by Richard H Henley, Industrial Marketing Consultant
There are over 17,000 periodic publications (magazines, newspapers and news letters) published in the USA & Canada. The great majority of these periodicals are not your general interest (family fare) magazines like PEOPLE or READERS DIGEST, nor are they your local daily newspaper. The vast bulk of these publications are dedicated to the special interest and informational needs of specific trades or professions. The general public has no idea of the scope (approximately 9-10,000 titles) of the trade press industry. Most people are not aware it exists though they may read one or more such publications devoted to their occupation or workplace. If they don’t receive any trade magazines personally, they may see them when browsing through "Barber Shop Owner," while waiting for a haircut. Around the trade press industry we joke that there are not only magazines available for hog farmers but probably a book (or two or three) for folks who only raise red spotted hogs!
Who pays for these publications?
Trade publications and professional journals are the principal means by which specialists keep up with what is happening in their industry - what new equipment is available - what is the current state of the art? Most of these publications are free to a controlled circulation. The circulation is periodically audited to demonstrate readership numbers and verify the true buying influence of that readership. Most trade periodicals are supported by paid space advertising. Audit figures are essential to advertising industry media analysts and buyers. A few publications within the trade press world are actually member periodicals of a particular trade/professional association and a member's dues include a subscription fee. Finally there are a few that sell subscriptions like general consumer magazines (the ones you will see at your corner newsstand).
Who reads them?
Trade publications vary in focus from those that target a very narrow professional segment or even a sub-heading within a profession (ex. Electrophysiologists --- the editorial is likely very scholarly and the products advertised might only be pacemakers, EKG machines, etc.) to those geared to a wider cross-section (ex. Doctor’s Equipment News --- the editorial is likely more para-professional and the products could vary widely in application from disinfectant soap and throw-away syringes to waiting room furniture and lamps.
How many people read the various trade and professional journals?
Generally the narrower the focus and the more sophisticated the content - the smaller the circulation. A circulation of 200,000 is very large for an industrial trade magazine and 25,000 - 100,000 is more common for the broader scope, general industrial types with 2,500 - 25,000 a good norm for narrow focus professional journals. Depending on the product to be promoted or the editorial information one desires to place in the right hands - we should not judge the effectiveness or "fit" of a publication solely by its size.
What do you think of annual directories?
Not much. Let me explain. Given a choice between the same size advertisement placed in any good trade magazine’s regular monthly issue and the same investment in their annual directory - we will say no contest. Spend your money on advertising in the monthly issues. The monthly magazines are more frequently read (browsed or scanned) hard and then thrown away. Our experience indicates they are more frequently read than simply being cast aside. Our experience with annual issues/directories has not been as good. We feel they are more frequently stuck on a shelf for a year and then thrown away when they are replaced.
Copyright 2006 - Richard H Henley---- http://aimarket.com/pubpack.htm
