Target a Specific Industry with Your Expertise!

Here’s why trade magazines offer such a unique advertising opportunity.

In today’s information age, it has become increasingly difficult for many advertisers to have their voices heard over the incessant clamour of the Internet. Yes, there have been many news stories about the supposed “death of print,” but the truth of the matter is that this apparent death has been greatly exaggerated; especially in the case of association or trade magazines.

Virtually every profession, association and industry in North America makes use of trade magazines and this type of publication continues to stand up as an invaluable resource that will help you cut through the chatter, allowing you to speak directly to your intended audience, reaching the places where your services and products can do the most good.

Association magazines reach specific readers in ways that television, radio and newspapers simply can’t. Rather than relying on the “more is better” philosophy of just getting your name out there and hoping for the best, being featured in the pages of an association publication will allow you to focus on quality by providing a direct line in which to intimately engage with your customers. 

“Association magazines make good business sense because you know who is reading these magazines,” says Shannon Savory, Editor-in-Chief at Matrix Group Publishing Inc. “You already know their interests because you know what association they belong to. You are able to target your ads to a specific buying power and reap the rewards of knowing that the readers are the specific purchasing power you want to connect with.”

Target your advertising dollars to the purchasing power you want to reach!

Association magazines are specifically geared towards a particular industry and hone in on the topics that matter most to that industry. For example, if you sell farming equipment, placing an advertisement in a national magazine may reach more subscribers in terms of circulation, but it’s safe to say that your advertisement didn’t truly “reach” as many as you thought, and that the money you spent didn’t get as much bang for the buck as you might have hoped. 

In comparison, an advertisement in a trade magazine for a farming-related association will be directly mailed to members of that association – farmers, farm operators, farm advisors, farming-related associations. These are your buyers, your target market.

Association magazines provide coverage of an industry in much more detail than most of the standard run-of-the-mill consumer magazines that are found on store shelves. Everything inside is industry-specific: feature stories, new tool showcases, advice columns, industry profiles.

And perhaps, most importantly, all of the ads are specifically tailored to the needs of a particular association’s readership. Association magazines are “control circulated” among an elite group of association members and business subscribers who pay close attention to the inner happenings within a particular industry.

“Let’s say you sell brake lights for heavy duty vehicles,” says Savory. “Advertising in the type of magazine you pick up at the grocery store is not going to get you anywhere. But advertising in a magazine specific to transportation equipment – that is mailed directly to the purchasing powers working in this industry – will yield results.”

Let your potential clients know you’re an industry expert in their industry!

Association magazines provide the opportunity for even the smallest of businesses to “punch above their weight class” and be able to advertise in the pages of a nationally distributed

industry publication. Advertising in a trade magazine also creates greater brand recognition for your company, your products and the services you offer. When your customers see your business being advertised within a respected publication that they value, they will rightly assume that you are experts in your field and perhaps be more inclined to consider what you offer.

Rest assured, your ad will be seen in the pages of an association magazine. A 2013 survey of industry professionals by the Association of Business Information & Media Companies (ABM) indicated that industry leaders still read magazines and almost 70 per cent of those surveyed said that they spend more time reading industry-related publications than mainstream consumer print publications.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents felt that the importance of trade magazines will only grow over time and, when asked, almost half said that advertisements in print magazines inspired them to make a purchase. Interestingly, 21 per cent of respondents said that they had a better opinion of the advertiser after seeing the ad.

All Matrix Group Publishing Inc. magazines are direct-mailed to our client’s members and many of our publications are also scheduled to coincide with industry events that our associations are involved with – such as AGMs or member meetings – as well as other industry events that our clients see value in. In addition, most of our association’s magazines are posted on our client’s websites and are available for free download.

Within this e-version, your advertisement can be hyperlinked directly to your website or email address, making it easy for your potential clients to easily reach you and the information you’re distributing. Because of their higher printing quality, our magazines tend to have a longer shelf life than other print options, like newspapers. Ask anyone who has ever been to a dentist’s office or a barber shop and they can attest to the fact that magazines will often sit in a rack to be read over and over again for months – and in some cases years – past the initial print date.

This means that your ad content would also have the potential to be noticed and acted on well after the original investment in the ad itself.

The advertising options are endless!

Matrix Group Publishing Inc. magazines offer a wide variety of advertising options for you to consider, from full page spreads to a number of choices for inserts, including pollybagging and glue-dotting services. Some our industry publications include web advertising and blog options. You may even want to think about sponsoring an “Advertorial,” where your ad has the look and feel of a feature article complete with quotes, photos and logos. 

“Our highly trained sales representatives will work with you to find the right advertising fit that works best for you,” says Savory. “Our magazines currently feature ads of all kinds that will fit any budget or advertising campaign while providing the best value for your dollars spent.”

Take the guesswork out of your marketing campaigns by advertising in a publication that’s guaranteed to reach the very audience you want to target. Let us help you reach your goals. Interested in learning more about how advertising in an association magazine can work for you? 

Contact us for information on how we can help your business showcase its services, expertise, and products. E-mail sales@matrixgroupinc.net for further details.