Tulsa World, QT and the sandwich

[sgrizzle]

I used free web sites fro year, but costs are coming down considerably. You can buy a domain name and host a site for under $50 a year now. Check out godaddy.com (largest registrar) or forum sponsors tulsaconnect.

While similar to changing a phone number or address, you can keep the old site up redirecting people to "outlawwinternationals.com" for as long as you want. Sponsors would also be very happy if you had a (at least semi)catchy website with their logos on it to  help justify their $$.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

Tulsa World is run by the OKC paper now I believe as we have to send all our sports press releases to OKC for publication in the Tulsa World now.

That's a new one to me.  As far as I know, the World is still owned/operated by the Lorton family of Tulsa and their World Publishing Corporation.  The OKC Oklahoman is owned by the Gaylord family and their media/entertainment conglomerate.  Anyone know why he has to send press releases to OKC for publication in the Tulsa World?  Must be some sort of newspaper clearinghouse that collects press releases on OK news for state newspapers.

[AMP]

I don't believe a domain name is that important to us as google and other search engines bring us up just as easy with a search of the name. I may be wrong on this.

See where most charge $29.95 per Month for hosting.  That is $3,595 in 10 years.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

I don't believe a domain name is that important to us as google and other search engines bring us up just as easy with a search of the name. I may be wrong on this.

See where most charge $29.95 per Month for hosting.  That is $3,595 in 10 years.

Would cost $45.07 to register the domain name and pay for a year of hosting from godaddy.

The domain name is important because it is easier to remember, put on flyers, and for word-of-mouth communication.

[Hawkins]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael


I also didn't like that the newspaper had a sticky coupon. Newspaper recycling revenue is the backbone of my recycling program and the sticker and glue are contaminants to normally clean newsprint. The glue they used was very light, but I have seen other times when it would potentially mess up the recyclability of the paper.

Sticky Note ads on the cover of the Tulsa World are availible anytime, but are quite expensive.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael


I also didn't like that the newspaper had a sticky coupon. Newspaper recycling revenue is the backbone of my recycling program and the sticker and glue are contaminants to normally clean newsprint. The glue they used was very light, but I have seen other times when it would potentially mess up the recyclability of the paper.

Does that mean you need to use the coupon, before you recycle? If so, I'll volunteer to help clean up this part of the mess...

What else should be removed? Newspapers contain a lot more than newsprint these days...

[RecycleMichael]

We don't like the plastic bags either. Almost everything that comes with the regular paper is OK. The advertisement slick pages are OK.

At M.e.t. centers we have three different paper bins... one for newspaper, one for magazines, and one for everything else paper (copier paper, bags, envelopes, file folders, etc.)

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

We don't like the plastic bags either. Almost everything that comes with the regular paper is OK. The advertisement slick pages are OK.

At M.e.t. centers we have three different paper bins... one for newspaper, one for magazines, and one for everything else paper (copier paper, bags, envelopes, file folders, etc.)

The hate the yellow plastic bags too.  They hold my paper together, but when my carrier throws the paper on my driveway, the bags almost always shred and tear.  The paper still gets wet in the rain, even with the bag.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

We don't like the plastic bags either. Almost everything that comes with the regular paper is OK. The advertisement slick pages are OK.

At M.e.t. centers we have three different paper bins... one for newspaper, one for magazines, and one for everything else paper (copier paper, bags, envelopes, file folders, etc.)

The hate the yellow plastic bags too.  They hold my paper together, but when my carrier throws the paper on my driveway, the bags almost always shred and tear.  The paper still gets wet in the rain, even with the bag.

Carriers are supposed to throw bagged papers in the grass on days it is going to rain. When your paper does get wet due to a torn bag, call the world. The carriers become well motivated when you call.

[Conan71]

AMP, be careful about circulation figures.  Did they say they were distributing 432,000 coupons? Or is their "circulation" 432,000?

The area you describe as "zone 6" would be a population area of approximately 100,000-200,000 people.

Circulation is loosely defined by how many people read the "average" paper.  Some publications take the actual distribution and multipy it by 4, with the assumption that four people read the average periodical or daily.  

