I’d like to ask you for two small favors. But, first, let me provide some relevant background about the publishing business. Except for a notable few, publications do not live by revenue from subscriptions. The money is in the advertising.
Many charge readers anyway, though the price doesn’t nearly cover the cost of selling, and then servicing, each subscription. They do it to show advertisers that people are so devoted to the publication, they’ll pay to read it.
It’s an accepted business model, but when applied to specialty publishing, it has some weaknesses. Chief among them, from our perspective at SBN, is that it doesn’t manage the makeup of the readership. Under the paid subscription model, you develop a product and then see who shows up to read it.
At SBN, we work under the “controlled circulation” model, which essentially starts at the other end. We began with a desired readership-entrepreneurial business owners and high-level decision-makers-and then developed a product to serve them.
Several times a year, we pay an outrageous sum to an independent auditor, BPA International, to go over our circulation list and postal records in detail. That’s how we prove to advertisers that the magazine reaches this intended audience.
But how can we prove that the audience is paying attention? By collecting “direct requests” from people like you-signed documents, containing information specified by BPA, that say you have asked to receive the magazine.
We often obtain our direct requests through telemarketing-one of the methods approved by the auditor-and we have it down to a dull but reliable process: For every $1,000 we spend, we know precisely how many direct requests we’re going to get.
But this time, we’re trying something new; we’re asking that you respond in writing using a simple form, which appears on the inside of the magazine’s outside cover (in our jargon, it’s a cover wrap). The bean counters at HQ are shaking their heads right now; they would have preferred to do another round of telemarketing.
I, on the other hand, am excited at the chance to improve on this ordinary piece of business.
Which brings us to those two favors I want to ask:
First: Think about how you feel toward SBN. All things being equal, would you wish for our success? Or failure?
Second: If you feel any warmth toward the magazine, please take the few moments it will require to fill out the reader survey on the inside of the “cover wrap” and fax it back to the SBN circulation department at (888) 329-7261. We’re not offering any incentives. No trips to Europe, no free car. Just the chance to make it a little easier for us to go about our business-which is to help you improve your business.
The box labeled “Subscription renewal information” will be used for only one reason: to collect those important direct requests for our auditors.
The other information is used to help us better focus our content to serve your interests, and to help our advertisers fine-tune their messages-again to ultimately serve your needs. But if you resist such surveys, at least fill in the “Subscription renewal information” box and send it back before the end of September.
Thanks in advance.
Bob Rosenbaum can be reached at (216) 529-8584, or by e-mail at [email protected].
