National ad sales for a regional magazine

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MagazineLaunch on April 27, 2009 at 3:02pm

I'm not sure how they work, honestly. K. Bell's more of a sales expert than myself, but I'll give you my two cents. 5,000 is definitely respectable for a starting magazine, but I think realistically for national ads you'd have to have a broader reach. Either that, or your audience has to be people with powerful spending habits that national's would be interested in. For the most part, a lot of nationals are trying to either reach a mass audience or a very specific audience - lower end products and services go for a mass approach, but higher end product and services like pricey cars and such want a narrower audience.

What market is your magazine targeting? Where are those 5,000 copies going? What national advertisers do you want to go in your magazine?

by amisuzuki on Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:29 pm (Pulled over from original http://www.magazinelaunch.com Forum)

Permalink Reply by MagazineLaunch on April 27, 2009 at 3:03pm

Q: Why are YOU unable to learn to contact the proper individuals and make millions over the next few years with your magazine?

Q: Why would you even think about letting such a great opportunity be handled totally by someone else in terms of sales?

There is huge problem with the reps because you are asking them to sell several publications other than just yours to justify your circulation. That is a great deal for you. You should keep looking for a great sales company that understands your Audience first. Go global if you have to.


I realize that we are small (a regional gardening publication with approx. 5000 households circulation), but I'm working on pulling together several other similar magazines into a network for national sales. Our combined readership will be around 50,000-75,000.



This is a nice money making opportunity right here. An already established publication that is "GOBBLING UP MARKET SHARE"....is now allowing national advertisers to reach its new and expanded distribution!

AHHHH.....a small little ol' regional gardening publication....THIS IS AN AWESOME IDEA. It just so happens that 100's of millions of "aging" humans learn to actually enjoy gardening later in life.....worldwide as well??!!

"Is a high-end, nationally distributed, highest quality, very photo-driven....gardening publication something that you would like to be apart of??!!"

The reps you are contacting are never even looking at YOUR AUDIENCE??!!!! They are simply looking at a number, CPM, subs,.....whatever. If you play that game....you will lose. What you have is a tremendous buying audience, with money to BURN on products ranging from health to insurance. From cars to crystal. Every pet product.

There are 1000's of retail products that would LOVE to reach your great gardening audience. Contact every decision maker for these products and DEMAND they lock down a space within your publication.


YES.....200,000 distribution is accurate.....especially for even a smaller firm. The set-up, pitch, and contacts must be worth the commission? What type of pay structure are you offering and see if anyone responds from this Forum?!!

by K. Bell on Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:29 pm (Pulled over from original http://www.magazinelaunch.com Forum)

Permalink Reply by MagazineLaunch on April 27, 2009 at 3:05pm

It's not that I'm UNABLE to contact national advertisers. My hands are plenty full with local advertising and circulation duties. Besides, it's often true that part of the sale is made through relationships and I'm perfectly willing to pay a 20% commission to a national rep who already has relationships with national advertisers and their agencies. In addition to that - I've done the heavy traveling routine earlier in life. Again - it's worth it to me to pay someone else to do it now.

My intent with the "network" is to try to come up with a way that makes it as easy as possible for the rep. One rate for the whole group, consistent ad sizes. One billing location - whatever it takes. You buy a full page ad (Or whatever) in the group and you don't have to worry about dealing with five different people or five different ads - although if an advertiser wishes to customize an ad for a particular region, they;re certainly welcome to.

You are right K. Bell. It is a very desirable group of readers we're reaching. Virtually all are homeowners. Most have a high amount of discretionary income. If there's a rep on the forum who is interested, we're looking at a 20% straight commission rate.

What market is your magazine targeting? Where are those 5,000 copies going? What national advertisers do you want to go in your magazine?



In our case, we're focusing on gardeners in West Michigan. So far, we have 1000 paid subscribers, we mail an additional 3000 to gardeners from the mailing lists of local garden centers to encourage them to subscribe, and the remaining 1000 are distributed through newsstand sales, local garden club events, and events at a major botanical garden in the area. The other publications that may become part of the network are primarily from the east coast and the Midwest. Still looking into west coast options.

