I posted a question yesterday on the ATC Facebook page asking whether people knew the magazine was uploaded to our website each month and was absolutely amazed at the responses. Most people said no. This news took me by surprise. I push All Things Country every day - online, through email, on Facebook, in person. And still, after all this time, we meet people who have never seen our magazine.
The last twenty-some years of my life have revolved around marketing and promotion. And I guess I'm finding out that I'm not very good at it. I certainly would think most people that have seen our magazine also knew it was available online. And advertisers, I always figured that was kind of a selling point to them placing an ad.
You know what they say about assuming something. Well, I've done it to myself! And it's not been pretty.....
I guess I need to explain a few things about All Things Country Magazine:
• We publish 12 editions each year. That means we only bother you for an ad 12 times a year. Or once if you take a 12 month deal!
• Our magazine is full color, printed on glossy stock. It averages between 32 and 40 pages each month, although January and February are sometimes only 24 pages.
• We print on Monday of the first full week of each month. Delivery begins two days later and we distribute 10,000 copies the first two days. We save back 1,000 copies to re-stock later in the month. 1,000 copies are used for subscriptions and mailing out with Rate Cards.
• Yes, we have subscriptions! Sure, we know it's a free magazine, but if you'd like to receive it in your mailbox each month, we can accommodate you. The cost is $27.00 per year and we currently mail out subscriptions to 21 states.
• I have no staff. It's just me! My husband will pick up ads for me, but he's a busy person so I'm trying to ask him less and less. Of course, delivery wouldn't be nearly as quick without his help also.
• We have no legal advertising, which is what helps out your local paper each month. We have nothing to fall back on. The size of each magazine is dependent upon how many ads we sell. Thankfully we have several advertisers that never miss a month, so without them we would really be sunk during these lean months.
• Delivery includes businesses and advertisers in approximately 20 counties of Kentucky. We leave them along I-75 from Jellico, Tennessee north to the Ohio border. We also leave them at businesses along I-64 from Lexington to Olive Hill, Kentucky.
• Coming back to your business 6 times in two weeks and then you stating that you think you'll pass doesn't make us a dime of money. With the price of gas, coming back to your business 6 times costs about what the ad you might have taken costs.
• Every edition of All Things Country Magazine from 2009 to the current one is available to download at our website, www.allthingscountryky.com. The only edition you will find missing is the edition when our computer was hit by lightning, so it wasn't available to upload.
• I design 95% of the ads that are included in the book each month. I lay out the pages and I stress out while it's at the printers. I hate mistakes!! And when I make a mistake it's pretty public!
• We have the best readers there are!
So, there ya have it. Did I answer any questions you might have?
Have an awesome Wednesday everyone! And if you feel the need to take out an ad now or in the future, it would be greatly appreciated.......
Blessings to you .... Pam
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