Media companies should open coffee shops
I floated this idea to my friend Tom a while ago in regards to a new venture he is involved with called E-Me Ventures, a cool innovative and disruptive technology company.
I told Tom part of his endeavor, which will take place in Iowa City, Iowa, should include opening a coffee shop.
The idea was reaffirmed again this morning when I read Steve Outing’s post at GrowingYourNewWebsite.com. He says credit for the idea actual goes to a media consultant with Belden Associates.
The idea is to bring people to you. Coffee shops attract smart, trendy, cultural, web-savvy, creative people, in general, or exactly the type of people media company’s need to tap into in order to grow.
Editors and writers could simply wander in and talk to the public! Imagine! The space could be used some evenings for invitation-only focus groups! Imagine! Circulation people could walk in and talk to people about their use of the paper! The Publisher could talk to people who read the paper! … And remember the coffee at nearly all newspapers except the big ones is REALLY terrible!
I’ve been working with media start-ups, helping them flesh out the plan for what a participatory media company would look like — and I’m sad to say that it never crossed my mind to add a physical component to the mix as well.
I’ve interviewed groups that have successfully integrated citizen media with reporter/editor media — and none of them mentioned that as well.
I don’t know how well a public face would look — it’s still localized and may keep people in outlying areas from coming — but it’s sure a heckuva good way to start…particularly if you do it from the ground up.
Nice post.
Now I’m just hoping it wasn’t tongue in cheek
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