Cooperative advertising offers more than low rates

Springfield's cooperative advertising organizations provide members not only with market exposure, but with opportunities for networking, support and business relationships, according to representatives of Springfield's Best Locally Owned Companies and Ozarks Owned and Operated.

Springfield's Best Locally Owned Companies is a nonprofit organization owned by its members, said Executive Director Roxanne Baker. The 89-member organization, which began in 1994 with 11 members, was started to help local businesses compete.

"A group of business owners got together, realizing that there was an onslaught of franchise businesses coming in, and they needed to form a group to compete with their large advertising budgets," Baker said. "It began as a cooperative advertising organization, and that's what we are, but it's become so much more."

Sunburst Media's Ozarks Owned and Operated, formed a year and a half ago, now has 43 members. It too has experienced an expansion of its purpose from its initial focus on cooperative advertising, said Executive Director Marsha Boone.

"We can give them low-cost advertising, but we also give these businesses a chance to network with one another," Boone said. "It's an unusual combination of print ads, radio ads, and helping the customers network and build alliances among local businesses."

Ozarks Owned and Operated provides monthly mixers and quarterly workshops for its members. Recent workshop offerings have included such business-building topics as the four-second impression, Internet marketing and referral basics.

Springfield's Best likewise offers its members benefits beyond advertising rates, including networking opportunities and roundtable discussions.

Members are "connecting with each other and building relationships with each other, and they have access to 89 businesses' strategies and tips that work," Baker said.

Michelle Baltz is co-owner of The Copy Shoppe Printing and Graphics, a member of Springfield's Best since 1995.

"We have developed some good relationships with other members and we're doing a lot of business with other members. We've learned a lot from the other businesses, and we're also in the position to refer business to each other," Baltz said.

Richard Vance, owner of McAlister's Deli, said kinship has been one of the main benefits of joining Ozarks Owned and Operated. "What it's done for me is to help me meet more people who own local businesses," he said. "If they're locally owned, I know they've got their neck on the line just like I do."

Vance said he especially appreciates the opportunity to gain information about the local market and its needs. "It's been a great thing, not just to network, but to learn from each other. Plus, I prefer to do business with locally owned companies."

And, of course, both groups provide special advertising packages to their members.

At Springfield's Best, "When members come in, they are charged a flat fee to advertise each month for the year," Baker said. The monthly fee (not available for publication) entitles members to an ad package that includes television advertising on KSPR, KOLR and KY3 television stations, as well as radio advertising on five radio stations. Members may also purchase additional air time at group rates.

"The opportunity to be a part of so many types of advertising ... it would be very hard to do that on your own," Baltz said.

Ozarks Owned and Operated members pay a monthly fee of $350 for 35 radio ads per month, rotated on all five Sunburst stations, as well as print advertising in KGBX's Today's Woman magazine and promotion on the Ozarks Owned and Operated Web site.

The cost is one-third of what it would cost to buy the radio schedule outright, according to Boone, which is why Ozarks Owned and Operated limits each member to a single membership.

In order to join either organization, applicants must meet certain conditions.

Ozarks Owned and Operated requires that a prospective member's business be at least 50 percent to 75 percent locally-owned, and that it be within the Sunburst Media radio stations' listening area. Those are the organization's sole requirements.

Prospective Springfield's Best members must have been in business for at least three years, must be located in the city or within five miles of the city limits, and the owner must reside within 50 miles of Springfield. Springfield's Best members cannot be members of chains or franchises, and only one business owner per business category is allowed. The application of a potential member is subject to the approval of the membership and the board of directors, Baker said.

Both advertising cooperatives also emphasize community involvement.

Springfield's Best is involved in supporting community sponsorship of KSMU, the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, Junior Achievement and Springfield Public Schools.

"If what we're asking is for the community to support local businesses, then we want to demonstrate that local businesses are investing back into the community," Boone said.

Ozarks Owned and Operated members recently participated in the Blanket the Ozarks campaign, and the cooperative works particularly with the Salvation Army and the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, Boone said.