coordinator Rebecca Bradner, the 2008 conference is being segmented into three main categories – Automotive, Recruitment and Real Estate. Each of these segments will include (1) an expert’s overview of the current conditions and an outlook for the near future; (2) a panel of industry experts to discuss what’s working for them and what they see in the future; and (3) a group idea exchange.

“We’re focusing on more alternative solutions – online, niche, etc.,” Bradner said.

“If you are a category manager, we’ve made it easy for you to attend just your specific sessions, since they are clustered together in segments,” she added. “If you are a CAM/CAD, you’ll want to attend all the sessions. “

The schedule includes:

September 7

Cocktail reception and registration

September 8

Morning: Keynote speaker: Tony Marsalla, Ranger Data, “Making Difficult Changes to Adapt to the New Realities of Classified”

Afternoon: Recruitment Session with Shannon Kinney, Classified Intelligence, and Tony Lee, Adicio. Session will include a recruitment customer panel and Bright Idea Exchange.

Evening: Fun Night aboard the beautiful Willamette Star, a casual evening of dinner, music and informal networking

September 9

Morning: Real Estate Session with Shannon Kinney and Tony Lee. Session will include a real estate customer panel and Bright Idea Exchange.

Afternoon: Automotive Session with Shannon Kinney and Tony Lee. Session will include an automotive customer panel and Bright Idea Exchange. Guest speaker will discuss motivating your staff in a down economy.

September 10

Morning: A session on outsourcing and a guest speaker will discuss motivating yourself in a down economy.

Conference highlights and extras

Whitmore points out that Fun Night is always a highlight of the conference. It is a casual evening aboard the luxurious yacht the Willamette Star where attendees and vendors can visit, network and have fun while cruising the Portland skyline.

Whitmore is also excited about the three category-specific sessions and the idea sharing that takes place. The Bright Idea Exchange will also be category-specific; these informal sessions provide an opportunity for participants to share revenue-generating ideas that are easy to implement. Participants are asked to bring in samples, tear sheets or written explanations of their ideas for sharing with others.

Ideas are collected and shared in a printed booklet and each participant who offers an idea, gets his or her name entered into a drawing for a $100 cash prize…an added bonus!

“These are ‘rapid fire’ networking and idea sharing sessions,” Whitmore said, a top request from last year’s attendees.

Ideally, Whitmore added, a participant will take back a collection of ideas to her newspaper that can be immediately implement with little assistance from the paper’s IT or online department.

“They should bring enough ideas back with them that should more than cover the cost of the conference,” she said.

Other “don’t miss” sessions include the pros and cons of call center outsourcing and the keynote presentation.

“No one will want to miss Tony Marsalla’s keynote speech Making Difficult Changes to Adapt to the New Classified Realities,” Bradner added.

Another conference highlight is the level of involvement of the vendors, who are included in all of the events and whose booths are located in the back of the conference rooms where sessions are held.

“The conference does a good job of getting the vendors involved and allowing them to participate in all of our activities so they can network with others,” Whitmore said.

Sidebar #1:

2008 WCAA Annual Conference: The Classified Reality
Double Tree Hotel – Lloyd Center
Portland, Oregon
September 7 – 10, 2008
$475 conference fee
(Fee includes the conference, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and Fun Night. Airfare, hotel and the Tuesday evening meal are not included.)

To get more information or to register for the conference, visit www.wcaa.info or contact Rebecca Bradner, Las Vegas Review Journal, at rbradner@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0316.

To renew your membership or to become a member, join online at www.wcaa.info or print the form and mail it to Linda Farmen, LVR-J, P. O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89025. Membership costs vary depending on your newspaper’s circulation size.

Sidebar #2

Don’t take our word for it. Read what Sarah Sinclair, Michelle Ackerman and Sandra D. Riggins said about WCAA conferences.

Sarah Sinclair, Client Services Manager, Classified Concepts
Past Ad Director and Classified Manager, Santa Barbara News Press

“Even with today’s abilities to teleconference, webinar and collaborate remotely, nothing replaces face-to-face interaction. At WCAA conferences, the emphasis is on idea-sharing and networking. This is true during the conference sessions, but it also spills over to the lunch breaks, the Fun Night conversations and the feedback walking the halls after the sessions. Some of the best take-home ideas come from brainstorming with colleagues around a cocktail table in the wee hours.

