2008 January

SAPATodayImproving Your Ability

to Communicate

The Bi-Monthly Newsletter for the Free Paper Industry January & February|2008

In this Issue:

visit us at www.sapatoday.com

By Tim Smith

One of the quickest and most powerful ways to grow personally and professionally is to improve our ability to communicate. Effective communication involves three methods of transmitting information: writing, which includes handwritten notes, typed memos, letters and e-mails, verbal communication which utilizes the power of body language and finally the vocal communication which is the sound of our voice.

Improving our skills in all three methods of transmitting information – visual, vocal and words – will enable us to use more of our potential. Without good communication, we accomplish only what we can do alone, which inevitably is only a fraction of what we can do in joint effort with others. Improving our communication skills will enable us as a team member to

contribute even more to our work group, and ultimately to our personal and professional well being and success.

Communication is the process of developing shared understanding. Ninety-three percent of our problems come from mis-communication. If only one side understands the message, communication has not taken place. Someone once told me that communication is 50/50, not true – that means that I only spoke half

Southeastern Adver t i s ing Publ i shers Associat ion (800) 334-0649 (888) 334-0649 fax

page 2SAPA Board of Directors & CAN Corner

page 3“Reason Why” Bridges

page 4Be A Quitter And Win

page 8Leopards Time Machine

page 10Calendar of Events

Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association

continued on page 10

2 SAPAToday

appropriate, successful message embodies the right words and the right delivery. Often, the choice of words depends upon how the message is to be delivered. Give close attention to the best words to use and the most satisfying delivery method for sending them.

Each of these three elements has a responsibility; when one of these elements fail that responsibility, communication breaks down. To be successful or to get the desired results, the message must be put together with thought and skill (sometimes time is the biggest challenge). In addition, the most appropriate delivery method for the particular message must be selected.

When we learn to use these three elements skillfully, we will earn untold benefits, including increased respect and understanding from others, improved relationships both personal and professional, the satisfaction of doing our jobs better and less stress by not having errors or having to repeat ourselves. Improved communication and success never come looking for us; we must work at becoming a better communicator every minute of everyday.

Studies show that the majority of people feel that they are taking the proper steps to communicate effectively. Some individuals maintain that the problem we face is with “those people”. If blame is always shifted to others, no improvement in communication

can be made. As the saying goes, “if you point your finger at someone else, three fingers are always pointing back at you”. If communication is ineffective, both sides have failed and must take responsibility for improvement.

When people are able to communicate with each other effectively, productivity is enhanced and everyone involved feels happy, satisfied and rewarded. Ads are designed correctly and on time. Workers have a clear mental picture of the expectations and contributions they make to the organization. Leaders get good information form their support staff and feelings, instructions, desires and requirements are all communicated effectively from customer to salesperson to design to production to the general public.

Tim Smith is President of Tim Smith Consulting which is an employee training corporation located in Allentown, PA. Tim has worked with the IFPA for the past five years doing seminars and workshops for the newspaper industry. If you would like information on Tim doing a FREE Customer Service seminar for your customers thanking them for doing business with you, Tim can be reached at HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected] or 610-435-0661.

“...the message

must be put together

with thought

and skill.”

11 SAPAToday

SAPA Board of Directors

Past PresidentMike WoodardTuscaloosa Shopper

& ReporterNorthport, AL205-333-7525

PresidentBill Bowman

Up & Coming Weekly

Fayetteville, NC 910-484-6200

Vice PresidentRussell

QuattlebaumSoutheast Sun

Enterprise, AL 334-393-2969

TreasurerTony Onellion

Bargains PlusSlidell, LA

985-649-9515

Past PresidentGreg LedfordShelby Shopper &

InfoShelby, NC

704-484-1047

Board MemberJW Owens

Savannah Pennysaver

Savannah, GA 912-238-2040

Board MemberGarth Hawken

Flashes Shopping Guide

Stuart, FL772-287-0650

SecretaryAlan Lingerfelt

The Piedmont Shopper

Danville, VA434-822-1800

Past PresidentGary Benton

Peddler ADvantageParis, TN

731-644-9595

Past PresidentBrenda Finchum

Coffee County Shopper

Manchester, TN931-728-3273

Mark your calendar today to attend

CAMP SAPAin Asheville, North Carolina on August 22 & 23, 2008

CornerIn each issue of SAPAToday we’ll look at one of the membership benefits you receive because of the Classified Ad Network (CAN).

