Who reads trade magazines?

[vik102]

Hey all,

I'm currently trying to improve the brand awareness of the company i work for. We are trying to find out the most widely read trade magazines within certain vertical markets. I know that magazine advertising is hit and miss... i've used it several times before with my own businesses and in some cases it has been extremely successful and others i've wasted thousands over a 6 month campaign.

If anyone has any tips on increasing brand awareness in general i'd love to get some feedback on this too. I'm always looking to learn some new tricks!

So for example: The gift and homeware sector may read the Progressive Gifts and Home Worldwide mag.

Convenience stores may read The Grocer and Convenience Store mags.

The vertical markets we're looking to increase awareness in are:

• Gifts and Homeware
• Fancy dress shop
• DIY/Gardening Centres
• Mini/Supermarkets
• Electrical shops
• Clothes/Shoe/Fashion retail

So if any of you are in any of these particular markets... or are in any other and want to give some feedback... i'd be extremely greatful for your help

Thanks all!

 

[Kernowman]

I have found over the years that trade or sector magazines are read by . . . . . people involved in the trade and very few prospects or customers actually read them, so is it a wise move advertising in those magazines?

The "Hackney Carriage Lamp Wick Fitter Monthly" is going to be read avidly no doubt by those that have a business formed around that industry, but not always the perfect place for someone considering having a Hackney Carriage Lamp Wick fitted as a customer. I would have though an advertisement in the Taxi Operator's Gazette or somesuch would be a better publication, for example.

The key here is to screw on your lateral thinking head and work backwards from the customer, not working forwards from the business/trade/industry end of the process, which I think is inefficient.

 

[Soul_Survivor]

I've worked for many trade magazines over the years (mostly in the pharma industry) and I think the key is to find the right mag.

There's nearly always a title that is the most popular and every other mag in the area is just trying to copy this but in truth, very few trade customers pay any attention to them.

Having said that, you're looking at quite a wide variety of industries and trying to target garden centre for example could prove difficult, after all how many buyers for large chains are really going to draw leads from a mag.

Dressing up shop however might prove better as these will generally be smaller independants who enjoy reading what's going on.

 

[Be Known PR]

I have found over the years that trade or sector magazines are read by . . . . . people involved in the trade and very few prospects or customers actually read them, so is it a wise move advertising in those magazines?

That all depends on whether you are advertising in a trade magazine for you industry or your propsects / clients industry.

The major trade magazines and websites for bigger industries are still widely read.

An IT firm advertising their new accountancy product in an IT trade magazine will see little if any results, but getting themselves in the Accountancy and Financial trade magazines is putting them in front of the decision makers they are trying to do business with.

From my experience trade magazines are read by two main groups of people: 1 - those who can get CPD points from reading them; 2 - company directors who are dedicated to pushing their business forward by being on top of what is happening in their industry.

Vik, if you want to PM me I can pull together a list of the main trade title for the industries for you.

David

 

[Kernowman]

An IT firm advertising their new accountancy product in an IT trade magazine will see little if any results, but getting themselves in the Accountancy and Financial trade magazines is putting them in front of the decision makers they are trying to do business with.

Vik, if you want to PM me I can pull together a list of the main trade title for the industries for you.

David

So please enlighten me, what difference was there in that statement that you made to mine?

 

[S-Marketing]

So please enlighten me, what difference was there in that statement that you made to mine?

If he had just said I agree with Kernowman he wouldn't have been able to put the spammy, PM me bit at the bottom would he.

 

[Be Known PR]

So please enlighten me, what difference was there in that statement that you made to mine?

I inferred yours to mean don't bother with trade titles they are a waste of money. Apologies if I got the wrong end of the stick.
David

 

[Be Known PR]

If he had just said I agree with Kernowman he wouldn't have been able to put the spammy, PM me bit at the bottom would he.

If my kind intentions to help out a fellow member came accross as 'spammy', then I guess I should apologise for that as well!!!

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

The grocer and convenience managzines are read by bored newsagents, who've worked their way through all of the daily newspapers, and the magazines, even the trashy ones and the my baby has 2 head ones, and are so quiet that they've finally, eventally been FORCED to read the grocer or go quietly off their heads.

 

[S-Marketing]

If my kind intentions to help out a fellow member came accross as 'spammy', then I guess I should apologise for that as well!!!

It was meant in a much more light hearted way, than you took it mate.

 

[vik102]

Thanks for the input guys.

Managed to obtain a list from David at Be Known PR which has been very helpful!

Muchos Thanks!

 

[blueskythinker]

I'm sure I'm about to be making myself very unpopular from certain quarters, but I really wouldn't recommend anyone advertising in trade magazines. From my 20 years of media experience, I appreciate the logic of selective targeting that specialist press has to offer, but I have never really had any tangible benefit from running ads in trade press.
Successful advertising in my opinion comes down to coverage and trade magazine do not deliver enough "bums-on-seats" to give you sufficient ROI.

 

[S-Marketing]

I'm sure I'm about to be making myself very unpopular from certain quarters, but I really wouldn't recommend anyone advertising in trade magazines. From my 20 years of media experience, I appreciate the logic of selective targeting that specialist press has to offer, but I have never really had any tangible benefit from running ads in trade press.
Successful advertising in my opinion comes down to coverage and trade magazine do not deliver enough "bums-on-seats" to give you sufficient ROI.

Maybe you just aren't very good at designing adverts.

 

[Minuteman Press]

My preference is target marketing versus volume - but hey, I'm not a blue sky thinker!

 

[S-Marketing]

My preference is target marketing versus volume - but hey, I'm not a blue sky thinker!

You're saying its better to advertise to your target market, rather than blanket advertising to everyone in the hope someone interested may see it. Now that is a crazy idea.