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Marketing Publications

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by StadiumJourney, May 2, 2012.

  1. StadiumJourney

    StadiumJourney New Member

    I wanted to get advice from this group about good experiences you have had with marketing of publications you have worked with/for. My company published our 4th magazine, and I really want to make sure that I am marketing it effectively (so we can actually sell some copies). Any advice or past experiences would be really appreciated. Here's the link for the publication in case you're interested- http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/380813
     
    StadiumJourney, May 2, 2012
    #1
  2. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    It would help if the stadium rankings were credible? How can you not put Tropicana at the bottom? You have PNC Park at No. 25.

    Here's a better list.

    http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/ranking-baseballs-best-ballparks/
     
    Stitch, May 2, 2012
    #2
  3. StadiumJourney

    StadiumJourney New Member

    Just because you don't agree with the rankings, I'm not sure why they wouldn't be considered credible. Anyways, it's not really the point of the post. I'm looking for marketing help/suggestions...
     
    StadiumJourney, May 2, 2012
    #3
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    PNC is No. 25?? Curious how this ranking was done, which also doesn't help answer your question. But when I see a park that is universally praised as one of the best in baseball - THE best in many cases - I can't help but ask.

    I've been to about all of them. If there are 24 better than PNC, I haven't been paying attention.
     
    Moderator1, May 2, 2012
    #4
  5. StadiumJourney

    StadiumJourney New Member

    If I was writing a list fro PaulSwaney.com, I would almost certainly have PNC Park as a Top 5, but this is a collective effort. Here's our rating scale/variables: The FANFARE scale is our metric device for rating each stadium experience. It covers the following:
    Food & Beverage
    Atmosphere
    Neighborhood
    Fans
    Access
    Return on Investment
    Extras
    Each area is rated from 0 to 5 stars with 5 being the best. The overall composite score is the "FANFARE Score".

    Anyways...I would love to find someone with some input to the original question. I love debating a list like this, but it seems that would be better done elsewhere...
     
    StadiumJourney, May 2, 2012
    #5
  6. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Even using those guidelines *** and I don't know shit about marketing, as evidenced by my very failed attempt to start a web site.
     
    Moderator1, May 2, 2012
    #6
  7. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    There are stadium blogs out there whose readers would likely be your target audience. See if you can work out ad swaps. I've found, though my experience working with a website covering a niche sport, is if good content is available free, why pay for it.
     
    Stitch, May 2, 2012
    #7
  8. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Without holding the publication in my hands, first question from that link is how much extra did you pay to go perfect bound on a 38-page publication, rather than saddle stitch it, and do you really benefit enough to make the cost worth it? Are you on some high-end or thick paper that is trying to make the thing feel like a book rather than a magazine?

    You can't print on the spine with that few pages, so you don't get that from going perfect. If it is meant to be something that sticks around forever, like an old National Geographic magazine, I get it, but flipping through, the design doesn't say high-end magazine the way it has to if you are going with thick coated paper and perfect bound on that few pages.

    I'd do way more with the design, either way. I'll be a bit harsh, but you need more white space on a few of the pages, better use of the photos, and a more professional looking layout job. Is that being done by a pro?

    The cover lines need work. You are not on the newsstand, I'll assume, so the purpose, I guess is to get people to buy copies from the website? I'd go with fewer lines and punch them up, if that is the case -- bolder typeface, bigger size and punchier words to draw people into buying. "7 Reasons Why Fenway Is the Best" is OK. But most people have no idea what Eamus Catuli means, and that cover line is just confusing. "Baseball & Beer" is blah. And "Trivia & More" is kind of worthless.

    Those are kind of first impressions.
     
    The Big Ragu, May 2, 2012
    #8
  9. StadiumJourney

    StadiumJourney New Member

    I appreciate that feedback. I pay $1 extra to go with the perfect bound over the saddle stitch. I just like the look of it better, and I don't have to produce it with a multiple of 4 pages. I'm pretty happy with the design overall, but think you make some good points about the headers we used. Good food for thought...
     
    StadiumJourney, May 2, 2012
    #9
  10. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I don't know what your print run is, and I realize you might not be getting any scale from your printer, but if you're doing this to make money, and not solely for fun, that buck is an awful lot.

    If you stitch, you can do two 16s and an 8 printed 2 up. It's going to be pretty economical 99 out of 100 times.

    Even if it saves you just a few grand on the year on whatever your print run is, that is money you can put toward photography or better design, which I am guessing would add more aesthetically than the spine. Just an opinion, though, from flipping through.
     
    The Big Ragu, May 2, 2012
    #10
  11. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Not too long ago, the last place stadium was listed as one of the best. My have things changed.
     
    Drip, May 2, 2012
    #11
  12. reformedhack

    reformedhack Well-Known Member

    A little bit of tough love? Ragu is right ... you've got to address the design and content issues before you worry about the marketing strategy. Its design is straight out of 1983 -- not easy to look at, let alone read.

    It might be acceptable as an industry publication if you're strictly marketing the content to, say, stadium managers without regard to the visual appeal, but, even then, it's going to be a challenge. If it's intended to be a consumer magazine -- if you're trying to reach sports fans with a "coffeetable" magazine -- it's not exactly something I'd put next to National Geographic, Vogue or Southern Living, et al.

    The design doesn't help your credibility, which is going to be your biggest obstacle to distribution. Even if you get your name out there, one look at the book is going to kill your sell-through rate.

    All of this is not intended to torpedo your aspirations ... it's just some thoughts after spending the past 11 years in the glossy magazine business. Design sells magazines. Content keeps readers coming back.
     
    reformedhack, May 3, 2012
    #12
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