Aloha Paddlers (P)
So we will call him M. M looks through PP (Pacific Paddler) looking for advertisers (A) to go after. M then makes a full page ad without asking (A) and surprises (A) with a FREE full page ad in M's magazine.
"I didn't know he did that!" says a thankful (A) to PP.
Now another (A) tells PP, M said he would do their Molokai program for nothing. "How could I refuse?," said the other (A). The (A)s are happy. They previously ran ads in PP and now gets them free from M. (A) decides not to continue supporting PP. Everyone is happy with M. Why can't PP do the same?
Conclusion: M wants PP out of the picture so M can finally start making $ from PP's (A)s.
Analogy: If your competitor sets up shop next to you and offered the same product for free how long could you stay in business - even if their product was a cheep imitation?
PS: Our October issue is now online http://www.pacificpaddler.com. Inside is a 12-page Molokai insert. Very meaty and full of stuff related to paddlers. (no volleyball, no music stories, no ultimate fighting, just paddling!)
Enjoy and thanks to our hui for their support
PP </http://www.pacificpaddler.com>
Submitted by Pacific Paddler on Sat, 10/02/2010 - 10:34am
Got any lawyer friends Ropati ?
Maybe give them a free page and see what M does.
aloha,
pog
#1 Sat, 10/02/2010 - 10:49am
Wow.
#2 Sat, 10/02/2010 - 10:10pm
I bet (M) would shop at store (T), if (T) comes to town (K). What (BS)!!
#3 Sat, 10/02/2010 - 10:51pm
(PP), why do you continuously trash (M) and certain canoe builders (CB) on this forum? Not very professional, and won't get you any more advertising by creating bad feelings. Get some Aloha. There is room for both venues in the paddling world.
#4 Sun, 10/03/2010 - 9:30am
It makes me sad Ropati to read this. It is tough now for any business to survive. We all need to continue to respect each other and power through it. In the end we all want the same things, not just for ourselves, but for the sport. I hope you and "M" can work this out.
xo
Terry
#5 Sun, 10/03/2010 - 6:49pm
Thanks Terry,
For seeing the big picture. BTW, we all love your show. So professional.
#6 Sun, 10/03/2010 - 7:00pm
Owning and running a small business is not easy. If it was, we'd all be legally self employed. Bottom line is supporting M and PP. Buy a years subscription, or let the companies who advertise know that you are buying their product because you read about them in M or PP. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I may seem self serving, but you know what, we will all lose out if PP and M fold their tents. Team Hekili, over and out.
#7 Sun, 10/03/2010 - 8:00pm
Thanks KGB you have defiantly made a difference to the magazine's bottom line with your ads. If it wasn't for you and our hui of supporters, I may have given up this pricy publishing gig and left the paddling empire for M to cover while exploring plan B, an internet paddling TV show? And don't worry Terry I wont go after your clients with cheep or free ads. We would be totally different and two paddling TV shows would be better than one for the paddling communty. Ahh but there is that pie out there, so for me to give M a big hug and wish him peace on earth, he should focus in bringing in new clients and not thumbing through PP looking to steel away ours.
#8 Sun, 10/03/2010 - 10:32pm
I wish you all the success in the world Ropati. Hope to see you next weekend at the finish.
Xoxo
Terry
#9 Mon, 10/04/2010 - 7:52am
My father taught me a valuable lesson in my childhood.
The basis of it was that if I spent the energy on doing something about the things I do not like rather than wasting it on whining about them I probably wouldn't have anything to whine about anymore.
Like you PP I now run a small business with many and vigorous competitors selling near identical products to mine, before this I worked for people doing the same.
My advice to you would be that posts like this on a public forum simply alert your customers to your competitors generosity. Some of your advertisers may not have known about this deal M is offering. They do now! You might have cost yourself money.
Furthermore, these posts do nothing for your image as a business man. Business is about relationships, not exclusivity.
Perhaps rather than retaliating in this way your time may be better served working out what your USP's are and making sure that your customers know what they are. Perhaps presenting circulation numbers or some kind of tracking on sale conversions per ad ie return on investment in your magazine will work.
I'm pretty sure this method will not make you money.
#10 Wed, 10/06/2010 - 3:39pm