True Confessions at Old Mission Gazette

When my son Will was in elementary school at Old Mission Peninsula School, they had a fundraiser where the kids sold pizzas to earn money. Whoever sold the most pizzas was awarded an ice cream party for their class. That was all the incentive Will needed to spring into action.

He got on the phone every night and called everyone he knew. Family members, church friends, people he barely knew, friends of people he barely knew … Keep in mind, he was only nine or ten at the time, but I’ve never seen anything like it. He rocked those cold calls, converted prospects into customers, and worked the phone for sales leads.

Mission accomplished. Will sold the most pizzas and his class was awarded the ice cream party. He sold so many pizzas that when we went to pick them up at the OMPS gym, we had to make two trips, filling the car up with pizzas each time, seeking out extra freezer space around the community, and spending days delivering pizzas.

Will is what you’d call a born salesman, but – true confessions – I am not Will. Even though I know sales are part of running a business, I’m not very good at it. On the flip side, I’m pretty good at writing, photography, interviewing people, taking notes at meetings, building websites, promoting Old Mission Gazette on social media, and creating fun things for our sister site, Old Mission Peninsula Store. And since I’m pretty good at those things and since they all need to be done, that’s where I spend most of my time.

Truth be told, I would rather give things away than sell them – and that includes my time. Maybe it’s because both my dad and mom (Walter and Mary Johnson) volunteered for every OMP group under the sun, so maybe doing things for free is in my DNA (though I constantly give myself that half-time locker room talk when it comes to sales – both on the Gazette and the OMP Store).

Unfortunately, pesky things like a mortgage, kids in college, groceries, electricity and other bills require cold hard cash. Also, since my husband Tim and I have been the recipients of a lot of community support over the years, I want to be in a position where I can help others.

I’m no stranger to running a business. I’ve been a self-employed journalist and photographer for the past 35 years. But running a community newspaper is a little different than writing stories for other publications.

In short, Old Mission Gazette is now my fulltime job, so it has to start paying its way. Thus, I am in the process of adding more advertisers to the Gazette website and email newsletter.

If you would like to advertise in Old Mission Gazette, please contact me at [email protected]. I’m open to individuals, small businesses, big businesses, and everything in between. You don’t even have to live or do business on the OMP. Here’s my sales pitch…

Six Reasons to Advertise With Old Mission Gazette

1. Your message is spread far and wide. Old Mission Gazette has more than 100,000 pageviews daily (real people, not web bots), and readers spend an average of 30 minutes on the website. Our newsletter is emailed three times weekly to 9000+ subscribers, 65% of which live on the Old Mission Peninsula either year-round or during the summer. We also have an active and engaged readership on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and we’ll mention your business there from time to time. We don’t just plop your ad in and call it good. We’ll champion your business and be your voice for the Old Mission Peninsula and Grand Traverse region.

2. You have lots of options. A variety of ad packages are available for companies and individuals offering products and services for those who live, visit or work on the Old Mission Peninsula or in the Grand Traverse region. Display ads, business profiles, listings in our business directory and OMP map, placement in our email newsletter, sponsored articles and mentions on our social media channels are just a few options. Get more details, including stats, ad packages and more:

View/Download: OLD MISSION GAZETTE MEDIA KIT

3. You don’t have to sign a contract. You’re welcome to run your ad on a month-to-month basis, or sign up for six or 12 months for a discount.

4. You’re “buying local” and helping to support a small business devoted to the OMP. The Gazette is owned and operated on the Old Mission Peninsula by lifelong residents – me and my husband Tim. Six generations of farm family history (both his and mine), paired with my 35-year career as a photojournalist with the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and many other publications brings a unique and trusted vision to my role as editor of Old Mission Gazette. Read more about me in “Jane’s World,” a Gazette column where I write about growing up on a cherry farm, marrying the boy next door, and raising two kids (Will and Marissa) on the OMP.

5. You’re part of an award-winning team. Old Mission Gazette won the 2018 award for Investigative Journalism from the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC), and I also won the 2018 Red Hot Best of Northern Michigan award for Best Newspaper Reporter.

6. You’re an OMP Insider. I’m a member of the Old Mission Women’s Club and OMP Historical Society, and work closely with the OMP Education Foundation, Peninsula Community Library, American Legion Post 399, Mission Point Lighthouse, Peter Dougherty Society, Peninsula Fire Department, Peninsula Township, OMP churches and other local groups to report their news. Your ad is part of that insider info.

Be part of Old Mission Peninsula history. Advertise in Old Mission Gazette. For more info, email me, [email protected], or call/text me at (231) 590-4715.

ABOUT OLD MISSION GAZETTE

Old Mission Gazette is an online newspaper based on the Old Mission Peninsula, north of Traverse City, Michigan, published BY Old Mission Peninsula residents (Tim and Jane Boursaw). We live and work here, and we have our ear to the ground on local happenings.

In the Gazette, you’ll find Old Mission Peninsula news, thoughtful editorials, rich history (including six generations of both Tim and Jane’s families), stunning photos, profiles of Peninsula people and businesses, recaps of meetings (township, library, school, etc.), a calendar of Peninsula events, an interactive Old Mission Peninsula map (that could include your business), a directory of Peninsula businesses, vintage Peninsula recipes, culture news (books, movies, music) and more.

Gazette founder and editor Jane Johnson Boursaw is a lifelong resident of the Old Mission Peninsula who grew up on a cherry farm. Her brothers, Dean Johnson and Ward Johnson, continue to farm about a thousand acres in cherries, apples, grapes and other produce on the Peninsula. Jane’s sister, Carolyn Lewis, lives with her husband Steve on the way to Mission Point Lighthouse.

On the wall of the Peninsula Township Hall hangs a plaque highlighting a lifetime of community service by Jane’s dad, local historian Walter Johnson, who helped create the Purchase of Development Rights program on the Peninsula. Her mom, Mary Johnson, played the organ for 50+ years at Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church and served on the Peninsula Community Library Board, Old Mission Women’s Club, OMP Historical Society and many other OMP organizations.

Also, check out the Gazette’s sister site, Old Mission Peninsula Store, for cool OMP t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, greeting cards and more.