CHAMBER NEWS Member FAQs D ISCOV ER W H AT YO U R C H AMBER CAN DO FOR YOU AN D YOUR BUS IN ESS .
Q: How can I get my business published in the MBJ? A: It’s easy. There are multiple options, and most of the member news sections (some of the most-read pages in each issue) are FREE. With so many editorial and advertising opportunities, there are more ways than ever to get your business, company or organization in front of MBJ’s readers. The key is planning ahead, since the magazine has production deadlines months before an issue hits the streets.
LET’S HEAR IT!
HOW YOU CAN HELP CREATE CONTENT
Got a Great Idea to Share? Feel free to pitch your article idea to MBJ. We’re always on the lookout for stories that provide information to help area businesses, explain or uncover
OPTION 1: MEMBER NEWS SECTIONS
a trending business topic or that shine a positive light on our area’s strong business community.
$$$ FREE
Members on the Move:
PRO TIP: Send in photos.
In these sections, we share area businesses’ announcements.
Press releases and other information sent are more attention-grabbing if they are accompanied by great, high-resolution pictures. Remember to send complete caption and identification information for each photo.
Reports on new personnel hires and promotions. A highresolution headshot of the person being highlighted is required for this section.
Members in the News: Reports on awards, honors and mentions in local, regional and national media.
MONTGOMERY BUSINESS JOURNAL VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1 / JANUARY 2019
MBJ
MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FEATURING MGMWERX UPDATE
A HEART-WARMING RESPITE MINISTRY
ADDING UP + ACCOUNTING’S IMPACT
BIG PLANS
doesn’t fall into MOM or MIN.
March, May, July, September and November – and is
WHAT’S HIGH-RES? For photos to reproduce
2019 Submission Deadlines
Chamber Chairman Willie Durham
clear and crisp in a printed
May Issue: March 22
LEADING MGM FORWARD
magazine, they have to be
July Issue: May 31
12/14/18 10:27 AM
Business Buzz:
anything else newsworthy that
es six times a year – January,
members and businesses.
1 MONTGOMERYCHAMBER.COM
sions, additional services and
The Chamber’s MBJ publish-
distributed to 7,000 local
MBJ_JAN19_copy copy.indd 1
Reports on openings, expan-
Mark Your Calendar
“high-resolution,” which refers to the number or
MONTGOMERY BUSINESS JOURNAL VOLUME 10 ISSUE 6 / NOVEMBER 2018
pixels (or dots) of image
MBJ
September Issue: July 26 November Issue: September 27
information per inch.
MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MBJ requires photos
MGM
to be 300 dpi (dots per
ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
inch) resolution. If you’re
BETTER BY DESIGN
unsure how to check an
Giveback Briefs:
image’s resolution on your
Reports on the philanthropic
computer, just look at the
efforts and activities of our
Featuring:
business community.
MGM IMPACT MAKER FINALISTS
12
APPEALING ART STOPS
PROVEN PR TIPS
1 MONTGOMERYCHAMBER.COM
size of the photo/image file. A high-resolution photo should be close to 1MB in file size (and may
PROCESS // Simply email a press release to Jina Miniard, Director of Publications at jminiard@montgomerychamber.com by each issue’s submission deadline. If you don’t have a formal press release, that’s fine! Just send the pertinent information.
be a good bit bigger). If the photo is just 100KB (or less) or even 500KB, it’s probably low-resolution and won’t print properly.
70 MONTGOMERY BUSINESS JOURNAL
YOUR CONTACT:
Jina Miniard, Director of Publications 334-261-1106 jminiard@montgomerychamber.com
OPTION 2: SPONSORED CONTENT .
$$$ COST VARIES MBJ currently offers three content sponsorship opportunities.
OPTION 3: TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING
Member Spotlights:
MBJ offers full-page and
A one-page Q&A article
half-page ad placement
that gives an overview of your business and its
ADVERTISING 101: VOCABULARY
offerings with two to three photos, plus contact infor-
Industry Leaders :
mation.
cific Q&A article that gives
Content Experts:
an overview of your busi-
A one-page article pre-
plus contact information. Industry Leaders pages are positioned in or around a feature article related to your business.
