Memorial Day is a day to honor Vets

This Monday is Memorial Day. Many of us look at it as an extra day off to spend in the yard or with the family. While most do have the day off, we are given the day off for a specific reason. To remember. To remember those who have given their lives for our freedom. Those who have sacrificed their life in America so we can enjoy our life in America. I can not say enough about men and women who have served in our Armed forces. I can’t begin to thank them properly. What they have done, what they have given up is everything. God bless each and every soldier who has fallen or passed on who has served our great country. You are gone, but you are not forgotten. If you turn to page 12, you will see a list of Memorial Day services in our area. It would be a great honor to those who have served if you came out to a service to pay your respects.  Thank you.

Speaking of those who serve, this is another special week.  It is EMS week. It is our chance to say thank you to the women and men who serve Chisago County. I am talking about paramedics, ambulance drivers, and first responders. The main purpose of these 73 men and women is your safety. They are the crucial link between life and death. They are the ones who make instantaneous decisions that save people every day. Thank you Lakes Region EMS for all you do. If you see them out and about, be sure to say thanks.

You have seen them. Those weird ads scattered in our papers that have the smiley face. FindIt! What the heck is FindIt!? I thought I would tell you a little history behind that smiley face. About a year and a half ago, I was down. Feeling low, thinking about the big picture. Was the newspaper business really what I wanted to do the rest of my life? You know, that mid-life crisis crud everyone talks about. I hit an impasse, at least internally. I prayed for answers, direction, anything. The very next day I got a call from my cousin who lives in Georgia. We seriously talk maybe twice a year. Here he calls me out of the blue and tells me about a good friend of his who is a mobile phone app developer. He had an app that was very successful in Germany and also in Georgia. Next thing you know, we are designing an app for the Chisago County Press. Stop. Let me rephrase that. Designing an app for the area. That was and will forever be the goal of this mobile app - to help local businesses. The world is changing. I get that. The use of smartphones is through the roof. So why not branch out to that media outlet and help the businesses of Chisago and Washington Counties?

By offering another avenue for businesses to get the word out about their company, we feel that we cover the entire gamut of local advertising. We have yet to purchase a TV or radio station (stay tuned), but the rest we have covered. So how can it help your business? Easily. It is made up of two different notifications of sales/events for your business. The first is a specific coupon. Let's say your business has an abundance of a certain product that you would like to sell. You can simply (very simply) purchase the exact amount of coupons equal to the number of your products. Smartphone users with the app will get notified. They will be asked to present their phones at your business. Thus allowing only the exact amount of people to purchase your product. Another great feature the app has is a flyer. The flyer is used when your business is announcing a sale, a special, a dining special, etc. It is made to be viewed and used by everyone. Let's say you own a restaurant and you have a killer happy hour special.

You simply would purchase the flyers and they would be pushed to all users of the app. They can share the offer with friends. It is made for maximum usage. It's a great vehicle for restaurants, services, events, and general sales. The mobile phone app is social media friendly. Offers can be shared on Facebook and Twitter. It has an interactive map to take customers right to the business. My vision is that each and every business take part in the app. It is very inexpensive (I will not get rich - trust me), it has the potential to bond us together as a business community, and it's modern and up to date with technology. I would urge business owners to give us a call. we will explain, even demonstrate how the app works and get you set up on a trial basis. Smartphone users, I would urge you to download the app, you will find great deals that can't be found anywhere else. We have some great specials on Print advertising right now. We are offering a bundle pack of advertising that will get you print ads, website ads, and mobile phone specials. Call us at 651 257 5115, we would love to help your business!