Whether you tick off one step each month or dedicate the first weeks of the year to evaluating and reimagining your processes, the most important thing is to begin looking into the tools and technology that can help grow your business.

Take cybersecurity seriously

Cybercriminals have become sophisticated, making it essential to protect your customers’ data with a robust system. A breach of customer data severely impacts all areas of your business. And while money can be earned back, it’s harder to build trust and loyalty with customers if a data breach looms over your reputation as a business. 

Outsource the elements that are holding you back

As a publisher, you can’t do it all. That’s where excellent management software comes into play and allows you to use the platform how you choose. Whether you want to license the software or outsource your entire operation, a robust management tool will allow you to tailor your experience so you can focus on the areas that will propel your publication forward. 

Remove any barriers to a convenient subscription experience

Streamlined systems that take advantage of automation and make it easy for subscribers to renew and receive their content are paramount. Fewer clicks, targeted messaging, and intuitive account management tools put the subscriber in control and remove any excuses not to sign-up or renew then and there. 

Keeping things simple and going back to the basics facilitates quick and easy decisions from your subscribers.

Get the basics of your communication strategy right 

A smart subscription management system will automatically employ the standard communication tools and strategies that we know work time and time again. 

Take failed credit card payments, for example. With auto-renewals, your subscribers’ credit cards will inevitably expire, and payment will stall at some point. History shows that sending an email asking your subscriber to renew their subscription at this point returns roughly 15-20 per cent pick up. 

Instead, an auto reminder that the payment didn’t go through and the card details need to be renewed achieves a 50-60 per cent success rate. The subtle change in language is the perfect example of the basics working to your advantage. 

It’s time to get digital

The way customers purchase and consume content has changed forever. Digital publishing comes with an array of benefits for your reader; instant access to new content, flexibility to read on the go and the ability to carry limitless titles in their pocket. 

The most effective use of digital publishing is creating a combo deal alongside your print subscription to increase every cart’s order value on checkout. On average, publishers see around 50 per cent of subscribers take digital versions as an add-on to their subscription. 

Put your customer in control of their content

The ability to create their account gives your subscribers a degree of flexibility that fosters loyalty. They get the power to personalise their subscription experience while also accessing features that make your life easier, like updating delivery or billing details. A good subscription management tool will enable customer accounts with all the expected features with the convenient luxuries of auto-fill and quick password reset options.

Take advantage of automation to increase renewals

With the right automation tools, you can focus on finding new subscribers while ensuring your existing database is still getting excellent service. When asking your subscriber to renew their subscription, it needs to land in their inbox at the perfect time, and they should be able to follow through with as few clicks as possible. The easier you make it, the more likely they’ll renew.

Use technology to find untapped markets 

Acquisition starts with identifying prospects, and the most effective way to do that is to analyse your current database. Many new technologies are integrated into subscriber management platforms, and using these to segment your existing dataset is crucial. Machine learning algorithms are helping to uncover further segmentation in data.

Organised data collection is essential

Publishers can collect data that doesn’t mean anything when taken out of context. So, an IT system that allows you to collect, collate and use data to make informed decisions about your current audience and potential areas for growth will help you understand where the opportunities lie. 

Find a platform that ticks all your boxes

Too often, publishers stick with their existing subscriber management tools because they’re worried about the hassle of moving their database. However, they miss out on modern automation tools and sophisticated data analytics that will make life easier. 

Don’t compromise quality when it comes to choosing your subscription management software. Your database can be securely moved, no matter what system you currently use, and it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. In fact, it’s common practice to send a test file when upgrading your systems to ensure everything is in working order before you commit. 

Implement a robust renewal strategy 

Retaining your current subscribers pays off when you look at the numbers. An effective renewal strategy should start with segmentation, and then combine appropriately timed digital and physical renewal reminders. 

Another part of a good renewal strategy will be to offer auto-renewals when subscribers sign up. This is a popular option for subscribers who want to avoid adding extra admin to their life. Plus, you’ll save time and money as a publisher by not having to send letters or chase up lapsed subscriptions. 

Make sign-up easy for your customers

Fewer clicks, no roadblocks and quick access to content make for a happy subscriber. Customers don’t have time to waste on lengthy or complicated sign-up processes. And there’s a good chance your team doesn’t have all day to manage the backend either. 

Secure and intuitive sign-ups that automate account creation, have a well-designed interface and convenient payment options are just the start of implementing great subscription management software. 

