About 3 months ago I heard that I would no longer see my teenage newspaper delivery boy anymore.  Adults would be delivering the Muskegon Chronicle via car.

About a month ago I noticed that I could read the paper in about 15 minutes.  5 of those minutes were spent on reading the Birth Announcements and Tracy Lorenz.

Sunday I received the paper, took all of the ads out, and looked for something interesting to read and couldn’t find anything.  Reading time for the Sunday paper = 7 minutes.  Add to my depression, the classified section had very few job listings.

Last night I was sorry to read that Susan K. Treutler, one of my favorite columnists from the Muskegon Chronicle wrote in her column that she is retiring…done.

This morning I woke up to hear the Detroit’s newspapers announcement that they plan to offer fewer days of home delivery at a time of slumping revenue industrywide, and a union official said they also plan to cut 9 percent of their work force.  They say that they plan on making a “big online push and a focus on more robust and more engaging digital delivery methods”.

Some newspapers trying to reinvent themselves at a time of slumping revenue have put more emphasis on the Web and less on the printed product. Here are my thoughts below.  And keep this in mind - I’m only 35 years old and work for a Web company.

1) There is nothing like going to your door and getting the printed newspaper.

2) Reading the printed paper is my time away from the computer.  It’s relaxing.  My mom has been sitting down with her glass of wine each evening with her paper for over 20 years.

3) Although I miss my paper “boy”, I secretly love that I get my printed paper earlier now. I can put my feet up and read it before the kids get home from school.

4) What am I going to use for my kids to paint their projects on? Use for streak-free window cleaning?  How will we start a fire if the newspaper goes away?

5)  I find mlive.com annoying.  I can never find what I’m looking for.  Especially because there are other newspapers in the group.  I get frustrated and give up…..and wait for my printed newspaper to be delivered by my paper “man”.

I can live with “this conjoined twin-like pairing of the printed newspaper and the online version — where one twin is thriving and the other is declining,” but like analysts, I agree that they both depend on each other for survival. In every study I’ve seen, print readers spend far more time with the paper than the online readers do on a Web site.

Maybe I’m a creature of habit, but I love my printed newspaper.  And like I said, I’m only 35.

With 2009 just around the corner, the pantones are buzzing to be the next big thing. Unfortunately there is only one winner and for ‘09, the winner is MIMOSA!

Mimosa, a warm engaging yellow, brings hope and optimism during a time of economic uncertainty and political change. Inspired by the Mimosa tree and the sparkle of the renowned cocktail, the 2009 color of the year represents the hopeful and radiant characteristics associated with the color yellow.” - Pantone

In years past, I was one of the crazy people  with their shopping list in hand, coupons, map to which stores had the best bargin and what time, day after Thanksgiving shoppers!

I’m not sure if this year because of the economy or my fun meter ran out but I had no desire to head out to endure the crowds for any early Christmas shopping.  Instead I found myself in front of my computer perusing  websites with my lists in hand checking out “on-line deals”.  I found some sales and some free shipping but kept wondering if putting my credit card on websites was a good idea?

After some deliberation I came back to my computer and decided even though gas prices were down, it would still take a lot of traveling to get the items I wanted.  And as far as putting my credit card out there, I only went to places that were recommended to me by others.

By the time the weekend was over I was able to have 1/3 of my shopping finished, delivered to my door and in plenty of time for Christmas (plus it was all in stock so I didn’t have that issue when I went to the store).

Although I have never been a “Cyber Monday” shopper, this year I will be checking things out to see if there is anymore of my shopping I can complete on-line.

I guess in a way it is a “New Age” for me, this year I let my mouse do all the walking

Download your copy to Qonverge CEO Jason Piasecki’s presentation on “Maximizing Your Web Presence” given at the 2008 Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) Conference:

• Download Presentation
• Download School Web Marketing Guide

Resources:

School Web Site
www.charterschools.org

School Marketing Videos
qonverge.com/?page=schools

School Audio Podcast
www.reeths-puffer.org/Our_District/reethspufferpodcasts/

School Video Podcast
www.youtube.com/watch?v=juG-iIuTJQE

School Blogs
blogs.monashores.net/yarnotc

Higher Education Social Network
www.harump.com

wikipedia.org
myspace.com
facebook.com
itunes.com
linkedin.com
flickr.com
maps.google.com
youtube.com
twitter.com
blogger.com
digg.com
del.icio.us
reddit.com
meebo.com
pandora.com
netvibes.com

Enjoy the presentation! Feedback is welcome.

Andy and I had the pleasure of going out to Las Vegas last week to check out our clients (AGS) booth at he annual AAPEX Tradeshow. It’s always great to see your work in action and inspiring to see our clients in their element. Of course this occassion was no exception.

Despite the trip being all business, we managed to have some fun while we were there, after all, it was vegas. This being my first vegas trip, the city had a lot to live up to. We checked out the casinos on the strip (came home winners), visited Cirque Du Soleil at the MGM Grand and even ventured out for some shredded jellyfish (well, Andy did. I wasn’t brave enough). Check out more pictures from Vegas and the SEMA Auto Show for a quick snapshot into our three day excursion.