by inbndmarketing | Aug 3, 2016 | Insights
Five Key Commitments Make the Difference
In conversations with neighbors, friends, and business associates, our colleagues at LNP Media Group are often asked about the future of LNP, Lancaster County’s daily newspaper.
Given the rapidly changing media environment for newspapers in particular, we focus on ensuring a vital, vibrant future that matches our nearly 225+ year legacy. The press reports regularly on news organizations that are laying off staff, reducing original content, and eliminating days on which they print. Some communities are without a daily newspaper and others are without a paper completely.
LNP is committed to being the source of news and information for every resident of Lancaster County and being the means by which every business in Lancaster County can reach their target customers. LNP’s commitment is evident in so many ways.
Meaningful Content
LNP Media Group, with Lancaster County’s daily newspaper (LNP) and a premier website for news and information (LancasterOnline.com), strives to deliver thorough and valuable content in a way that is informative, helpful and entertaining:
- Our staff of professional journalists works tirelessly to discover and report what is important and meaningful to residents of the county.
- No other news organization covers our community as in depth as we do, and no other news organization highlights issues that prompt community conversation as we do.
We are immensely proud of the work we do and industry leaders recognize the excellence of our efforts. The LNP staff has won more than two dozen awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and the Associated Press Managing Editors organization. LancasterOnline has won several awards for excellence in digital platforms, including best overall digital experience at the 2016 America East Conference.
Connecting Audiences to Advertisers
LNP has the largest core circulation of any newspaper in Central Pennsylvania and has the fourth largest circulation in the state. We have a diverse audience of engaged readers that is appealing to businesses in Lancaster and beyond:
- Our advertising clients know the power of print advertising and see the results when their ads appear regularly in LNP Media products.
- Advertising clients also reach new local customers and raise awareness of their businesses via LancasterOnline, our digital voice.
- LancasterOnline is the county’s most widely read online news source. Our team also provides digital marketing tools and services to our clients, including paid search advertising, social media advertising, media-rich email marketing, and geotargeted mobile advertising.
Community Impact
Stories we publish have a profound impact on the quality of life in Lancaster County. From reporting that explains the importance of transparency in government to articles that illustrate the scourge of heroin across our county, we strive to investigate and develop stories that help our readers understand issues that matter to all of us:
- Our reporting has helped open wildlife preserves to the public and prompted changes in a local school district that both saved money and re-established the arts and music programs.
Local Ownership
Unlike many nearby newspapers owned by large media organizations that make staffing and editorial decisions from afar, LNP Media Group is committed to fostering the vitality of Lancaster County due to its local ownership by the Steinman family:
- We are headquartered in downtown Lancaster and are directed by members of the Steinman family. LNP, LancasterOnline, and all of the other publications produced by LNP Media Group operate under the guidance of people who live and work right here in Lancaster County.
- The Steinman family has also dedicated a significant portion of LNP’s earnings to fund The Steinman Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in Lancaster County. In the last 65 years, the foundation and its predecessors have given more than $80 million to causes dedicated to improving the quality of life in Lancaster County.
A Legacy of Innovation
Some dismiss LNP Media Group as a legacy media organization that does not reflect today’s innovation and creativity. We’ve seen extraordinary technological changes and embraced them. We’ve been nimble throughout all 44 U.S. presidencies, 2 world wars, The Great Depression, and several recessions. We’ve adapted, grown and thrived since 1794. The ability to innovate to meet advertiser’s needs and exceed readers’ expectations establishes that change and adaptation are core elements of our DNA.
So back to the question, “What’s the future for Lancaster County’s daily newspaper?”
The answer is that LNP Media Group is deeply committed to our newspaper audience. We are also committed to evolving and growing as a news organization to ensure that we are able to anticipate the changing needs of our audience of readers and the advertising customers we serve. While the news business is changing fast, we are optimistic. We have faith in the bright future of Lancaster and we know we will continue to be part of it.
LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendors and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.
by inbndmarketing | Jul 18, 2016 | Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Social Media Marketing
Good Food Starts with High-Volume Marketing
You have great food. Your restaurant looks good. And you finally got the back of the house into working order. All you’re missing are the crowds of hungry patrons. While Lancaster County is famous for having more than its fair share of outstanding eating options, not all restaurants are experiencing the same levels of success.
With so many great options available for diners, Lancaster restaurants need more than word of mouth to keep momentum going. In this super-competitive marketplace, smart advertising can make the difference between busy kitchens and layoffs.