“I will most definitely be at this year’s conference in Portland. I am excited to see how the structure of this year’s conference with a ‘block schedule’ emphasis on each of the big three verticals lends itself to an in-depth look at the challenges, opportunities and vision for the future…especially the ‘idea exchange’ portion of each session.

“I also always look forward to talking to the vendors about new offerings. Now that I am working with a vendor company, I’m even more excited to have like-minded solution providers in one place to see and hear what’s new.”

Michelle Ackerman
Classified Products Director, Denver Newspaper Agency

“It’s tough in Classified right now, so it’s more important than ever that we attend conferences to learn and network. The WCAA conferences are full of great speakers on current topics. I always take away great ideas that I can bring back and implement at my paper.

“There are over 25 vendors which I believe are an important part of our business. We can’t make money without them, so it’s a great chance to talk to them and learn what’s new and what’s hot.

“Finally, near and dear to my heart is the networking with other classified managers. These are people I call throughout the year when I need help or need to bounce ideas off someone.”

Sandra D. Riggins
Classified Advertising Manager, Tucson Newspapers

“My first WCAA conference was in 1983…it made such an impact on me personally and professionally that I knew I would always want to be involved. I had no idea that when I became a Board Director, the experience would be even more profound and rewarding…the revenue initiatives, the networking, the brainstorming, resources, career enrichment, industry knowledge and friends for life.”

Short-Selling on the Rise

Shareholders are placing progressively more bets against newspaper stock by selling short.

Check out the blog entry, "Shorts socked newspaper stocks," from Reflections of a Newsosaur to read how prevalent it has become recently.

Suggestions for Oct. 16 & 17, 2008

Here are some revenue-generating ideas for the following holidays and events:

• Dictionary Day (16)
• Get Smart About Credit Day (16)
• World Food Day (16)
• International Credit Union Day (16)
• Mulligan Day (17)
• National Mammography Day (17)
• International Eradicate Poverty Day (17)

Dictionary Day can be celebrated with a feature including either commonly misspelled or unknown words. A small area dedicated to Dictionary Day could be sponsored by a tutoring advertiser or an office supply store. 

Get Smart About Credit Day and International Credit Union Day is an opportunity for some of your readers to get some much-needed financial advice about their credit. An article with advice from financial advisors could be placed next to a business building page with a few financial services advertisers.

World Food Day is very close to International Eradicate Poverty Day. A canned food drive could be a great way to celebrate both of these important days. Give your delivery personnel a plastic bag for every house they deliver to. The bag can feature a few small ads from various businesses — grocery stores perhaps — and have directions on it for the pick-up date. Your delivery personnel can pick the filled bags up a few days later and donate them to a local food bank.

Leading Through The Crisis -- The Upcoming Issue.

The upcoming issue of Inside Classified has a cover story that has scope I've not seen in many other monthly MacDonald cover stories. Titled "Leading Through the Crisis," the story asks six classified experts — MacDonald contributors Fran Beresid-Andrepont, Richard Clark, Bob Davis, Janet DeGeorge and Jeffrie Story, and former MacDonald Associate Publisher Carol Richer Gammell — seven questions about the industry in this time of challenges and changes.

Some questions include:

• How does panic affect a person's ability to effectively lead and plan?
• What are the dangers of quick fixes, such as discounts, that abandon proven industry and company methodology?
• What is the best thing classified managers can do to survive these tough economic times?

The answers provided by the experts are well thought out, filled with theoretical and practical ideas, varied and, above all, passionate. There is a lot of strength to the content, but it is not one that can be read in a glance in 10 minutes. Dig deep, delve into the responses, make contact with these experts, ask more questions, do whatever the next natural step seems ... but do not anticipate this story is merely a quick overview.

I hope you'll enjoy the cover story of Inside Classified this month, indeed I hope you'll enjoy all stories in this month's print publications. If you do, let us know. If you don't, let us know. Those of us at MacDonald are here to serve you.

