NONE: Barbers on the Net
Barbers on the Net
Bob Schmidt (schmidt_at_magicnet.net)
Sun, 28 Jul 1996 13:37:12 -0400
Mark Gross writes,
>-Is anyone having success selling ads to local retailers?
I have observed little in the way of local retail oriented efforts on the
web to date. I believe it is too early, that local retailers are a tough
market to go after, and that their market may not be there yet.
One of the benefits is the ability to reach out beyond the local market. Yet
many local businesses have a hard time taking advantage of this.
In fact, when discussing the opportunities and limitations with my clients,
one of the analogies I use of a business that cannot benefit from the
Internet is my barber. What good would it do him with a shop in Orlando if
some guy in, say, Bombay wants a haircut? The same is true for any local
service business where the service delivery is dependent on the customer
being physically present.
Yet, were there a viable local venue on the net, not just a web provider
creating a "mall" of local merchants reaching out to the world at large, but
an online community concept with content compelling enough to draw local
residents, and sponsorable enough to attract local advertisers, then there
would indeed be opportunities to reach out within the community. I believe
many Freenets provide this opportunity. The Tribune company is developing
Digital City in a half dozen cities to pursue just this concept.
The price/value could still be a problem though, as far as justifying the
expenditure on the part of the local business. And, perhaps even more
problematic where the producer/publisher is a local media outlet, already
dependent on local sources of ad revenue. The pricing and positioning
against other media will quickly become critical factors after the novelty
wears off.
Seeing that Mark works for Cowles whose Cowles/SIMBA Media Daily news
service is an excellent source for electronic media developments, one area
of expertise that he likely has that many on this list may be eager to learn
more about are the steps one goes through in developing a rate card. I
imagine there is also a fair amount of interest in how to put together a
media kit. I know that Folio has covered this in the past. Perhaps Mark will
comment on this and share some tips along these lines for those who have ad
sponsored sites.
Bob Schmidt
Provider Marketing Group
Orlando Florida
