CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “West Virginians come to the Senator for really almost any issue that they need help with, and he sees that as his top priority – delivering the necessary constituent services to help them.”

That’s what Mara Boggs, W.Va. state director for U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), told reporters just days ahead of her scheduled appearance at the WV Press Association’s annual convention. Expanded this year to include family-members and guests of newspaper representatives, the convention will be held on Friday, Aug. 11, and Saturday, Aug. 12 at the Four Points by Sheraton in downtown Charleston. 

“Since Sen. Manchin has come into office, he has worked with 98,354 cases,” Boggs said. “That means almost 100,000 West Virginians have come to the Senator for help with their federal or state benefits – like veterans benefits, social security, passport issues, tax returns – or even if they’re having a problem with roads.”

“Sen. Manchin’s office also offers economic-development services, like job fairs, helping to attract business to the state, and legislative issues,” Boggs added. “I know the Press Association has certain legislative priorities. You bring those to us, and we try to help solve them through legislation.”

Manchin’s Republican counterpart, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, provides similar services to her constituents, as well. 

“If you can’t get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need,” Capito states on her website. “While we cannot guarantee you a favorable outcome, we will do our best to help you receive a fair and deserved response to your problem.”

Sen. Capito’s office can also provide assistance with obtaining or renewing passports, as well as selecting and applying for federal grants suitable to constituent’s needs. Most requests for assistance from Sen. Capito or her staff can be submitted online by visiting capito.senate.gov. Constituents wishing to speak to someone about their situation may contact the Senator’s Charleston, W.Va. office at 304-347-5372. Capito’s Morgantown office can be reached at 304-292-2310, and her Martinsburg office at 304-262-9285.

Similar requests of Sen. Manchin may also be made online, by visiting manchin.senate.gov. Manchin’s Charleston office may also be reached by phone at 304-342-5855. The Eastern Panhandle office can be reached at 304-264-4626, and the Fairmont office at 304-368-0567.

Boggs is scheduled to appear at the WV Press Association convention as part of Friday’s educational session, sponsored by Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE). During the session – which begins at 3:45 p.m. – attendees will learn best practices for interacting and working with representatives from the Congressional Offices of West Virginia’s elected officials. The session will also feature updates on social security from AARP, and on the “News & Small Business Support Act” from representatives of the Rebuild Local News Coalition.

According to Sam Runyon, press secretary to Sen. Joe Manchin, the best way for reporters to get in touch is via email, at press@manchin.senate.gov. 

“We monitor that (email address) as close to 24 hours a day as we can – all waking hours,” Runyon said. “They can also call any of our offices. Someone is answering those phones all working hours. We also have a pretty robust press list. We send press releases, and we also send out a newsletter that is sometimes very helpful to reporters.”

Boggs added that events such as Friday’s educational session at the Press Convention are also a great opportunity for reporters to connect with staff. 

“If I’m at an event with [or without] the Senator and we connect, that gets shared with the team,” Boggs said. “If you get to our office in any way, we’ll get you what you need.” 

ABOUT MARA BOGGS

Originally from Keyser, W.Va., Mara Boggs was the first woman to command her unit of the U.S. Army’s 82nd. Division, where she led more than 800 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the military with the rank of Major in 2011, Boggs joined Senator Joe Manchin’s staff as Chief of Operations and Senior Advisor in his Washington, D.C. office. Boggs returned to West Virginia in 2014 to serve as Manchin’s State Director – a position she has held since. 

By Autumn Shelton, WV Press Association

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Those at Pulse Research want to help advertising sales teams more effectively “close the deal” with their clients by providing them with the largest source of data driven, shopping-intent information available. 

On Friday, Aug. 11, during the West Virginia Press Association’s annual convention in Charleston, Pulse Research Representative Sammy Papert, who may or may not be wearing a Hawaiian shirt, will discuss how publishers and advertising sales teams can grow their client base, and their revenue, by using AdSeller–Pulse’s data-driven, total sales solution, presentation tool. 

In a recent interview, Papert stated that every newspaper wants to keep the clients they have, but the only way to grow is by adding new customers. This is where Pulse’s AdSeller can help. 

“I have yet to find a community where the newspaper business penetration is greater than eight percent of the businesses in that community. It just doesn’t exist,” Papert explained. “So, if you have eight percent of the businesses in your community that’s great, but 92% of the businesses are prospects. With Pulse, while I can’t say we have information on all the remaining 92%, it’s going to be pretty close. So, you can systematically identify businesses you don’t have–what categories you don’t have–and approach them.” 

For Publisher Andy Kniceley, Pulse is a must-have tool his WV News sales staff.

Kniceley shares this message with other publishers, ad directors and sales staffers”

“Are you running up against a brick wall when it comes to closing print or digital advertising sales?  Are your best customers telling you that print is dead and they are moving your budget to other media, especially FaceBook?  

Print and Digital advertising is an investment in growing your business.  If your advertiser isn’t growing their business then they are dying a slow death.

The Pulse sales presentation combines industry data and The Pulse of America shopping survey to present timely marketing solutions customized for your local market to show your local business partners the number of local shoppers planning to buy their product or service in the next three months.  

Then utilizing the data and your customized marketing proposal it helps the advertiser see the Return on Investment (ROI) based on gaining just a few local customers from the advertising campaign proposal you create.

