A survey of publishers and industry insiders reveals how best to identify and contact prospective advertisers.

By William Dunkerley

As we move into a new year, it's worth taking stock of where we are with a very essential job: prospecting for new advertisers.

The magazine ad business shares much of the same fluidity as the publishing field in general. Spawned by digital invention, emergent changes in consumer behavior have spurred continual reexamination by advertisers of whether, and where, they will spend their money.

Publications that have heavily relied upon a long-established cadre of advertisers may sooner or later find themselves behind the curve. Constant vigilance in looking for new prospects has never before been so important.

To take the pulse of publishers on this issue, we did an anecdotal survey of selected publishers and industry leaders. We asked, "What's the best way to identify prospective new advertisers, and what's the best way to make first contact?"

Here's the wisdom that our respondents shared:

Brad Glazer, publisher, Aftermarket International

"We've found the best way to prospect is as follows:

"(a) Look at competitive magazines. If they are advertising in them, then they believe in advertising so you are halfway home, so to speak. This applies to both print and digital.

"(b) Find and attend industry trade shows. I believe the best way to make first contact is to send a brief email, and use LinkedIn if you don't have their email addresses. Explain who you are and what you do and ask for a brief phone conversation or, if geographically feasible, ask for a 'fact-finding' meeting so you can learn more about each other. Once the fact finding process is complete you can move to a proposal stage."

Andy Thompson, publisher, Birdwatcher's Digest

"Probably the best way to prospect new leads is in competitor publications. A direct phone call to the individual or agency in charge is the best route in terms of effective contact."

Howard Rauch, president, Editorial Solutions, Inc.

"Trade shows are the best bet. For me, the face-to-face contact beats any other way of sizing up potential customers.

"We always tried to sponsor our own event beamed at exhibitors. A topic that usually drew a nice crowd was a review of opportunities for obtaining editorial coverage. The event usually was moderated by the publisher and editor-in-chief."

Stuart Miller, CEO, Federal Buyers Guide

"We find the best way of finding new potential advertisers is by looking for companies that are spending money in the market. Either print, Web, or trade show exhibits. This clearly indicates they will spend money to reach the audience.

"We like to make the first contacts through a series of personal emails. We usually send some attachments. Cold calling is just too difficult these days."

Anthony Bowe, digital content manager, The Shop

"Our magazine covers the automotive upgrade aftermarket with distribution going to 19,000 shop owners per month. Identifying advertisers is rather simple for our publication. Since we're in regular contact with readers, we are keen on the brands and companies that these shops do business with. Also, our relationships with the two-step distributor network keep us up to date on the product suppliers that are seeking advertising/marketing support."

Veronica Tovey, president and publisher, What's Up? Magazine

"First ask who is your prospect. We believe everyone is a prospective advertiser. Some are just easier targets. Some categories you have more experience with and can more assuredly claim success for getting results. Go after them first."

Kristian Nielsen, vice president, Submarine Telecoms Forum

"Our magazine services the very niche submarine fiber cable industry. New client acquisition has always been a challenge for us. We've found that going back to the basic tools of market research, targeted emailing and cold calls, has been the most effective means of expanding our advertiser base.

"Years ago, in an attempt to better quantify our market, we opened an analysis arm responsible for tracking businesses and the goings-on of our industry. By tracking long-term industry activity, we are now acutely aware of new businesses entering the market and, more importantly, when others are leaving it.

"Our best advice to fellow publishers, regardless of the industry, is to stay keenly aware of your surroundings, keep a close eye on emerging businesses, and always hear out the thought leaders of your industry."

And finally, to wrap up this topic, Veronica Tovey has left us with a famous quote that may come in handy with any prospect who is resistant to spending money on advertising:

"A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time." —Henry Ford

William Dunkerley is principal of William Dunkerley Publishing Consultants, www.publishinghelp.com.

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In the news: How did print magazines fare in 2016?

MagNet has released its official Q3 figures. Newsstand sales are down roughly 14 percent overall, with women's magazines and celebrity titles hardest hit in unit sales (19 percent and 18.3 percent). General interest magazines saw growth of roughly 8 percent. Cover prices are up, too. Writes Greg Dool of Foliomag.com: "Average cover price climbed to $5.76 in Q3 -- a 9.1 percent year-over-year hike -- yielding a still-dramatic but comparatively less-dire 8.8 percent drop in dollar sales."

The good news? According to the most recent audience data from GfK MRI, readership is up 1.7 percent over last year. Dool sums up the numbers thusly: "Even as producers and purveyors of print magazines may struggle to make ends meet, especially at retail, their readers don't appear to be going anywhere." Read his full write-up here.

Also Notable

What's Ahead for Print Media

Baird Davis of Foliomag.com pulled no punches in the headline to a December 19 article: "Analysis: Print Media's Moment of Reckoning." He discusses challenges at the newsstand, "non-revenue circulation sources," and a decline in digital circulation. Read the full analysis here.

AdAge's Magazines of the Year

AdAge.com has published its list of top magazines titles of the year. Honorees include AARP The Magazine, Bon Appétit, Popular Mechanics, and Southern Living. Top honors went to The New Yorker, which was named AdAge's Magazine of the Year. For the complete list of top titles, click here. Read the full write-up on The New Yorker here.

The End of Australian Magazine Audits?

Last week marked the end of the Audited Media Association of Australia. Erik Sass of Mediapost.com reports that the move comes as "all Australia's major magazine publishers have withdrawn" from the auditing association. He continues, "The publishers have justified these moves by arguing the AMAA's data isn't fully representative of their cross-platform reach." Read more about the shake-up here.

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In the news: Samir "Mr. Magazine" Husni shares his suggestions for magazine publishers in 2017.

Earlier this month, Mr. Magazine published his 2017 manifesto for magazine publishers. He advocates for "the type of journalism that goes beyond just providing content, but rather the kind that creates experiences with its dual audience: readers and advertisers." Moreover, he advises, "Magazine makers need to toot their own horns, announce to the masses at large that magazines and their many brand extensions are here to stay."

In his manifesto he advises publishers to, among other things, invest in print and paper, challenge myths, and recognize that magazines have a life cycle. Read his full manifesto here.

Also Notable

Is the Publisher Title Disappearing?

Last year, Time Inc. eliminated the "publisher" title in its magazine division. Now, according to MediaLifeMagazine.com, Condé Nast has done the same. According to Media Life, "The company instead has reorganized its management structure, naming a series of chief business officers and chief industry officers who will preside over seven ad categories." Read more here.

Another Restructure at Time Inc.

Two weeks ago, Time Inc.'s sales department was restructured, a move that brought hierarchy shakeups and layoffs and a heightened emphasis on data. A reported 30 people were laid off. Writes Becky Peterson of Foliomag.com, the restructure follows "a months-long effort to eliminate silos at the publisher in favor of cross-brand efforts in both sales and editorial." Read more here.

New AAM Digital Reporting Guidelines

Last week, the Alliance for Audited Media changed some of its digital reporting guidelines. According to Greg Dool of Foliomag.com, "Beginning this summer, magazines must be able to demonstrate "unique opens" of sponsored digital subscriptions and single-copy sales, not just deliveries." Read AAM's announcement here.

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