The New York Times says that “while traditional publishing flounders, custom grows 10% a year. Why? For newspapers and corporations, a custom publication means a better bottom line. Marketers are increasingly starting publications of their own that look, feel and read like a typical magazine rather than a mere catalog of praise for their own products.”
But custom publishing is more than marketing, they can make money. Again, the Times: “A custom publication inherits an instant audience, allowing publishers to avoid high subscription-acquisition costs. The profits are instantaneous and sometimes significant.”
(And for newspapers, a custom publication can mean access to new audiences, specifically younger readers.)
For a corporation, a custom magazine has both marketing and business benefits:
• It positions the company as industry authority.
• It’s a brand differentiator.
• It’s a tool for customer retention.
• It’s a prospecting and marketing tool.
• It’s a potential new revenue stream.
The biggest mistake companies make is creating something that reads like a marketing piece. Garcia Media is not an ad agency or public relations firm. Our expertise is in developing editorial products that people will stop and read. Readers are savvy enough to when they’re being sold. Remember: A custom publication is not a brochure, it’s a magazine.