Online media is booming today, with major publishers shifting their primary business online. Also, the online business has created many new companies. But the desirability of print media is not fading away. People still like to read physical newspapers and magazines if the quality is up to the standard. Banking upon this ideology, Anointed News Journal has been a popular media company serving its consumers with printed newspapers. We had a conversation with CEO and Editor-in-Chief Chris Collins to have a look inside the Nation’s Premier Newspaper for Winners “Anointed News Journal.” Here are some valuable takeaways from the interview:

Why was Anointed News Journal started? Where does it stand today?

The Anointed News Journal (ANJ) is the nation’s premiere faith-based and professional newspaper for the winners. ANJ was started in 1995 to promote positive press on people’s interest stories. Real people doing extraordinary things can make a lot of difference in their community. ANJ prides itself on diversity and community partnerships. We provide information and resources that uplift and empower our readers. ANJ is independently owned and operated and not affiliated with any religious institution. Anointed comes from the hands that God blessed to learn this business, master it and teach it.

How do you help organizations accomplish their goals?

ANJ provides cost-effective advertising to small business owners and gives them maximum exposure that they may not be able to afford with mainstream media. Many of the advertisers have been featured in ANJ’s editorials. To our corporate clients, ANJ provides a strategic way for big businesses to connect with small businesses and directly connect with the grass-roots community. ANJ also provides cost-effective advertising to corporate businesses at $9.10 per column inch.

The readers of ANJ enjoy reading a physical newspaper with positive press. When reading ANJ, you might see yourself or for sure someone you know being featured in a positive light. Our readers are mainly progressive adults ranging from age 35 to 75. Our relationship with the educational institutions give us a younger readership who are also highlighted weekly in the publication.

What marketing strategies do you use to help companies achieve?

ANJ is a connector of people, including Federal, State, County, and local government. ANJ connects corporate, small business, nonprofits, faith-based and grass-roots organizations to each other. Although advertising sales are our primary source of income, ANJ prides itself on building good relationships. ANJ’s success comes from the many relationships it has on all levels. The company’s “Risk-Free Advertising” gives advertisers the comfort of knowing if they are not satisfied with the ad, the next ad is on us. ANJ has a weekly readership of 180,000 people in print and more via social media and the world wide web.

You have served for 27 years now. What ups and downs have you encountered in this journey?

As the editor of ANJ, I literally got my butt kicked for the first 15 years before turning the corner.  Staying true to the mission and vision that was divinely given, I maintained the confidence in knowing that our time would surely come as a leader in the media industry. As mainstream media continues to struggle, ANJ has grown more than 200% in our distribution, social media campaigns, and corporate business accounts. The secret of ANJ’s success is to stop selling and start building good relationships. As a result of the relationship, the sale will come and be long-term.

What is the firm’s mission, and how far has it been successful?

The mission of ANJ is to do our part in developing leadership by serving people. ANJ has played a vital role in helping to transition what was once the nation’s most dangerous city (Camden, NJ) into a city that now leads the State of New Jersey in crime reduction at an 80% drop across the board and a city that leads the nation in employment opportunities. ANJ has partnerships with all entities that are making a difference in Camden. Our partnerships with city, county, and state law enforcement agencies allow us to highlight our professional officers positively as they interact with the community.

Do you have any future plans for the company? If yes, then kindly feel comfortable sharing it with us.

Currently, ANJ serves as the voice and source of Camden, NJ, as well as the voice of the Philadelphia tri-state areas, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. ANJ has also been distributed in 28 states and 10 countries around the world. As CEO/Editor-in-chief, I am now ready to move away from the everyday grunt of the production side of the business and focus entirely on developing new business relationships. ANJ is a member of many Chambers of Commerce and serves in leadership capacities with each of them. I am now training my namesake and eldest son to oversee ANJ’s production side as the COO, Stephanie Moore, and I continue to develop new business relationships.

Newspapers are NOT becoming obsolete. Mainstream media continues to struggle because they feel it is necessary to raise advertising rates when revenue drops. As a result, they have priced themselves out of the market. Weekly publications such as ANJ is where you want to be. Corporate companies are not excited about daily advertising costs but can still afford to advertise weekly. Especially when given a buy 2 weeks, get 2 weeks free deal. As the owner of ANJ, I am able to accommodate any reasonable offer. Afterall, ANJ does business based on relationships.

Visit ANJ at www.anointedonline.net for more information.

Meet the CEO

Chris Collins is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Anointed News Journal. He is a native of Camden, NJ, and is a member of Camden’s business community. In 1995, he started what is known today as the nation’s premiere faith-based and professional weekly newspaper for winners, Anointed News Journal (ANJ), which covers 28 states and has been distributed in 10 countries. Anointed News Journal was voted #21 out of the top 100 small businesses in 2018 and voted #18 out of the top 100 small businesses in 2019. 

Chris Collins is a family man and have raised four children that are all Penn State University Alumni. He, too, is a member of the Penn State Alumni Association. He is a marketing and public relations professional and serves as a Board Member for several business Chamber of Commerce and Associations.

"Anointed Online is designed to provide the opportunity for people around the world to share their winning story."