Steve Martin
Managing Editor
765-742-9012
smartin@gomacdonald.com

Suggestions for Oct. 13, 14 & 15, 2008

Once again we have a few revenue-generating ideas based on holidays and events for Oct. 13, 14 and 15. These are:

• Columbus Day
• National Kick-Butt Day
• National School Lunch Week
• World Rainforest Week
• Be Bald and Be Free Day
• Hunter's Moon
• National Grouch Day
• National Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day
• Friedrich Nietzsche's Birthday

National Kick-Butt Day on October 13th is a day designated to take action and focus on goals. It's a day to stop making excuses and move forward with plans for the future. This can be observed in your paper by hosting a "Get It Done!" page in honor of National Kick-Butt Day. Advertisers from home-improvement stores or health clubs to financial planning advisers or tutors could be features to help your readers make progress on the major goals in their lives.

World Rain Forest Week is meant to raise awareness and education about our rapidly depleting rainforests. This is a great opportunity for children to learn about the different wildlife in the rainforest and its importance to our planet. Perhaps a coloring tab with fun rainforest facts could be sponsored by various "green" advertisers.

Fizber Offers Free Online Real Estate Ads

Fizber.com is now offering free online real estate ads to complement its flat-fee advertising. The ads will be syndicated on several online sites including Google Base.

Classified Advertising ... One Of Many Disappearing Items In America

WalletPop has created a list titled "Top 25 Things Vanishing From America." Among the Top 25 is Newspaper Classifieds, coming in at #23.

Author Beth Pinsker writes that the movement of advertising from print to the Internet may seem like a trivial change to some, but it has serious repercussions.

"The argument is that if newspaper classifieds are replaced by free online listings at sites like Craigslist.org and Google Base, then newspapers are not far behind them. And if we lose our daily newspapers, or they get severely damaged by cutbacks, then we lose our independent check on our government and we risk living in tyranny," she writes.

Other media in the list of 25 include Yellow Pages (#24) and News Magazines and TV News (#3).

Suggestions for Oct. 10, 11 & 12, 2008

A few revenue-generating holidays and events for the weekend of Oct. 10th - 12th are:

• National Cake Decorating Day
• World Mental Health Day
• International Newspaper Carrier Day
• National Coming Out Day
• Universal Music Day
• Columbus Day
• National Food Bank Week
• Business Cards Week

International Newspaper Carrier Day can be celebrated with a feature about some of your paper's delivery personnel. Readers can get to know the kids and adults responsible for delivering their morning newspaper. Perhaps a special profile of just one or a few carriers and their duties can help your readers get to know your business a little bit better.

National Coming Out Day is a sometimes controversial, but important day for this generation of newspaper readers. An article, or perhaps a special page would be the perfect way to raise awareness and support for the GLBT community. Perhaps a special Opinions page would be a great way to start dialogue about important civil rights issues. 

Universal Music Day is general enough that any sort of local music event could be promoted in sync with it. Sponsoring an event is free advertising, and it could also be a revenue-generating project.

Suggestions for Oct. 8 & 9, 2008

Here are some of the special days for Oct. 8th and 9th to keep in mind:

• Cosmopolite's Day
• National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day
• International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
• Great American Beer Festival
• World Post Day
• Yom Kippur

The holiest Jewish observance day, Yom Kippur is marked by fasting, repentance and seeking forgiveness. This would be a good chance to acknowledge and celebrate Jewish culture in your community. Perhaps a feature explaining the history behind the holiday, or an interview with a local Jewish leader would make a nice observation in your Local section.

The Great American Beer Festival would be a good excuse to rally the bars in town to announce what makes their beer selections special in an entertainment feature. Coupons and deals are always a profitable strategy for small businesses. The feature could be placed with an article about local breweries or beer history. 

Suggestions for Oct. 6 & 7, 2008

Some possible revenue-generating themes and holidays to kick off the week on October 6th and 7th are as follows:

• Financial Planning Week
• Improve Your Home Office Week
• National German-American Day
• Kids' Goal Setting Week
• World Habitat Day
• Class Reunion Month

The possibilities for financial planning week are great. Articles and sections can be dedicated to financial advice and resources for financial planning. A great multitude of people from the work-force are, will be, or are interested in planning for their financial futures. A way to take it a step further would be to sponsor an event where readers can get free or reduced price mini-consultations with local financial planners. Features for Financial Planning Week and Improve Your Home Office Week would be great compliments for for the business or local sections. More and more people are working from home and there are countless gadgets and gizmos out there from software to hardware, storage products to decorative products, and even luxury home office items that can be promoted in special Home Office business-building pages or ad tabs. Or, participation in this special week could be as simple as offering a few special coupons to some Home Office retail stores.