Let’s start with a big one: �e Lending Library. Did you know that SAPA headquarters has hundreds of training titles you can borrow and use at your publication? It’s true. All you have to do is go to the

SAPAToday.com website and click on the Benefits tab. You’ll see a list of all the books, videos, cassettes, and other resources available to you as a member.

If you want to use an item just give us a call and let us know what you want. We’ll mail it out to you and give you 60 days to use it before it is due back in the Lending Library. �is is a great member benefit that gives you huge training resources at no cost. �anks to CAN.

By John Foust, Raleigh, NC

“I found a helpful idea to tweak my sales presentations in an unlikely place,” Mack told me. “It was at a local community college – in a one-day class on how to use a particular computer program. �ere were about a dozen people in the class. And although we had different skill levels, the teacher did an excellent job of keeping everyone on track.”

“What was the teacher’s secret?” I asked.

“First of all, she didn’t use what I call ‘geek speak.’ She talked in terms that the people on our level could understand. And she presented each point in a way that easily connected to previous things we had learned. I lost count of the number of times she said, ‘�e reason I say that is’ or ‘I’m asking you to do this because.’ It was a positive learning experience. She logically walked us through each module of the training, intuitively knowing when to tell us the ‘why?’ behind the information.”

Mack explained that he tried the computer teacher’s technique a few days later in a meeting with a prospective advertiser. “It was one of the ah-ha moments in my sales career. I found that a simple ‘reason why’ bridge helped me link together my sales points in a logical sequence. And I could tell that the prospect was more attentive than usual.”

If you’d like to try this in your sales presentations, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Organize your sales points. “�is technique goes beyond the basics of covering features and benefits.” Mack said. “In essence, it’s a way to add more depth to your sales points. If you tell them you’re going to give them a reason that something is important, you’d better make it a good one – or

they’ll think you don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s all about giving them a reason why.”

Take this quick multiple-choice test: I believe our paper reaches your target audience. �e reason I say that is…

a) …we have a lot of readers.

b) …your competitors advertise with us, and they must know something.

c) …it’s important to have a target audience.

d) …a recent readership study showed that X% of our readers fit the demographic profile of your industry’s consumers.

Choice “d” is the one that offers a legitimate “reason why.”

2. Find different ways to say the same thing. “Obviously, you shouldn’t say ‘the reason I say this’ all the way through,” Mack cautioned. “If you want people to stay awake, add some variety with phrases like… ‘I mention this because’…or ‘�is is due to the fact that’ or… ‘You can accomplish this by.’”

3. Don’t overdo it. “I can’t tell you how many times to use a ‘reason why’ bridge in a presentation,” he added. “�at decision is up to you. I just know that it’s not a good idea to use it on every sales point. Pick your spots carefully, so you won’t sound like a broken record.”

(c) Copyright 2007 by John Foust. All rights reserved. E-mail John Foust for information about his training videos for ad departments email [email protected]

The headline is the most important part of an ad.

“I found that a simple

‘reason why’ bridge

helped me”

3 SAPAToday

the message and the listener only received half the message, hence mis-communication and problems occur. Only when the visual, vocal and words are understood by both sender and receiver does communication actually occur.

What is required for communication to happen? First, someone must send the message correctly. Second, someone must be prepared to receive the message and third, the best medium must be chosen for relaying the message and the best method for delivering those words must be selected. If one of these three elements is missing, communication cannot take place.

Good communication assigns each element a unique role of responsibility. Good communication is defined as developing appropriate, shared understanding through visual, vocal or written messages. �e role of all three must be clearly defined:

Sender: �e role of the sender is clarity and specific words. �e responsibility of the sender is to identify the goal of their message and to formulate it with visual, vocal and words that best accomplish that goal.

Receiver – �e receiver’s role is to understand the message through careful listening, asking questions for clarification or seeking detailed explanation. Unfortunately the role of the receiver is often overlooked or minimized, but understanding the message is essential for effective communication. (Listening technique: �e words listen and silent have the same letters – to be an effective listener one needs to keep silent)

Delivery method and choice of words – an

Kidsville News January 2008: �e 2008 Kidsville News Conference to be held at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Potential Publishers Session on Sunday, January 27, 2008. For more information call 910-222-6200 and ask for Joy Kirkpatrick.

