Publishers of print magazines are facing hard times. The decline in retail sales continues around the world - and the COVID 19 crisis has exacerbated this trend. The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) estimates that readership in the UK fell by around 30% during the crisis. But that does not mean that print is no longer sustainable. You can change the way you reach your readers with a certain method: touchpoint marketing.
A touchpoint is any point of interaction with a (potential) customer during their customer journey. Applied to publishing, this means that you place free issues of your magazine or publication in specific locations to reach your target group or readership. By placing your publication exactly where your readers are located - and in an environment where they are most likely to have time and interest in reading the publication - you get much closer to your readers and potential customers.
While Touchpoint Marketing offers obvious benefits to publishers, there are some common mistakes you should avoid.
Here are our top tips to get the most out of your Touchpoint Marketing:
Quality beats quantity
It may be old hat - but in touchpoint marketing, quality is always more important than quantity. Many magazines believe that the greatest perception is based on print placement alone. That's why they rely on large print runs distributed through multiple touchpoints.
If you have a large and rather unspecific readership, this strategy can be successful. However, most publishers will find that it is more effective to rely on just a few selected touchpoints. For example, they would not necessarily want to display their luxury lifestyle magazine in hundreds of budget hotels around the world. Instead, placing it in a few top hotels and luxury resorts promises a far better chance of reaching new readers and customers.
Think carefully about who your readers are, where they are likely to be and where they are most likely to have the time to read your publication - this is where you come in.
Juggle your numbers carefully
As the last point has shown, less is sometimes more - especially when it comes to the number of issues you want to place at the touchpoints. That can be a fine line; too many copies could saturate the touchpoint and ruin all the benefits you'd hoped for because of the high cost. But if you don't spend enough, you may lose potential customers. To overcome this problem, thorough research into the potential touchpoint is required. Consider things like the frequency of customers passing through the touchpoint, the average time people spend there and the space your publication takes up.
Record and evaluate your costs
Using your magazine or corporate publication also as an unlimited marketing tool can have clear advantages. You avoid the additional fixed costs associated with printing additional advertising material - and the initial investment does not cost much more than the regular print run. Nevertheless, there are a number of other factors to consider. How many copies do you need? Where exactly do these copies have to go? How expensive will it be to supply Touchpoints? And, if the magazine also functions as an unrestricted marketing tool: On which paper should you have it printed? All these factors affect the price, so it is important to weigh up the costs and benefits.
Work with a trusted distribution partner
As we can see, Touchpoint Marketing brings with it hurdles that can prove tricky for publishers to overcome - at least without a reliable partner. Be it because you lack the time or resources for thorough research. Or you may be worried about not having enough contacts or a logistical network to get your publication exactly where you want it. Bringing in a touchpoint marketing expert like Asendia can solve these problems in the long run.
Our Touchpoint Marketing Services can help you develop the right strategy for your publication, distribute it globally and place it exactly where your target audience is.
Find out more about how you can use Touchpoint marketing to your advantage and what services Asendia can offer you. Talk to our experts today or watch the video above where Asendia experts from around the world provide insights and tips on content distribution and brand management.
