Coffee Break: Readers exceed expectations with response to SBJ survey

Clarissa French is editor of the Springfield Business Journal.

It's an incredible experience!

What else can we say about the response to our 2003 Readership Survey?

We sent 1,500 surveys to a large, random sample of our paid subscribers at 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 6.

By the time we walked in Monday morning, June 9, we had our first four responses. As I write this, just before the noon deadline of June 12, the number of responses is 271 an 18 percent response rate. Those of you in marketing understand just how phenomenal that is. And the surveys just keep pouring in. Right now, we are averaging close to 70 completed questionnaires a day.

We are delighted, grateful and proud to receive such an incredible response from our readers. We have always considered our readers and advertisers to be our partners in business.

What a tremendous affirmation of that relationship that you have taken the time and effort to share your information and communicate with us.

We appreciate your views, and we will use the information you are providing wisely to guide our business and our coverage so we may serve you better.

Meanwhile, for those of you who have received a survey and have not yet returned it, we request that you do so this week.

It's no news to SBJ readers that succeeding as a small business takes planning and foresight, a unified team, company-wide buy-in on mission and goals, rapid response to change and, at the root of it all, a firm grasp of the market, the customers and what they need.

Your responses put success more firmly in our grasp, to our benefit and yours.

Thank you!

Welcome back

In other SBJ news, we are happy to welcome Maria Hoover back to the Inside Business desk. Maria has been on maternity leave with her new baby, Kaitlyn, and we have missed her terribly. It is with gratitude and relief that I return the Inside Business section to her able hands.

Stop the Presses

Be sure to keep your eye on this space next week when SBJ Publisher Dianne Elizabeth will discuss Springfield's developing sister cities relationship with Tlaquepaque, Mexico, and the upcoming SBJ Economic Impact Awards.