S A PA J a n u a r y 2 0 0 8 Publishers Retreat: the Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association will hold its first Publishers Retreat in conjunction with their annual board meeting on January 18 & 19, 2008 at the Disney Yacht Club in Orlando, Florida. Space is limited so make your plans now to attend this planning, training, energizing conference.

AFCP Conference 2008: �e Association of Free Community Papers hosts its annual conference at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California. �is is in the Coachella Valley adjacent to Palm Springs.Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage, CA 4/24/2008 To 4/26/2008

SAPA Conference 2008: We contracted the Renaissance Hotel in refreshing Asheville, NC on August 22 & 23, 2008 for our Fall Conference. Mark your calendars today. And please give us a call at 1-800-334-0649 or email: [email protected] if you would like more information.

IFPA Conference 2008: Seattle, Washington is the site for the Fall Conference for IFPA., September 24 - 27, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency in nearby Bellevue. A trip to the Space Needle and dinner there promises a great time.

Calendar of Events

10 SAPAToday

Use “Reason Why”Bridges in Sales

Improving Your AbilityTo Communicate


by Joe Bonura

Winners Know When To Quit

Huh, Oh! I think Joe has lost it. How can you be a quitter and win? Well, it depends on what you quit. If you can quit your bad habits and replace them with good habits, you will definitely be a winner.

Learn From Terre

Terre Bryant, my office manager, has been smoking for over 40 years, and she has tried many times to quit. All of her previous efforts led to failure. As of today, she has been smoke-free for over three months.

What Made The Difference?

With the help of a new pill on the market and self-discipline, she has been able to stick to her commitment. Is it the pill or is it self-discipline that is doing the job? If you were to ask me, I would say self-discipline is more important than any pill could ever be. Terre has self-discipline in other areas of her life, and now she is using it to spend a few more quality years with her family.

Reach For The Stars

When I exercise on the

treadmill, I watch TV or listen to CD’s, and I often discover life’s metaphors in the messages that I see and hear. Recently, I listened to a CD by Jack Canfield, co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Canfield said that he asked one of his classes to stand up to reach toward the ceiling, and they complied. He asked them to reach a little higher, and they did. And so, we too have more left in us if we are willing to stretch. �e great advertising legend Leo Burnett said, “Reach for the Stars, and at least you won’t come up with a hand full of dirt.”

The Treadmill Of Life

I decided to use Canfield’s challenge of reaching a little further. I usually walk the treadmill for exactly twenty-five minutes each morning,

but I decided to add another minute to my routine. At the twenty-six-minute mark, I added another minute, and this continued until I reached thirty minutes. I added an extra five minutes by simply increasing one minute at a time.

One More Call

I then applied the same principle to making sales calls. I formed the habit of making ten dials every day, and when I reached the magic quota of ten for the day, I used the same principle that I had used on the treadmill: I made one more call, and then another, until I made five additional calls, a total of fifteen. When I repeated these numbers every day for five days, I made an additional twenty-five calls a week. �at was the equivalent of working two-and-one-

half more days. It takes discipline and commitment to achieve it, but the rewards are tremendous.

The Last Five

It always seems that the last five calls yield the best results. Radio announcer and motivational expert Earl Nightingale said that just like in running, if we keep pushing, and do not give in to the first urge to quit, we will get a second wind. �at is so true! When I force myself to

make the next call, and then the next call, I find myself going beyond the new target of fifteen.

Take A Look And Add 10%

Consider what you plan to do today. Simply add 10% more effort, and observe what happens. You will feel better about yourself at the end of the day, and your bottom line will put on a little weight (that’s good!).

Let Terre Know

Let Terre know that her ban on smoking is the smart thing to do. You can write her at [email protected]. Do the same for yourself. Let some friends or your employer know about your new commitment to increase your efforts, and ask them to support the new you. Keep them in the loop and advise them of your successes. Take the extra minute to change your life.

© 2006-2007 Joe Bonura & Associates, Inc.

9 SAPAToday4 SAPAToday

Be A Quitter -And Win!


continued on page 9

www.kidsvillenews.com1.877.4KVNEWS

Kidsville News! is the nation’s favorite and fastest-growing children’s newspaper. From a humble but persistent start of four

publications just two years ago, to over 96 editions today, Kidsville News! is making an educational

impact all across the country. Why? Because children need to

read and Kidsville News! creates new revenue streams and higher profi ts for newspaper publishers.

