Publishers Note 04/97

Publisher’s Note - April 1997

What you won't see, is...!

Before we get too many phone calls, I apologize for omitting the MODE@LARGE picture sections in this month’s issue. We simply ran out of space. As a matter of fact, we came within inches of moving up from 24 to 28 pages this month. It will happen for sure next month.

So, there are a few other departments, some new and some returning for spring that didn't make it into the folds this month either. Cheap Lunch with Betty will be back next month, along with The Career Doctor. If you don’t recall, Betty searches high and low for that ever elusive $5.00 lunch that includes a beverage and the tip, (when applicable.) The Career Doctor answers questions regarding professional job search strategies. It’s a neat column, and I’m sure you’ll find it informative.

One other feature that was cut this month, (due to space), was an annotation and commentary on Mayor Reed’s State of the City Address given at a banquet lunch in the Hilton on the 19th of March, sponsored by the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce. The Mayor’s speech was concise and motivating, with outstanding points and praise all the way around for city departments and private sector businesses alike. It was an address that every small business owner should have attended. At a cool 500+ attendees it was no small affair. I believe the information from that address to be of such great importance, that, with the permission of the Mayor, we will be publishing the speech, in it’s entirety, (along with our article) on our Internet website for public review. This will mark a milestone for MODE. It will be the first article that we publish on our website, that did not first appear in our print edition.

While we’re on the topic of the MODE Internet website,
I would like to thank those people who e-mailed me about the site’s upkeep. We’ve been slacking. Bad Publisher...(whack). But never more.
I am proud to announce that MODE has hired it’s very own seasoned HTML programmer, whose sole responsibility is to make sure our site is up-to-date and looking (and sounding) very cool. Hop on your browser and check it out. You could win a FREE dinner for two if you dig deep enough. Happy surfing.

Finally I would like to talk about advertising.

My partner, (and wife), is currently attending the Dale Carnegie Sales Advantage training course. It is an incredible tool for the sales professional. Most would agree. Especially when you see representatives from every major Harrisburg media, radio, TV, and print, taking the same course. Small world.

But I digress. For MODE, advertising is our sole source of income. We are a free publication, so we rely on advertising dollars to support our business. As the "new kid" on the block, our struggle to secure a solid stance in this market has been an uphill battle. We must prove ourselves everyday to our advertisers and our readers. We have no "shining reputation" or "incredible ratings" to show our prospects. We only have our honor, commitment, and drive to provide the best possible product we can.

But we would not be here today without the help we have received from our biggest competitors. Every participant on the MODE Media Page has helped us grow, and I cannot thank them enough for their aid and cooperation. When you hear a MODE commercial on your favorite radio station, remember it is an example of cooperative marketing. That station gives us much needed exposure on the radio, and we put them in print, for all of you to see. It’s very cooperative.

Just think about this: If all the media in Harrisburg pooled their sales resources together, and sold to capacity every day, combined they still wouldn’t reach 15% of the potential base of advertising revenue. There is no such thing as competition, just cooperation.

TTFN.
Scot Giambalvo, Publisher