A new report from Borrell Associates reveals that recently established local businesses are breathing new life into traditional media mdash;including radio, TV, print, billboards, and direct mail mdash;with a notable increase in ad spending. Radio leads the way with an average advertiser spend of $48,060, topping even television. The growth in small business formation post-pandemic has created an influx of new advertisers who often favor traditional media channels for their perceived effectiveness and hands-on support. This shift signals a vital opportunity for local media sales reps to reconnect with Main Street and capture growing budgets from newer, often underserved advertisers.

I recently had a goal to speak with 250 prospects every day. It wasn’t just a random number—it was a mission. But I quickly realized that without tracking each outreach attempt, I’d lose sight of my progress. You can’t speak to enough people if you don’t know how many people you’ve spoken to. That’s a hard truth I learned early on. I used a simple fish tally counter to keep track of each prospect I spoke to, and it changed everything.

Market Size: The US pediatric healthcare market is estimated at $15.32 billion in 2024, projected to reach $18.64 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4% (Mordor Intelligence). Total child population in the US: Approximately 74 million, with larger distribution in Urban areas with higher population density (Source: US Census Bureau). Insurance coverage: Approximately 90% of children are insured (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation)

In a challenging economy, newspapers and their websites remain one of the most trusted and effective platforms for reaching engaged, optimistic, and influential consumers. According to The Media Audit, newspapers reach over 40% of adults daily, with readers spending more than an hour each day with content and showing 10% higher financial optimism than the general public. For advertisers, staying visible in this trusted, community-rooted medium is not just smart—it’s essential for maintaining relevance, credibility, and market share.

Many rabid sports fans revel in the opportunity to support their favorite teams by wearing their gear to games, fueling their enthusiasm with tailgate parties and cheering wildly from the stands. Attending many sporting events is either prohibited or limited, however. Sports fans are relegated to the safety of their homes and their big-screen TVs – and a much more comfortable seat than any in a stadium or arena.

America remains a rural country, geographically, as almost three-quarters (72%) of the nation’s total land area is rural counties, 14% of the US population live there and approximately half of the land area is used for agricultural production. Buying food or other consumer products that originate in agriculture is the only interaction most Americans have with rural communities – and very indirectly – or when driving by or flying over farmland.

Most media have recovered as well as could be expected since the start of the pandemic, despite significant losses of ad spending and shifts in people’s media use. TV was able to benefit from its ubiquitous position, as viewers, including young adults, planted themselves in front of their TVs for news and entertainment to fill their additional time at home. Eventually, digital media benefited significantly (and still is), as well as many retailers from

Selling is a craft. It’s a performance. It’s also a bit of a mystery. Why is it that two salespeople who work for the same manager have different results? Both salespeople sell the same thing, to similar clients, at the same price. If one salesperson complains about an underhanded competitor, another salesperson has little trouble dispatching that same competitor. Let’s agree to call this “the variability of individual results.”

Bradshaw Bryant, a small-town Minnesota injury law firm, achieved market dominance by allocating 70% of its marketing budget to radio advertising, tripling their practice size in the first year and achieving 28% unaided brand awareness—133% higher than their nearest competitor. The firm's success demonstrates that traditional media's focus on long-term brand building creates sustainable competitive advantages that digital advertising's short-term conversion focus cannot replicate. This case provides a strategic blueprint for all traditional media—newspapers, television, outdoor advertising, and magazines—to demonstrate their continued value by emphasizing consistent exposure and trusted environments over digital platforms' fragmented attention. The success challenges Madison Avenue's digital-first approach and proves that "being known before you're needed" through patient, traditional media investment remains a powerful driver of long-term business growth.

From Charity Clothes to Global Influence: The Foundation Years
Brian Tracy transformed himself from a poverty-stricken high school dropout in Prince Edward Island into one of the world's leading success and sales authorities through systematic self-education and disciplined study of masters like Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie. He developed practical systems like the ABCDE priority method, the 10-goal system, and consultative selling techniques by treating real-world sales interactions as scientific experiments to refine his approach. His influence has reached millions across 58 countries through books, seminars, and audio programs that prove success comes from systematic daily habits and continuous learning rather than natural talent. Tracy's enduring legacy demonstrates that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results by consistently applying his learnable systems for time management, goal-setting, and sales psychology.

It’s time to take a deep breath and stop all the hand wringing about the demise of TV, as a content and advertising medium, and the ascendancy of digital, as TV’s replacement. It hasn’t happened and is unlikely to occur like the “sky-is-falling” advocates claim it will. A good place to start is THE MEDIACENTER’s August 2016 Online Newsletter.

As leaders, we most often look to blogs, books or boardroom meetings for guidance, and yet sometimes it’s everyday life that hands us the best leadership insights. Recently life gifted me just such a lesson: the importance of asking, “How is this different?” While preparing for work in another part of the world, I took part in a security briefing.

Discovery meetings are a vital tool for uncovering new business opportunities. In these conversations, sales managers and sellers have a unique chance to learn about potential clients, understand their challenges, and present solutions tailored to their needs. The key to an effective discovery meeting lies in the ability to ask thoughtful questions, actively listen, and establish genuine rapport.

Industry Press Highlights, Media, Retail, Advertising and the Economy

2025 turned out to be a strong year for U.S. advertising, but multiple forecasts suggest 2026 will still grow at a slower pace—meaning local advertisers and agencies will plan in shorter windows and demand more flexibility. As ROI pressure and budget constraints rise, dollars will continue to tilt toward channels that feel more measurable and adjustable, while brand channels will be asked to “prove it” with clearer reporting. Political spending and major tentpole events will further distort local inventory and pricing, making continuity planning and non-preemptible options more important than ever. The winners in local markets will be sellers and agencies who package optionality, measurement, and optimization into their offers—so clients feel their budgets are safer, not riskier, in a choppier year.