Opinion: SBJ prepares to launch list e-commerce

We understand that in the news business. I’m sure information has some clout in your business, too.

I expect we’re giving you power with the information Springfield Business Journal publishes each week – whether it’s helping you to keep up with old friends, providing sales leads or assisting in decision-making.

We’re going to be sharing our list information with you in a new way. Already, you have access to our “area’s largest” research in the form of weekly lists in the print edition, which are then collected and reprinted in the annual Book of Lists. Those lists and the companies on them are valuable assets to starting a Springfield-area business, maintaining a business and growing a business.

Several other companies respond but don’t make the cut based on our ranking criteria. Their information is still valuable. They’re still quality companies with good people.

SBJ, lead by Researcher Joyce Embree, is making all of that research available on an e-commerce site that will go live Sept. 8.

The lists in PDF form at sbj.net will no longer be accessible there. They will move to DataJoe’s e-commerce module, the Web site for which will be announced in the Sept. 8 Daily Update e-newsletter and in the Sept. 11 print edition. There will be a dedicated link on sbj.net’s home page.

Custom searches

Several months ago, SBJ purchased data management software called DataJoe. DataJoe is based in Broomfield, Colo., near Boulder, and it is wholly owned by Northern Colorado Business Report.

This software provides multiple options for client users. You choose how you want to view and use this information.

What is especially appealing about this for business owners is the ability to download SBJ’s database in Excel spreadsheets. For a fee, you can download not only our ranked lists and directories but also extended versions of the published lists.

You also can customize a search so that only firms employing 25 to 50 employees pop up or certain companies or individuals show.

Subscriptions to the service also are available on basic and premium levels. A basic subscription provides unlimited viewing of the lists, but no downloads. Premium service provides unlimited viewing and downloading across the database.

The Book of Lists may be purchased in basic and extended versions, as well. The basic version is downloaded as a zip file that contains one spreadsheet for each list as it ran in the paper. The extended version has extended spreadsheets – those companies that didn’t appear in the print versions.

Now you can have access to SBJ’s full list database of the area’s largest companies.

Stay tuned for more information on this new product. Next week’s center spread will feature an interactive explanation of how to navigate the e-commerce site.

Eric Olson is Springfield Business Journal editor.