Best Ideas

PMA members get the most out of their membership when they share their own ideas with others and take the ideas from others and make them work for their publication. I asked Terrie Goldstein ofHudson Valley Parent to share this story. Thanks, Terrie and thanks to Darlene ofMetroKids for bringing it up in the most recent PMA spring conference. Great idea!
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Each Ask the Expert (ATE) was given a best practices sheet on how the program works and are coached through each session by a Facebook manager/moderator from Fredricksburg Parent. ATE’s pay $200 to participate and $1800 for the option to add a print campaign
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As anyone who’s successful at it will tell you, sales is a numbers game. The more efficient you are in managing contacts, the more sales calls an account executive can make and the more sales that can be closed.
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Seeking a way to break into the travel advertising market, L.A. Parent launched a special new edition Beyond L.A. focusing on travel destinations for families. In so doing the company executed a five-step plan.
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Coulee Parenting Connection magazine helped motivate readers to actively engage with advertisers through a bingo card inserted into every issue. The card directed readers to engage in activities and events publicized in the magazine as reflected by that month’s sponsors.
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Colorado Parent created a new special section dedicated to Charter Schools to boost revenue in December, typically a slow month for the magazine
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Chicago Wolves hockey is a very popular local sports team, but one that nonetheless struggled to connect with the children and family demographic. Chicago Parent partnered with the sports franchise to create a comprehensive advertising and branding package that harnessed all of the magazine’s platforms.
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Fredericksburg Parent magazine worked with their local mall to bring an Acton children’s business fair to the area. The Fredericksburg Parent Children’s Business Fair allowed children to sell their business products at the mall on one Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. There was intense interest from the homeschooling and business community. With just a three-month lead time 27 tables (33 children) were registered. The event had three sponsors (an urgent care, a private school and SkyZone jump play space).
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Bay Area Parent has determined the style and content in its market that drives high engagement and generates revenue that’s traceable directly to the newsletter deployment.
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Sometimes the most traditional methods are the best way to promote something new, giving prospective advertisers and consumers a bridge between the familiar and the cutting edge. Such was the case with Boston Parents Paper and its Summer Camp Guide. Even though the guide was to be digital only, the company set out to promote it to advertisers in the way it knew best, with a print publication.
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Silicon Valley is a huge technology hub, and when we were down in revenue in the winter of 2015, we decided to launch a digital-only magazine focused on Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (S.T.E.A.M.).
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Looking for a fun way to engage your readers and generate new revenue? Hold an online contest to giveaway 8 birthday parties to kids in your community! Here's how it works...
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Chicago Parent saw the need to develop Effective Customer Needs Analysis Questions to assist their sales team when they meet with potential clients. With a quick recap of the answers to these nine questions the sales associate is in better standing to gain agreement.
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Focusing on professionals within their industry, the Faces advertorial promo has become a popular and lucrative feature for Colorado Parent magazine. Professionals are designated as the “face” of a particular industry (Face of Pediatric Dentistry, Face of Charter School Education, etc).
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MetroFamily magazine has a very popular online and digital calendar of events. See how they increased advertising revenue by using the calendar as a sales tool.
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Catholic Schools Week in Cleveland has significant momentum so Northeast Ohio Parent magazine decided to try and ride the wave with an eblast featuring 10 spots for schools to showcase their open house.
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Contact the community relations and/or events department of the hospital. Find out what fundraising events they have (walk-a-thons, banquets for physicians, etc).
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Parents want the best for their children, but what differentiates one school from another or one camp from another? There are many factors, of course, but one should be the philosophy and background of the school or camp's leadership.
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Chesapeake Family Life introduced a weekly podcast with sponsorships. Right now Podcasts are the cool thing and it has helped them open doors to new advertiser categories.
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I want to share with you all a new concept that we just rolled out in Indianapolis to increase our reader engagement  and generate new revenue through POP-UP Playdates.
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MetroFamily magazine runs seasonal lists that are very popular. For example: Fall Fun, Trick-or-Treat events, Vacation Bible School, Easter Fun Guide, Swim Lesson Guide. They found a way to use these lists to generate revenue.
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AAA provided the ads from major brands like Delta Airlines, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Visit Mexico. MetroParent editors wrote custom content on topics like "Escape to Mexico" and "The Cruising Family" and "How to Obtain your US Passport."
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Neapolitan Family does not sell its cover, but it does think strategically when it comes to who or what is featured there. In some cases, it’s an existing longtime advertiser while other times, the process of being on the cover leads to a working or advertising relationship.
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TulsaKids Magazine’s most successful guide/directory is their Summer Camps & Activities Guide. They were able to maximize profit by creating a 3X Camp Guide package.
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Whether you're just dipping your toe into the sponsorship pool or you're working on big-dollar renewals, this free white paper from IEG, "Invest, Dont Buy: A Smarter Way to Sponsor," will give you invaluable perspective on what sponsors want to spend money on.
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Indy’s Child introduced Indy Grands Magazine. They’ve found the young grandparent (50’s and 60’s) market is a strong demographic. It’s a time of life that provides more flexibility with time, money, and resources.
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