Opinion: SBJ digital initiative on the horizon

SBJ’s e-newsletters are getting a new look.

Your inbox is about to get a welcome change.

As the primary digital delivery system for Springfield Business Journal’s news, we understand the importance readers place on our e-newsletters. Starting this month, expect a refreshed look to vastly improve the viewing experience, as well as additional products that are slated to begin hitting inboxes March 16.

We’ve identified the most popular news for industry-specific e-newsletters, including construction, health care, and retail and restaurant. The goal is to better engage our readers with the content they need to grow their careers and organizations.

Starting this month, you’ll begin receiving seven new e-newsletters that are either weekly, biweekly or monthly. We’ve taken care to stagger the emails so you will not receive more than one new product per day on top of the SBJ newsletters you already get. These new e-newsletters – available at no additional cost – will allow readers to drill down into specific topics of interest. You can sign up for all or any ahead of time at SBJ.net/enews.

Here’s a sneak peek ahead of this month’s debut.

• The Dig. Construction projects shape our city, and economic development is the byproduct. Once a week, we present the top construction, development, real estate, and architecture and engineering news straight to your inbox.

• On the Money. Banking and finance news comes your way every other week. As reported last year by SBJ Editorial Director Eric Olson, Springfield has one financial institution for every 5,604 people living in the city – and one branch for every 1,378 city residents. That’s a lot. Stay up to date.

• The Dose. Get your fix of health care news. CoxHealth and Mercy are the largest employers in the Queen City. Track health care management issues and trends, new clinic construction, medical marijuana and more every other Thursday afternoon.

• The Spend. Retail and restaurant news consistently tops SBJ.net. There are over 650 active restaurant licenses and nearly 1,550 active retail licenses in Springfield, according to recent data from the city business license office. SBJ will be charting the highs and lows, openings and closings, and statistical trends in this newsletter that releases every other Thursday.

• The Ladder. Designed for young professionals, entrepreneurs, recently promoted employees and those starting new career paths, this monthly newsletter aims to bring you the news you need to know to get ahead. Think of it as a resource in addition to a news source for anyone in the career-building process.

• Regional Digest. SBJ’s coverage area encompasses a 50-mile range. We take a deeper dive into Branson, Ozark, Republic, Rogersville, Bolivar, Monett and other communities throughout the region to better connect our readers. Think regionally once a month with this e-newsletter.

• The Rundown. The editorial team’s first weekend e-newsletter brings you the Top 10 most read articles on SBJ.net each week. Make sure you’re in the know with the hottest business news in Springfield.

We know you rely on us, and it’s our mission to present business-to-business news in the best way possible. I’d encourage you to reach out to me or another team member with any feedback you might have, good or bad, as we move forward with this process. As we move into the new decade, SBJ will be there, examining the data and trends and reporting on new businesses, developments and insights.

For SBJ, it’s a new decade with a new look but the same trusted content.

Springfield Business Journal Web Editor Geoff Pickle can be reached at gpickle@sbj.net.