Our Hometown Blog

The following is a column that our friend and industry expert, Kevin Slimp, recently published for his audience of newspaper publishers highlighting his experience working with Our-Hometown, Inc. We’re excited to share his insight into our partnership below!

Most of you know me from my role as a newspaper consultant and “expert” over the past 30 years. You might be surprised to know that I’m also quite involved in the book industry, where my company represents and publishes books for more than 20 best-selling authors. We’ve published approximately 100 books over the past six years.

Today, I had an almost surreal experience as I somehow gathered 14 of our authors, who came from every corner of the U.S., together to sign books for readers at an international event in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As I look at the photo taken earlier today of our group, which has actually become more of a big family, I can’t help but wonder how I became associated with such a talented group of individuals. In retrospect, I realize that a lot of it has to do with making sure to deal with good people who are really smart. One bad author or one bad book could ruin our reputation, and my whole publishing company could come tumbling down.

In my years as a newspaper “expert,” I’ve had quite a few software, hardware, and other companies offer to pay me to promote their products or let them attach my name to their products. I never did because I never wanted anyone to think there was an ulterior motive to the information I provided or the products I recommended.

When Matt Larson, CEO of Our-Hometown, contacted me a couple of years ago about paying for his customers to attend my webinars, he came with no ulterior motive. He asked nothing of me but to allow his customers to attend, and I would bill him directly for their registration fees. There was no product endorsement attached or any other request from Matt. He just wanted to do something good for his customers.

Over time, I had several conversations with Matt and became a big fan of the services he provides his customers. Our-Hometown creates and hosts websites for a lot of newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. Publishers would often mention to me how lucky they were to find Our-Hometown. I would usually hear two things: They made having a top-quality website possible for a community newspaper, and the price was much less than what they had been paying before.

No one asked me to write this column, and no one is paying me to write it. I just appreciate the work Matt and his staff do for community newspapers – going far beyond what’s expected – because of their genuine care and concern for our industry.

I appreciate that Matt and Our-Hometown send so many folks to my webinars, but I appreciate even more that Matt takes such good care of so many of my newspaper friends.

Now you know what I know.

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