For years people have asked me the same question: “How can I support ContraCosta.news without buying a big advertising package?”
Fair question.
Not every business has $500 or $1,000 sitting around every month for advertising, branding, influencer trends, or buying outreach. I get it. Running a small business isn’t easy. Every dollar matters.
And if I’m being completely honest, I hate selling.
I hate calling someone and saying, “You should advertise.”
I hate pitching packages.
I hate chasing people for ad dollars.
I hate it.
I’d rather spend my time covering the news than acting like a salesperson.
So instead of making everything about selling ads, I started thinking bigger and better value.
What if local businesses didn’t have to buy advertising?
What if they could simply become part of the ContraCosta.news ecosystem?
Not just buy an ad.
Actually become part of what I do every single day.
That’s where the ContraCosta.news Business Club comes in.
For $25 a month (or $300 annually), club members can submit events, promotions, grand openings, hiring announcements, ribbon cuttings, milestones, press releases, new products, anniversaries—whatever is happening in their business. They’ll receive a business directory listing, priority content opportunities, discounts on advertising, and another way to stay in front of thousands of readers throughout Contra Costa County.
Here’s what I’ve learned after more than 14 years of doing this:
- People don’t support businesses they’ve never heard of.
- Visibility matters.
- Consistency matters.
- Showing up matters.
The Business Club isn’t about selling ads.
It’s about giving local businesses an affordable way to stay visible without feeling like they have to buy a full-blown advertising campaign every month.
When local businesses succeed, the community succeeds.
More jobs.
More investment.
More people shopping local.
That’s good for everyone.
I’ve always believed ContraCosta.news should be more than a news website.
The local business community deserves a place to be seen, to share what’s happening, and to connect with customers.
That’s what this is.
Just the next step.
So if you’re a local business owner who wants to be part of something bigger than another Facebook post or an advertisement that disappears after a few days, I’d love to have you join me.
I’m building an ecosystem where local businesses help support local news, and local news helps grow local businesses.
Everybody wins.
Seems like a pretty good trade to me.
Mike Burkholder
Publisher of ContraCosta.news
burk@contracosta.news