YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

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Opinion: SBJ's confidence comes from within

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In September 2016, when Springfield Business Journal was a mere 36 years old, we decided to get a face-lift.

Some readers noticed the redesign and new paper right away. Some never noticed at all – or were just too polite to say anything. Other people noticed over time with just a general sense that we were really looking good.

Regardless of what those who love us had to say, we felt better about ourselves. Our bright white paper and shiny coat made us feel more youthful. It breathed some new energy that instilled just a little more confidence in what we were doing.

Now at age 42, our confidence comes from deep within. We know who we are and our purpose. Don’t get me wrong; we haven’t stopped caring how we look. SBJ has a design staff of four who take great pride in our visual expression, always striving to put our best face forward.

We are just more confident than ever that it’s what’s inside that really matters.

SBJ is dedicated to delivering the business news of our community. We are the business authority. Our readers depend on us for accurate and timely information that assists them in making business decisions. Our advertisers depend on us to carry their marketing messages to the many influential readers who say they never miss an issue and read each one cover to cover. This was our mission at birth, at age 36, and it is our mission today.

Today, however, we are coming to you once again in the skin we were born with. After nearly six years on a heat-set press with glossy paper stock, we have made a return to a bright white newspaper stock and a cold-set printing process. Some of you probably noticed right away. Many of you probably didn’t notice at all – or are just too polite to say anything.

What we want you to know as readers and advertisers, and as people who love us, is that this was not a difficult decision to make. I mentioned to you in a January column that our printing expenses had increased 120% in just a year’s time and 200% over five years. At some point, it became apparent there was a choice to be made between paper and people. I will always choose people. Always.

SBJ is happy to have returned to a local printer, Nowata Printing, which served us well from 2009 to 2016. Just like SBJ, Nowata takes great pride in its work and makes a tremendous effort to look the very best it can every time a product goes out the door. Nowata’s staff members are equally confident about who they are and the unique value proposition they bring.

Together, we will focus on quality, accuracy and timeliness. We will do it in a way that is most cost efficient and that best supports our mission. After all, that’s what you pay us for.

Along with this issue, we are also debuting some subtle design changes that will complement the new printing process. Editorial layouts are cleaner with surrounding white space. Special care is taken in the use of color and font. Photography lighting considerations are more important than before.

Likewise, our advertising design recommendations are changing. You will see some different font choices and less light type over dark backgrounds.

At the core, though, it’s still us. Now in the prime of our fifth decade in business, we know who we are and what you need us to do. Thank you for the trust you have placed in us to get it done.

Springfield Business Journal Publisher Jennifer Jackson can be reached at jjackson@sbj.net.

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