With a circulation of over one million, Kidsville News! has proven itself to be a fun and effective learning resource for children, teachers and parents.

Find out the revenue and profi t potential in your community and explore the Kidsville News! opportunity by attending our 2008 Publishers’ Conference.

Some of our conference speakers include:

TIM BINGAMAN, President & CEO of Circulation Verifi cation Council, founded CVC in 1992 with 13 member editions.

CVC now audits over 4,900 editions in North America with a combined circulation of over 70,000,000.

BILL BOWMAN is President of Kidsville News Inc. In 1996, he started Cumberland County’s fi rst free commu-nity newspaper, Up & Com-

ing Weekly. In 2005, Bill purchased Kidsville News Incorporated and has since expanded the publication nation-wide.

DIANNE CIOTTA has been successfully presenting captivating skills refi nement seminars to advertising sales

executives and managers for 18 years. Diane is also a Kidsville News! Publisher for central Jersey.

CRAIG S. MCMULLIN is the executive director of the Association of Free Community Papers, which represents nearly 3,000

community papers across North America. Since taking the helm in 1999, AFCP membership has more than tripled, classifi ed revenues have grown from $600,000 to nearly $4 million and conference attendance has increased 800%.

Kidsville Curious? Make a point to join us...

The Nation’s Fun Family Newspaper

For more information or to reserve your spot at the conference

call 910-222-6200 today!

In the last issue of SAPAToday I told about my experiences installing the newest operating system for Macintosh computers “Leopard.” It didn’t go all that well but I figured the biggest feature “Time Machine” would be worth the work.

Time Machine is a system level program that automatically backs up everything you have on your computer. You don’t have to do anything except tell it, “�is is where I want you to put all my stuff.” �en every hour it does a quick backup of all the stuff that has changed. It keeps doing that until your hard drive is full. You can even go back in time, hence the Time Machine moniker, to find items you might have deleted. Simple enough. I don’t back up as often as I should so I thought this was the reason to update to Leopard.

�ere is good news and bad news on Time Machine. First the good news. It is a snap to set up. You simply open your System Preferences and click on the Time Machine icon. �en click the slider that turns it from Off to On. It will ask what disk you would like to serve as your backup device and then it will start backing up. Simple and effective. It makes something we should all do much easier.

In fact, right now, as I am typing this article I can hear the slight whir of my extra hard drive working as Time Machine backs up in the background.

But that’s the problem. It does too good a job. Time Machine backs up everything every time I look at it. It is about 10:00 am and the last time Time Machine did a backup was 8:45 am. Now it is backing up 143.4 GB (that Gigabytes!) of information. You know that Douglas Fry, Executive Director of SAPA, is an effective, efficient person but there is no way in this world that he has done 143.4 GB of work in a little over an hour.

In fact, in a bit longer than a month Time Machine had filled up my external 1.5 TB (that’s 1,500 GigaBytes or 1,500,000 MegaBytes) of storage space. I just don’t do that much work. Ask anyone that knows me. So, I’m kind of stuck. On one hand I really like the ease of backing up with Time Machine. But on the other hand I hate how much disk space it uses. I guess I need another hand or a larger hard drive. It seems to me that this unique, useful feature needs a bit more work. Let’s give it a bit more Time.


“Time Machine is a system level program that

automati-cally backs up everything you have on your computer.”

Leopards Time Machine: How to get rid of pesky disk space

32 Quarterfold

37 Broadsheet or Tabloid

32 Digest

32 Magazine

C-91SD C-2003SD

C-6SDPoly Bags

SS-5SS-6SS-7 RT SS-8

800-398-2427www.theservicechamps.com

[email protected] - 708-946-3733

WireDisplays

Tubes andSteel Posts

Steel Distribution BoxesPlastic Displays

Carrier BagsRubber Bands ST-91SD

Display & Classified Ad Sales & BillingCirculation Direct Mail Payroll Accounting

Integrated Management Software designed by publishers for publishers

MERRIMAC SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES INC.TAMWORTH, NH 603 323 8811 WWW.MERRSOFT.COM

Will Parks(309) 797-0302

IPC CHARLIE HENCYE

800-243-7659 [email protected] FAX: 941-484-0828

140 Triple Diamond Blvd * Suite C * N. Venice, FL 34275www.ipcpoly.com

PRESIDENT

International Poly&

Promotions

Plastic BagsPromotional Items

Advertising Specialties

300 North DriveSuite 100

Melbourne, FL 32934

321.242.5000 x2214321.242.4074727.492.3562

phonefax

mobile

John Pourtlessdirector of sales - southeast

[email protected]

In the last issue of SAPAToday I told about my experiences installing the newest operating system for Macintosh computers “Leopard.” It didn’t go all that well but I figured the biggest feature “Time Machine” would be worth the work.

