The Printing House Inc.

IDEAS FOR IMPROVING YOUR PUBLICATION 

We are always looking for new ideas to gain or maintain our competitive edge. We've asked many of our publishers how they stay on top. In this article we have collected some of their perils of wisdom. Check it out. You may find a little tidbit that you hadn't thought of yet.

Highlight a benefit: Promote the magazine itself with one page highlighting a reader service or response card, subscription promotion and perhaps a gift subscription campaign. 

Use the telephone on-hold message: If you use a telephone on-hold recording, use it to promote upcoming issues.

 

Holiday subscription special: Have a holiday subscription special that offers a small gift (candy, perhaps) and a gift card for the recipient and a discounted annual rate for the sender.

 

Illustrated calendar: Produce and insert an illustrated calendar for the upcoming year in the November issue. Tie-in with a readers’ photo contest. 

Using the inside back cover: Use the page facing the inside back cover for a consistent editorial topic or photo; some magazines use humor, some use it for a flashback theme, some use it for a full-page human interest photo.

 

Interact with Web site: Increase the interaction between your Web site and your print product. One should drive the viewer to the other. The Web site can have material that was not included in the print version. Consider using pop-up ads to promote subscriptions.

 

Define production workflow: Establish a detailed production workflow, including who is responsible for each step and what is done.

 

Readers’ board: Establish a readers’ advisory board and use it to test article and promotional ideas and to get critiques of issue content.

 

Work on coverlines: Spend plenty of time on coverlines; they must be strong and interest-grabbing, especially for newsstand distribution. Even for magazines not using newsstand distribution, coverlines are important. Don’t have too many or too lengthy. 

Test coverlines: One magazine tests possible covers (and coverlines) online and gets readers to vote for the one the coming issue. Covers are left up for about a week. 

Promote any awards: If the magazine has won any awards lately, make a big deal of them and use that fact to promote the magazine to staff, readers and advertisers.

Partner with a charitable organization: Some regional and community magazines have found a way to boost circulation by partnering with a charitable community nonprofit organization. This not only can boost circulation but improve goodwill and public relations. The idea is that if someone buys a subscription, the publisher will donate money to the local nonprofit. This can work especially well toward the winter holiday season. 

Consider an updatable charitable events annual calendar: Publish it in the magazine but also offer it on your Web site, continually updated throughout the year. 

Check several sources for freelancers: Finding freelance writers can be a challenge. Check for a local writers’ club in the community. Consider swapping freelancer lists with another publication. Use the Internet: About.com—freelance writers (several hundred sites); writerswrite.org; writing.org. 

Partner with a state agency: Partner with a state agency that wants to produce a consumer reference guide that can be produced in magazine format. 

Use readers’ opinion polls: Have an annual “best of” readers’ poll, publish the results and provide winning businesses with laminated ad boards. Offer readers a chance to win something of value from some of the advertisers. Consider having a separate section for children to select the “best of” for youth-oriented businesses and activities. 

Distribute special sections as stand alones: Consider distributing special sections as supplemental publications that are polybagged with the main publication. This works especially well for topics such as guides to summer camps, dining or menu guides, or visitors’ guides.

Use email for promotions: Develop a PDF format promotional piece for an upcoming major event (such as “Best of…”). Email it to the magazine’s email database a few weeks prior to the event.

 

Holiday special section: Plan a special section for November or December featuring local merchants. 

Separate publication for a targeted community: Consider doing a spin-off publication for a distinct section of the community, especially if there is a large retirement area. 

Create marketing events: Sponsor events that tie in magazine articles or survey. The “Best of…” awards can be a distinct event. A wine tasting article could tie in with a wine and cheese social or formal dinner. And use these events to promote interaction with the magazine. Hand out copies of the magazine at events but put a “win a free subscription” sticker somewhere in the magazine (even on a special advertiser’s page). Then have the event host ask people to find their winning sticker. 

Be sure art and editorial are talking: Get the art staff involved early in layout and design discussions with the editorial staff. 

Encourage photo contributions from readers: Have a camera contest for amateur photographers and publish the best submissions. Perhaps have adult and children’s divisions. 

Develop special circulation for supplements or special features: A home and garden supplement could have additional distribution to home shows, offices of contractors and architects, etc. The added targeted circulation has major appeal to advertisers. Likewise for supplements on business, schooling and healthcare. 

Consider spin-off community publications: A general readership community publication has many opportunities for spin-off publications, typically annual or semi-annual. Topics include newcomers guide, visitors guide, wedding guide, restaurant or menu guide, directory of healthcare resources, arts and entertainment guide, guide or directory to community participant sports, guide to home improvement and remodeling. 

Establish a standby ad sales list: Rather than keep ad sales open past the deadline, set up a standby list of late advertisers for no more than one week past the ad deadline. If space is available, advertisers will be included. But once the ad deadline is past, get the sales team focused on selling the next available issue rather than trying to squeeze “just one more ad” into the current issue.

 

Use your fax cover sheet to promote the magazine: Include the next issue’s ad deadlines, delivery date, awards won by the magazine, special upcoming features.

Sell part of your subscription card: If you use a stitched in or blow-in subscription card, consider printing it double and selling the other part. This can be especially attractive to organizations that have events that require advance reservations. This should offset the cost of the card.

 

Check your readership demographics: Do you really know who your readers are? Are you missing a significant market segment, such as seniors or young professionals? Know your readership so your content can be focused. 

Employee subscriptions: Is there a large local business that would like to offer subscriptions to all of its employees? Or its “employee of the month”?

Arrange for special distribution: to upscale homes, hotels and businesses. A private delivery service may be appropriate. 

Use back issues: by sending extra copies to waiting rooms at hospitals and clinics or to salons and barbershops. 

Short-term subscriptions: Provide complimentary short-term (3 issues) subscriptions to all new homeowners with homes above a certain value. Perhaps a developer will be willing to pay for these for its newly sold homes.

Promote subscriptions: In the fall, polybag an enveloped offering a gift subscription special: renew one subscription and get one (or two) free to give. 

Recognize your history: If the magazine will celebrate a significant anniversary (10, 25, etc.), plan a special issue, perhaps tied in with a community event.

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