Class Reunion month brings to mind a desire not only to impress former classmates, but also to give back to one's alma mater. Self-promotion and enhancement of one's attributes could be a goal of a feature, with make-over tips, confidence builders and sales on professional attire. Celebrations may include some way of giving back to local high schools or colleges as well.

The Final Chance To Take Part In The Kubas/MacDonald Survey

Thanks to everyone who has generously given their time and commentary in the Kubas/MacDonald survey about classified strategies. We've received a lot of great information, which you will receive in the form of an executive summary.

For those of you who have not taken part in the survey, you've got a day remaining to do so. Visit the online survey, spend 10 minutes answering the questions and come away with a good look at what your peers in the industry are doing and preparing as business evolves and changes.

Take 10 minutes today to answer a short series of questions and receive an executive summary as thanks for your time and energy. Sounds pretty good doesn't it?

www.kubas.com/insideclassified

Suggestions for Oct. 4 & 5, 2008

Some of the holidays on October 4th and 5th that might be useful to newspapers include:

• World Space Week 
• Debut of Leave It To Beaver
• World Card Making Day
• Country Inn and Bed-And-Breakfast Day
• Emergency Nurses Week
• Larry Fine's Birthday (of the Three Stooges)
• Intergeneration Day
• National Newspaper Week
• Mystery Series Week
• Co-Op Awareness Month

During Co-Op Awareness Month, newspapers can remind chain businesses of the possibilities of co-op ads. Perhaps a special price during this month could increase revenue from co-ops. Also, National Newspaper Week could be celebrated with special events like a banquet or information booths outside businesses to increase readership.

Special features could be included for Emergency Nurses Week recognizing businesses and individuals for their community or just sharing information about the respective topics. Hospitals and clinics could take the opportunity to thank their nurses. Also, comments from patients about nurses who have gone the extra mile are surely in abundance, so this would be a great opportunity to share them with readers.

A humor page, or jokes section in the comics might be perfect to celebrate the birthday of Larry from the Three Stooges.

A special section could be dedicated on Intergeneration Day to the special relationships children and teenagers have with their parents and grandparents. Perhaps a page could be dedicated to students who want to recognize a mentor from an older generation. A section might also simply be dedicated to profiling an age-diverse group of individuals. Students of all ages, adults, senior citizens and veterans could be included in a feature to share their comments about each other or about the community.

Online advertising revenue in Canada JUMPS!

Online advertising revenue in Canada rose 38% in 2007 to a total of $1.2 billion according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada. The 2007 level is almost more than four times the 2003 level: $237 million.

Online search and online display ads saw the largest increase, with search increasing from $343 million to $432 million and display advertising risign from $314 million to $432 million. Other advertising categories included:

• Classified advertising rising 25% to $305 million in 2007.
• E-mail advertising dropping 15% to $17 million in 2007.
• Video advertising accounted for $9 million.
  

IPv6 - the Future of the 'Net

As reported in the August 2008 issue of Inside Online, IPv6 is being prepared for action as IPv4 addresses are in increasingly short supply thanks to the proliferation of access points to the Internet. Servers going online host sites such as http://ipv6.google.com, but not all service providers are prepared for the switchover yet. At best estimates, the switch won't become a necessity until early 2011. The new system will offer exponentially more addresses, an IP equivalent of switching from seven-digit telephone numbers to 10-digit numbers. A recent Fox News report on the subject stated that the transition to IPv6 "was agreed more than a decade ago, providing enough addresses for billions upon billions of devices as well as improving Internet phone and video calls, and possibly even helping to end e-mail spam."

Demographics in the United States

In his adage.com article "The Changing Face of the U.S. Consumer," Peter Francese writes that the demographic profile of the average American consumer has rapidly changed. Not only is it a question of the population growing older, but also that demographics in different regions are becoming more divergent.

Some statistics that Francese shared including:

• The average age of heads of household in the United States is 49.5 years.

"But here's the bigger story: More than 80% of the growth in the number of households in the next five years will be among those headed by people 55 and older," Francese says.

