I enjoy reading stories and news articles about successful business owners, start-ups, and the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurs starting a business. There are certain business magazines that I read each month: 1. Selling Power Magazine: great magazine for sales advice, selling tips, sales management, tips on generating sales leads, professional selling skills, and business motivation. 2. Business 2.0: Best magazine for small business. Articles often include topics such as advertising & marketing for small business, business tools, hiring employees, business management, features on entrepreneurs, business innovation, and technology. 3. Fortune: Normally has articles about successful big companies. Making the Fortune 500 list is the dream of many entrepreneurs across the nation. 4. Fortune Small Business: The sister magazine of Fortune, reporting on small business issues. 5. Revenue - The Performance Marketing Standard: Helping dot-coms earn revenue through affiliate marketing. It provides industry news, product reviews and case studies. 6. Business Edge - provides Canadian business news and stats. Three of these magazines that I read every month are delivered to me for free. How did this happen? How did I get free magazine subscriptions? When I first launched my business I contacted two of the magazines on the list to inquire about advertising rates and possibilities. I was generally interested in advertising in them because my target market, sales professionals, read them. They are Selling Power Magazine and Business Edge. Just for inquiring they comped a free magazine subscription. This was great since I anyways would have bought these magazines off the newsstand. So, I was getting something that I would have bought for free. The third magazine that I receive for free is Revenue. I didn't ask for it nor had I even heard of the magazine. The magazine's website states that one of the distribution channels of the magazine is to deliver it to members of industry organizations and key contacts. I guess that would include me; my address is on my website and I'm sure that is how they found it. Small business owners can receive perks if they know how to get them. The next time you inquire about ad rates in the media, ask to be comped whatever it is that they offer. It worked for me and can work for you as well. |
