You’ve done it. You’re following your dreams, you’ve created this product and you are in business for your self following your passion. The rest should come easy right? You go to trade shows, you’ve made a name for yourself, and people are buying. And the rest is just happily ever after, right? No, probably not , even for many of the most seasoned veterans in any industry, it still takes some effort reminding your audience that you are there and giving them the opportunity to see and buy your product. When your product fills a specific need or is a luxury item , niche marketing can be a true challenge. Trying to reach an audience full of collectors and enthusiasts can present itself as a real headache even when your brand and product speak for themselves.
There are already magazines out there for nearly every interest and hobby, that cater directly to the demographic you are trying to reach, the rest seem like a sync. Even though you already know who you are trying to reach, and where you want your ad to go, there are still several things that you can do to improve its performance. Finding a publisher representative that works with you to gain the right positioning, branding and networking can make all the difference.
“ Even though I have attended hundreds of gun and knife shows over the past five decades, and have had my name in front of thousands of people who are interested in knives. Advertising at this point in my life is primarily letting people know that I am still actively making knives and what I have available for sale. This is done primarily thru my website. Custom knives, being a niche market, presents a problem selecting the proper approach to advertising. Tony and his team helped me design a stunning ad that landed on the back cover.” ( Ralph Turnbull , Custom Knife Maker)
Working with someone who understands exactly what elements can make you ad pop can be the difference in an ad that is someplace stuck in the back, or earning a more coveted spot. Niche marketing through magazine advertising offers a unique opportunity to reach almost any targeted audience.
“ Sure, sales are important, but I’m selling magazine ad in a digital economy,most of my publications are very niche,with a loyal readership, ( one sale) that’s not going to do anyone any good, this is about building a long term relationship with the client. I know the best way to get them the response they need to continue to place is to be in a prime spot , so I do my best to guide them through the ad creation process, even if they create their own copy. To actually book a back cover ( in Wild West), the gross cost is quite high, but, If they don’t have the back cover sold, the art director typically just chooses the most appealing ad. The more attractive the ad, the better placement we can receive.”
Even though digital advertising is a really popular topic we are now realizing that printed display ads have a lot of advantages. Readers tend to look at the ads much longer and magazines have a much longer shelf life than a “ click” In terms of creating a eye catching ad Tony’s recommendations are actually pretty common sense.
“Think outside the box. Don’t go with the ordinary, plain jane ad copy. Use lively colors and creative designs. Create an ad that makes a lasting impression.One of my long time clients is a part-time author. He started out booking small ads, and we slowly graduated to a full page. He gave me an idea he had for a FP and we ran with it, and put bullet holes on it to make it look like an old wanted poster. Book sales skyrocketed once ad released and we even received back cover. He told me afterwards we brought tears to his eyes”