In my household only two people read any periodical and if it's one of my sailing or racing rags, only one person reads it. []

Just my experience from when I raced was that we usually found out about out of town races from:

A) We'd raced at that track before or another track that promoter had bought a mailing list from someone else.

B) One of our suppliers would have an event poster or from posters at a track we already ran at on a regular basis.

C) Another racer would tell us about it

I usually brought anywhere from one to six additional pit pass or grand stand ticket buyers with me where ever I raced.  Your events consist of fields filled with 99% of participants that the average person doesn't know of unless they follow that type of racing.  Sure you've got "pro" classes, but let's be real, without going to any of the events, I don't have a clue who the top "pro" quad racers are.  They aren't a household name like Tony Stewart which is going to get me excited enough to go to the races.

Emmett Hahn told me one time during the early years when he was promoting Creek County Speedway ('85 or '86) that he could market all he wanted to Sapulpa and Kellyville, and he could still count on 80% of the crowd being there because they knew a driver or drivers, not because they were looking for something to do and dropped in at random.

Not trying to tell you your business, but for the racing you are promoting, best bang for your buck is mailing lists from your previous race entries, and your powersports dealers.  Racers will tell racers, and they will bring families and friends to cheer them on.

[AMP]

Yes, I use direct mail 2,000+ on our list from the past 5 years.

As with everything there are up and down sides.  Mail is one of my big issues at times.  Because we have youth entries that may or may not share the same last name as the person on the mail box/delivery schedule at that address we often get the stamp "Unknown" on mailers we send out.

I was wondering if the Unknown was stamped on there by the carrier, or at the Zip Code Post Office or at the Hub.

Asking at my post office I was told after the 911 Anthrax scare or some reason,  the rules had changed and if a person at an address had not received mail prior to that mailing some computer program sent it to the Unknown stamp area to be marked on the letter.

The other problem is the 6 month window on change of addresses.  Since three of our Series are Annual and have separate start up times and involve Arenacross, Dirt Track and Show entries if a participant has moved and reported a Change of Address more than six months prior to when we mail to them, the mail piece comes back with Unable to Forward "Forwarding time has expired".  And you get no new address for that person.  

Other problem is many times if the Street is not spelled correctly on the entry form, the letters are returned with No Such Address stamped on them.

Out of 2,000 mailers we typically get 650 returned and are unable to deliver them as the phone numbers become stale along with the mailing address.  

I have a program that sends a single text message to over 1,000 cell phones on most carriers, with one click of my mouse.  I believe that is the quickest, least expensive and most effective means of communication I have available today.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Carriers are supposed to throw bagged papers in the grass on days it is going to rain. When your paper does get wet due to a torn bag, call the world. The carriers become well motivated when you call.

I do, and in all fairness to my Tulsa World carrier, they usually do put my paper on the grass when it is raining.  On some occasions though in the recent past, the paper is on the pavement in my driveway and water has soaked through the yellow bag, but the paper is still readable with a short period of "drying time."  If the paper is a totally soggy wet mess, I do call World circulation and request a replacement.  Usually arrives within 1 hour.

[AMP]

That or add more water, elmers glue paste and make some paper mache art.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Today's Tulsa World had a coupon for a free QT sandwich or wrap stuck on the top of the front page. I stopped by the store to pick up a fountain drink and saw the coupon on a stack of papers on the rack.
I bought the Tulsa World for fifty cents and had a $3.59 sandwich for free.
I tried the Triple Stack sandwich. It was cut diagonally into two wedges (the best foods are triangular in shape). The package was hard plastic (terrible environmental packaging) and the label said that the sandwich contained Ham, Turkey and Beef.

I finally used my World/QT sandwich coupon this afternoon about 4:00 PM at the QT at 31st & Sheridan.  It was slim pickin's, either the Triple Stack or the Ranch Wrap.  I chose the Triple Stack.  Sort of a club sandwich without bacon on untoasted wheat bread.

Not too bad; the price was right!  I agree, the packaging is a waste.  I was surprised that I didn't have to pay sales tax; I expect on most coupon offers to still have to pay applicable sales tax.