Morning Motivator – Why Newspapers Suck

"We would love to do a story on you… and here are the advertising rates."
- Unnamed Newspaper

I have an ISSUE… a HUGE, RIDICULOUSLY PISSY ISSUE!  A local paper, yet to be unnamed, contacted me awhile back under the GUISE of interest in publishing details about my business.  They wanted to detail how "cool" it was and how interesting it would be for their readers.

Then the follow up email arrived.  We would love to have you as part of our upcoming publication… here are the advertising rates.  Uh, what?!  Ad rates?  I am buying an unbiased, community interest article?  I would think not since the story is SUPPOSED to be written as an editorial on what makes our community so cool.

Well, CONGRATS to them!  They did NOT get my business.  They DID highlight one or two LEGITITMATELY cool things (like a buddy of mine that is a master with the sauce), YET, all the other items were BORING… BORING… did I mention BORING?  Seriously, a plot of land riddled in turmoil is NOT cool!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Here is my thing… if you want to GIVE to get; you actually have to GIVE! 

Manipulation and coercion make work on television, they make work in Chicago style politics and they may even work here and there in the business world, BUT, they generally do NOT work!

You want me to advertise with YOU?  Help me make it worth my time.  Do not dangle the carrot in front of someone if you have to buy the WHOLE DAMN farm just to get it.

If you ever wonder why the print media industry is dying, remember the story about the "unbiased, editorial story on what is cool in your town" that came with the hook that they only way you can be a part of this "editorial" is with an eight week commitment to advertising.  Does it seem desperate to you too?

This weekend:  Do something awesome… then repeat!

Cheers,
Zach

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