Collaborating with local media

[PMGibson]

For the past 14 months, I've been running a website for our local community with news, jobs, information and a business directory which has resulted in impressive web stats and a 11,000 strong Facebook following and a quarter of a million hits on the website.

Myself and my partner have other jobs so we do not run this for profit, just really to promote the town and generate a more local feel about it. We run adverts which are affiliates and we've not made a penny from it really and not that bothered about doing so, although long term plans would be to sell advertising as our readership is good.

However, I have an issue which I'm not sure how to tackle, and wondered if visitors to this forum would be able to help.

There's a small local printed booklet which is published every quarter and is basically a listing of local events alongside a few small paid for adverts. This is posted through local doors and is available to pick up in shops etc.

This is run by an individual who says she runs it to pay for care for her disabled Son and it provides a small income for her. Since we launched our website, we've had an 'events' tab, which has basically just linked to this lady's Facebook group as she doesn't have a website.

Now, we spoken about publishing local events as we don't feel they get good coverage from the current outlet and with our large readership, we can push these out to a far wider audience.

The problem we're having is that the lady that runs the magazine just see's us as competition, which we don't really want to be. I've offered some solutions to her such as giving her a free banner to her Facebook page within the events etc, but she just keeps emphasising how 'offended' she is that we're considering publishing events and 'ruining' her business.

Now, we are not in this to ruin her in any way, but really to collaborate and increase local interaction with events as the town needs it.

We don't want to hack her off in any way as she has lived and promoted events in the town for 20 years plus, and is quite well-respected and has good contacts.

It just seems that every idea I put to her to collaborate gets thrown back at me as being 'competition' and ruining everything she's built up. I'm very much looking at the wider picture and feel it's much better to work with others than against them sometimes.

However, with my business head on, I'm thinking just to go-ahead and launch our events guide as no one really has any rights over publishing information on local events, and if it helps the organisers get more visitors then happy days.

So, really on one hand we don't want to ruin relationships in the town and allow this woman to spread bad word about us, but then again, business is business. I've offered her a number of solutions and they keep getting thrown back at me, and she keeps emphasising her disabled son.

Any advice on how I should tackle this would be appreciated. Many thanks for your time.

Paul

 

[Noah]

I'm assuming the only events magazine income is from local businesses and events paying for adverts. I don't see how your listings would necessarily ruin her business - different demographics and all, especially as you would not be touting for the same advertisers (initially anyway - if I read your post correctly).

Howevere, there is reality, and there is her perception; maybe there are third parties that could informally mediate?

It is tricky, but you are the best person here to decide the risk and consequences of alienating the magazine lady, considering the overall effect on your valued local community.

 

[paulears]

Realitsically, you are competition, nice pleasant and well intentioned, but her small paid for advertisers would be looking at reach, wouldn't they, unless they are supporting her cause and don't really benefit, which is often the case. Is her small income stream drying up? Do you know the advertisers who are supporting her? If so maybe you could talk to them, but this would be seen as bad too, by her, no matter your best intentions. Your links to her don't pay her bills?

You can offer a better service, updated regularly and more effective. The advertisers have the ability to go with you, or her, or both. I don't see this as your fault, and while you want to be nice, clearly your product is more attractive. What could your thrid party actually mediate? She doesn't want links she wants the old fashioned income from an old fashioned product. If the advertisers see the demographics difference, all is well - you both exist, if not, ...........