Time Machine is a system level program that automatically backs up everything you have on your computer. You don’t have to do anything except tell it, “�is is where I want you to put all my stuff.” �en every hour it does a quick backup of all the stuff that has changed. It keeps doing that until your hard drive is full. You can even go back in time, hence the Time Machine moniker, to find items you might have deleted. Simple enough. I don’t back up as often as I should so I thought this was the reason to update to Leopard.

�ere is good news and bad news on Time Machine. First the good news. It is a snap to set up. You simply open your System Preferences and click on the Time Machine icon. �en click the slider that turns it from Off to On. It will ask what disk you would like to serve as your backup device and then it will start backing up. Simple and effective. It makes something we should all do much easier.

In fact, right now, as I am typing this article I can hear the slight whir of my extra hard drive working as Time Machine backs up in the background.

But that’s the problem. It does too good a job. Time Machine backs up everything every time I look at it. It is about 10:00 am and the last time Time Machine did a backup was 8:45 am. Now it is backing up 143.4 GB (that Gigabytes!) of information. You know that Douglas Fry, Executive Director of SAPA, is an effective, efficient person but there is no way in this world that he has done 143.4 GB of work in a little over an hour.

In fact, in a bit longer than a month Time Machine had filled up my external 1.5 TB (that’s 1,500 GigaBytes or 1,500,000 MegaBytes) of storage space. I just don’t do that much work. Ask anyone that knows me. So, I’m kind of stuck. On one hand I really like the ease of backing up with Time Machine. But on the other hand I hate how much disk space it uses. I guess I need another hand or a larger hard drive. It seems to me that this unique, useful feature needs a bit more work. Let’s give it a bit more Time.


“Time Machine is a system level program that

automati-cally backs up everything you have on your computer.”

Leopards Time Machine: How to get rid of pesky disk space

32 Quarterfold

37 Broadsheet or Tabloid

32 Digest

32 Magazine

C-91SD C-2003SD

C-6SDPoly Bags

SS-5SS-6SS-7 RT SS-8

800-398-2427www.theservicechamps.com

[email protected] - 708-946-3733

WireDisplays

Tubes andSteel Posts

Steel Distribution BoxesPlastic Displays

Carrier BagsRubber Bands ST-91SD

by Joe Bonura

Winners Know When To Quit

Huh, Oh! I think Joe has lost it. How can you be a quitter and win? Well, it depends on what you quit. If you can quit your bad habits and replace them with good habits, you will definitely be a winner.

Learn From Terre

Terre Bryant, my office manager, has been smoking for over 40 years, and she has tried many times to quit. All of her previous efforts led to failure. As of today, she has been smoke-free for over three months.

What Made The Difference?

With the help of a new pill on the market and self-discipline, she has been able to stick to her commitment. Is it the pill or is it self-discipline that is doing the job? If you were to ask me, I would say self-discipline is more important than any pill could ever be. Terre has self-discipline in other areas of her life, and now she is using it to spend a few more quality years with her family.

Reach For The Stars

When I exercise on the

treadmill, I watch TV or listen to CD’s, and I often discover life’s metaphors in the messages that I see and hear. Recently, I listened to a CD by Jack Canfield, co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Canfield said that he asked one of his classes to stand up to reach toward the ceiling, and they complied. He asked them to reach a little higher, and they did. And so, we too have more left in us if we are willing to stretch. �e great advertising legend Leo Burnett said, “Reach for the Stars, and at least you won’t come up with a hand full of dirt.”

The Treadmill Of Life

I decided to use Canfield’s challenge of reaching a little further. I usually walk the treadmill for exactly twenty-five minutes each morning,

but I decided to add another minute to my routine. At the twenty-six-minute mark, I added another minute, and this continued until I reached thirty minutes. I added an extra five minutes by simply increasing one minute at a time.

