I recently came across two articles from the Denver Post related to ad spending. Newspapers Struggling.

While it isn’t a surprise that newspapers are struggling, the extent to which they’re struggling is quite shocking. The Denver Post is reporting that newspaper advertising revenue plunged 27% in 2009, to the lowest levels since 1986.

Global Ad Spend to Increase

At the same time newspaper advertising is tanking, global ad spending is expected to increase during 2010 - also in an article from the Denver Post. The expected ad spend increase in 2010 is supposed to be 2.2 percent higher than it was in 2009. The main reason is that advertisers are placing bets that the economy is turning around.

How Does This Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?

I tell all Denver small businesses that I work with that they need to be spending their advertising dollars where they get the best return on their investment. Clearly, advertising is shifting away from traditional ad sources like yellow pages and newspapers to online advertising. You shouldn’t completely abandon advertising with more traditional channels if you’re still getting a return on your investment.

While Denver small business owners may not wish to completely abandon old school advertising methods, they should really consider looking into online advertising -regardless of their current return on investment with traditional media like newspapers. The ad spend is shifting, and you need to be able to take advantage of it.

Online advertising is far superior to traditional media advertising in a number of ways:

• It is measurable
• You get instant feedback on your advertising
• It is flexible – you can frequently change your advertising message to find what works
• It is highly targeted – you can pick the exact demographic of website user that you want to see your ad
• It is much less expensive – online advertising cost per leads are up to 30 times less expensive than traditional media advertising

I recently came across an article in the Denver Post about a Ken Caryl company with aspirations of applying their unique law firm services to cities nationwide. The company is called Simplicity Law - you can click here to see the Denver small business law services that they provide.

The Simplicity Law Model

If you're a Denver small business, you know that legal costs to start and maintain a small business can mount quickly. Simplicity Law has a different approach to providing legal services - from their website, they mention that they'll get their work done for you in 24 hours or less. Their services also start at just $100. They don't have a huge overhead as many law firms do. They aren't saddled with a huge expensive lease in a luxury office high rise downtown. Most of their work is done over the phone or Internet.

For more details, be sure to check out their website.

How Does this Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?

Being a successful small business owner in Denver requires making smart decisions when it comes to expenses - especially during the current tough economic times. If most Denver small business owners are like me, legal expenses are not something to get overly excited about. It is difficult to directly measure any sort of positive ROI with legal costs as you can with something more rewarding - like marketing. I haven't used Simplicity Law, but I'm all for at least exploring options to reduce legal costs. If Simplicity Law is able to provide the same quality service that you'd expect from a ritzy downtown law office, then they're definitely worth exploring.

As a Denver Small Business, you want to get the most for your advertising dollars. You also want to reach Denver metro consumers in the most effective manner possible. A logical question to ask is - "Why not advertise in the Denver Post?". Historically, local newspapers have been one of the primary places for small businesses to advertise. That has obviously changed.

The World Has Gone Digital

Classified ads were one of the economic engines that drove newspapers. People used to look for employment, cars, used goods - just about everything was in the newspaper classifieds. Unfortunately for newspapers, websites like craigslist, ebay, monster.com, hotjobs.com.... offer a more user friendly way to view these classifieds online. Lost revenue from classified ads has been a major blow to local newspapers. The Rocky Mountain News is no more, and the parent company of the Denver Post, Affiliated Media, filed for bankruptcy in January.

Should You Advertise in the Denver Post Online?

I generally view advertising on major media platforms like television or newspapers as being best for branding. However, even small businesses can have some success with highly targeted campaigns.

According to a recent study featured in Website Magazine by comScore on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America, 57 percent of survey respondents said that the local newspaper website was the top online source for local information. That's great, but the most interesting quote from the study to the Denver small busines owner looking to advertise online was this:

Respondents trusted newspaper advertisers much more that television advertisers or portal advertisers. The study looks promising for advertising in local newspaper websites (like Denverpost.com - but you also have to keep in mind that the study was apparently commissioned by the Newspaper Association of America, and the results certainly were friendly to that organization.

Despite that, for businesses that already have a strong online presence with the major search engine platforms, advertising in DenverPost.com may make sense.

How to Advertise in the Denver Post Online

If you're considering advertising in the Denver Post Online, one of the first places you should start looking at is their online advertising section. Here are some highlights according to their marketing materials for advertisers:

• 250,000 unique online visitors per day on average
• Banner Advertising Available - home page or section
• Sidebar Advertising Available - home page or section
• Expandable Banners
• Sliding Billboards
• Talking Spokesperson
• Video
• Much More

The advertising vehicles at DenverPost.com are pretty much endless. Unfortunately rates aren't provided

How Does this Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?

Denver small business owners need to investigate search engine advertising first. Once they have fully explore online ad platforms like Google AdWords and Microsoft AdCenter, then it may be time to consider other forms of advertising - like advertising with the online version of the Denver Post.

While newspapers were extremely slow to react to online competition, it now appears that they are trying extremely hard to have a sustainable online presence. The online ad offerings at the DenverPost were much more extensive than I had anticipated. The 250,000 unique visitor count each day (assuming it is close to accurate) represents a lot of local traffic. The Denver small business owner who is able to deliver a targeted message to this group could get a big boost in lead generation.

The Denver Post today reported that the South Metro Chamber of Commerce joined with many other Chamber of Commerce organizations to oppose the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. With healthcare reform being the hot topic of 2009, this Consumer Financial Protection Agency has largely slipped under the radear.

Overviews of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency were provided in The Wall Street Journal as well as the LA Times. Here are some of the highlights of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency:

• The Agency will over see all aspects of finance, including mortgages, loans, debt collection, and even financial advisory services (to name a few areas)
• The Agency will act on behalf of consumers and protect them from abuse
• The Agency will attempt to make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions
• The Agency will have the power to fine violators
• In general, banks and republicans are against the formation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency while Democrats are attempting to move forward with the legislation

The Agency was proposed in an attempt to avert another financial crisis like the one that is still being endured.

How Does this Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?

While this information may not help you directly market your small business, most businesses will want to keep a close eye on whether or not this legislation is passed and the Consumer Financial Protection Agency is created. While I expect that the impact will reach well beyond the financial sector - if your business is operating in the financial sector (mortgage, banking, financial advisor, financial services) you will be greatly impacted by the creation of this Agency. The method in which you are able to market your small business as well as contracts that you maintain with your customers will undergo major changes.

The Denver Post recently held an interview with the Small Business Administration's regional chief Daniel Hannaher. Hannaher was appointed the chief of SBA programs and services in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming back in August. If you'd like to read the full Denver Post Interview, you can read it here.

During the interview, Hannaher mentions that the goal is to help move small businesses from recession mode into recovery mode, and one of the key barriers towards making progress has been getting small businesses the financial resources that they need. He mentions that SBA loans have been modified in accordance with the Recovery Act to make it easier for small businesses to obtain capital. Hannaher is also bullish about the outlook for Colorado (and national) small business prospects during 2010.

How Does this Help Me Market My Denver Small Business?

Certain Denver small businesses that qualify may be able to get assistance from the SBA. The Recovery Act has apparently loosened lending requirements for small businesses somewhat - making it easier for Denver small businesses to get an SBA guaranteed loans. Below, I have provided some links to SBA official websites along with information related to the SBA and small business lending.

Helpful Colorado Small Business Administration Resources

• Colorado SBA District Office Official Website
• Regional SBA District Office
• SBA Information for Borrowers