Going Where Others Don't Go

by Mike Sedge

Never does a month go by without someone asking how I find information on international publications and their editorial needs. My answer is, quite simply, through non-traditional means. I like to go where others are not. I use guerrilla marketing to uncover the needs of editors who will be eager to receive my ideas, rather than those desiring only to stop the uncontrollable flow of submissions from writers. The first stop, in the case of a magazine or a newspaper, should be the advertising department. Despite what editorial, production, and distribution people may tell you, it is the advertising folks who keep the cash flowing, keep the staff fed, and keep the publication in existence.

Newsstand and subscription sales of a magazine or newspaper rarely amount to much revenue, in the overall scheme of publishing. Advertising, on the other hand, can make a publisher rich or send him to the poorhouse. In recent years, for example, top magazines like People, Sports Illustrated, Parade, Time, TV Guide, and Newsweek have enjoyed annual advertising revenues ranging from US$384- to $526-million. That is not a combined figure, but rather a per-publication revenue. Another example is Better Homes & Gardens which, according to Advertising Age, recently posted an annual ad revenue of $335-million.

Advertising people, because of the money they provide, generally have a tight hold on the reins of power. Their departments are better staffed than editorial offices. They reply almost immediately to all queries -- since they never know where the next advertising dollars may come from. And they are also freely given and distribute information that, in other departments, may be considered privileged; for example, annual editorial schedules.

Sending an e-mail to a publication’s advertising department and asking for the latest media kit (sometimes referred to as an advertising kit), you will normally be overwhelmed with data. These kits generally contain: 1) readership demographics; 2) circulation information; 3) reviews and general information about the magazine or newspaper; 4) a sample copy; 5) editorial calendar and information on any special editions. While the readership data will help you better focus your queries, it is the latter information -- the editorial schedule -- that you really want.

Knowing what topics have already been approved and scheduled to run in the publication will allow you to focus your ideas to specifically fill these needs. Keep in mind, however, that most magazines have a four- to 12-month lead-time. Don’t spend time proposing stories that are to appear in two or three months. Begin at least six months ahead.

Why would an advertising department send you -- a freelance writer -- a media kit? Because you may have a client who is interested in advertising in their publication. If you approach them as a writer, they most likely will not send you one. On the other hand, if a business asks for a media kit, it often goes out the next day.

How do I know these things? Besides asking for current media kits from over 20 publications each year, I worked as an editor-advertising manager during the late 1980s for R&R Magazine, published in Germany. Wearing my editorial hat, I was always under tight budget restrictions, never used courier service, and rarely made international calls. Changing to my advertising cover, I consistently called clients throughout Europe, sent tons of media kits by courier and express mail, and immediately followed up on requests for information from potential business clients.

I prefer to contact advertising departments by letter or e-mail rather than by phone, though both will work. My approach is straightforward and most often the letter is addressed to the advertising manager listed in the masthead of the publication. A normal pitch is:

"As one of today’s fastest growing editorial-marketing agencies, we (-- always use the plural, as it indicates a large business rather than a one-person operation --) are exploring potential advertising venues for our customers. One or more clients have indicated interest your publication. If you could provide a current media kit, including your advertising rates and long-term editorial schedule, it will better allow us to evaluate your magazine/newspaper to our customer’s needs."

The most important point is that I specifically ask for the editorial calendar in the letter or the phone conversation. Using this method to gain inside information, I have sold hundreds of articles. In one case, with Off Duty Publications, I discovered that they were planning a special supplemental guide to the Mediterranean -- my backyard -- in the upcoming year. Armed with this information, I queried the editor of Off Duty Europe for a feature on Naples, Italy, one of the cities noted under the project. At the end of the letter, I added: “I look forward to hearing from you regarding this idea, or if you need other editorial material (articles and/or photographs) from the Mediterranean region.”

A week later editor Bruce Thorstad called to ask if I would consider being a contributing editor to their Welcome to the Med Guide. This translated to my providing all the text and photographs for the special edition. Off Duty put out the guide for three consecutive years and each time they contracted my services. Ultimately, lack of advertising resulted in the death of the guide. So, ironically, the advertising department was responsible for both my landing and losing this job.

There were other jobs, however, and I am certain that there will be many more in the future. The key is that I learned to use the advertising departments of international publications to gain insight into readerships, editorial needs, and special projects where my services could be used, and so can you. It's guerrilla marketing at its best. Like a military commander, you gain knowledge through every back-door sources and use this information to achieve your goal -- i.e., get publishing. Give it a try, you'll find the door to global sales opens wide when you're on the "inside" track.

-- MS
©1999 Michael Sedge