So, just what do you do when a magazine company....

So what do you do when a magazine company (not GRM or CM) repeatedly sends you a "This is your last issue of" issue. So far I just keep reading them. But this must be the third time I have received a "last issue"...

If you don't want to renew, just wait for them to quit sending them to you. A lot of magazines will mail overrun issues to people who have recently lapsed, after all their regular subscriptions have been filled.

I wouldn't know. GRM is my only subscription and I think I have over 10 years left.

I ignore all that stuff. When I finally realize I'm not getting a magazine I ask myself why it was that I hadn't noticed for so long... it's usually a good indicator that I don't need to renew.

I no longer subscribe to any paper publications.

Most appear to be nothing more than a vehicle to deliver marketing materials and showcase paying vendors. They don't have my interests at heart.

Publishers are focused on maintaining circulation numbers as paying vendors are intent on reaching as many eyeballs as possible and paying vendors are where the bread and butter of that industry reside. Subscription fees are a very small part of that business model.

Re-subscription offers seem to start 11 months before your annual subscription lapses.

I used to only subscribe to 2 magazines, this one and VICE......but I recently let VICE lapse. Always had some well-researched, in-depth articles but I found I couldn't/wouldn't take the time to read them.

noddaz wrote: So what do you do when a magazine company (not GRM or CM) repeatedly sends you a "This is your last issue of" issue. So far I just keep reading them. But this must be the third time I have received a "last issue"...

Just keep reading them. I got about 3 or 4 free GRM issues that way.

If its a magazine I really want, I've already bought a 10 year subscription. All of the rest have been gifts or online freebies and I don't mind when they lapse nor do I mind the free issues. I do need to re subscribe to Juxtapose though, I liked that mag.

Used to subscribe to a good handful of magazines and got those "expiration" taunts all of the time. The issues eventually stopped.

Now I only grab up a magazine every four or five months or so, only the issue(s) that really interest me. Most magazines are a waste of paper with only a few issues hitting any sort of high mark. With web content so readily available, it's not worth the bother anymore.

I worked, off and on, at a VW Bus repair shop, they regularly ran advertisements in the two VW magazines being published at the time. When they got a phone call offering a great deal on a full page color add and a promise that there would be a cover shot and interior article on a Bay Window Bus, I realized that the content of magazines was pretty much advertiser driven and not really catering to the readership at all.

Poisoned the well forever.

pinchvalve wrote: Re-subscription offers seem to start 11 months before your annual subscription lapses.

On a 12 month subscription

Advice from your friend in the biz: Your best renewal deals are usually going to be the early ones. If you're thinking about renewing to a magazine, do it as soon as they send you your renewal paperwork. Magazines love having names on the list, and if they get your name back on the list early, it saves them money trying to renew you several times.

It's why our 10 year deal is our best deal. We know we don't have to bug you for a looong time, and that means several less envelopes, renewal notices, and stamps.

In reply to JG Pasterjak:

Most other magazines seem to disagree with you. I get far and away the best deals by letting the subscriptions lapse and waiting for the "we want you back" offers to pour in. Meanwhile, I rarely miss an issue anyway because they keep sending them.

Automobile magazine closed up shop today. With the exception of small, narrowly focused titles, the business is slowly dying.

Last December, my sister got canned from Biblical Archaeology Review. Even they can't maintain readership.

I greatly appreciate that GRM doesn't insult my intelligence by playing games with the subscription price. Whether you're a new subscriber, an existing subscriber renewing early, renewing at the last minute, or renewing after a lapse, the subscription price is the same.

Thank you.

EvanR wrote: Last December, my sister got canned from _Biblical Archaeology Review_. Even they can't maintain readership.

Just checked out their website and three of their four "headlines" have question marks at the end. That's a hot-button issue with me because it makes me want to ask "Are you telling me something or asking a question about something you don't understand?" Adding question marks to news article titles has sadly become a way for entities to say what they want but not be lible for what they're implying. Nearly all "news" sites now use this lame trick to inject contrived drama into a topic when they're short on real news.