Start with Awareness Marketing
You need to reach large numbers of people without paying a fortune. LNP Media Group offers a variety of media options developed especially for restaurants. In addition to vibrant newspaper options and the area’s most visited website, LNP Media also publishes several specialty publications that can also increase awareness. Each Thursday L
NP publishes Entertainment Lancaster, also know as EL, which is the area’s most comprehensive guide to weekend activities, destinations and events. Fly After 5 targets people in Lancaster County looking for exciting nightlife options, including restaurants, festivals and drinks. LNP Media Group also offers Spanish-language ads in LaVoz, the county’s only Spanish-language newspaper. There are so many ways to reach the patrons you’re looking for. We can help you make smart choices that make sense for your business and your bottom line. Contact us to find out more.
I
nvest in Photography
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but for restaurant owners, it may actually be worth more. Today’s restaurant patrons not only look at photos of food online, they may be posting some of their own! Make sure you supplement their amateur photos with a professional shots of your own. Lancaster County has dozens of young photographers who are both eager to work and affordable. Once you upgrade your food photography, your ads will work better, your social media will get more attention and the perceptions of your restaurant and its food will skyrocket.
If you’re not ready for a website, spend some time with your Facebook page.
Many restaurants skip the website, and honestly, in today’s digital universe, that’s okay. But it’s not okay to treat a Facebook page like a website. You can’t set it and forget it, or update it twice a year. Facebook pages require regular content. We recommend creating new posts daily. You should be promoting new menu items, changes in hours, talk about how you handle food allergies, features shots of guests and employees, and generally create a daily conversation. Facebook pages that look and feel like abandoned property reflect poorly on your establishment.
Advertise on Facebook and Instagram
A few years ago, Facebook purchased Instagram. Now you can place ads on both platforms that are geographically targeted. You can also refine your ad delivery by specifying people of a certain age, gender or interest. Want to promote new gluten-free menu items? Facebook and Instagram can send ads only to people concerned about gluten allergies. Have a pricey menu? Just send ads to higher income groups in Lancaster County. You may be surprised by the ease and cost of these new media. LNP Media Group’s experiences social media experts can help make the most of your campaigns by creating and placings ads, creating special promotional landing pages and even creating and monitoring content.
You Have Dozens of Marketing Options
LNP Media Group offers a variety of print and online publications. We offer a wide range of digital marketing tools and social media content and advertising opportunities. If you haven’t talked to an LNP Media Group representative lately, you may be surprised at how flexible and affordable our offerings can be. Contact us today and let’s get reacquainted.
LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendors and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.
LNP Media Group is a division of Steinman Communications, one of the largest and most experienced communications companies in the Mid-Atlantic. Steinman Communications is an innovative, multi-channel communications company that delivers high quality news, information and entertainment to diverse audiences.
by inbndmarketing | Jun 28, 2016 | Uncategorized
It’s Time to Start Thinking About Fall
It’s hard to get motivated about Fall sales when the temperatures have climbed past 90 degrees, but for lawn and garden services and retailers, July marks the end of the summer selling season. It’s time to start thinking about Fall marketing efforts and to get prepared for the lawn and garden rush that begins after Labor Day.
The local lawn and gardening business has always been competitive, and Fall 2016 will be no exception. Staying top-of-mind will be key to business success as more and more retailers and lawn service flood the Central Pennsylvania market with promotional messages.
Frequency is Key to Top-Of Mind Awareness
Top-of-mind awareness is a powerful marketing goal. When consumers put a business into that small set of names they
remember first, they’re also highly likely to patronize that business over less familiar names. Top-of-mind awareness also increases a business’s value to consumers. It is an image enhancer. When customers familiar enough with a business to assign it top-of-mind awareness status, they’re also much less likely to be price sensitive with that business. They’re, also less likely to shop around. They stick with the businesses they know.
One of the most effective ways to build top-of-mind awareness is through frequency. Frequency is a marketing term that refers to how often a consumer will see an ad. High frequency means consumers see the ads repeatedly. Repeated exposure to ads results in heightened awareness. And if these ads have relevant content that customers care about, that awareness can quickly escalate into top-of-mind awareness for the business.
Smart lawn and garden services here in Central Pennsylvania know they can create top-of-mind awareness with regular advertising in a major medium, like newspaper. Newspaper is an especially desired format for lawn and garden businesses, After all, LNP readers tend to be 40+ homeowners with families and a yard. Advertising in LNP not only offers affordable way to reach homeowners who care about their lawn and garden, it also offers special Fall sections developed to engage homeowners looking for ways to improve their homes, lawns and gardens this Fall. Contact us to discover all the ways your lawn and garden business can build strong awareness with LNP.
