by Heather Cregar
Delmarva has seen a recent upswing in advertising on newszap.com for a variety of customers of all sizes and categories.
Ad Manager Laura Owens works with the Real Estate companies at the Delaware beaches, and she recently signed up five local Realtors for an Internet traffic ad to link to their websites.
Laura details her success, "Most of the Realtors I've interviewed credit 'the Internet' as their greatest lead source. Whether it be a national site like realtor.com, a comprehensive brokerage site, or their personal site, most feel that potential buyers and sellers start the process online. Having sold a handful of tile ads lately, I've found that if a Realtor tells you that the majority of their client leads come from the net, it isn't too difficult to convince them that the Internet sells! A tile ad is a logical marketing method. Additionally, many agents are proud of their sites and enjoy showing them off."
Ad Manager Joyce Ramsey has also seen success in the Real Estate market for Internet traffic ads. Joyce recently signed an agreement with a large, elaborate housing community for an Internet traffic ad on all three of the Delmarva community homepages. She points out that the number of newsap.com visitors and the choices of different community homepages are her top selling points.
"Everyone is very aware of the Internet now!" Joyce explained. "This is just one more way the customer can use a tool they have in front of them every day to reach a vast market, and they know people search the Internet."
Lorraine Luongo is another Ad Manager that successfully closed a sale for all three of the homepages with an exclusive country inn that offers hunting and fishing for the outdoor sportsman. Lorraine has found that it's helpful to demonstrate newszap.com for the customer. "When presenting the proposal, it is helpful to have a computer nearby so that the customer can view newszap.com and all it has to offer. Customers are impressed with the main home page with all the different areas represented."
Lorraine adds that a little competition can help spark a sale, too. "When they go to the community websites and view the existing advertisers this generates even more interest because they want to be on there, too. The advertisers like the options of linking to either their website or their email address. In addition, advertisers state that Newszap is a cost effective way of reaching farther than just their own area and creating awareness of their business in other markets."
Major Accounts Advertising Manager Diane Cahall has also found that viewing newszap.com with the customer is a great way to show its benefits. Diane explains that when a customer has a website, newszap.com is part of every advertising proposal. "While obtaining the information for the customer's confidential marketing profile, I always ask about their website. I make sure to visit their website before presenting the proposal and take a few notes on what caught my eye. At the end of my proposal I mention that I am so glad they told me they had a website, or I probably wouldn't have known. I try to mention something specific on the site and emphasize the importance of visitors...since so much of their time is contributed to maintaining the site. Then I explain the benefits of advertising on newszap.com. If there is a computer at their desk, I will asked them to pull up Newszap.com and we can view the site together."
Our newszap.com sales on Delmarva aren't limited to Real Estate or resort-related businesses. Recently Major Accounts Advertising Manager Tim Gary and Vice President of Advertising Darel LaPrade made a joint presentation to Boscov's Department Stores. Boscov's operates about 40 stores in the eastern United States and is also one of Independent Newspapers, Inc. largest advertising accounts.
Historically this client has contracted to use retail display and preprints in most of our Delmarva publications. This time Tim and Darel not only proposed increasing usage in these same areas, but added newszap.com banner ads to reinforce the marketing effort. The customer liked the idea and felt newszap.com was an excellent way to support his overall message.
Tim was pleased to report, "The full proposal was agreed to, including newszap.com banner ads on the three homepages for Central Delaware, Sussex County, and the Maryland Eastern Shore. New incremental website business totals several thousand dollars annually!"
But, newszap.com isn't just for the big businesses either. Ad Manager Jaclyn Fuller worked with Fifer Orchards to show them the benefits of a tile ad on newszap.com. Fifers has been in business since 1919 and offers a variety of local home grown produce and fresh baked goods. They have a high-quality website with constantly updated information about the availability of their produce, their history, special events, and lots more.
"Even though this customer wasn't a regular visitor to newszap.com, she saw the value in reaching out to more potential customers through our website,"Jaclyn said. "Plus they liked that even though they were a small business they could afford a color ad online and have unlimited reach to anyone 24 hour a day, seven days a week. This is a nice supplement to their print ads in the Delaware State News."
The success of newszap.com for Delmarva is rounded out by the ad services team. Sherry Luff is the Ad Services Specialist who has the important job of keeping the customers happy and satisfied with their advertising on newszap.com. Sherry has found that most customers are impressed with the high number of monthly visitors to newszap.com, in addition to the reasonable price.
Sherry says, "Since we do have a large amount of visitors per month, the customer always agrees that this is a great way to get the word out about their business." Sherry also hears plenty of compliments from the customers about the ad designs by Graphic Artists Angi Hicks and Brian Dawson. "The customers are always happy with their ad design. We make sure the ad is the exact way they want it before we post it on newszap.com."
Selling Internet traffic ads on Delmarva is a team effort.
