Schools were closed. The IGA was open early for seniors to shop. The Rotary’s wine festival was cancelled, the Peachtree development was still being promised – and remember those drive-by birthdays? March 2020, you were wild! And in the middle of it, I launched The Peachland Phoenix.
By the end of the day on March 15, 2020 I had 36 subscribers. I just counted and 22 of you are still with me! Today, 401 people receive The Phoenix newsletter, and just over 300 of you are paying subscribers. The fact that 80% of you open my weekly emails, and seeing that steady stream of logins, especially on a Wednesday after a long council meeting – it still makes me smile. I’m doing what I love because you take the time to log in and read. You believe in local news. Please know this business does not work without your support, feedback and story ideas. Period.
It’s been a full year now since I started offering advertising – and I’ll tell you, it’s been a big reason I’m able to continue. The Phoenix now has three regular advertisers (Johnston Meier Insurance, Lakeside Auto and The District of Peachland), and 18 different businesses, community groups and organizations have advertised on the website and email newsletter over the past year. I’ve been able to attract new clients – like the RDCO, BC Transit and Canadian Blood Services. And even in hard times, I have a few local community groups who will still place ads. It’s all appreciated.
So, here we go, Year 5! To celebrate, I’ve done a couple things subscribers have suggested: A new Opinion section at the bottom of the Home page, which is free access. And weekly polls! I’ll keep up with posting the results – the last one had tons of views on the site. And I’m working on a couple user-related improvements you’ll notice soon.
I’ll say it again – the number-one reason I’m growing is because YOU are telling others about The Phoenix! So please, keep doing that. And I’ll keep doing my best, juggling all the departments of this little news organization, grateful that in a struggling industry, small-town journalism is still possible. Thank you for four years, Peachland! (PS, I have more grey hairs than when this pic was taken four years ago 🙂
–Kristen
📸: Matthew Abrey
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