For most of us, our lives have become too “busy.”

Many of us don’t even talk to one another much anymore, preferring instead to connect on Facebook, through texting or by e-mail.

We’re all busy. We’re all so busy that we don’t stop to smell the proverbial roses very often.

But we’re never too busy to get a little freaked out when something new appears in a place where we aren’t expecting it.

Over the last couple of weeks the fine line between what readers are accustomed to seeing each morning in their newspaper and what marketing professionals seek became a little sticky.

“Who put the sticker on the front of my newspaper? And why is it there?”

“It’s covering up the news.”

Those were a couple of comments our staff heard last week when a few readers called to complain about an appearance that has become more popular in recent weeks — advertising stickers on the front page.

The stickers, by the way, are easily removed, generally without harming the newsprint below.

Businesses want their marketing message to stick (literally) in your mind for a while so they’ve increasingly asked us to put their message on a shiny, colorful sticker and put it front and center on your newspaper each morning.

Marketing professionals realize that some readers are moving so fast that they want to make sure that you notice their message.

Obviously, they pay us to put their messages there, just like more traditional advertisers do when they purchase marketing space in the newspaper or online or when they pay us to include their sales circulars inside your newspaper.

That’s how we’re able to operate.

Newspapers are often accused of printing sensational articles to “sell more newspapers.”

And, while it’s true that we do, in fact, sell newspapers, it’s sort of a small piece of our business’ pie.

The rest of the pie comes from businesses who want to get their message in front of the more than three quarters of the community who report regularly reading the newspaper.

Those businesses range from Natchez Ford to Centennial Wireless, each of which has sought to become more noticed by way of a sticker.

While some people think of those messages as an interruption into their news reading, those marketing messages — and the dollars they bring — are vital parts of how we can continue bringing you the news from our community in a timely, cost-effective manner.

Increasingly, more and more marketers will continue to think of creative ways to get your attention.

And our staff will continue to balance helping those customers be innovative and connect with our readers who are their potential customers.

Sometimes that change can be a great thing. I saw this in action the other day as Julie and I sat down for dinner at Paisano’s Italian Grotto on Franklin Street.

We bumped into Jimmy and Dolly Smith who had purchased a gift certificate from Paisano’s last fall in our Biddit! online auction.

Both the Smiths and Paisano’s co-owner Patty Johnson reported being happy with the results of the Biddit! auction. By creating the auction last fall, we managed to connect them together, and it’s a win-win for both.

The same can be said for the stickers if we realize that the marketers care about you so much that they’re willing to go the extra mile to grab your attention.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.