The Kansas Publisher Official monthly publication of the Kansas Press Association Jan. 11, 2017 Inside Today AOE: upload deadline is Friday he deadline is almost here for entries in the Page 2 2016 Awards of Excellence competition We need 20 more judges Jim Pumarlo urges newspaper among Kansas Press Association members. editors to focus more on business T ewspaper contest judging is reciprocal. Emily Bradbury, director of member services, news. In other words, we judge other states and has been working closely with newspaper editors they reciprocate by judging our contest. and advertising managers this past week to facili- N We need another 20 Kansas Press Associa- Page 3 tate the process. John Foust advises sales reps on tion members and friends to sign up to judge our Go here to review the information and retrieve partner this year, the Nebraska Press Association. how to recognize the “unspoken” paper copies of the entry forms. objections. Click here if you can help us out. Bradbury has posted the necessary information The judging is set for February. Please help Page 4 See AOE DEADLINE on Page 8 us out. KPA president Sarah Kessinger urges members to pitch in with judging the Nebraska Press As- sociation contest. Page 6-7 Newspapers are seeking creative leaders and advertising salespeo- ple. See Marketplace. Page 8 Doug Anstaett says newspaper staffers need to escape their co- coons, be exposed to other views. KPA Calendar THIS WEEK Opening of the 2017 session of the Kansas Legislature, Capitol, Topeka. Richard Gannon, director of governmental affairs for the Kansas Press Association, begins his 14th and final year as lobbyist for KPA. He plans to retire this summer. Jan. 13 Deadline for entries in KPA’s 2016 Awards of Excellence KU students to provide legislative news contest. he Kansas Press Associa- years. The service is underwrit- papers wouldn’t have access tion and officials from ten through a grant from the to such content without this April 7-8 Tthe William Allen White Kansas Newspaper Founda- service,” said Doug Anstaett, Kansas Press Association an- School of Journalism have tion. The content is free to KPA KPA executive director. nual convention, Capitol Plaza agreed to once again coordi- members. KNF has again committed Hotel, Topeka. nate coverage of the Kansas In the past three years, KU $5,000 in scholarship money Legislature. journalism students supplied for students who excel in cover- April 20-21 The news service, called the legislative content through the ing the Kansas Legislature. The annual meeting of the Wil- KU Statehouse Wire Service, service and distributed it to me- The coverage will kick off in liam Allen White Foundation has annually provided from dia outlets throughout the state. mid-January when the students Board, Lawrence. 50 to 100 stories the past three “Most of our smaller news- return to class. Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 2 Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 2016-17 KPA Board Don’t underestimate value Sarah Kessinger President Marysville Advocate of your business reporting [email protected] n exchange in an editors’ hotline reading about business.” probed a familiar topic: When is a Whoa. In all due respect, I encourage M. Olaf Frandsen business announcement considered all newspapers to broaden their perspective First Vice President A Salina Journal news, and when is it an ad? on what is business news – to make it a The item in question was a new em- regular part of your newsroom discussions [email protected] ployee at an auction and realty company. as an everyday beat. Editors weighed in with a range of I also advise you to go slowly on de- Andy Taylor Second Vice President answers, all of them predictable. veloping business coverage, especially if Montgomery County Chronicle “Don’t do it. If you give advertising your newspaper doesn’t do much business [email protected] away, they won’t pay for it.” reporting now. It can be challeng- “Don’t mix ad and editorial. ing, especially with the barrage Scott Stanford News should not be traded for of demands on limited resources. Treasurer money.” You cannot simply turn on the Lawrence Journal-World “We came up with a feature spigot. [email protected] we will run up to twice a month A discussion of business news called Biz Buzz. It carries short inevitably prompts many editors Susan Lynn news items on local business if to focus on routine Main Street Past President they have something worthy of a occurrences. A clothing store Iola Register mention.” celebrates its grand opening. [email protected] “I don’t think it has to be A restaurant opens, offering a either-or; reasonable compromise Jim Pumarlo distinctive cuisine. A flower shop Position Open can become a win-win.” celebrates