Magazine Promotions: 10 Tips for Success

Your promotions program may be a major piece of your single copy sales budget. Therefore, it is vital that you spend your promotions money properly in order to grow your sales dependably and thoroughly. A lot of publishers spend their promotions money in a sort of scattered way and get to see the results. Here are some tips to make sure that you make the most out of your promotions money.

Promote Strong Issues.
Sometimes it is tempting to use your promotions money to bolster an issue that is either seasonally or editorially weak on its own. It's wiser, however, to pick your stronger issues for promotion. The additional sales will be that much more on an incremental basis, and they will lend you a momentum that will very likely give your weaker issues a boost as well. Otherwise, using your promotions money on your weaker issues simply does not give you as large a percentage growth in sales, nor does it provide any momentum for the following issues.
Promote in Strong Channels.
It also does not make sense to try to bolster a weak channel using your promotions money. Allow that money for the channels that already seem to have potential, and make them even stronger.
Promote at Point of Sale.
There are plenty of ways to promote - on radio, in posters, through bundle stuffers or retailer newsletters - but nothing gives as much impact, or is as good a use of money, as promotion at point of sale. Selling magazines at retail is still a business that relies on impulse, and the buyer makes the decision at the point of sale. While if a potential customer sees your magazine mentioned somewhere else that may provide an additional impetus to buy it-and of course, please use all the PR and publicity you can get to have your latest issue mentioned as many places as possible-if the shopper does not find your publication at point of sale, the purchase cannot be made.
Leverage Promotion at Every Point in the Distribution Channel.
If you have a promotions program of any noteworthy size is coming up-whether it involves cash wraps or floor displays, media coverage or partnerships at the retail level-be certain that your distributors, wholesalers, and retailers all know it. The knowledge that you are supporting your product with promotions money will encourage them, and if the promotions program merits they may well offer you additional help in the form of distribution increases, notification to their merchandisers, or reference in a trade newsletter.
Promote Local Content.
If you are planning an article about dude ranching around San Antonio or an exclusive talk about children's education in Minneapolis, be certain to alert the local wholesaler. Place a starburst sticker on the front to help increase the sales. Also let the big book chains know-they will likely wish to distribute more for the issue.
Front Load Promotions for a Launch.
Spending your promotions money right off the bat gives you the advantage of the acquired distribution for all later issues. Why wait?
Promote Specifically for Desired Ends.
Spend promotions money to unlock new channels of distribution, to offset the loss of outlets in significant chains, to boost distribution for an important special issue. Identify your reason for promoting and you can be surer of accomplishing your goal.
Analyze Promotions Results.
Put your sales data in a spreadsheet and observe the sales before the promotion, the sales of the promoted issue, and the sales that came after. Calculate the cost of the promotion, the cost per copy sold, the percent growth in draw, sale, and number of outlets, and the amount of that distribution and sale you were able to uphold following the promoted issue. Amortize your costs over the issues affected and you may see that promotions come out even more often than you expected. Incorporate subscription acquisition and contribution to rate base as factors and you might well find you end up ahead.
Plan and Book Early.
August of the preceding year is the moment to prepare your promotions approach and start your bookings for the coming year. If you leave it off long, you may find that the promotions you wanted the most end up being the least obtainable.
Add Value to Promoted Issues.
If you plan on including a special section or polybagged premium in any of your issues, that is an excellent issue to promote. The coupling of premium placement and added value can make for bulky sales leaps for your publication.