The real truth is that four out of five adults in the USA read magazines and the average reader spends 43 minutes reading each issue. People, including baby boomers, still enjoy reading physical magazines because there is something about seeing the colorful images, feeling the pages and engaging with the physical material that is much more intimate than viewing an online magazine.
In the Multi-Media Engagement Study recently conducted by Simmons, the findings said that magazines score much higher than television and Internet in both ad receptivity and trustworthiness. Not only that, but additional studies have proved that magazines rank number one above 15 other media methods when it comes to consumers being left with a positive impression of advertising.
The benefits of magazine advertising are numerous:
. Magazine ads get the most attention. Ads on the Internet can be easily overlooked, pop up windows can be closed without even looking at the ad, and banners can be ignored. TV commercials are often muted or used as a reason to leave the room. Newspapers are scanned so quickly that ads are lucky to be seen at all. But magazine ads are part of the experience of reading a magazine. People spend time with a magazine, engaging in not only the articles, but also the advertisements.
. Magazine ads demand credibility and trustworthiness. Magazines are perceived as being for the “big guys,” therefore the companies that have advertisements in them come across as being “bigger” and “better” than those who can’t afford to have ads in a magazine. Just by advertising in a magazine, you will instantly be seen as more credible and trustworthy. In doing so, when you advertise through other guerrilla marketing strategies, your name recognition will be stronger and the effectiveness of your efforts in all media forms will be increased.
. Readers actually value advertising content in magazines. While consumers often view advertising in other forms of media as an intrusion, magazine advertisements are actually expected and enjoyed. Reading a magazine is an experience for most people. It’s a favorite past time that they look forward to. The advertisements in a magazine serve to add to that experience by providing colorful and creative breaks in reading content that stimulate the senses in a more complete way.
. Magazine ads can be easily targeted. There is a magazine available for everyone and every niche. Magazine advertising is a way to speak to a large group of your target market. Find out what magazines your ideal clients read and you have a marketing weapon that will get you in front of more potential ideal clients. Guerrilla marketers always speak to prospects, not just browsers, so targeted magazine advertising is a prized weapon they keep in their arsenal.
. Magazine ads sell. Studies by Affinity Research show that more than half the readers of magazines act on the ads within the magazines. In addition, BIGresearch found that magazine advertising drives traffic to websites. Since magazines are such an engaging experience, they create a better suggestive statement in the readers’ minds, so they are more willing to want to buy what the ads are selling and do what the ads are asking, such as visiting a website.
. Magazine advertising return on investment is high. As we stated above, people are more willing and apt to buy from magazine ads then most other media; therefore the investment made for magazine advertising is not as large as it appears when you consider the return on investment.
. Magazines are kept and passed around. Advertising in a newspaper means your ad might be seen the day the newspaper comes out, but then it gets thrown out. Magazines, however, are often kept around for months, providing much more opportunity for your ad to be seen not only once, but numerous times. People often pass their magazines around to friends and family members. In addition, businesses often have magazines in their lobbies and waiting rooms, capturing the undivided attention of bored individuals waiting for appointments.
Types of Magazines
National magazines often have local sections for smaller businesses to advertise in. In these magazines, “local” usually refers to regional editions, such as “Northeast” or “Southwest,” which means your reach will still be pretty large, but the cost of advertising in the regional editions is much less than in the national editions. If your business is one that gets its clients from a much smaller area, the upside to this is that you will still reach your local area, plus you will be viewed in a new light by your local neighborhood due to the credibility factor that comes along with advertising in a national magazine.
These local ads in national magazines are perfect for businesses that have multiple locations in a given area, and they are very effective for specialty products. For example, it is not unheard of for people to travel considerable distances to find a missing component for one of their hobbies. Plus, these people often belong to groups where they share their interests in the hobby, so they will often spread the word around about your specialty shop.
Although it can be beneficial, for many small to mid size businesses, advertising in a national magazine can still be too much, but that doesn’t mean magazine advertising is out of the question for you. In this case, just choose magazines that are more niche-oriented or trade magazines. When searching for these publications, you want to look for magazines whose readership is your target market. In other words, the magazine doesn’t have to be about the product or service you provide. It just has to be read by people who are your target market.
If you want to advertise very locally, a good option is free magazines that are distributed at local stores and super markets. These publications are picked up and browsed through by many, and they are often highly specific in terms of their target market. If you find the right ones, you can be sure you will reach a large number of baby boomers within your target market.
When targeting baby boomers specifically, be sure to keep your ad centered on the things baby boomers care about, such as luxury, travel, convenience, dreams and goals, education, and the many other examples we have discussed throughout this book.
