A do-it-yourself, pas-de-deux, mash-up marketing strategy that borrows and combines best practices learned from the likes of Smithsonian, National Geographic, and Audubon magazines.
The secret to circulation management? It’s all in your point of view.
This idea works even better than I first imagined.
How to turn soaring gas prices and a sputtering economy into new subscribers.
Condé Nast, the man, “was noted for his innovative publishing theories and flair for nurturing readers and advertisers…one of the most powerful purveyors of popular culture.” He started a magazine empire later made legendary by brilliant, billionaire publisher S.I. Newhouse. Proving again the rich are different from you and me. Which brings us to the launch of Condé Nast Portfolio…
An ad campaign on behalf of junk mail … ah, circulation marketing … make that “audience development.”
PROOF BOOK
Idea: Suspense in copy is motivating. True? Answer inside…
Google: Grim reaper? Or savior of a dying industry? Let the fear, loathing and speculation begin.
Sniffing around for a new circulation idea? Smells like the New York Times is on to something …
What do you need to know to beat your control? The answers to this list of questions will provide a good start when working with outside creatives. Or—and especially—if you attempt to do it yourself.
Costs are up. Response is down. Circulation is falling. Lists are exhausted. Offers are fatigued. Rules are changing. Subscribers are wary. Has there ever been a better time for new ideas in circulation? Here are some things you can do now to survive the tough times so you can positively thrive when — if ever — the going gets good.
I’ve seen some bad ideas. Hell, I’ve been involved in some bad ideas. But if Lapham’s Quarterly lasts six months, it will give new meaning to “vanity publishing.”
…in a manner of speaking. If you substitute “publishing” for “Hollywood,” and “magazines” for “studios,” you’ll get the idea.
Do you like this award-winning cover? It was famous and infamous all at the same time. Raising contentious issues about what works best on newsstands. And who best to create — and control — the covers. I have some strong opinions of my own. But you make the call for yourself.
Initial post: What will the future of magazines look like? Something like Everywhere from the publishers of JPG. Click to see the launch and become part of the magazine — which is the essence of this new publishing model.
Update 1: Everywhere Magazine Suspends Publication. Too bad. But what’s more troubling is the Everywhere website — same as it ever was. Worse, it appears they are still taking orders. I hope it’s just a case of poor coordination and not a magazine trying to have it both ways. I wonder if Magazine Death Pool has heard about this.
Update 2: Ah, that’s better. Everywhere’s blog announces it has reached its final destination where the local time is midnight.
OPEN LETTER
The myth of subscription direct mail is it gets very little response. In fact, it gets 100% response. Readers either love it or hate it. Remember it or forget it. Open it or throw it away. And to a degree far greater than you might imagine, how customers respond to your marketing is controlled by you.
© 2007
Richard Riccelli, Inc.
All rights reserved.
