Tailored Premiums Producing Big Sub Lifts On Web For National Geographic

Circulation Management, Nov, 2000

Many magazines have improved their direct mail performance by offering premiums tailored to readers' special interests. So why not use this approach on the Web? That was National Geographic's reasoning when the magazine recently started offering content-tailored premiums to visitors who click through to the online sub ordering area.

"We wanted to try something you would try with a classic direct mail campaign," says Kitty Colbert, VP and corporate director of circulation for the Society. "If someone reads the magazine's article about frogs on our site, then clicks through to subscribe, why not offer that person a premium geared toward that subject?" The premium in that instance: a set of three postcards featuring photos of frogs. Other subject-tailored premiums being offered include reprints of the magazine's photos, wall maps, binoculars and stuffed animals.

The reasoning seems to be sound. In fact, Colbert reports that gross Web orders jumped by 40 percent in the first three weeks after the test was launched, compared to orders received from the control offer (in which all prospects are offered a world map with paid order). In addition, the premiums seem to be attracting a younger group, she notes.

The magazine is sold on both the general National Geographic Society site and NG's own site (it can be purchased separately from an NGS membership, at $29 per year), but the tailored premiums are available only on the magazine's site. (Prospects clicking through to the magazine site from the Society's site to subscribe are still offered the world map.)