first issue advice

[the buzz]

we are on the process of producing a local trade directory magazine , and we need advice and what to send our potential customers in the way of a sample of how the new magazine will look.

this is what we came up with........

1 full mock up of the magazine with real adverts.
2 full mock up of the magazine with dummy adverts.
3 full mock up of the magazine with blank advertising spaces where they adverts would go.
4 a double side A4 leaflet , that will contain information such as sample adverts , sample advert sized and costs.

Has anyone ever produced a local magazine and if so what did you use as a sample for your first issue.???

thanks

Steve.

[OldWelshGuy]

Full size mock up with dummy ads hint: dummy the ads up to thesizes yuou want to sell adn NOT the smallest ads available. if you have small ads link 1/8 page, people will 'try that out' Better you give them a 1/4 page ad at the 1/8 rate than have lots of pithy small ads..

what is your experience in selling this sort of thing? I.E. do you have a Q&A for it, as you are going to be asked a lot of questions like

Is this the final quality (if it isn't then get your printer to provide an unrelated sample for quality purposes)

How many are you printing

How often are you printing

How are you distributing

Are there discounts available (give discounts for runs

Can I pick my spot? keep the ears, front and back page, plus page 3 at a premium, or sell them first to encourage. It will then be a good idea to write 'SOLD' across the ad spaces once you have sold a few, and bunch them up in the first few pages.

There are probably more things I could write, but that is off the top of my head, I need a shower, I just got back in from training the under 10's and under 8's (Rugby) and i stink like the devil.. Off out the garden now for the missus to hose me down before I am allowed into the bathroom

[the buzz]

Thank you for your reply and taking the time to answer my question:-)

I have run my own business in the past , but I have no experience when it comes to selling advertising space.

I do have the Q&A's in place.

The only problem Ido have is with the sample pack I hope to mail out to avertisers, I do think you are right when you suggest that I use a full mock up of my booklet , however it is not cost effective to produce them using my own printer as I need one cartridge to produce one booklet.:-(

Thanks again

steve

[OldWelshGuy]

Do NOT mail them, out it is the kiss of death

You need to call them and get a face to face meeting and show it to them. Honestly if you are hoping for reactive revenue in advertising sales you are NEVER going to make money. It is a hard world out there and face to face selling is the only way to make money.

[the buzz]

I was hoping to use telesales to generate custom and at the same time send prospects a copy of my media pack , as my main source of avertisers will be local tradesmen , most of whom work from home, and do not have business premises, would this not work???

Thanks again for your response:-)

[lakeview]

i would make sure that you send a mock up in high quality and maybe detailes of smaller parts of the magazine you may want more attention on.

[OldWelshGuy]

Mock ups are sales aids not salespeople, it could end up costing more to produce samples than produce the actual magazine.

In telesales a classic out is 'can you send me something' which roughly translated means get off the phone

[admagic]

Someting few advertisers realise is that right hand page ads sell better than left - yet I have never seen anyone charge a premium for RHS

[OldWelshGuy]

Someting few advertisers realise is that right hand page ads sell better than left - yet I have never seen anyone charge a premium for RHS

I made a huge post (thought it was this forum) where I covered just that. Corners of RH pages, ears on the front page as premium, front page, P3 (&5 if you are busy enough) plus back page, should all be sold at a premium.

[Indizine]

Id guess the reason they dont sell of parts of the page at a premium is so that there is that incentive for the early birds. I always used to bag RH side, full colour, or paqe dominant.