I’m in serious need of jacking up business around here. Basically, this would seem to mean that I need to get the word out, especially regarding Aerospace Projects Review and the Aircraft & Spacecraft Drawings & Documents. I’ve done some magazine advertising in the past (most notably Fine Scale Modeler) with limited success. I need a return of print ads, or website ads, or something. Posts I’ve made on fora and newsgroups seem to have been of almost zero value, and nowadays seem to come with a “you’re a spammer” backlash.
I am open to practical suggestions, advice or flat-out help in this matter. Magazines, websites, relevant newsletters (I write the “APR Corner” bit for the Houston AIAA “Horizons” newsletter, for instance), what-the-hell-ever. Getting product reviews would be good, I think… but where/how? I know APR is a niche market… but come on, there have to be more than a few dozen people interested in this stuff on the entire freakin’ planet.
18 Responses to “Where to advertise?”
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Hey Scott,
Have you looked at EBay. I find you can get info about APR to a lot of people world wide.
Dennis
Just a few random thoughts
Try advertising on some of the webcomic aggregation boards particularly the ones that do sci-fi strips.
See if you can buy ad space on Instapundit.
A friend of mine in the comic industry says that Twitter has been quite effective in bringing in traffic, though it is a time sink.
I avoid facebook myself but it does bring in the traffic.
.
I would second Brickmuppet with trying to tie into webcomics. I bounce around to a lot of them in the course of my cyber-day and actually find myself clicking on their ads – which is something I never do on other sites. Project Wonderful is something that some web comic guys created to advertise their own work, and it ended up becoming its own entity. https://www.projectwonderful.com
Best magazine cover ever. Loved it when the ‘National Lampoon’ first used it way back when, and glad to see it live on.
You might consider aircraft magazines like “Combat Aircraft”. There are several other magazines of that style that would work. I wish you the best of luck.
Perhaps Sport Rocketry magazine of the NAR (www.nar.org).
I think I sent this to you before, the article suggest making a “content hub”
http://venturefizz.com/blog/ten-steps-build-basic-content-hub
As you add things to the central account, it is broadcast to posterous, Facebook, twitter, Flickr, and YouTube
http://www.starshipmodeler.com/
http://forums.somethingawful.com/ <- There are a surprising number of goons with real interest in this sort of thing
Ads there should help.
Does anyone know what magazines/websites NASA people tend to read ? There's a target demo for you.
There's no good reason why you aren't selling more.
Forget advertising in the PETA magazine.
A facebook group could bring in traffic. There may already be one where some of your posts would be on topic.
What’s the benefit of the product? For me, it’s discovering a nifty piece of experimental air/spacecraft history. For others something different. Always sell the benefit.
Do a survey and find out what the benefit of the magazine is for everyone who has purchased it. What’s it do for them?
Remember, someone going into a hardware store for a drill bit doesn’t want the drill bit. They want the hole it will make.
Try these three websites:
(1) Secret Projects Forum: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk
— Probably the best general (civil as well as military) site for unbuilt aerospace projects worldwide. There are some REALLY sharp, intelligent people there. I believe they’d appreciate your work!
(2) What If: http://www.whatifmodelers.com
— Also good.
(3) Encyclopedia Astronautica: http://www.astronautix.com
— The best site available concerning space projects, both realized and unrealized. Recommended by both NASA and the NASM (National Air and Space Museum). Your space-related articles would be right at home!
Good luck!
Scott,
Print may seem too old fashioned but a lot of your target audience is the computer challenged. I would think that professional military and aerospace magazines would be the place to go but they are not cheap. Depends on your level of risk reward. Is this a hobby, a small business, or your livelihood ? Aviation Week small add in the back would cost a small fortune and but if it catches the eye of every tenth reader and if every hundredth of them place an order you may approach break even. Proceedings, Air Force Association, and Tail hook are likely more affordable and have more history buffs per reader but comparatively less readership. I know Proceedings is hurting financially but AFA is possibly a better fit.
I would think there is much bigger market for your products if the visibility was provided to the right individuals. These mags would be a giant jump in cost from Scale Modeler and require you to move a lot of products to cover the cost.
I hope you are successful. You have some very unique items that are quite affordable in electronic format. If you were to hang it up I don’t know if there would be any other way for the public to reasonably obtain them.
Good Luck
http://www.internetmodeler.com/
Scott – get the word out on Facebook and blast out to your entire list asking them to share. If it is cool it will go viral to a certain level.
My cat said ‘Don’t buy that magazine’
Since you mentioned magazines — how about ‘Fine Scale Modeler’ from Kalmbach Publishing..? Seems like the kind of products you offer would sit well with a bunch of modelers always on the lookout for reference materials.
I’m also going to forward your request to a couple of friends I know who may have other suggestions….
I have been reading APR since issue 0 and if I can help you a little it will be a pleasure!
I can send you a list of all french aeronautical magazines with a few words about each of them.
I can write a few words about your organisation in a web site where I write sometimes (aeromed.fr)
I can send you the adress of specialised aviation bookstores in France ( not so many!) .
Have you contacts with Air Britain (GB)? It’s a fantastic organisation.
Don’t be afraid by the langage barrier. Every body with an interest in airplane in France speak english ( or what looks like english for us!)