its 25th anniversary. Northwest District Director Count me among those in the camp of A new plant manager comes on board at a the last comment. Expanded and aggres- local manufacturer. Peter Cook sive pursuit of business reporting delivers It’s best to have policies for these and Southeast District Director long-term dividends in the generation of other everyday business news. But these Parsons Sun interesting editorial content and revenue. stories should be just a starting point when [email protected] I bring a special perspective to this con- it comes to brainstorming coverage about versation – 27 years in community newspa- employers and employees. Business news Mary Hoisington Daily Membership Director pers, 21 as the chief is much broader than Great Bend Tribune gatekeeper in filtering I advise you to go slowly those items which [email protected] what news got pub- on developing business typically qualify for lished. A steady flow chamber of com- Tim Kellenberger of business items coverage, especially if your merce newsletters. Northeast District Director crossed my desk. newspaper doesn’t do Coverage should be Sabetha Herald Today I am incorporated in the [email protected] director of commu- much now. It can be chal- everyday menu of nications for a major lenging, especially with the news. Denice Kuhns business advocacy barrage of demands on Think for a mo- Southwest District Director organization. During ment the number of Meade County News my tenure, I also limited resources ... hours that individuals [email protected] served as chair of spend “on the job” the local Chamber – not only the hours Travis Mounts of Commerce Board. That in itself would behind the desk but the extended hours on Nondaily Membership Director raise questions among many in the news- the job. Think also about the role of busi- Times-Sentinel Newspapers paper industry and is a topic for another nesses – large and small – in the everyday [email protected] column. fabric of your communities. Don’t misinterpret. Don’t expect to Does your coverage reflect the broad Dena Sattler read a column promoting that newspapers impact of businesses – the people and their Legislative Director Garden City Telegram should bow to every request for business jobs - in your communities? Here are a few [email protected] coverage – especially those stories with a story ideas. positive spin. When is the last time you compared Joey Young But one editor’s comments in the and contrasted local employment with Central District Director hotline exchange particularly caught my statewide statistics – and then looked for a The Clarion (Andale) attention: “If the business info doesn’t fit feature story representing specific trends? [email protected] into the guidelines, they have to run an ad. The federal Affordable Care Act is While our paper depends on advertisers, our readers are just not that interested in See PUMARLO on Page 5 Kansas Press Association, 5423 S.W. 7th, Topeka, KS 66606 • www.kspress.com • (855) 572-1863 3 How to handle those unspoken objections randon is an advertising manager Brandon explained that the key is to be efits such as…” The difference here is that who wants his team to be prepared prepared to weave answers to objections the sales person brings up the topic. But as Bfor all sales situations. “We spend a into the presentation. The good news is Brandon cautions, don’t use the words “feel, lot of time on sales strategy,” he said, “be- that most objections are predictable. If a “felt” or “found.” That formula has been cause that helps us cut down on unexpected sales person has done his or her homework, around so long – and those words have been surprises. To use a baseball comparison, we there’s no reason to be surprised to hear a misused by so many sales people – that they want to be able to hit the curveball. question about price, can make prospects “As any sales person readership statistics, ad think they are being will tell you, the most position or production. The good news is that manipulated. common curveball is “Take price, for most objections are pre- “Some prospects an objection,” Brandon example,” he said. actually seem relieved explained. “Most pros- “A prospect may be dictable. ... There’s no when a difficult objec- pects have some kind of embarrassed to say, ‘I reason to be surprised tion is mentioned by objection, even if they don’t think I can afford to hear a question about the sales person,” he don’t say it out loud. to advertise in your said. “I’ve seen them Unspoken objections paper.’ You can address price, readership statis- nod their heads and can be real sales killers. that by bringing up tics, ad position or pro- say, ‘Yeah, I was think- You’re sailing along the objection yourself, duction.