CREATIVITY
Launching new magazines to boost readership
CHALLENGE
With a prolonged lull in magazine ad sales for my publisher's existing line of home decorating magazines, I realized there was an opportunity to broaden the company's set of titles--and subscriber base. As Editorial Director for All American Publishing's four "how-to" magazines, serving a readership that was 85% female, I saw that we were not reaching male readers--and a significant volume of fresh advertisers.
SOLUTION
I researched the sports newsstand and tapped a niche for seasonal issues. To market the new publications, including Major League Baseball Preview and All-Pro Football Preview, I formed a four-part strategy. First, I retained distributors to promote our debut. I also utilized direct-mail programs to reach millions of subscribers. Next, I partnered with PR directors of MLB and NFL teams for content and game slides. Finally, I retained syndicated sports journalists.
SUCCESS
In two years of publishing eight sports specials, I boosted the company's reader base by nearly 50%, provided publishing options in four additional demographic markets, and expanded ad sales by more than two-dozen pages per publication.
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