The CHS Unpaid Volunteer Advertising Sales Kit

Last week, Hearst Corp. put out a call asking for people to sign up to be neighborhood bloggers on the SeattlePI.com web site. Unpaid, volunteer neighborhood bloggers.

SeattlePI.com is seeking a low investment way to get involved in this vital information flow of Seattle neighborhoods. I'd rather see the company work with existing sites like CHS. But they're not. So I'm going to ask for something even more audacious than for you to write and report on news for nothing. Please join the CHS, um, volunteer advertising sales team. It's an unpaid -- but highly rewarding -- role.

Here's your CHS Unpaid Volunteer Advertising Sales Kit. Print a copy or two or e-mail the PDF to your favorite Hill business owner. Tell them how important you think it is to support CHS. Let them know we're affordable and effective. Tell them CHS gets somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 people reading the site every month, depending on who is counting. Tell them CHS is your favorite way to take a break at work or spend a few minutes with on the bus or find out important breaking news like which new restaurant is opening up. Tell them sometimes you learn something about the place where you live and love. Sell CHS, neighbor.

• Capitol Hill's only 24x7x365 dedicated community news and information Web site
• Free events listings, business listings and classifieds
• Paid contributors
• Easy-to-use self-serve advertising system designed for small, local businesses

In return, CHS will offer ongoing training in loving CHS and supporting this venture as a business. The business side of the site continues to grow. Your direct support of about $1,700 in the recent CHS pledge drive helped give us a boost in the near-term. Connecting true local businesses with Capitol Hill is how this site will continue to grow in the long-term. Thanks for joining the team.