Dealing with advertising issues

AIM THIS PAGE

For what it's worth (because we certainly don't have all the answers):

Communicate. Find out what editorial needs in space and let the folks doing the dummies know your tolerance level and needs. If you won't push certain accounts out of the A section no matter what, have promotional ads ready to balance the overall newspaper so these folks can do their jobs.

Put your best promotional foot forward. Readership is high. You will have holes from late kills and the like, so gather your best promo ads, and make new ones if you need.

Don't look greedy. We have been flooded with ads from regular customers and new ones of both a condolence nature and for fund-raising messages. We are running them at half price for contract advertisers, and $12/inch for non-advertisers (approximately one-third our open rate). Try to accommodate them, but don't feel you have to take them late because the layout is being disrupted enough already.

Protect your readers from scams. There have been "fund-raising" phone scams reported, and these reports gave us pause when accepting ads for fund-raising or proceeds from sales going to "x" fund. We have a simple form we ask the businesses we are not familiar with to fill out, verifying their ad claims. Call Theresa Lawrence at (508) 862-1128 for a copy.

Sell a patriotic page allowing advertisers to show their support and donate all the revenue to the relief efforts. Our classified staff sold a double truck, and the money is going to the Red Cross.

Give people room to express themselves and be with family when they need to. People's reactions and feelings are what they are, and we're trying to keep things light and respect their needs.

Have a little fun to break the tension. We had a telephone sales blitz planned for this week. We went ahead with it, and had fun prizes, food and balloons. There was friendly competition between teams, and a few laughs. The ads we sold were small, so no one felt uneasy about asking for big money and appearing pushy. We sold 100 ads in two hours for a holiday special, and the sales reps left that morning smiling.

Remember, it's just a job. Go home and hug your loved ones. Too much staring at CNN isn't good.

Molly Evans is advertising director of the Cape Cod Times.