SNA - Corporate and Regular Membership Benefits

Corporate and Regular Membership Benefits

Conferences

Suburban Newspapers of America provides its member with excellent networking and educational opportunities through our annual conferences and attendance at major industry events.

Fall Publishers' and Advertising Directors' Conference
This is SNA's largest conference of the year and always provides excellent revenue producing ideas. Major advertisers take this opportunity to speak with our members in both group sessions and in one-on-one meetings regarding their advertising strategies. Concurrent sessions are offered allowing both the publisher and advertising director to choose meetings that relate specifically to their needs.

Strategic Revenue Summit (formerly Spring Publishers’ Conference)
This conference allows senior level executives a chance to meet and discuss current and future trends, challenges and objectives. Usually held at a top resort in a warm weather climate, this conference leaves plenty of time for a variety of networking opportunities.

Classified Managers' Conference
This very successful conference takes place in the Fall at an affordable hotel in a major city. All aspects of the newspaper classified advertising department are covered including private party, employment, automotive and real estate. Other topics such as motivating your staff and retaining good employees are also explored.

Audience Development Conference (Formerly Circulation/Distribution)
This 2-day meeting addresses the many challenges that face the circulation and distribution managers of both paid and non-paid newspapers. New rules, new ideas and a chance to network with industry professionals make this conference a valuable event for veterans and new circulation managers alike.

Free Member Conference Calls
SNA conducts many free conference calls throughout the year; all members are invited to participate in these informational calls. Past topics have addressed such timely issues as 'Do Not Call' rules, recruitment advertising updates, department store initiatives and readership study findings.

Advertiser Meetings at Industry Events
One of SNA's top priorities is the facilitation of one-on-one meetings and roundtable discussions with major advertisers for our members. During these meetings advertisers talk openly about what suburban and community publications can do to capture more of their business. Strong relationships have been formed over the years and more and more of our members are walking away with new and/or bigger schedules from major retailers.

Contests / Awards

Suburban Newspapers of America believes that one of the best ways for our members to evaluate and improve the quality of their publications is to compare their content and design with other like publications. Several annual contests have been developed to ensure that ideas are consistently shared among member newspapers and that the best are nationally recognized.

Advertising & Promotions Contest
This contest recognizes excellence in the field of advertising and marketing. Members compete in their circulation classes and a special award is presented to both the Advertising Director of the Year and the Classified Manager of the Year. Awards are presented at SNA's Fall Publishers' and Advertising Directors' Conference.

Editorial Contest
SNA's most popular contest of the year includes thousands of entries from members across North America. This contest recognizes editorial excellence in six different circulation classes that separates dailies from non-dailies. The Suburban Journalist of the Year award is decided in conjunction with this contest. Awards are presented at SNA's Spring Publishers' Conference.

General Excellence/Newspaper of the Year
This contest recognizes the top newspapers in the country in six different circulation classes. The winners earn bragging rights to be the called the best suburban/community newspaper in the country. Awards are presented at the SNA's Fall Publishers' and Advertising Directors' Conference.

Local Community Web Site
Our Local Community Web site contest commemorates excellence in online media. From best local community website to local Web site innovator of the year and everything in-between; this contest represents the top web initiatives from community and suburban newspapers while providing superb best practices for SNA members to explore.

Dean Lesher Award
The Lesher Award has recognized outstanding leaders in our industry since 1982, when the award was bestowed upon its namesake, Dean S. Lesher. Winners are chosen based on their achievements in one or all of the following area:

Pioneered new concepts in suburban newspaper publishing
Exemplified the excellence of suburban newspapers by publishing outstanding newspapers
Provided civic leadership within the community or communities in which his or her newspapers are published
In some way has enhanced the suburban newspaper industry.

Marketing

Belden Research Studies
SNA commissioned Belden Associates to conduct a massive national suburban newspaper research project. The project includes all SNA markets with a combined member circulation over 200,000 and consisted of 8,541 interviews in 16 states and 21 markets — the largest suburban/community newspaper study of its kind! When asked “Where would you turn first for local shopping and advertising information?” 51% said they would first turn to their local suburban newspaper.

Borrell Associates, Inc. Research Studies
Suburban Newspapers of America seeks out timely and relevant studies that specifically address the needs of suburban and community newspapers. Borrell reports available to SNA members include:

Web Site Benchmarking Report
Real Estate Outlook: 2008-2013
Recruitment Outlook 2009
The Free Website vs. Paid Website Debate

Membership Directory
The annual SNA Membership Directory includes all SNA member newspapers listed by city and state complete with key personnel, newspapers published, day of distribution, circulation numbers and auditing companies. This directory is mailed to all SNA members and to major advertising decision makers in the country. It is also available electronically to our members and major advertisers.

Media Buyer Directory
This comprehensive directory lists over 500 media buyers at major retailers, third-party newspaper placement agencies and recruitment agencies from across the country. It contains complete contact information including region of responsibility when available. This directory is distributed to all publishers, advertising directors, major account mangers, and classified managers who are members of SNA.

Suburban Publisher Newsletter

SNA publishes an informative monthly newsletter and mails it to over 4,000 industry managers and executives in North America. Suburban Publisher contains major account information, call reports, breaking news, events and trends affecting suburban and community newspapers. Click here for more information regarding the Suburban Publisher Newsletter.