A few months back I spent several month talking to a newspaper group executive about my coming on board, to sell advertising, or manage the group’s social media and viral marketing efforts or some such. We’ve had two phone discussions, several e-mails back and forth and one face to face meeting. Still no firm offer. Then I got an email that asked me if I would like to sell classifieds, with an apology for the offer, saying that selling classifieds “doesn’t sound exciting.”
Oh my. Nothing like insulting most of my adult career! Did he really read my resume? Has he even looked at all the opportunities in classified lately? Did he not hear anything I said, or read anything I wrote to him?
Perhaps five or ten years ago I might have taken on the challenge of trying to turn this legacy attitude around, but I think if I hit my head up against this particular brick wall anymore it’s going to start to get bloody. There are plenty of community newspaper groups out there that are finally getting on board the needed multimedia evolution. This is not one of them. I give up.
I won’t ask you to share the name of the publishing group, but I will say that I see your frustration. I said it a few years ago that classifieds, if you look at the trends of the pur-play web properties in the space, is “the new sexy”. Opportunities exist, but if our own newspaper publishing groups fail to believe and see them, then they’re doomed to continue to pale in market share comparisons. It’s very similar to the self-degrading articles they (newspapers) publish about the demise of the print industry.
We are our own worst enemy!
My sympathies!
Yes, I encounter this in the marketing field — folks who might mouth the latest catch phrases about how important it is to get online and reach out to their customers in different ways…and then turn the conversation back to print billboards and radio ads. They are comfortable in their spheres…and it’s too much trouble to get out of their comfort zone.
Sigh…