The best part, it takes only 10-15 minutes to create in the easy use Pulse sales program.

WV News in the month of May set an all-time new revenue record thanks to Quality Content, Print & Digital sales packaging and Pulse presentations which have enabled us to dramatically increase our closing ratios. Our advertising staff uses Pulse presentations on most sales calls.”

According to Papert, Pulse completes an annual nationwide survey where they ask thousands of customers about their shopping intent. They then take this data and categorize it into appropriate regions or subsets. 

“We literally ask questions like, ‘Do you or anyone in your household intend to shop for furniture in the next 12 months, or do you intend to shop for a financial planner in the next 12 months?’” Papert said. “It is a long survey, and we have a large sample size.” 

“Then, sales representatives can use this data to go to their clients and say, ‘We know how many people plan to buy the merchandise you sell,’” Papert added. “That’s when a business becomes interested.” 

“This is exactly what a local business wants,” Papert continued. “I can’t stress this enough. If I am a tattoo parlor, or a maternity dress shop or an appliance dealer, I want to know how many households are going to buy what I sell. That’s what this is.” 

With 535 different shopping categories, no other company comes close to achieving the data that Pulse offers, Papert said. 

“The only comparable company who has this type of information only has 20 categories,” he noted. 

In addition to providing this data, Papert said Pulse has a script built into their platform that ad reps can use whether they decide to reach out to a client in-person, or by phone or email. 

“We tell you how to use the script, and how to contact the business,” Papert said. “We tell you which combinations work best, and they all involve exciting the advertiser.” 

“I’ve never seen it fail to even get the attention of a disgruntled, or even an irritated advertiser, because it’s all about them,” Papert added. 

Also included in the online and on-phone platform, is a Return on Investment (ROI) calculator that will let an ad rep quickly determine for a client how many households will need to make a purchase to pay for the ad campaign. 

“Everything else drops to the bottom line,” Papert said. 

For those who may be concerned that AdSeller may be too expensive for their smaller, weekly newspaper, Papert stated that Pulse has close to 400 newspaper clients with average circulations of about 8,000 for dailies and 6,000 for weeklies.

“Our goal is to have small newspapers using our tool,” Papert said. “This helps small businesses start a conversation and close business with accounts they have never closed on before. The Pulse business model is to make this very affordable for any size business. There is a small setup fee to create a site for the rep team, and there is a small monthly license fee.” 

Additionally, Papert stated that new customers who choose to partner with Pulse during the West Virginia Press Convention will receive their first month for free. 

“Pulse will help the experienced veteran and the new sales rep, because it’s easy to operate,” Papert said. “The best part is, you can do all of this from your phone.” 

“This is unique,” Papert said of data provided by Pulse. “This provides a unique differentiator to any seller, whether it be radio, television or newspaper, that no one else has. The data is updated annually . . . and is stuff that no one else has, and it makes it easier. So, distinction and ease are the two things that, if I’m a publisher, I think, man, I need to talk to Sammy.”

The West Virginia Press Association’s Convention will take place from Aug. 10-11 in Charleston at the Four Points by Sheraton on the banks of the Kanawha River.

To learn more information about the convention, visit wvpress.org. 

To learn more about Pulse Research, come talk to Sammy Papert in person at the West Virginia Press Convention.

About Sammy Papert: 

A Dallas, Texas native, Sammy Papert is a graduate of St. Mark’s School of Texas and the “worst” student actually graduating from Stanford University. The registrar will confirm that claim.

In his first legitimate venture, Mr. Papert founded, owned and operated The Executive Toy Store, a Sharper Image before its time, and Mr. Papert’s “MBA of the streets.” Again, he barely “graduated.”

From 1981 to 1997 he joined the Papert Companies, a newspaper marketing solutions firm and pushed, cajoled, begged and pleaded both advertisers and Publishers to grow the organization to 450 middle and small market newspapers across the country.

In July 1998, Mr. Papert became Chairman and CEO of Belden Associates, the one-time premier newspaper research and consultancy in North America. At least, that’s what he told the competition.

Mr. Papert recognized a golden opportunity so he started Wormhole during this country’s greatest recession to do just what the name implies – connect organizations with their business and consuming audiences in unique and fast ways by leveraging innovative technology. The clients who lucked into his services are Pulse (19 years), Saambaa (6 years) and Menio Global (3 years).

Papert is and has been involved in many civic organizations. These include: the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Salesmanship Club, Goodwill Board, Theatre Operating Company, St. Mark’s Alumni Association, Stanford Barely Alumni Association and the Dallas Child Guidance Clinic.

Mr. Papert is finally married; enjoys swimming, tennis, reading, writing and eventually visiting all the Caribbean Islands, along with collecting space art and Hawaiian shirts. Don’t ask how many! His latest hair-brained scheme is to make his own wine…the word is he might have finally gotten something right!

WVPA Executive Director Don Smith said the association’s convention will be Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11-12, is announcing the dates and will release more details and registration links later this month.

“The West Virginia Press Association’s annual convention is the largest gathering of media in the state. With training seminars, featured speakers, policy discussions, awards presentations, networking and fun, it’s the one media event each year you can’t afford to miss,” Smith said.

Smith encourages everyone to watch the convention video: “You can’t afford to miss it.”