One More Call

I then applied the same principle to making sales calls. I formed the habit of making ten dials every day, and when I reached the magic quota of ten for the day, I used the same principle that I had used on the treadmill: I made one more call, and then another, until I made five additional calls, a total of fifteen. When I repeated these numbers every day for five days, I made an additional twenty-five calls a week. �at was the equivalent of working two-and-one-

half more days. It takes discipline and commitment to achieve it, but the rewards are tremendous.

The Last Five

It always seems that the last five calls yield the best results. Radio announcer and motivational expert Earl Nightingale said that just like in running, if we keep pushing, and do not give in to the first urge to quit, we will get a second wind. �at is so true! When I force myself to

make the next call, and then the next call, I find myself going beyond the new target of fifteen.

Take A Look And Add 10%

Consider what you plan to do today. Simply add 10% more effort, and observe what happens. You will feel better about yourself at the end of the day, and your bottom line will put on a little weight (that’s good!).

Let Terre Know

Let Terre know that her ban on smoking is the smart thing to do. You can write her at [email protected]. Do the same for yourself. Let some friends or your employer know about your new commitment to increase your efforts, and ask them to support the new you. Keep them in the loop and advise them of your successes. Take the extra minute to change your life.

© 2006-2007 Joe Bonura & Associates, Inc.




continued on page 9

www.kidsvillenews.com1.877.4KVNEWS

Kidsville News! is the nation’s favorite and fastest-growing children’s newspaper. From a humble but persistent start of four

publications just two years ago, to over 96 editions today, Kidsville News! is making an educational

impact all across the country. Why? Because children need to

read and Kidsville News! creates new revenue streams and higher profi ts for newspaper publishers.

With a circulation of over one million, Kidsville News! has proven itself to be a fun and effective learning resource for children, teachers and parents.

Find out the revenue and profi t potential in your community and explore the Kidsville News! opportunity by attending our 2008 Publishers’ Conference.

Some of our conference speakers include:

TIM BINGAMAN, President & CEO of Circulation Verifi cation Council, founded CVC in 1992 with 13 member editions.

CVC now audits over 4,900 editions in North America with a combined circulation of over 70,000,000.

BILL BOWMAN is President of Kidsville News Inc. In 1996, he started Cumberland County’s fi rst free commu-nity newspaper, Up & Com-

ing Weekly. In 2005, Bill purchased Kidsville News Incorporated and has since expanded the publication nation-wide.

DIANNE CIOTTA has been successfully presenting captivating skills refi nement seminars to advertising sales

executives and managers for 18 years. Diane is also a Kidsville News! Publisher for central Jersey.

CRAIG S. MCMULLIN is the executive director of the Association of Free Community Papers, which represents nearly 3,000

community papers across North America. Since taking the helm in 1999, AFCP membership has more than tripled, classifi ed revenues have grown from $600,000 to nearly $4 million and conference attendance has increased 800%.

Kidsville Curious? Make a point to join us...

The Nation’s Fun Family Newspaper

For more information or to reserve your spot at the conference

call 910-222-6200 today!

By John Foust, Raleigh, NC

“I found a helpful idea to tweak my sales presentations in an unlikely place,” Mack told me. “It was at a local community college – in a one-day class on how to use a particular computer program. �ere were about a dozen people in the class. And although we had different skill levels, the teacher did an excellent job of keeping everyone on track.”

“What was the teacher’s secret?” I asked.

“First of all, she didn’t use what I call ‘geek speak.’ She talked in terms that the people on our level could understand. And she presented each point in a way that easily connected to previous things we had learned. I lost count of the number of times she said, ‘�e reason I say that is’ or ‘I’m asking you to do this because.’ It was a positive learning experience. She logically walked us through each module of the training, intuitively knowing when to tell us the ‘why?’ behind the information.”

Mack explained that he tried the computer teacher’s technique a few days later in a meeting with a prospective advertiser. “It was one of the ah-ha moments in my sales career. I found that a simple ‘reason why’ bridge helped me link together my sales points in a logical sequence. And I could tell that the prospect was more attentive than usual.”