This may lead consumers to become more averse to risk and careful about their spending; it also makes it more difficult to change people's minds about brands

• Forty percent of the population growth in the United States over the past seven years can be attributed to immigration. According to Pew Research Center statistics, 42% of Americans believe that immigration is "a big problem."

Francese cites a Dowell Myers article in Communities & Banking, which concludes, "The future of America will be formed at the intersection of two great demographic forces. With the inexorable aging into senior status of the giant baby-boom generation, immigration may be the best way to get needed workers, taxpayers and home buyers. ... The best thing to be done for America's future is to think ahead and optimize the intersection between aging America and immigration."

Francese says marketers should become involved with the national debate about immigration. At the very least, he said people need to stop their shabby treatment of immmigrants.

He concluded with five action items to consider in regards to the changing demographics in the United States.

1. "Generation AARP": Marketing messages should highlight experience, guarantees and safety. He also suggested not pandering to older generations of U.S. citizens.
2. "Consumer Chasm": Emphasize ethnographic research in target marketing as well as the target consumer's activities and beliefs.
3. "Regional Disconnect": Francese writes, "For products aimed at older consumers, consider looking north and east. If you want younger consumers, pick your regions and then make sure the message resonates with a multicultural audience."
4. "New Faces": To appeal to a newer generation, marketers must embrace that generation's cultures and voices.
5. "Immigration Imperative": Become engaged in the debate because immigrants are a prime source for labor and consumers.

Forecast: U.K. Regional Newspaper Classified Advertising

In their article on guardian.co.uk, Chris Tryhorn and Mark Sweney report that Citigroup analysts predict the annual spend on regional newspaper classified advertising in 2012 will drop by £650m; the highest level was £1.8b in 2004.

Daily Dispatch in South Africa to Honor Local Businesses

The Daily Dispatch of East London, South Africa, will recognize Eastern Cape province and Transkei region outstanding businesses by hosting an awards event. The Daily Dispatch Business Awards recognizes businesses in three categories:

• The IDC Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, which recognizes entrepreneurs
  
• The DEAT (Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism) Environmental Excellence Award for “green” businesses
• The Eastern Cape Business Legend, which honors "successful businesspeople who have ploughed their profits back into their communities," according to the article by Business Editor Roux Van Zyl.

Along with the Business Awards, the Daily Dispatch will hold its Dispatch Advertising Awards, which honor the top advertisers in the newspaper. The 2008 awards mark the first time they will be centered only on advertisers in the newspaper. Categories in the Dispatch Advertising Awards include:

• Top Local Advertiser for "the highest direct retail or classified advertising spender."
• The Top Advertising Newcomer for "the advertiser who has entered the Top 10 highest spenders list for the first time."
• The Creative Award for "the most creative and eye-catching advertisement placed in the Daily Dispatch."

Two local businesspeople — Zolile Tini of the East London Industrial Development Zone and Marshall Swana of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce — explained in Van Zyl's article the importance of showcasing and honoring successful local businesses.

“It certainly is encouraging for people to see that there are things happening in this region — it fires them up. If people say East London is dead, they are wrong, because although the economic activity is not the same as in Johannesburg, there are still plenty of good businesses here," Tini said.

Swana said, “The creation of jobs will come from those who employ themselves. But many people are afraid of jumping into business until they see others doing it."

Award winners will be announced and honored at East London's Regent Hotel in a gala celebration on September 18.

Suggestions For October 2 & 3, 2008

There are several events and holidays on October 2 that could be considered by newspapers as revenue-generating sources, including:

• Eid-Al-Fitr
• Gandhi's Birthday (1869)
• Thurgood Marshall Sworn In To The Supreme Court (1967)
• National Custodial Workers Day
• No Salt Week, Oct. 2-9
• The Debut Of Peanuts
• Establishment Of Redwood National Park (1968)
• World Farm Animal Day

The one I'd like to recommend to newspaper executives is Guardian Angels Day. On this day, people recognize others who have had a special role in their lives. Perhaps this is the day when your newspaper salutes the everyday folks in your community who selflessly aid others without asking for anything in return: volunteers who work at food banks, coach youth sports teams, aid the elderly, stand up for social justice and much more. Perhaps you honor these people at a banquet and thank them all for their work, each one of them a winner. Perhaps this is a contest that you run online. Whatever you choose to do with Guardian Angels Day, if anything, make it about the people in your community.

