Our Community Newsletter

Welcome to our new newsletter format.

We our starting off the new year with a new format for our newsletter. I was not satisfied with the look of the other news letters. It needed a face lift. I believe that this format will serve all of us better. The newsletter will still serve our visitors and business clients. We will try to place information about each community and information that our business listing clients need to keep up to date with what is happening. This is a big issue of the newsletter so take a good look through it.

Feel free to offer suggestions for the Newsletter or our community websites.

This January Issue is coming early, so I can wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thanks,

Jim
webmaster.

In This issue:

• Online Community issues
• Freebies ( software or free information. Found Far right column)
• Holiday cash
• OLCNOW SHOPPING GUIDE
• Notable Dates to keep in mind for planning your advertising.
• Coupons. Reasons for creating coupons and ideas.

Online Community issues.

Well if you haven't noticed, shame on you for not reviewing the websites, we have had an issue with domain names for Middleville and Otsego. Those websites failed to come up at the beginning of December. Just shows you should not assume anything. The two Domain names I thought would renew and my credit card would cover it all. It appears not to be the case, and did not renew automatically, so I had to call and renew them. It takes 24 to 48 hours to kick back in. So sorry for the problem, but it should be taken care of by the time you receive this newsletter.

The Otsego Domain name was a blessing in a way, as I was about to can it and create a new Domain name. Otsego Online is history. The community website will formally be called Twin City Online. It will cover both Plainwell and Otsego. The new web address will be
www.twin-cityonline.com.
Same format, but suitable for both communities that are often referred to as the Twin Cities. This change will take a little longer than the Domain issue as we change some of the coding of the web pages. It should be up and running before the first of the year. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

12/13/2007-Note!

12-17-2008-Note!!

12-18-2008-Note!!

Holiday Cash.

The Holiday cash promotion for the most part went well. There was some confusion, but overall it went well. Thanks to all who participated. The winner of the $150.00 cash was Carrie Carl of Hastings and the winner of the $50.00 cash was Marge Miller of Middleville. I'd like to thank all the businesses that participated. The winning entries were from Beyond The Cover Books and Weick's Pharmacy.

If we do this again next year, we will have to change a few things to make it work smoother and have a greater effect. If you have any suggestions please contact me. There were close to 1,000 entries.

Shopping Guide.

The shopping guide is off and running. Our ad in the Reminder set the stage for our newest feature. It will take some time for the guide to take on a life of its own and I want to thank those that placed ads with us on the Winter quarter newspaper ad. Many of you started out with the online communities and they are beginning to be used more and more. The same thing should happen with the Shopping Guide.

Although the shopping guide will take time to establish its place in the surrounding communities it has its benefits to those who joined us on the new venture. I'll list them later. The shopping Guide can be used on its own or by participating in the Quarterly newspaper ads. The guide will have a link to your website, your business address and phone, and a link to your full color ad, viewable 24/7. Coupons can also be placed on the site for free, even if you don't put an ad in or participate in the newspaper ads. It is open to all businesses even if they don't list with our community websites. Ads are discounted for those listed with us.

Prices for using the Shopping Guide are posted now on the business website. They are subject to change. As an introductory offer, we are going to offer just using the shopping guide at the lowest price for placing ads $18.00 per quarter. Purchase 3 quarters and get Summer Quarter free. Unfortunately we can't discount the ads placed on our full-page color Quarterly ads we plan for the Newspaper. However we will offer them per quarter - $47.90 saving over $4.00 and just $1.50 more than if you purchased 3 quarters at one time. Ads only run if we sell a minimum number of ads. If ad doesn't run you'll receive your money back and still get the shopping guide free. The shopping guide is free for the same quarter as the newspaper ad. This is a limited time offer; No other charge, even for changing your ad each month. If you use an ad in one of the newspapers, you can use the same ad on our website, just send us the ad proof. Payment must be made when you approve your shopping guide ad or 10 days before the newspaper ad is published. Newspaper ads are approximately the size of a business card ad. Larger size ads available in multiples of the small ad. Ask us about using a larger ad.

Benefits: Although the shopping guide will take time to become real effective, you can let your customers know your ads appear on the website for their viewing. Mention it, especially if you plan to run advertising for specials and sales in the coming months. They then have a fast track to see what you have planned.
If you periodically run ads in the newspaper of the business card size, here are more benefits to placing your ad with us.

• Your small ad is not lost some where in the paper. You are grouped together where you'll be seen.
• Your ad will be in color. If you add color to your business card size ad you'll add about $150.00 on to your cost. Even if you purchase two ads on our full color ad display you'll come out dollars ahead.
• We publish the web address to the OLCNOW Shopping Guide and you will be featured there for three months after your ad appears in the newspaper.

Downside of our full color ads: For now we are only using the Reminder. It covers Caledonia, Middleville, Hastings, Gun Lake and most of Shelbyville. If you are outside this area, but would like to pull customers from those areas, then we might be the way. In the future, when more clients start to use us from other areas, we will probably begin using other papers.

Come on and join us. Working with many can have its benefits. Contact us for details.

Next proposed newspaper full color ad March 1st 2008 for Spring Quarter. (March, April, and May)

Notable Dates to Keep in Mind.

