Let’s get your business back to business.

The new normal in our lives is starting to take hold and we’re seeing mounting desire to recharge America’s economy. For many of our local businesses, now is the time to welcome your customers back.

As our smaller and mid-sized businesses think about launch-back plans, please don’t forget to leverage the professionals that have been with you since the pandemic began: your local daily and weekly newspapers. These people are your community responders, flesh-and-blood folks who have been on the front lines, bringing you the news and stories that have given you information and inspiration we’ve all needed in these times. These same media partners who opened up their pandemic content for everyone, making sure you have access to valuable and relevant content, are also businesses that are struggling now, too. But like many of you and your businesses, they are in the best position to help tell your story.

Why you may ask?

• First, because your success is their success. Small businesses are the engines of growth for our communities and have long been the revenue foundation for our local news organizations. Your success will continue to fuel theirs.
• Second, even as their ranks have shrunk, their value to our communities have grown. Over the past seven weeks, we have seen interest and audiences grow two, and in some cases three-fold as readers increasingly turned to their local newspaper in print and online. Why?  They are local, credible and reliable – community partners that people trust.
• As you think about your customers returning and the messages you need to share as you re-enter the market, so too is your local media. Just about every one of our local newspapers have initiatives focused on Rebuilding Florida, highly valuable and accessible solutions to help with our collective re-entry and return to business.

On that last bulletin, our Florida news organizations are ready to help you locally and have been offering some type of a premium content environment attracting engaged consumers, designed to spur local business. This gives you, small businesses, a way to deliver your message in the most affordable, efficient and effective way possible.

Take the lead. Tell your story. Open your doors and position your business as a safe place to come. Lead your community and your industry.

How you speak during this time will define you, so position yourself as the clear and visible market leader in your industry helping to guide and recharge your local Florida community.

Whether you’re a local politician running for office later in the year or a small or medium-sized business, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local newspaper media advertising team today for more information on how your business can tap into becoming a strong business partner to help tell your story and let’s grow together.

Remember, when you rebound, we rebound. And together, we can help get Florida back to business.

#WeAreInThisTogether #StrongerTogether

Be well. Be safe.

Jim Fogler is the President and CEO of the Florida Press Association and Intersect Media Solutions.