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RSSRichard E. Brown combines his background in entrepreneurship and news media sales with a focus on storytelling to help align publishers with their advertising partners, donors, and more.
This week on Small Press, Big Ideas I interviewed Richard E. Brown, the Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Wisconsin Watch.
We talked about Richard’s career journey, his experiences in news media revenue, and his thoughts on the importance of storytelling and aligning advertisers with a news organization’s mission.
Richard had an unexpected entry into the local news business. He initially planned to pursue aeronautical engineering but was guided by his grandmother to stay local. He started an online greeting card business, which introduced him to the world of media. From there, he moved into sales roles at local newspapers, including the Omaha World-Herald and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
His early challenges in sales led to personal growth, and he began focusing on digital sales and news media revenue strategies. Eventually, Richard took on roles at LPi, USA Today, and the Daily Beast before landing his current position at Wisconsin Watch.
At Wisconsin Watch, Richard focuses on all aspects of growth, including partnerships, audience development, marketing operations, and revenue strategies.
One key topic of our conversation is the alignment of advertisers with a news organization’s mission. Richard explains that smaller news organizations should not shy away from seeking advertisers because of their size. Instead, they should focus on attracting advertisers who share their mission and serve the same community interests.
He advocates for using compelling narratives to create a deeper connection between the advertiser and the audience, making it a more meaningful partnership.
Richard also dives into his “70-20-10 decision model,” which he adapted from a learning theory. This model suggests that 70% of decisions are made emotionally, 20% rationally, and 10% through justifiable evidence.
He explains how this framework can help publishers create compelling pitches for advertisers, donors, or subscribers by tapping into the emotional aspects of a story, followed by the practical and justifiable benefits.
We also spoke about the importance of retention and churn management in subscription-based news models.
Richard emphasized that retention and churn are distinct and that news organizations should focus on maintaining a strong subscriber base by implementing effective communication strategies, especially during the onboarding and renewal phases.
In the final part of the conversation, Richard reflects on the power of storytelling in marketing and how it can transform the way local publishers engage with their audiences, advertisers, and donors.
By adopting a narrative-driven approach, news organizations can create deeper emotional connections with their communities and increase their impact.
Richard encourages local publishers to embrace their unique role in the media landscape and to continuously invest in their relationship with their audience. His passion for the industry and belief in its potential are evident throughout our conversation.
Please have a listen wherever you get your podcasts, or on the player above!