Where's my target audience?

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Dec 15, 2001

When launching a new magazine or spin-off, the first, most important and probably most underrated step is to identify clearly the title's audience, said Dianne Jacob, marketing and editorial strategist for New Leaf Communications. Jacob conducted a seminar on this topic, "How to Find the Right Audience for Your New Publication," at the Folio: Show in October. "The more closely you can define the reader, the better it is for advertisers," she explained. "They have very specific demographics themselves, and need to know you can deliver the audience they want." Assemble a list of demographics and psychographics, said Jacob, then decide on and prioritize one to three types of readers. Do not target more than three, or editorial will suffer.

Once that important reader profile has materialized, said Jacob, a publisher must go out and find his title's audience. (For these tips, Jacob consulted friend and colleague Gail Egbert, former vice president at Upside.) Direct mail is a relatively successful way to find potential subscribers, but it can work even better when used creatively; for example, Upside included an issue with a direct mailing and saw response rates quadruple. Jacob also suggested distributing free copies to corporate waiting rooms, holding promotions in conjunction with advertising stores and Web sites, setting up focus groups, and creating buzz to attract new subscribers. And, she said, try creating a Web presence to flush out your audience. But be careful: A Web site must be interactive and contain lots of interesting links. If it doesn't offer anything new to the reader, it won't do any good.