This is a help-wanted ad.
But first, let me boast a bit.
We started The Island Free Press on Sept. 5, 2007. There were three of us — Donna Barnett, Web master and graphic designer, Pam Stoffel, who handled advertising, and I was the editor and publisher.
In the last months of 2007, we were averaging about 1,000 readers a day.
In 2008, Pam left to devote full-time to her fledgling (and now very successful) business ? Shore Details. Evan Smock took over advertising in April, 2008. By then, we had about 1,500 readers a day and growing.
Last month, we had a total of 98,300 readers from 26,000 individual computer addresses. We averaged 3,170 readers a day during May. And on May 3, we had 6,000 visitors in one day. (Our highest one-day visitor total, by the way, was 12,000 during last November?s northeaster.)
There?s no doubt, we are the fastest growing newspaper in North Carolina.
Along the way, we have built a solid base of advertisers, whose support we appreciate (and need). Now, we need someone to make sure we keep those advertisers and help bring more into the fold.
That brings me to the help-wanted ad. Jordan Tomberlin, who replaced Evan Smock on Jan. 1, is leaving The Island Free Press to get her teaching certificate at East Carolina University.
We are looking for someone to take over sales.
This person must, first of all, know how to sell — and love to do it. He or she must also love the Outer Banks, the way Donna and I do, and know his or her way around. And this person must love this newspaper the way we do — and the way you do.
It?s as simple as that. We need a smart and hard-working and personable sales person to make sure that we continue to grow so we can keep you informed about everything that?s going on here on these islands we cherish.
If you?re interested, e-mail me your qualifications and a letter saying why you can do the job. Send your e-mail to editor@islandfreepress.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Here are some links to columns I have written in the past about The Island Free Press, its mission, and our devoted readers.
http://islandfreepress.org/Archives/2007.09.05-STBTheIslandFreePressIsHere.html
http://islandfreepress.org/Archives/2007.10.15-AProgressReportOnTheIslandFreePress.html
http://islandfreepress.org/2008Archives/09.05.2008-TheIslandFreePressCelebratesItsFirstAnniversary.html
I am an avid reader & I like to keep up with what is happening on Hatteras & Ocracoke. I live on Hatteras Island & I work on Ocracoke. There is no newspaper that is distributed to this area that has any info that would interest residents except Island Free Press. Our 1st local paper (The Coastland Times) does not print anything about the beach closures, their biggest interest is Court News(which should never be printed). They don?t worry about our livelihood, they just want to exploit people. My hats off to Island Free Press for printing excellent & informative info that people need to know. Keep up the good work, Irene! You are an asset to Hatteras island. Janice