Leveraging Your Magazine Ads
Since guerrillas strive to work smart, they always find ways to leverage their marketing efforts. The great thing about magazine advertising is that you can run your ad only once in a large, national magazine, and then you can use reprints forever. Reprints can be hung in windows, displayed on the counter of your business, used as display pieces at tradeshows and used in direct mail campaigns and personal letters.
By running an ad in a highly recognized magazine, you can also add the following statement to your other advertising methods: “As seen in Forbes magazine.” That is a great amount of credibility that you are able to use over and over again, making your investment well worth it. In addition, you can say to a new prospect, “You probably saw our ad in Forbes magazine.” Whether they saw the ad or not, the high-level credibility will still be there.
Getting Informed Information For Placing Your Ads
When you find a magazine you want to advertise in, you will be able to locate the advertising contact information in the first few pages of the magazine. It should direct you to where you can get information on rates, demographics and deadlines, as well as how to request a media kit.
A media kit is a valuable tool that will usually provide you with the following:
. A sample magazine issue or a link to an online copy.
. A rate card. This will explain how the rates work according to different positioning in the magazine and any allowable discounts.
. Circulation information, including demographics of the readers and the number of readers the publication currently has.
. Advertising specifications, such as ad sizes, how to supply your files, etc.
Use the information you receive in the media kit to determine if the publication is a match for your target market and your budget. At a minimum, you want to find out:
1. The magazine’s circulation statistics.
2. The demographics and statistics of the readers.
3. The frequency of distribution.
4. The methods of distribution.
5. The advertising calendar, which lists the special sections and themes planned for the year.
Where to Find Listings of Magazines
A free and easy way to find magazines to advertise in is to visit: www.mediafinder.com and browse the site for the type of magazines you are looking for. In addition, new launches of magazines can be found at: www.magazine.org/launches.
For targeted magazines, it is sometimes best to perform your own Google search. Simply type in the niche you are looking to advertise in and then the plus symbol (+) and the word “magazines.” Here is an example: Pets + Magazines. This will allow you to search for the magazines you personally need.
For a more detailed review of each magazine, you can use the Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS), which provides a description of each magazine, as well as its editorial content, who the magazine is distributed to and a circulation breakdown. This information is not free online, however, but it will provide you with a wonderful resource. You can learn more at: http://next.srds.com/home. This information can also be found at your library by looking up the latest issue of Consumer Magazine and Agri-Media Rates and Data.
Negotiating the Best Rates & Positioning
Magazines have rate cards, but nothing is carved in stone. They need to fill their pages; therefore, they are often willing to negotiate. Here are some tips to help you reduce your advertising costs and get the best placement:
. Multiple Issue Discounts – You can almost always receive a lower price by advertising in several issues.
. Multiple Edition Discounts – Many local magazines have several different editions, each distributing to different locations. If your business is not based on local customers, you might consider advertising in several distribution editions to get a lower price and increase your visibility.
. Online Inclusion – Some publications provide a free inclusion in their online issue when you advertise in their hard copy issue, but some charge additional for that service. If they charge additional, you can often negotiate being added into the online issue at no extra cost.
. Positioning Negotiations – Generally the best positioning in a magazine is more costly than other less desirable positions, but you can often negotiate this down and sometimes get best positioning for the cost of a regular ad.
The best positioning is inside the front cover, on the back cover, or within the first few pages of the magazine. If you can’t get these locations, always ask for your ad to be placed within the first third section on a right-hand page. These areas are not considered special positioning, but they are the places most often read.
Remnant ad space – This becomes available when a publication sells an odd number of advertising pages, leaving one blank page. In this case, you can get valuable ad space for a fraction of its original price because the magazine needs to fill the spot quickly. This is a great way to advertise in the larger magazines that you normally can’t afford. Simply call the magazines you would like to get remnant space in and explain that you are definitely a candidate for any remnant space when it comes up so they will be able to call you when it is available.
Designing Your Ad
As with all forms of advertising, be sure that your ad will stand out and speak in a personal way to the readers of the magazines you choose. Your ad needs to be strong, bold, eye- catching and have a headline that speaks the key benefit consumers will receive from your product or service.
If you are spending the money to take part in magazine advertising, it is usually best to leave the design up to the professionals. Hire a graphic designer who specializes in magazine ads. A good way to find such a person is to post a classified ad on www.craigslist.org, specifying that you need someone who specializes in magazine ads. www.elance.com is another great place to find designers.
With a well-designed ad and a properly targeted magazine, this method will hit the target in your guerrilla marketing campaigns. You’ll set yourself far ahead of the vast number of businesses who don’t take this step in their marketing. When you see yourself with the big guys, you will be one of the big guys.
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