Hi everyone, new member here. I am in the same boat as most of you. Going through the many steps needed to get a new publication off the ground. Along with the million other details that need to be planned, advertising sales is one of the most important. Since my background is primarily advertising sales based, thought I would answer one of the top questions that many of you launching physical publications might be thinking; "Do I need to have a hard copy version of my magazine to show potential advertisers, or, is an online digital edition enough to seal the deal and get the ad dollars in the door?" So, here goes...
In my honest opinion, I would STRONGLY suggest that any start-up publisher offer both - a hard copy edition (even if it's a mock-up/sample issue) AND an online digital edition. Why? Simple...
Sales is based in psychology. The plain fact is that there are many different type of buying personalities; analytical, emotional, etc. In the vein of not getting too technical, each potential advertiser has his/her own needs or reasons for wanting to see one or the other. Respect their wishes. They need to take in & filter the information in the way that suits them best. Aside from this, there are many other issues to take into consideration.
One of the many scenarios I've experienced over the years is the inability/disinterest of many in 40+ club to make any type of buying decision based on ANYTHING internet related - digital editions/media kits included. These individuals want a "real" publication on their desk. They want to see it, touch it, flip the pages, etc. One must also take into consideration the lack of internet skills of some in this set as well. If they have difficulty surfing the web for instance, will they really be comfortable perusing an online digital magazine? Furthermore, is it not asking too much from them to make a critical buying decision based on this activity? I say yes.
Another issue that pops up from time to time regarding digital editions is the legitimacy factor. I must have heard it thousands of times over the years; "I have no idea who you are. A website doesn't mean anything to me. I want to see something physical. Hold it in my hands. You could be anybody." The unspoken assumption is this: many potential advertisers want to make sure they aren't being duped or taken for a ride. Any scam artist or rip-off artist can put together a digital magazine and skip town with the loot they surmise. And they're correct. You could be calling them from a boiler room they think. It actually happens quite often. They want to check it out. Do their due diligence. In short, they need and want something physical - a hard copy. This is the analytical bunch.
There are MANY other reasons why a potential advertiser would want to see a physical copy of your mag, however, I think I covered a few of the more common ones. Now on to the good news...
Just as there are advertisers who ONLY want to make a buying decision after seeing a physical publication, there are an equal amount of decision makers who are not only comfortable, but, sometimes actually PREFER purchasing ad space based on digital editions/media kits. Admittedly, this is more common with the 40 and under set. At least that's been my experience anyways. This crowd is very internet savvy, doesn't like to waste time and tends to make more emotional based buying decisions. The great news here is that you can save a TON of money on sending physical samples, postage costs, etc. If you are speaking to the person who has the purchasing authority and have a quality, relevant product that fits their needs, this group normally acts rather quickly and will give a yea or nay based on the strength of your online information alone.
Another important reason why advertisers enjoy looking over digital editions is this...It gives them a good feel of your company's technical skills. The vast majority of physical publications nowadays also have an online edition that compliments their hard copy magazines. By sending or referring someone to your digital edition, you are clearly showing them that you are also internet focused. That your business is also trying to capture the millions of readers actively searching for magazine content 24/7 in cyberspace. This is a MAJOR bonus. It offers the advertiser another bigger market to showcase their goods or services to.
In closing, just remember this...
Buyers come in all shapes and sizes. No two are alike. They each have their own particular set of needs and/or wants. Having both a hard copy version of your magazine AND an online digital version will help you sell virtually any type of personality.
Finally, here's a little question I have in my sales presentation when speaking to a potential advertiser;
"In the sake of saving time (customer name), I can email you today our full media kit including a digital version of our magazine and rate sheets for you to look over, or, I can send you out a physical publication with the related materials sometime tomorrow. Which would you prefer (customer name)?"
I try and push them ever so slightly towards the online version, however, the full and ultimate choice is on them. This is important. Remember, you want their money. Whatever makes them most comfortable in deciding to hand it over to you is the end-game.
Just my two cents :)
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