Partnering with other Publications

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Larry Genkin on April 30, 2009 at 10:35am

Brett, I've done this to great effect in sort of a non-traditional way. From 1999-2003 I brought together 7 publications (Forbes, Inc, Business 2.0, InfoWorld, Upside, Line56 and Consulting) and combined them into one distribution vehicle for what I called "The B2B E-Commerce Special Report". Each magazine represented a distinct desirable category to the advertiser, Forbes = Big Business....Inc = SME etc. and I was able to offer a value proposition that allowed me to sell out these sections in a very short period of time. You can see some of these sections (and others we did with other magazines) at http://www.larstan.com/Archives/Multi-sponsored.htm.

Though at that time I didn't own my own magazine that was part of the mix, there is no reason publishers shouldn't be collaborating to offer their clients a better value prop than they could offer on their own. Our motto should be united we stand, divided we fall.

Larry Genkin
CEO
Larstan Publishing, Inc.
Publisher, Blogger & Podcaster Magazine

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brett Bonnville on April 30, 2009 at 1:03pm

Interesting thought Larry. It certainly stirs up ideas and opportunities, while reminding us that we need to look at partnering not for just our needs, but what it can offer the advertisers as well.

Will use your insight to fuel our thinking.

Appreciate the feedback.

THX.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sharon Hill on April 30, 2009 at 8:42pm

I haven't done it myself, Brett,but I think it's very wise to look into that. With this economy, collaboration not only increases resources and funding but fosters new creativity.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John B. Byrne on June 3, 2009 at 8:33pm

Alliances are often good things. I have had bad experiences too. I had a golf pub in Hawaii and was approached by a group wanting to use my pub as a model for a series of regionals aimed at zoning out the nation. I sold to them and was hired as their 'group publisher.' Shortly afterward, they began to experience troubles in their core business, and I learned that their over-reliance on stock market trends was going to be the undoing of their vision. I left, and they went belly-up within the year. Conversely, I have had many collaborations with others in Hawaii and elsewhere that have worked out very well. I wonder if the local newspapers we hear about on TV are working more closely within their own industry to use economies of scale to reduce costs, and increase brainpower....

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RANDI PAYTON on July 28, 2009 at 6:47pm

I've partnered with numerous publications over the years and helped them with marketing, editorital and advertisings. Now I am expanding that relationship to help some regional and national mags to go national and digital as well as exchange audiences.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Oliver C Pearce on September 4, 2009 at 11:05am

Hi Brett,

I've experienced this in b2b publications in the Middle East (Egypt, the Gulf, and Iraq) where local newspapers were very happy to have their business stories pushed to a Fortune 500 audience. They provided the content, we gave them distribution channel. We even worked with banks and stockbrokers to push their content to non-clients. Eventually however money came into the equation, but you can then develop JV products to split revenue.

I'm currently trying the same here in China. Working for a business mag, we want good English language content. Local sources want a platform. As some others have said, there are downsides and problems as well, but as long as there is a good fit (in terms of content and brand positioning) and that you take the long-view (i.e., one day a party might want to monetise this) then it could work well in this climate. I feel the more niche/value the sector the greater the benefits.

▶ Reply to This