Our Story
The Salesman is the best advertising value for reaching all of Jackson county, eastern Calhoun county, northern Lenawee county and parts of Hillsdale county. Reach nearly 54,000 homes in South Central Lower Michigan with all five editions of Salesman Publications.
Our latest audit report results show that 97.9% of households regularly receive The Salesman, 76.9% read it on a regular basis and 80.3% frequently purchase a product or service from ads seen in The Salesman. We print good news for the local communities in our coverage area and a calendar of events.
As daily newspapers’ circulation continues to free fall our readers look forward to receiving our paper each Sunday free of charge. Our editions are delivered by mail, carrier/home delivery and are also published online each week at www.salesmanpublications.com.
The Salesman has provided a weekly guide to the Jackson area for more than 64 years.
In 1948 Russell Dean and his daughter Donna Everett began the Concord Salesman at the suggestion of Rollin Davis who owned the Morning Star shopper in Albion. After having success in western Jackson County, Rus and his wife Hilda began the Litchfield Salesman which was later sold and is presently operating as the Tip-Off.
In 1956 they saw a need for a similar shopping guide in the Irish Hills area and the Heart O’ Lakes edition of The Salesman was born. The Salesman has provided weekly advertising and community information for the businesses and readers in the area ever since.
When Rus retired, Donna continued the Western and Heart O’ Lakes editions along with the Eastern edition she owned with her husband Bob.
After Donna’s retirement in 1984, her daughter Bettie Watson took over the business and soon expanded again with the Central edition, making countywide advertising available to the businesses that The Salesman served.
A few years later the opportunity arose to purchase the Morning Star, the Albion shopper that the original Concord Salesman was modeled after.
After 64 years in business, The Salesman is still owned and operated by the same family, including Bettie, her children Ken Watson, Kathryn Palon and Kara DeChalk; and Ken’s daughters Kristie Watson and Karie Watson.
