Dear local business owner,

If you are advertising on Facebook, I'd like to ask that you reconsider your local marketing options, particularly at this time. Our local community needs to invest in each other in order to be strong and vibrant, and in many cases right now, simply to survive.

While there are several different local marketing options to choose from, and all may have their own unique advantages, I would like to ask that you explore marketing your business with The Durand Now Network of local news websites.

Here are some stats and key points of interest:

• More than a half million page views last year

• More than 32,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and PodBean

• More than 1,000 subscribers to The Email Express., our weekly email newspaper

• More than 1,900 podcast downloads in the past two weeks!

• Hyperlocal news and information on sites targeting Durand, Corunna, Owosso, Perry and Laingsburg

• Full color cube ads with links, normally priced starting at $40/mo. (most sites); larger sizes available

• Special sponsorships available

• In-podcast audio commercials starting at $100/mo

• An untold number of ways we could successfully partner

I know it's a tough ask for most businesses to even consider marketing at all right now, but if you are going to do it, please be aware of all your options and please consider carefully whether you might be able to spend the same amount of money and reach the same amount of people, but invest it locally and, in the process, be more connected to, and help build up, the local community.

We don't have paywalls. We don't have subscription fees. We truly exist simply to support our communities and our county. We have a number of longstanding partners that have allowed us to do this for nearly eight years. Now, I'm asking you to consider doing your part.

You can learn more at our website by clicking the "Advertise" button, or send an email to hello@shiawasseenews.com and I'll answer any questions that you have.

Many thanks for your support through the years!  Stay healthy!

Josh Strickland
Publisher