Promotional Spotlight: LNP Fire Company Support Section
Promotional Spotlight: LNP Fire Company Support Section
Fire Company Support section
supports heroes and warms community
In recent months, newspaper editions and special sections have often showcased essential workers and individuals on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. One type of everyday hero and civil servant who is sometimes missed is the local and regional firefighter. This is not the case for LNP, which has featured a fire company special section annually since 2017. “The idea came from a brainstorming session we had,” said Chris Stahl, director of client solutions with LNP Media Group. “We saw how many missed opportunities we had with the fire companies – mud sales, soup and barbeque sales – because most don’t have the budget to advertise. So, we thought, ‘What can we do for them?’” Stahl said that in fall 2017, she and her team started to create a special section for the fire companies in the local area, using other vendor support special sections as a base structure for the project.
Using the internal database, the team gathered basic information as well as a picture and listing of upcoming fundraisers and donation requests from as many fire companies as possible in the readership area. Stahl said the use of a template form to request the information kept the spacing and information shared in the fire company section streamlined. “We have a basic form and each [fire] company gets a block that is similar in size in the section,” she said. There are only slight modifications necessary for the fire company blocks based on advertising. The work collecting the information for the section usually begins in early October. Stahl said that while the first year took a little longer given the new and comprehensive manner of the project, subsequent years have had an easier and quicker flow. “We can share what they had previously used and see if they want to update the information, or they might want to send a new picture,” she said.
The advertising within the Fire Company section pulls from both regular LNP advertisers and unique, niche companies. Stahl said there are no specific categories that she can point to for the section because advertisers range from insurance agencies to restoration businesses, appliance companies and restaurants. “It’s any business who would be involved with the prevention of or aftermath from a fire, but it’s also some of the local businesses who just want to support the fire companies,” said Stahl. While most businesses that advertise in the special section also advertise in LNP, there are a few companies that only participate in the section, such as a local emergency vehicle service company and a tire center.
Stahl said there are several different advertising options, which helps her and the ad sales team find the right fit for each supporter. “They can buy banners for a specific fire company. Those are featured at the bottom of the company’s block, or they can just run ads throughout to support all of the companies,” she said. Ads are available on a first-come, first-served basis with many companies vying for position and specific company support. Additionally, Stahl and her team sell private party space within the special section that fire companies or readers can pay for to honor a single individual from a fire company. Stahl said that LNP is fortunate to have a telephone sales rep who handles a large amount of the outreach for the fire company section. The team also includes the section in options for regular advertisers’ quarterly and annual ad plans and packages.
The eight-page, full color special section usually runs on a Wednesday in early December. Stahl said it is greatly appreciated by the fire companies and readers alike. With an annual revenue of around $5,000 each year, LNP counts the unique section as a success and plans to continue it well into the future. “We get calls from the general public thanking us for doing it,” said Stahl. “The readers really do enjoy it.”
For additional information, please contact Chris Stahl at (717) 291-8722 or cstahl@lnpnews.com.