Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Why not ask your target audience where they would expect to find the magazine?

(Do you really plan to print 10,000 copies before you have a marketing plan in place?)

Why do you want to avoid places that will require permission? What if those places are actually the best locations?

Thank you. We are in planning, cost analysis phase looking for positive ideas and feedback.

We could use a lot more information - such as the type of seniors you are targeting which would help us figure out where they may be at), where you are at (laws and norms vary country by country, state by state, etc.). That said, you basically are going to need permission no matter where you go, but this isn't all that hard to do.

You want to go where the seniors are. Senior living complexes, nursing homes, certain restaurants that are preferred by seniors, certain doctor's offices, etc. all come to mind.

I started and ran a paddlesports magazine for 4 years. It was distributed free. I wanted to get to people who are in paddlesports, and the one place they all went to was paddlesports shops and rental locations. So I distributed copies through these shops in the geography I was after. I also distributed through some gyms, marinas, and general sports shops. And some places like coffee shops and the like that were near places boaters would go.

There are often local companies that deliver magazines and fliers to places and own the racks, so they have permission to put magazines there. To get on these racks, you need to pay to use their service. For me, this was $0.25 per copy to distribute and place on racks.

Other stores I got permission and mailed or hand delivered directly to them. I had to provide racks, if they did not have a place to display magazines. With USPS priority mail flat rate boxes, it worked out to be around $0.10 per copy to deliver by mail. The hand deliveries was a way for me to also meet and greet the folks at these shops, as they generally were targets for selling advertising to.

Outside the envelope - perhaps not locating in the 'senior' known areas...betcha there will be many. many, many.

Is the market the soon to be senior? Since the family is heavily involved in these decisions; you may want to consider placement where the entire decision 'committee' can participate