17 MONTGOMERYCHAMBER.COM
MBJ_NOV18_new copy.indd 17
10/23/18 2:12 PM
pared by a member of your team that speaks to
ing business debts and your organizational
a specific business topic
approaching a bank for a loan is intimidating,
documents. A brief narrative of your business
time-consuming or that they don’t understand
is helpful. It should describe its background,
faster, more streamlined and less stressful.
to expansion of your business, then a busi-
Outlined below are three to consider.
ness plan with a financial projection for the
or answers a specific busi-
H AV E A G O O D U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F YO U R B O R R O W I N G N E E D : Is
have these things available at the meeting.
it triggered by a short-term issue that is caus-
Banks are eager to make loans as they repre-
ing the business to need cash for just a few
sent the primary source of our income. Loan
ness question. Includes a headshot of the expert and contact information.
why their banker requests so much informa-
ownership structure, primary customer rela-
tion. There are steps that make the process
tionships, etc. Finally, if the loan need relates
next year will help tell your story as well. Try to
weeks or months, or has sustained growth in
requests that are approved by banks have
the business caused higher levels of inventory
common characteristics: identified cash flow
or accounts receivable? Are you in need of
that is ample to repay the loan; good credit
additional equipment, vehicles or modifica-
history of the owner(s); a business that is
tions or additions to your office? These loan
healthy and appropriately capitalized; and col-
purposes are uniquely different, will be struc-
lateral that is suitable for the loan. The more
tured differently and the amount of equity or
readily we can identify these traits, the more
down-payment expected from the borrower
likely we can quickly say yes to your request.
will vary as well.
A S K YO U R B A N K E R F O R A N A P P O I N T M E N T: Seeking a business
MEET THE EXPERT
loan is important to you, and it’s valuable to have your banker’s undivided attention when discussing your needs. Make sure he or she has set aside an hour to spend with you, and even consider asking the banker to come to your business. It gives a much clearer picture of your business’ story and can provide a valuable visual of your borrowing need.
number of information items to arrive at a loan decision, and the loan process is smoother and faster if the banker has everything nec-
Gene Crane has worked as a banker in Montgomery for 31 years. In 2011, he joined River Bank and Trust, a local community bank, where he is an Executive Vice President and a member of the bank’s management team.
essary to approve your loan. Your banker will need three years of financial statements or tax
christina@exploremedia.org to request a media kit and
returns on the business, personal tax return, a personal financial statement, a description of the proposed collateral, a listing of exist-
BY G E N E C R A N E , E X E C U T I V E V I C E P R E S I D E N T, RIVER BANK AND TRUST
Q&A WITH AN EXPERT
B E P R E PA R E D F O R T H E M E E T I N G : This is important. We need a
PROCESS // Contact Christina Bennett at
premium placement.
ads in a magazine are considered “premium placement” spots. Ads with guaranteed premium placement often cost a bit more.
Insertion Order: A contract that makes
SMALL BUSINESS LENDING
We sometimes hear business owners say that
A N S W E R S TO C O M M O N BIZ QUESTIONS FROM LO C A L S I N T H E K N O W
one photo and your logo,
with opportunities for
Premium placement: The “best” spots for
A one-page, industry-spe-
ness and its offerings with
$$$ COST VARIES
INDUST RY Leader | A rc h i t e c t u re & En g i n e e ri n g
39 MONTGOMERYCHAMBER.COM
your purchase of an ad official. Includes size and issue of your ad, placement instructions, the agreed upon ad price and your signature.
Tearsheet: A physical copy (actually cut from the magazine) of your ad, usually sent to you with the invoice for the ad.
PROCESS // Contact Christina Bennett at christina@exploremedia.org to request a media kit and more information.
more information.
71 MONTGOMERYCHAMBER.COM