I'll sit down now...

[edit] Oh dear... GRM has a side-column headline, "Is our 818 the Ultimate Street Car?" Sigh...

EvanR wrote: _Automobile_ magazine closed up shop today. With the exception of small, narrowly focused titles, the business is slowly dying. Last December, my sister got canned from _Biblical Archaeology Review_. Even they can't maintain readership.

Maybe not...

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1405-no-automobile-magazine-is-not-going-anywhere/

"Nearly all "news" sites now use this lame trick to inject contrived drama into a topic when they're short on real news."

You're absofreakinlutely right ! ! ! ! !

Strangely enough, considering that the WORD is TRUTH with no room for questions. That Biblical Archaeology Review has a question mark after fifty percent of it's cover tag lines.

TeamEvil wrote: Used to subscribe to a good handful of magazines and got those "expiration" taunts all of the time. The issues eventually stopped. Now I only grab up a magazine every four or five months or so, only the issue(s) that really interest me. Most magazines are a waste of paper with only a few issues hitting any sort of high mark. With web content so readily available, it's not worth the bother anymore. I worked, off and on, at a VW Bus repair shop, they regularly ran advertisements in the two VW magazines being published at the time. When they got a phone call offering a great deal on a full page color add and a promise that there would be a cover shot and interior article on a Bay Window Bus, I realized that the content of magazines was pretty much advertiser driven and not really catering to the readership at all. Poisoned the well forever.

That's not advertising driving the content, that's content driving the advertising. There was going to be an article on a Bay Window bus, so they hit up all the advertisers who sold parts for those to run bigger ads. Which makes sense, because people who liked those buses would be more likely to buy the issue so it benefits the advertiser. Happens with us all the time - some random magazine is planning a Miata feature, so they'll contact us to sell space. Seems to be more common with Brit mags.

Agreed ! I was bass ackwards wasn't I?

I DID open my eyes a bit for sure. Now I'm a smidge suspicious of everything magazine related, even your' Mustang build post for which I apologize sincerely !!

Being hit up like that for advertising might be a pain, especially as you don't know right off which one(s) may just be beneficial for you.

TC

In reply to JG Pasterjak:

I wish more magazines offered 10 year subscriptions. Hemmings offers a 3-year deal which isn't bad, but I'm lucky if the others (mainly woodworking 'zines) offer 2-year deals.

You definitely need to do your research when approached for something like that. Magazines doing articles on NA Miatas tend to either have terrible demographics (I'm looking at you, Source Interlink import-oriented titles) or good ones (hellooo, GRM!). Media kits make for fun reading.

Keith is dead-on.

For instance, if we are planning say.... an article on AE86 Corollas--- it would make sense for me (as a guy who sells ads) to contact the players in that market to see if they'd like to promote their company by taking part in that issue. It makes sense, as readers drawn to that sort of editorial are obviously interested in those cars--- and those are the folks these companies want to reach. As you may have noticed-- we also place the ads within, or near those stories to give the advertiser the best return on investment. As an added bonus--- the reader is presented with the ad just at the time their interest in piqued. If it all works well, the advertiser makes $$ on the parts, the reader is able to find the parts /expertise, and we continue to stay in business.

In speaking with Mr. Shop owner---who services AE86 cars, I'll usually ask him if he has any cool examples hanging around his shop-- and if so, send me pics, as we may be able to include them in the story. This helps them, helps us (in finding content) and helps the reader by including cool images to see.

What we don't do----- which many others do----- is approach it by saying...."well, IF you advertise, we'll include your image, and we'll tell everyone how great you are".

If the editorial content is worth publishing, we'll publish it--- regardless of if that business is advertising with us or not. Hopefully when the story is published it will convince the company that our readers are worth reaching, and they will "see the light" and work with us.

sorry for the derailment of the O.P.s thread. Just thought a little insight was appropriate.

I've never actually had a magazine promise greater visibility or improved editorial coverage if we bought an ad. I'm sure it happens, but it's never happened to me.