Whether or not, you use our Shopping Guide or ads on our community websites here are some notable dates coming up. Plan your ads to reflect these dates. Design or have some one design your ads for us or for the newspapers in plenty of time.

Contact us if you need information or help designing ads for our websites or Shopping Guide

There are many consumers out there that are looking for coupons. If you can, send us a coupon or content for a coupon to place on the shopping guide. Below are some ideas that you might employ in creating a coupon offer.
Don’t just offer a blank % off on items; create coupons just to get people in the door.

• Got an item or service that is just not selling or working. Coupon just that item.
• Offer something for just new customers.
• Offer something free with purchases over x amount of dollars.
• Offer a discount on an item with purchases over x amount of dollars.
• Offer a discount for repeat business.
  • 10 purchases and next purchase receive % OFF.
  •  Have them come in to get your discount card.
• Match a competitor’s offer (Be careful on this one. Big Box stores often discount below wholesale on some items just to get people in the door)

The main reason to offer coupons is to get the customer into your business. Be sure to place expiration dates on your coupons and change your offers from time to time.
See if your distributor or wholesaler has special offers they can pass on to you and your customers. Coupons work well for over stocked items from Holiday or seasonal sales. Move those items, save space and inventory counts.

If you are not using the OLCNOW SHOPPING GUIDE, you can still send a coupon for placement on the website.  Want more information  email me at jim@boxwebs.com.

The importance of shopping local:

• Helps community businesses to survive & thrive
• Helps other local businesses
• Creates diversity & helps community maintain its unique appeal
• Increases overall business and attracts new business
• Environmentally friendly: creates less traffic, pollution, saves money on gas
• Far more of dollars spent locally are reinvested in that community

OLCNOW SHOPPING GUIDE

If you plan to change your ad for February, begin planning now. It does take some time to put those ads together. If you plan to do your own ad please submit them before January 20th for February. See OLCNOW SHOPPING GUIDE left column for further information

Gun Lake Winterfest 2008

If you haven't yet become a sponsor for the Winterfest, you can find forms on www.olcnow.com/winterfest. Join in the fun and even volunteer to help out. Winterfest is scheduled for February 9th.

Business Highlights

Don't forget to email us your promo information. If you have been to our websites you will have noticed a box containing  information about an area business. It is not an ad. It is a promo about your business - how long you've been in business, what services you provide, and any other information you feel potential and current customers would like to know about you. We move them about from time to time on all the community websites to promote your business to everyone.
This is a free service.

Changes

We are still working on our changes to the community websites. Caledonia Online is the third site to receive the latest changes. And there are more changes coming. Keep watching your community site to see what we are changing.

Logo Listings are now $12.00 for new businesses joining us. January will begin the new billing period and you will have the option of paying semi annually or pay annually.

The OLCNOW SHOPPING GUIDE started December 1st. Add this feature to those you get on our Community sites and you get more exposure. See Online Community Update for more information.

Otsego Online is no longer the name of the Plainwell/Otsego area community website. It is now called Twin City Online and the URL address is www.twin-cityonline.com

Want an event mentioned in our newsletter? Contact us with the information and have it published here and on our Community events page of all the community websites.

Gun Lake Winterfest Web pages.

If you would like to place an ad on the winterfest web pages please contact us soon. Cost $8.00. One small ad on the home page and a larger ad placed on one of the other pages, your choice. Contact me at jim@boxwebs.com.

Suggestions

Feel free to suggest something for the newsletter, community websites, or the shopping guide.

One suggestion already made was to include a report on fishing at Gun Lake. I am not a fisherman, so I have no idea. So what I am looking for is someone to provide the information and I will publish it on the Gun Lake site with their byline.

Website addresses

Contact:
Boxwebs
P.O. Box 311
Shelbyville, MI 49244
Email: jim@boxwebs.com
Phone: (269) 792-6727

Freebies & Discounts.

From time to time we will use this section to direct you to where you can find free software, utilities, and other free services.  If we hear about it we will let you know.

eAnnouncer:

Free Outlook add-in, that can help solve some of your customer email problems. I use it to send out emails to tell everyone the newsletter is ready to be viewed.
Down load here.
Use the power of Outlook to create and send messages.
Send emails individually to each recipient .
Reduces the chances of your email being rejected by any spam filters .
Sends mail from any type of account, HTTP, SMTP, IMAP, Exchange, etc.
No ads or banners of any kind are added to your message .
You won't get in trouble with your ISP for sending too many emails .

Clean up your hard disk by removing unneeded junk

Your hard disk is littered with junk files you don't need, taking up precious hard disk space, and potentially slowing down your PC's performance. There are files of all kinds, such as temporary files that applications should delete when they're no longer needed, and various log files, index files, backup files. You'd be amazed at how much space these junk files take up.  (Description From PCWorld) 1.14 MB

pdf995

Want to create pdf files, but can't afford Adobe Acrobat.
Here's a cheap or free solution. Be sure to read all the documentation. (It creates a pdf printer.) It is a two step download. be sure to get both files. the pdfEdit995 and Signature995 files are worth the effort of downloading. Read the information on their website.
Pdf995 is compatible with Adobe Acrobat v8.1 and previous versions.

Coupons

Remember you can place a coupon on OLCNOW Shopping Guide for free. Send us copy of your coupon offer and we will add it to the website..

Ten Tips for Improving your Return On Investment of your newspaper advertising