Combing the classifieds for story ideas

This weekend, don’t just fling those classified advertising columns straight to the recycle bin.

Let them earn their keep by helping you generate fresh story ideas on just about any business beat. Half an hour perusing a single section should generate enough new fodder to keep you busy for two weeks. Monitored over time, with a red pen and a few stick-on notes, the waxing and waning of various categories will alert you to trends.

Think about it. The commerce that takes place through the classified section – and these days, online advertising like Craigslist – typically is off the radar screen if you’re accustomed to relying on publicists, SEC filings and corporate press releases.

Dog groomers, boat salesmen, escort services and people selling small storefront businesses seldom hire PR agents. But these transactions are the lifeblood of any community. When they thrive or slump, it’s news about the micro economy we all share – and often a launching pad for great storytelling.

Read the fine print – any interesting local mansions languishing on the market? Oddball businesses on the block? A plethora or dearth of toys like RVs, snowmobiles and watercraft? Measure the help-wanted signposts: which jobs seem to go begging? Are any new restaurants or retailers hiring? This often will be your first clue that they’re in the market. And of course, this time of year, you can get a jump on the seasonal job trends by monitoring merchant ads – or lack thereof.

Needless to say, the classifieds also are excellent sources of “real people” for business and personal finance stories. Where else can you find hiring managers, SUV-sellers, pet breeders and Realtors – complete with contact info – with a few turns of the page?

The same goes for the shoppers, coupon packs and other direct-advertising pieces that show up on your doorstep or through the mail slot. I’ve spotted new business trends in those coupons, from the proliferation of handyman services to the astonishing advent of pet-waste pickup franchises, just by reading my junk mail.

Promotions offered through local advertising also provide excellent clues to the local business climate. Two-for-one restaurant vouchers abound these days, as do discounts for hair styling, lawn treatments and kitchen remodeling. I’ve even noticed more dentists, chiropractors and optometrists – professionals whose work often isn’t covered by insurance – luring new patients through the coupon packs. There’s a health-care trend story for you.

Last, but not least, keep an eye out on community bulletin boards. Who’s advertising junkets to seniors at the fellowship center? Might make for a good charter tourism piece. Are babysitters and leaf-rakers vying for attention on the hardware store board?

Don’t laugh. Years ago, on impulse, I grabbed an eye-catching flier on the way out of the supermarket: A local private investigator was offering to send attractive decoys and record whether errant spouses took the bait. That little afterthought turned into a front-page feature that flashed across the wires for days, got the detective gigs on tabloid TV and may just have cemented my first job offer. You never know.

Come back to Your Daily Tipsheet each morning for advice on where to find sources, background and creative ways to make financial news and trends relevant to your audience.