CIRCULATION: Crisis Creative: 10 Marketing Tips For Uncertain Times

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Nov, 2001 by Mark Everett Johnson

In a radically changed marketplace, circulators will have to rethink traditional pitches and trust their gut instincts when looking for new subscribers.

Add circulation copy and creative to the long list of things that changed on September 11. Even before the terror strikes, response rates had been declining. But now that rates are sure to be less stable, circulators must put aside the usual rules and be prepared to market on the fly. It takes months to scientifically test and roll out a new offer for a new era. In the meantime, you've got make tough decisions about what to mail now. None of us has experienced anything quite like this. The Gulf War a decade ago drew consumer attention away from traditional product pitches. But most Americans were mere spectators in that war--and that conflict was over in a matter of weeks. This siege is likely to go on much longer.

So here we are with a marketplace that looks and acts unlike any we've seen before. We are all feeling our way through this, so following your gut instincts and drawing on personal experience are the best ways to go. These ideas may help you make better decisions about copy, creative and offer:

1. GET TO THE POINT--FAST! Consumers don't want to linger over their mail; they want to dispose of it. Be direct and get to the offer quickly. Use simpler envelopes and fewer components. This could be the perfect time for the Professional Courtesy Offer.

2. REFOCUS YOUR CORE BENEFITS. Review the benefits and motivators in your control and ask yourself if they still make sense. Good motivators might be security, comfort, family, home, permanence and long-term value. Don't rely solely on the customary discounts, deadlines, and premiums. If you are marketing a health magazine, for example, focus on emotional well-being and less on physical health.

3. GET PERSONAL. Connect with your customers one-on-one. Make it clear that your mail comes from a real human being, not from a faceless institutional spokesperson. Use personal copy such as "I" and "you" in the same sentence. Be honest and believable. The president of the company or the editor in chief may be more effective letter- signers than the vice president of consumer marketing.

4. GRAB A RED PENCIL. Re-read your control for words that suggest images of war, bombs, planes, explosions, disasters and the like. Avoid words or phrases that might send a negative message or allow your prospect's mind to wander.

5. TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT YOUR PREMIUM. Is that mini-boom box still going to motivate? Or is this the time for an editorial premium that shows a side of your magazine that readers hadn't considered before?

6. CONSIDER A FREEMIUM. Fundraisers call them "love gifts." Enclose American flag stickers or address labels without making a big deal out of it in the copy.

7. BE CAREFUL WITH HARD OFFERS. Your prospect might not be able to pay right now.

8. BE CAREFUL WITH SOFT OFFERS. Your prospect might not be able to pay later. And there's the rub. You're going to have to dust off that crystal ball and make some seat-of the-pants decisions about billing and many other issues. Last year's test results won't necessarily hold up. If you do use a bill-me, take a fresh look at the tone of your billing series; maybe it's time for a friendlier approach. This could also be a great time for installment offers.

9. FOCUS ON RETENTION. It may be difficult to get new subscribers right now at any price. This is your ready-made opportunity to zero in on the subscribers you have. Tell them you value them. Offer them extra reasons to stay with you.

10. DO SOMETHING FOR AMERICA. Remember when the Postal Service used to use imprint slogans like "Buy U.S. Savings Bonds" when canceling live postage? Add a patriotic message to your copy. Or donate a portion of every sale to the American Red Cross or another recognized charity.

Mark Everett Johnson is a freelance copywriter.

ASK THE EXPERT

What low-cost/high-yield mechanisms can smaller publishers use to increase total paid circulation?--BENJAMIN SMITH,MARKETING PROMOTION MANAGER, ARTBYTE AND ART ON PAPER

Strategic marketing consultant Carole Mandel responds:

Assuming that you've maximized insert card, gift and Internet promotions, agents are your next opportunity. This circulation is less costly than direct mail. but also of less quality (poorer conversion rates). Still, for short-term growth, agents are a cost-effective source. As for which type to use, the agent arena has changed so much with zero and bonus remits that it's difficult to say.

But even if you have to pay an agent for orders, it's still probably going to cost less than direct mail. Look at how much you're losing per sub on your bottom-tier lists, then see what volume you can get from agents at various remits. Again, be aware that these orders won't renew the way direct mail orders do. Also, take advantage of new audit rules. There are now greater opportunities for combination sales and advertiser partnerships.