October 3 is National Diversity Day. It's amazing what happens to a person's prejudices when they meet and get to know someone in the group they're prejudiced against. People are seen as individuals, rather than as parts of larger groups. Newspapers should continue to lead the charge to show this to their readers, and National Diversity Day offers a platform upon which to do this fine work. We're not all the same, thank goodness, and we should recognize, understand and even celebrate our differences. BUT ... we cannot forget our common threads, too, what we have in common. On diversity day, find a way to share that there's something unique, yet shared, among all of us. Perhaps you do this through a survey of all your readers and post some of your favorite entries. Perhaps you visit the leaders of different groups in your community and profile all of them. Try to remember the following types of diversity, especially:

• Sex
• Race
• Nationality
  
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Family status
• Disability status
• Age
• Philosophy

Public Opinion and Language

In the Associated Press article cited below about Jeff Taylor and Tributes.com, author Seth Sutel writes the following phrases:

• "Jeff Taylor helped set off a tectonic shift in recruitment advertising"
• "one of the first online companies to challenge a big profit source of newspapers"
• "papers are reeling"
• "he's found another one of their strongholds that's ripe for online competition"
• "Taylor, a trim, energetic 47-year-old who works as a DJ in his spare time"

In the article — not a press release, but an article — Jeff Taylor comes across as something of a hero: he has the power to create tectonic shifts, he's taking aim to challenge a stronghold and gosh darn it, he's trim, energetic and has a part-time job playing music. He's a handsome guy in the accompanying photographs, too, which only adds to his appeal.

In the article — not a press release, but an article — newspapers come across as aged, greedy and weak because they're reeling and ripe for competition. Newspapers seem to have a giant bull's-eye on their front doors; they're a target.

Who will the public see as more appealing? Probably the trim, energetic hero who has the power to create tectonic shifts and is taking aim at the stronghold that seems to be reeling. In other words, NOT newspapers. Granted, the article is specifically about Taylor and Tributes.com. Congratulations to him for getting such a well-written marketing piece from the Associated Press.

eBay. Amazon. Google. Craigslist. Monster. Yahoo. Microsoft. Wal-Mart. TV. Radio. Online. All of these competitors have taken aim at newspapers and have been using the power of language to make their points. How many times have your sales reps heard from their clients:

• Newspapers are old.
• Newspapers are dead.
• Newspapers are irrelevant.
• Newspapers have a limited reach.
• Newspapers are expensive.
• Newspapers are biased.
• Newspapers don't deliver results.
  

Where are they hearing this from? From your competitors. From other media and from your competitors who have access to that media.

Thank goodness for free speech and all that comes with it, because newspapers HAVE to continue to fight back. You need to counter-attack. You need to let advertisers know about the weaknesses of these competitors. You need to become the hero and hunter, not the target. You need to promote yourselves and your terrific products and services and relevance because no one else is going to do this.

If all everyone ever hears about newspapers is their weaknesses and declining revenues and layoffs, those beliefs become their reality — to paraphrase numerous people wiser than me — and newspapers will be seen as weak ... unless something shows them differently.

Be your own hero. Do whatever it takes to show your strength & relevance. Do it in print. Do it online. Do it with broadcast. Do it with outdoor. Do it, and back it up with research.

Online obituaries & Tributes.com

According to the Associated Press, the founder of Monster.com is going to enter the world of online obituaries with Tributes.com.

Jeff Taylor said the site will not need information from newspapers to populate it with information. Rather, it will get the information through trade associations, public information from Social Security and alliances with funeral homes and funeral home groups. He didn't give any information about specific agreements in the article.

The AP article briefly mentions Legacy.com, an established site that has partnered with more than 650 newspapers. It is partially owned by Tribune.

Suggestion For October 1, 2008

October 1, 2008, is World Vegetarian Day. Use this day to celebrate the benefits of vegetarianism with health food stores, health care centers, restaurants, food services, supermarkets and your readers.

If you have a portal on your Web site devoted to health or food, consider adding information about vegetarian or vegan cooking, including recipes and sources to find the ingredients. Why not create a vegetarian-only cookbook in your area, to complement your other food-related publications? Or hold a contest for area residents to cook and present their favorite vegetarian dishes, to be judged by a panel of your peers, or perhaps restaurateurs in your market.