Attention student media: Are your sales up year over year? Is your ad revenue enough to sustain and grow your operations? Do you feel like your organization is innovating enough to keep up with the times? If so, stop reading. This isn’t for you.
Paper Money is a free program that matches your organization with a proven sales professional for personal (and in-person!) solutions. First, you consult virtually to define your concerns. Then, a Paper Money pro visits your campus, training you and your staff over 1-2 days.
Will It Work?
It did for The Alestle at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where the paper saw “an increase of about 26 percent in sales,” according to program director Tammy Merrett. “We also had more commitments on the books for the spring by the end of the fall semester than we usually do. Of our clients this past semester, 27 percent were new.”
Likewise, The Daily at the University of Washington saw huge gains. “This was a fantastic and helpful experience for us,” publisher Diana Kramer says. “Even the basketball Game Dailies are solid. Last year’s total sales were a whopping $880. This year we set a goal of $12,000. We’re already at $12,520 – and are continuing to sell.”
What's The Catch?
There is none. But there are rules…
Why Do This?
It's time to buck the status quo. The Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s largest and oldest journalism membership organization, has funded this one-year program because it realizes there’s no future for journalism if there’s no revenue for news outlets. Meanwhile, Flytedesk knows that with proper education and the right products and tools, student media is the best place on campus to reach college students. When more organizations have better products, the entire ecosystem is more attractive. Together, SPJ and Flytedesk are planning for Paper Money to lead to a permanent program for a sustainable press, something that all media outlets can benefit from. Questions? Comments? We want to hear from you.