Love Custom Pub, Love Your Client

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Nov 1, 2003

Byline: JOHN B. CALDWELL

You don't have to look very far to see that custom publishing has grown exponentially in the past few years. It appeals to marketers who want to deliver messages that will stand out in an increasingly cluttered media mix.

Traditional publishers, in turn, see custom magazines as an expanding source of ancillary revenue, and they don't want to miss out - especially in a tight economy that has significantly cut their income from conventional advertising. Yet the greatest danger for these would-be custom publishers lies in thinking that custom magazines are just like their regular titles, and that great writing, design, and production values are the primary keys to success. Those elements are important, of course, but nothing is more crucial than developing a true partnership with your client or sponsor. Not doing so is the most common mistake made by consumer or trade magazine publishers seeking to cross over into custom publishing.

This vital consideration often slips through the cracks for two reasons: First, publishers don't truly understand that they don't own the magazine; the client does. Conventional magazine publishers aren't used to playing the game with somebody else's ball. In custom publishing, there's still the challenge of engaging the reader, but you need to do so in the context of meeting the sponsor's marketing objectives. The publication must therefore serve two masters, effectively blurring the lines between church and state.

Second, custom publishing is a service, not a product business. It's publishing in the support of marketing. The readers of conventional magazines - whether paid or controlled circulation - are self-selected: They desire a relationship with the magazine, whereas the custom publishing reader is generally a passive recipient. Thus the magazine is a tool to create or augment the reader's relationship with the sponsor.

What's missing isn't talent or smarts or good intentions, it's a corporate culture that is conducive to success in custom publishing. Fortunately, this can be remedied if the publisher will adapt. Here are the 10 steps every custom publisher should take to build a strong client partnership:

* Make a true commitment to service

Ultimately, the client is your boss, and your role is to help him succeed. So, make service the cornerstone of your custom publishing operations.

* Negotiate a good contract

The contract with your client outlines each party's rights and responsibilities, and a well-written agreement will leave nothing to question.

* Know your client's business

Learn what your client is promoting, and to whom. Your entire team must understand the client's objectives for the magazine.

* Teach your client about your business

A quick primer on magazine publishing - how many words fit on a page, why last-minute revisions can cause you to lose your press date - will help your client become a more responsive partner.

* Hold at least one face-to-face meeting

Despite the convenience of electronic communication, you and your client should get to know each other well, especially at the beginning of a project.

* Insist on a single client contact

You want only one person to act as the gatekeeper for materials, commentary, and approvals. If client reviews involve more than one person, structure it so that you get client feedback only after all internal discussions, when conflicting opinions have been resolved.

* Put the right person in charge

The project leader - generally an editor - will have most of the day-to-day contact with the client. Make sure it's someone with both people and professional skills.

* Focus on the big picture

Even if you and the client are in regular contact, schedule occasional formal reviews. This way urgent matters will not distract the client from deadlines and and important elements.

* Take your client to the press check

Watching your first issue come off the press can be exciting. Your client will leave with new respect for the mix of artistry and technology involved with putting ink on paper.

* Keep your promises

Be responsive, be on time, and be great. Your reward for being the company they have confidence in is often additional projects. Building that confidence is the leverage you need for growing an ongoing relationship.

John B. Caldwell is president of Caldwell Communications Advisors, a Boston-based custom publishing and consulting firm.