If you’d like to try this in your sales presentations, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Organize your sales points. “�is technique goes beyond the basics of covering features and benefits.” Mack said. “In essence, it’s a way to add more depth to your sales points. If you tell them you’re going to give them a reason that something is important, you’d better make it a good one – or

they’ll think you don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s all about giving them a reason why.”

Take this quick multiple-choice test: I believe our paper reaches your target audience. �e reason I say that is…

a) …we have a lot of readers.

b) …your competitors advertise with us, and they must know something.

c) …it’s important to have a target audience.

d) …a recent readership study showed that X% of our readers fit the demographic profile of your industry’s consumers.

Choice “d” is the one that offers a legitimate “reason why.”

2. Find different ways to say the same thing. “Obviously, you shouldn’t say ‘the reason I say this’ all the way through,” Mack cautioned. “If you want people to stay awake, add some variety with phrases like… ‘I mention this because’…or ‘�is is due to the fact that’ or… ‘You can accomplish this by.’”

3. Don’t overdo it. “I can’t tell you how many times to use a ‘reason why’ bridge in a presentation,” he added. “�at decision is up to you. I just know that it’s not a good idea to use it on every sales point. Pick your spots carefully, so you won’t sound like a broken record.”

(c) Copyright 2007 by John Foust. All rights reserved. E-mail John Foust for information about his training videos for ad departments email [email protected]

The headline is the most important part of an ad.

“I found that a simple

‘reason why’ bridge

helped me”

3 SAPAToday

the message and the listener only received half the message, hence mis-communication and problems occur. Only when the visual, vocal and words are understood by both sender and receiver does communication actually occur.

What is required for communication to happen? First, someone must send the message correctly. Second, someone must be prepared to receive the message and third, the best medium must be chosen for relaying the message and the best method for delivering those words must be selected. If one of these three elements is missing, communication cannot take place.

Good communication assigns each element a unique role of responsibility. Good communication is defined as developing appropriate, shared understanding through visual, vocal or written messages. �e role of all three must be clearly defined:

Sender: �e role of the sender is clarity and specific words. �e responsibility of the sender is to identify the goal of their message and to formulate it with visual, vocal and words that best accomplish that goal.

Receiver – �e receiver’s role is to understand the message through careful listening, asking questions for clarification or seeking detailed explanation. Unfortunately the role of the receiver is often overlooked or minimized, but understanding the message is essential for effective communication. (Listening technique: �e words listen and silent have the same letters – to be an effective listener one needs to keep silent)

Delivery method and choice of words – an

Kidsville News January 2008: �e 2008 Kidsville News Conference to be held at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Potential Publishers Session on Sunday, January 27, 2008. For more information call 910-222-6200 and ask for Joy Kirkpatrick.

S A PA J a n u a r y 2 0 0 8 Publishers Retreat: the Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association will hold its first Publishers Retreat in conjunction with their annual board meeting on January 18 & 19, 2008 at the Disney Yacht Club in Orlando, Florida. Space is limited so make your plans now to attend this planning, training, energizing conference.

AFCP Conference 2008: �e Association of Free Community Papers hosts its annual conference at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California. �is is in the Coachella Valley adjacent to Palm Springs.Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage, CA 4/24/2008 To 4/26/2008

SAPA Conference 2008: We contracted the Renaissance Hotel in refreshing Asheville, NC on August 22 & 23, 2008 for our Fall Conference. Mark your calendars today. And please give us a call at 1-800-334-0649 or email: [email protected] if you would like more information.

IFPA Conference 2008: Seattle, Washington is the site for the Fall Conference for IFPA., September 24 - 27, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency in nearby Bellevue. A trip to the Space Needle and dinner there promises a great time.

Calendar of Events

10 SAPAToday

Use “Reason Why”Bridges in Sales

Improving Your AbilityTo Communicate


2 SAPAToday

appropriate, successful message embodies the right words and the right delivery. Often, the choice of words depends upon how the message is to be delivered. Give close attention to the best words to use and the most satisfying delivery method for sending them.

Each of these three elements has a responsibility; when one of these elements fail that responsibility, communication breaks down. To be successful or to get the desired results, the message must be put together with thought and skill (sometimes time is the biggest challenge). In addition, the most appropriate delivery method for the particular message must be selected.

When we learn to use these three elements skillfully, we will earn untold benefits, including increased respect and understanding from others, improved relationships both personal and professional, the satisfaction of doing our jobs better and less stress by not having errors or having to repeat ourselves. Improved communication and success never come looking for us; we must work at becoming a better communicator every minute of everyday.