In terms of national advertisers - just about anyone is fair game - as K. Bell hinted at, cars to crystals to banking to insurance to home improvement. The logical first efforts would probably be toward the makers of lawn and garden products and services - Toro, Honda, Stihl, Scott's, Tru-Greem Chemlawn, that sort of thing.

by DEK on Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:20 am (Pulled over from original http://www.magazinelaunch.com Forum)

Permalink Reply by MagazineLaunch on April 27, 2009 at 3:06pm

I suppose what I mean is can you prove your readers have high household incomes, are big buyers in a certain market, or something along those lines, you may have an easier time convincing someone to help you. The publications I work for are very established and have a fairly high circulation and they don't sell national, even though their market is capable of easily getting nationals. The reason? I asked the same question to them and its basically the same thing you said, they just don't have the sales staff who is either a) capable (time) or b) knowledgeable of how to contact nationals and really get their attention. When you're approaching an outside sales rep, think of it like this - they need to be sold on your magazine the same way an advertiser would. It's time for them and if there's a small return for them, it's not going to be worth it. So again, if your ad rates are high because the people you're connecting to are worth something, then they may be more willing to help sell you.

by amisuzuki on Fri Jun 23, 2006 8:56 am (Pulled over from original http://www.magazinelaunch.com Forum)

Permalink Reply by MagazineLaunch on April 27, 2009 at 3:07pm

DEK.......ONLY SELL YOUR PUBLICATION.....and read my posts.


Here's a small sample of MAJOR lawn and garden: (samples for training only). Remember....each one of these corporations has at least 6 complete wonderful idiots sitting around a desk somewhere who would buy this audience and concept immediately from you. Go get them!!

Acorn Products, Inc.
Agri-Fab, Inc.
Alba plc
American Biophysics Corp.
Aquascape Designs, Inc.
ATT Holding Co.
AXIA Incorporated
Bairnco Corporation
B&G Equipment Company
Bayer CropScience AG
The Black & Decker Corporation
Black & Decker Europe
Bondhus Corporation
Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC
BTD Manufacturing, Inc.
Cembre S.p.A.
Central Purchasing, Inc.
Champion Cutting Tool Corp.
Channellock, Inc.
Conrad Fafard, Inc.
Cooper Industries, Ltd.
Cooper Tools, Inc.
Coopérative Terrena
Danaher Corporation
DeVilbiss Air Power Company
Duo-Fast Corporation
Duron, Inc.
Echo, Incorporated
Edge Manufacturing, Inc.
Eklind Tool Company
AB Electrolux
Electrolux Home Products - North America
Emerson Electric Co.
Emerson Electric Co. (India) Private Ltd.
ERIKS group nv
Estwing Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Exmark Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Facom
Fastenal Company
Faultless Starch/Bon Ami Company
Felker Products Inc.
Fimalac s.a.
Fiskars Brands, Inc.
Fiskars Corporation
Great Neck Saw Manufacturers, Inc.
Harry & David Holdings, Inc.
Hilti Corp.
Hilti, Inc.
Hyde Manufacturing Company
IRWIN North America Power Tools & Accessories
Jiangsu Guotai International Group Co., Ltd.
Jore Corporation
Katy Industries, Inc.
Kidron Industrial Holdings Ltd
Klein Tools, Inc.
Koninklijke Reesink N. V.
K-Tool Corporation
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
LESCO, Inc.
Linzer Products Corp.
L.R. Nelson Corporation
The L.S. Starrett Company
M.A. Bruder & Sons, Inc.
Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.
Makita Corporation
Makita UK Limited
Makita U.S.A., Inc.
Matco Tools Corporation
Midwest Air Technologies, Inc.
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
Minuteman International, Inc.
MTD Products Inc.
National Manufacturing Co.
NCH Corporation
Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
Nu-Gro Canada Corp.
The Okonite Company
Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc.
P&F Industries, Inc.
Parker Hannifin Corporation
Professional Tool Manufacturing, LLC
Q.E.P. Co., Inc.
Ridgid, Inc.
Robert Bosch Corporation
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch, S.A. de C.V.
Robert Bosch Tool Corporation
Ryobi Limited
Schumacher Electric Corporation
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
SENCO Products, Inc.
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Shopsmith, Inc.
Shop-Vac Corporation
Sico Inc.
Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc.
Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Snap-on Incorporated
Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
Spear & Jackson, Inc.

by K. Bell on Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:01 pm (Pulled over from original http://www.magazinelaunch.com Forum)

Permalink Reply by Mandee Widrick on December 15, 2009 at 8:17am

I have a question that is somewhat similar.

I am launching an equestrian magazine in March 2010. Do national companies consider advertising in smaller, regional magazines? Our initial print run will be anywhere from 2000-3000. I can sell the ad space myself, but I want to know if it's worth contacting national companies right now or if I should wait until my circulation increases.