I just received an email from a magazine to which I do receive its e-newsletter — and it does provide many great nuggets that I frequently share with my online peeps.
The purpose of this email was to solicit me to advertise in the print magazine. Here was the selling pitch:
Reasons you should advertise in xxxxx magazine:
- Reach more than 1700 non-profit communications, social media, production, publications and membership professionals that keep the magazine at their fingertips.
- Target your niche audience: association/non-profit publishing and media professionals.
- Additional exposure: Your advertisement is part of the digital editions available online to members.
- xxxx delivers practical information and news about the industry, addresses current issues and technology, and keeps members abreast of new developments in association media and publishing management.
The truth is, if I WERE to spend money to advertise in any medium, it would be solely because I support the organization and feel very generous, NOT for any ROI the magazine perceives I might receive. Because truth be told, advertising in this or most other print magazines will net you zero return in 2012.
Instead, I take that money, invest it in time, and use the Internet to reach my niche audience DIRECTLY. Between Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so far I have amassed over 5,000 followers — engaged followers — not the kind you spam “follow me please” with Twitter bots. Thus my ROI on $0 has been sustaining my business for the past two years.
Yes, this publication is a valued resource and it does hit the inbox of many social media, communications, and publishing professionals. But, if I WERE to pay for advertising in any media, this would be one of the ones I would choose. Who knows. But to pay good money (which is usually four figures) to access 1,700 versus 5,000 for free? It’s kind of a no-brainer.
(Also…I really don’t know why the spacing between paragraphs won’t take in this post after the bullet points. If you have a suggestion, I’m all ears.)
