The Traders Guide, based in Western Pennsylvania, is the region’s premier classified advertising publication for vehicles, merchandise, businesses and services. A new issue of The Traders Guide is published on Wednesdays. Sue Shank, General Manager of The Traders Guide, answered Mediabids' questions. 

(MB) Five years from now what role will publications like yours serve? For example, some people predict a complete migration to the web for many types of publications, do you? 
(TG) Our area will be one of the last in the world to give up reading print. Our population is primarily over 55, and many of those are not interested in computer or online at all.

(MB) What sort of measures has your publication put in place to either conserve costs or boost revenue?
(TG) We have cut out unnessary purchases, use scrap paper for notepads, monitor closely all our normal expenses. Our revenues  continue to grow due the varied products we can offer our advertisers, including online affordable opportunities.

(MB) Looking forward to 2009, do you have any significant changes in store for the new year?
(TG) I intend to tighten up on the discipline.

(MB) What was your most successful advertising initiative in the past 12 months?
(TG) Honoring 911 victims.

(MB) Do you have tips for other publications about the best way to integrate print and web sales?
(TG) I think we're all experimenting to find what path our particular publications will be successful in. You just don't know till you try!

(MB) How does your publication hire and, even more important, retain top sales personnel?
(TG) Our outside sales team have 15-17 years each with our company. We grew this business together and we shared in the decisions we made along the way. Our inside sales department is younger, with younger people, and those with children to raise. It is important for them to earn decent money, and we provide a satisfactory wage that increases with each person's success. This has proven to  keep good people in our company.