“What or who is PaperChain?” “What do they do?” “What does it mean to me?” …quite possibly the top questions anyone who has ever served on the PaperChain committee has fielded from publishers across the country.
Let’s break each one down.
“What or who is PaperChain?”
PaperChain is a national entity created to promote the community
paper industry. PaperChain is steered by an all-volunteer
committee of publishers, managers, and free paper association
directors. These individuals are deeply invested and passionate
about the industry, just like every publisher across the country.
These individuals believe that a cohesive effort to promote community
papers can yield greater results at a higher level than what most
state, regional, or national associations might be able to achieve
alone.
If you work for or operate an audited
free publication, and are a member of any of the various state,
regional, or national associations, you are PaperChain. You are
part of an industry standard based on audited circulation that
delivers results with every publication. When rolled up, this
standard represents a circulation of over 44.2 million.
“What do they do?” It is the
mission of PaperChain to promote this industry that is based on this
reliable, trusted, and audited circulation. In order to achieve
this, we look at two audiences.
The first is media buyers. PaperChain
works very closely with SRDS which is a data clearing house for media
buyers. Over 15,000 users pay to have access to the data SRDS
gathers. They access this data over 300,000 times a year.
PaperChain and SRDS (with great assistance from CVC) have created
listings within the SRDS database for each of our PaperChain
publications. We are putting your publication’s information in
front of media buyers, planners, and executives. Our partnership
does not stop there. Amongst other things, we have negotiated
premium search placement, links to CVC audits, and PaperChain
endorsement identification. So not only are you listed, but you get
special treatment for even better awareness. In addition to SRDS, we
promote the industry through various social media, press releases,
and our own website, www.paperchain.com.
Our second audience is your readers.
PaperChain has endeavored to partner with the industry associations
to promote Free Paper Month at a local level. Our promotions take
the strength of free papers and localize it for your market. We
strongly encourage you to participate in this national campaign which
will be coming to you for July of 2014.
PaperChain does not sell ads. We
believe that the best sales reps in the industry are yours. Our
objective is to promote, create awareness, and build strength, then
allow you to capitalize in your markets for the benefit of your
publication.
“What does it mean to me?”
PaperChain is an endorsement of your publication. It is something to
be proud of. This holds true for the media buyer audience we are
working to bring to you as well as your local audience. Great
investments have been made on your behalf. Investments such as the
audits, the SRDS partnership, and Free Paper Month promotions are
yours to take advantage of.
PaperChain means you have a low-cost
marketing arm. Purchased alone, an SRDS marketing package would cost
each publication thousands of dollars annually. PaperChain, in
coordination with the various trade associations, is handling this
for you. As mentioned above, we are promoting at the macro level,
and you can capitalize on this in your local markets.
So now that I’ve answered these
questions, as best as possible in limited space, I have a question
for you? “Will you work with us?”
PaperChain’s strength is derived from
the strength of the state, regional, and national associations, and
the strength of each of the PaperChain publications. We are asking
you to continue your efforts to build a reputable publication in your
local market, to support your trade associations through the sales
and publication of network ads, to get involved in Free Paper Month,
and to promote the PaperChain brand within your publication. And
finally, if you would like to join the efforts of the PaperChain
committee we look forward to that opportunity and look forward to
hearing from you.
John Draper
President, PaperChain
Publisher, Pipestone Publishing Co.
President, PaperChain
Publisher, Pipestone Publishing Co.
