Making the most of magazine circulation and distribution begins with understanding what you want from your magazine and understanding the process of business magazine circulation. It is more than just crunching some magazine circulation figures and hiring a distributor. You need to understand the services you want, the type of publication you have and how much money you have to spend.

If you need magazine circulation and distribution services for your new business publication, work with professionals to ensure that your magazine reaches as many hands as possible. While there are many software programs and do-it-yourself solutions available for distributing your publication, the legal, financial and logistic issues associated with the magazine circulation process are complex and best left to the experts. If you are trying to absorb a lot of magazine circulation data, but are not sure what choices to make, consider:

1. Work with consultants to get industry-specific magazine distribution information.
2. Decide on the services you need so that you can develop a good relationship with your distributor.
3. Research digital magazine distribution companies as a way to save money on circulation costs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire a consultant to get specific magazine circulation information

A consultant conversant in the circulation of magazines can be one of the best investments you make. Consultants charge by the hour, so a relatively inexpensive few hours can teach you a great deal about the issues that need to be considered for your magazine's success, such as method of distribution, postal considerations, scope of the distribution and other factors.

I recommend: Erazmus has a useful page explaining how circulation consultants work. Masten Publishing Systems provides a useful article on why and how to hire a magazine circulation consultant.

Determine what services you need from magazine distributors

Distribution of a magazine can include door-to-door selling, negotiating with retailers and local businesses to stock your magazine, postage costs, labeling costs, delivery costs to retailers or businesses and other related expenses. Before you speak with magazine distribution professionals, you need to decide which of these services you do and do not need.

I recommend: MagazineLaunch.com has a handy guide on setting up a distribution system. MagazinePublisher.com provides a guide outlining the various things to be done to distribute a magazine. This is a great place to look if you need to determine what services you might need from a distributor.

Consider digital magazine circulation companies

One potential way to save money on magazine circulations is to distribute your publication digitally. This helps you reduce mailing and labeling costs, but it can create additional costs if your magazine is not already in digital form and will need to be converted. Although this form of distribution is far simpler (just press a button to send your latest edition to your list of subscribers), the competition among digital editions is fierce and some marketing experts claim that a printed page is more advantageous from a marketing perspective because customers can retain the printed page easily.

I recommend: Publishing Business Group provides a useful article about digital magazine editions, which is a good resource for understanding this medium. Pressmart digitizes content and distributes it through online channels. Their website has a useful video tutorial of how the process works.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Making the most of magazine circulation and distribution means utilizing free resources to boost your circulation numbers. Free newsletters, inserts and other marketing efforts, for example, can boost your circulation numbers.

The publishing world is turning away from traditional magazine distribution models as magazine circulation numbers dip. As publishers see magazine circulation figures, they turn to "new-age" magazine distribution companies and consultants to keep up with changing trends.

Magazine circulation information reveals that more and more readers are getting their information from the Internet and less from print publications. That may sound like a bad thing, but it opens up even more opportunities for distributors, especially those whose livelihood depends on strong business magazine circulation numbers.

Convert magazine circulation data into a positive, rather than a negative. High numbers in magazine circulation and distribution depend on how well you can locate the best markets and the best magazines to reach those markets. Use the following information:

1. The "A" list of magazine distribution companies in the U.S.

2. Data on how distribution of magazines occurs across various business markets.

3. How magazine circulation companies/web portals can help with finding and retaining subscribers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make your magazine circulation numbers grow by talking to marketing experts

The old days of door-to-door magazine distribution are over. You need to use the most modern means of reaching your audience to compile a wealth of magazine distribution information and trends.

I recommend: Bowman Circulation Software is a circulation consultant who knows her "stuff." She has successfully launched ten consumer magazines and is an expert in circulation management. Magazine Dojo for "magazine publishing ninjas" has some interesting examples of people who started up magazines and tips on launching a start-up.

Build a strong magazine circulation database prior to launch

Since distribution of magazines is a critical part of any successful magazine launch, you need as much information about potential subscribers and how to reach them. After all, no magazine distribution program can be effective without a strong magazine circulation base.

I recommend: MagazineLaunch.com is an excellent resource for magazine distributor information. CirculationListSource.com is an invaluable source for building circulation mailing lists while staying within a planned budget.

Use the latest software to increase your magazine circulation figures

Take advantage of powerful software applications to learn how to efficiently manage subscriber lists, set up circulation reports, and keep renewal rates up.

I recommend: Subscription fulfillment software from CWC Software simplifies the entire marketing and fulfillment process, helping to convert low magazine circulation figures into high magazine circulation figures. Circ IQ is a web portal that evaluates the "vitality" of magazines and allows you to customize your own profiles for each magazine.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There are enough new markets and new ideas to dispel the doom and gloom of traditional magazine circulation and distribution numbers. Use the resources available to you to establish new methods to increase circulation and target improved distribution.

If you have decided to launch a business magazine to promote your company, you will need magazine circulation and distribution services. These services ensure that your printed and published magazine gets delivered to as many customers as possible. Professional magazine distribution enlarges your circulation, attracts new customers and increases advertisers.

Magazine distributors are vital because they provide a number of services that are difficult for someone outside the industry to duplicate. Magazine circulation companies can get your magazine into businesses and can even distribute unsold publications door to door. Magazine distributors also have the resources to get your magazine to a specific geographic area or to the whole nation. If you are brushing up on magazine circulation and distribution basics, consider:

1. Decide on coverage areas and circulation methods first.
2. Consult magazine circulation companies to understand the services offered.
3. Research issues that can affect your distribution and circulation numbers.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine where and how distribution of magazines will take place

Circulation of magazines can take place online, through digital distribution or at newsstands, retail merchants and public places. Before contacting magazine distributors, consider whether you want online distribution (which slashes your overhead costs, but does not leave the customer with a printed page), retail distribution (which means that your customers get your publication for free, but you face increased competition) or newsstand distribution (which is competitive, but can be lucrative). Also consider whether you want your publication distributed locally, nationally or internationally.

I recommend: CircServ offers distribution of free magazines and publications to merchants and restaurants. The website shows a useful map of potential coverage area. BNET provides a helpful article about magazine circulation and distribution basics that comprehensively examines how to define your business magazine circulation area.

Get help with magazine circulation issues from professionals

Professional distributors can help you understand the issues affecting distribution of your magazine. Issues that you will need to consider include advertising costs, what to do with left over magazines, how to ensure that customers are reading your magazine, who is buying your magazine and circulation management.

I recommend: StartingMagazines provides advice and consultation to companies wanting to launch a magazine. The business provides help with all areas of magazine circulation information and the website offers a useful checklist of issues to consider before launching into the distribution of magazines. CirculationSpecialists offers a host of services for businesses looking for magazine distribution companies. The company even offers a free consultation, which allows you to ask specific questions related to your needs.

Research the issues that can affect your business magazine circulation

Steep competition at the newsstands could mean that your business magazine is overlooked. If you distribute through both retailers and newsstands, you may find that your newsstand sales suffer. Distribution locally through retailers, however, limits you to a local audience only and it may be more difficult to determine how your publications are being used -- while most people will read a publication they pay for, free publications can be simply discarded or used for craft projects.

I recommend: FOLIO offers an informative guide to the state of magazine distribution and circulation today. The Periodical and Book Association of America has a useful article about the challenges that face businesses currently sifting through magazine circulation data.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember that magazine circulation is closely linked to advertising. Do not approach circulation services without first developing a promotional campaign that can be used in conjunction with the service.