Studies show that the majority of people feel that they are taking the proper steps to communicate effectively. Some individuals maintain that the problem we face is with “those people”. If blame is always shifted to others, no improvement in communication

can be made. As the saying goes, “if you point your finger at someone else, three fingers are always pointing back at you”. If communication is ineffective, both sides have failed and must take responsibility for improvement.

When people are able to communicate with each other effectively, productivity is enhanced and everyone involved feels happy, satisfied and rewarded. Ads are designed correctly and on time. Workers have a clear mental picture of the expectations and contributions they make to the organization. Leaders get good information form their support staff and feelings, instructions, desires and requirements are all communicated effectively from customer to salesperson to design to production to the general public.

Tim Smith is President of Tim Smith Consulting which is an employee training corporation located in Allentown, PA. Tim has worked with the IFPA for the past five years doing seminars and workshops for the newspaper industry. If you would like information on Tim doing a FREE Customer Service seminar for your customers thanking them for doing business with you, Tim can be reached at HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected] or 610-435-0661.

“...the message

must be put together

with thought

and skill.”

11 SAPAToday

SAPA Board of Directors

Past PresidentMike WoodardTuscaloosa Shopper

& ReporterNorthport, AL205-333-7525

PresidentBill Bowman

Up & Coming Weekly

Fayetteville, NC 910-484-6200

Vice PresidentRussell

QuattlebaumSoutheast Sun

Enterprise, AL 334-393-2969

TreasurerTony Onellion

Bargains PlusSlidell, LA

985-649-9515

Past PresidentGreg LedfordShelby Shopper &

InfoShelby, NC

704-484-1047

Board MemberJW Owens

Savannah Pennysaver

Savannah, GA 912-238-2040

Board MemberGarth Hawken

Flashes Shopping Guide

Stuart, FL772-287-0650

SecretaryAlan Lingerfelt

The Piedmont Shopper

Danville, VA434-822-1800

Past PresidentGary Benton

Peddler ADvantageParis, TN

731-644-9595

Past PresidentBrenda Finchum

Coffee County Shopper

Manchester, TN931-728-3273

Mark your calendar today to attend

CAMP SAPAin Asheville, North Carolina on August 22 & 23, 2008

CornerIn each issue of SAPAToday we’ll look at one of the membership benefits you receive because of the Classified Ad Network (CAN).

Let’s start with a big one: �e Lending Library. Did you know that SAPA headquarters has hundreds of training titles you can borrow and use at your publication? It’s true. All you have to do is go to the

SAPAToday.com website and click on the Benefits tab. You’ll see a list of all the books, videos, cassettes, and other resources available to you as a member.

If you want to use an item just give us a call and let us know what you want. We’ll mail it out to you and give you 60 days to use it before it is due back in the Lending Library. �is is a great member benefit that gives you huge training resources at no cost. �anks to CAN.

SAPATodayImproving Your Ability

to Communicate

The Bi-Monthly Newsletter for the Free Paper Industry January & February|2008

In this Issue:

visit us at www.sapatoday.com

By Tim Smith

One of the quickest and most powerful ways to grow personally and professionally is to improve our ability to communicate. Effective communication involves three methods of transmitting information: writing, which includes handwritten notes, typed memos, letters and e-mails, verbal communication which utilizes the power of body language and finally the vocal communication which is the sound of our voice.

Improving our skills in all three methods of transmitting information – visual, vocal and words – will enable us to use more of our potential. Without good communication, we accomplish only what we can do alone, which inevitably is only a fraction of what we can do in joint effort with others. Improving our communication skills will enable us as a team member to

contribute even more to our work group, and ultimately to our personal and professional well being and success.

Communication is the process of developing shared understanding. Ninety-three percent of our problems come from mis-communication. If only one side understands the message, communication has not taken place. Someone once told me that communication is 50/50, not true – that means that I only spoke half

Southeastern Adver t i s ing Publ i shers Associat ion (800) 334-0649 (888) 334-0649 fax

page 2SAPA Board of Directors & CAN Corner

page 3“Reason Why” Bridges

page 4Be A Quitter And Win

page 8Leopards Time Machine

page 10Calendar of Events

Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association


2008 January

Documents

Transcript of 2008 January