Reinforce the Message with Social Media Marketing
Newspaper are a great tool for creating top-of-mind awareness. However, when businesses combine newspaper with targeted digital campaigns, they can amplify targeted reach quickly with relatively inexpensive programs designs to build on core messages. For example, if a lawn care business promoted a series of “fall cleanup” ads in LNP, they could also target those readers again with social media ads that allows prospects to click through to a website, or find a special offer on a stand-alone landing page. Our LNP Media Group teams can help you map out synergies like this, and can also create and place social media ads, develop landing pages and proactively optimize campaign performance daily, to ensure your business gets the best results possible.
Effective Advertising Won’t Work if You’re Not Ready for the Leads
While mixing traditional and new media is a key part of growing a lawn and garden business today, there are still some old-fashioned basics that make the difference between success and failure.
Media makes the phone ring (or emails or texts ping.) However, no matter how prospects contact a business, crackerjack sales teams must be ready to take the call (or email or text) and start selling quickly.
Make sure your team is ready to handle new leads. Consumer expectations have changed. They now expect quick responses, and if you’re not ready to answer quickly, they’ll move on. For example, If someone expresses interest on your website, have someone contact them within five minutes to close the deal. And like in the past, you need to look at the bigger picture when creating a marketing plan — which could include a mix of old and new channels.
The Trifecta of Lawn and Garden Marketing
When you combine a strong print campaign with a creative social media effort, and have a team in place that is ready to respond and sell quickly, you’ve set yourself up for record Fall sales. If you want to learn more about how LNP Media Group can help you create a marketing trifecta, or how we can employ our wide range of marketing and advertising tools to take your marketing efforts to the next level, contact us today and we’ll create a custom plan that makes sense for your business.
LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendors and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.
LNP Media Group is a division of Steinman Communications, one of the largest and most experienced communications companies in the Mid-Atlantic. Steinman Communications is an innovative, multi-channel communications company that delivers high quality news, information and entertainment to diverse audiences.
by inbndmarketing | Jun 13, 2016 | Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Uncategorized
Is it right for your business?
Marketing to high school athletes is becoming more and more popular among smart businesses. It’s not hard to figure out why. In Lancaster County, advertising to teams and players at the high school level means also getting access to coaches, teachers and principals — not to mention their parents, friends and fans.
High school kids are more getting more sophisticated, and all kinds of brands, from Gatorade to Allstate, are marketing to athletes 14 and up.
In addition to products such as sneakers, sports gear and beverages, other categories are also starting to advertise to this influential demographic. You’ve probably seen a lot of local advertising here in Lancaster County, in local gyms and arenas, for orthopedics and physical therapy. Nationally, big advertisers are also targeting high school athletes for things like personal grooming products, restaurants and even groceries.
LNP Media Group produced the first annual county-wide high school sports banquet this year, reaching thousands of high school athletes and their families.
Why are high school athletes becoming more important to marketers?
High school athletes are important influencers among their peers, but there are also more of them. The number of participants in high school sports increased for the 26th consecutive year in 2014-15 – topping the 7.8 million mark – according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). That’s an increase of over 80% over the past 30 years. The most notable increases are a result of the proliferation of women’s sports and team opportunities for young women.
How do you know if marketing to this growing demographic makes sense for your business? Ask yourself these questions.
Do athletes use your product?
While it’s great to get more access to coaches, parents and fans, if athletes don’t actually use your product, this might not be the right venue for you. High school athlete marketing strategies must promote usage and acceptance with athletes first, secondary audiences later. So if you’re a fertility clinic or a retirement community, this might not be the most effective way to spend your marketing dollars.
Do you want to support your community in more meaningful ways?
Advertising to high school students often means sponsorships. Whether you’re sponsoring an awards banquets or a stadium, associating your business’s name with high school sports can be a win-win situation for you and your sports community
The High School Football Preview gives Lancaster County a preview of who to watch in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
Does your product have a positive effect on athletes’ lives?
While athletes play video games and drink sugary drinks, marketing these products to people under the age of 18 can be politically fraught. These athletes have a team of adults around them protecting and policing them, so make sure your ads will be seen as a positive influence with a “Rated G” message.
Does your product appeal to the people around the athletes?
While marketing directly to the high school athlete can be powerful, even with recent growth numbers, the overall market is fairly small. To make your marketing dollars work harder, make sure your message and your media is built to appeal to athletes AND coaches, families, fans, etc.
Marketing to high school athletes can be profitable for your business, but if the marketing doesn’t feel appropriate, you may experience backlash, so make sure this growing audience is right for your business, and then have fun reaching out to this passionate, engaged audience.
Ready to find out more? Contact us to discuss how your business can reach all kinds of high school athletes throughout Lancaster County.
LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendor and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.
LNP Media Group is a division of Steinman Communications, one of the largest and most experienced communications companies in the Mid-Atlantic. Steinman Communications is an innovative, multi-channel communications company that delivers high quality news, information and entertainment to diverse audiences.
