Adams Publishing Group newspapers of Southern Minnesota are committing $500,000 in matching advertising grants to help local businesses in the community recover from the COVID-19 crisis and thrive. The papers include the Faribault Daily News, Owatonna People’s Press, Northfield News, The Kenyon Leader, Lonsdale Area News-Review, Waseca County News, Le Sueur County News, St. Peter Herald, Northfield Weekender, Faribault Area Shopper, Owatonna/Waseca Area Shopper and Minnesota River Valley Shopper
The matching fund grants are open to all locally owned small businesses located in southern Minnesota. Selected businesses can invest these funds toward the development of marketing solutions or advertising messages in these publications and/or websites during July, August, September and October.
In a recent colum, Steve Fisher publisher of the Owatonna People’s Press and president of APG Media of Southern Minnesota, told local businesses:
"If you own or manage a southern Minnesota business, you know exactly how difficult it’s been since early March. And, we know that you want to get back to business as usual. Since no one knows what the new normal will look like; the path to get there will be very different for each of us.
"The usual steps to attract customers might not work in this new normal. New competitors have likely emerged and will actively pursue your best clients with enticing offers that are more aggressive than ever before. Customers will be seeking deals, and if you’re not ready to compete, they might not come back to you.
"Are you prepared to compete against those aggressive efforts by your top competitor? Or will you be the one capitalizing on this unique opportunity to grow your market share?"
