PROVIDENCE BUSINESS NEWS,
Providence, R.I.

The Providence Business News is a weekly business publication covering southern New England. The family owned paper is battling a large chain-owned local daily, The Providence Journal, for leadership in business coverage of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The paper also puts out a number of special sections — like an annual Book of Lists — and hosts award dinners and business expos. It is quite active in the local business community.

The process started when the owner decided he needed to update the paper's look and design, but the mission deepened as the project moved forward. First, we helped modify the redesign of the Providence Business News web site, which was being done by another firm, to bring the print and web brands into alignment and to make the site look a little newsier. After the print staff returned from a workshop where they heard a presentation by The Readership Institute, they were more anxious to change the content of the paper as well.

We felt busy business readers of PBN needed much better navigation and more short items to read. Headlines needed to be more complete and direct. The paper had great content, but we felt readers weren't seeing or understanding everything PBN had to offer. Our goal was to make the paper seem like it had more content — even if the number of stories didn't change - by helping readers find everything in the paper that pertained to them. With better headlining and labeling, readers had less chance of simply passing over a story without realizing what it was about.

To help readers find more in the paper, we added elements like story labeling, and a comprehensive page two "toolbox." The toolbox page includes a list of all companies featured in stories throughout the issue, a detailed index, a weekly executive poll, and phone numbers for the staff.

We also added e-mail addresses to reporters' bylines, hoping to help readers connect with the paper on issues they care about. And we created more layered headlines — adding decks and many more breakout boxes and pull quotes — to give readers numerous entry points.

CLICK TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER EXAMPLES