If you want to know more, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Alan and his team. You’ll find all their details on their website www.crmaus.com.au

The post 12 ways to set your publication up for success in 2023 appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

With the changing economy, customers are being forced to cut back on discretionary spending resulting in subscription renewal rates taking a plunge. While it may feel like the time to get creative and throw everything you have at the problem, Alan suggests taking a step back and making sure you have the foundations right first.

Give your customers what they want

It’s the most basic marketing principle; give your customers a product they want at a price they like. 

Rising production costs are forcing the price of subscriptions up, and a price increase is why many subscribers put off their renewal. Having a decent offer for them, that’s still sustainable for your business will help get them over the line. 

This can be as simple as a 6-month versus a 12-month subscription. In the mind of the subscriber, they’re paying half as much. As the publisher, you’re still earning the same amount. 

Then, you must have the tools and the marketing channels to get your offer in front of your audience in a timely fashion. Renewal reminders should be emailed or sent at an appropriate time before the subscription lapses. 

Remove any barriers to subscription

Streamlined systems that take advantage of automation and make it easy for subscribers to renew and receive their content are paramount. Fewer clicks, targeted messaging, and intuitive account management tools put the subscriber in control and remove any excuses to not sign-up or renew then and there. 

Keeping things simple and, you guessed it, going back to the basics facilitates quick and easy decisions from your subscribers.

Joining the crowd can work to your advantage

There’s a lot to be learnt from your industry peers. It’s also important to remember that growing the publishing industry helps us all. Everyone is trying to find ways to keep their customers engaged, so taking advantage of your competitors’ learnings, sharing your own, and engaging in tried and tested practices will help you grow. 

For example, we’ve refined our processes over many years at crmSubscribe, and much of that innovation has come from our publishers saying, “It would be great if the system did X”. We will then try their idea in the field and, if it works, we roll it out to everyone. 

Get the basics of your communication strategy right 

A smart subscription management system will automatically employ the standard communication tools and strategies that we know work time and time again. How you ask your subscribers to renew is as important as asking them in the first place. 

Take failed credit card payments, for example. With auto-renewals, it’s inevitable that your subscribers’ credit cards will expire, and payment will stall at some point. History shows that sending an email asking your subscriber to renew their subscription at this point returns roughly 15-20 per cent pick up. 

Instead, sending a reminder that the payment didn’t go through and the card details need to be renewed achieves a 50-60 per cent success rate. The subtle change in language is the perfect example of the basics working to your advantage. 

Alan and his team have reworked and refined the basic principles of the crmSubscribe service for over 20 years, working with hundreds of publishers and publications. 

The post Is going back to the basics the secret to subscription success? appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

TMSN chatted with crmSubscribe’s Alan Leech about the importance of sign-up in your customers’ journey, its impact when you get it right, and just how bad things can go if you get it wrong. 

Customers don’t have time to waste on complicated systems or lengthy sign-up forms.

Putting hard work into your acquisition strategy to get in front of subscribers isn’t worth anything if your sign-up journey is a roadblock. We have an overwhelming amount of data that tells us that customers are time-poor. They expect their journey from being aware of your publication to having the content in their hands to be fast and seamless every time. 

A sound subscription management system should include an intuitive and fast sign-up form — bonus points for utilising auto-fill technology via renewal emails.

Signing up for a subscription has to be easy and secure.

It pays to stay up-to-date with the industry and on the pulse of the latest trends and technologies. But too many publishers are using sign up systems that may as well be from the dark ages. 

If your sign up system asks your customer to create an account before they can purchase, then this could be a potential roadblock causing them to spend more time on their purchase journey.

The cost of data security could be a lot more than you realise. 

Cybercriminals have become sophisticated, making it essential to protect your customers’ data with a robust system. Investing in a secure subscription management system can seem like a significant cost up front, but the amount it could save you in money, time and reputation is staggering. 

A breach of customer data has a significant impact on all areas of your business. The Government doesn’t take too kindly to businesses who have not gone to appropriate lengths to secure private information. 

And while money can be earned back, it’s harder to build trust and loyalty with customers if a data breach is looming over your reputation as a business. 

Save time by systemising sign-ups.   

Signing up for a subscription should be easy and painless for your customer, and automated for your business.. If you’re locked into manually updating your database by using forms with no automation then you’re placing an undue burden on your back office team.  

So, how can you improve your sign-up system to keep your customers happy? We can measure most things, but you may never know how many people DIDN’T sign up for your publication because of the barriers in place. 

The post A flawed subscription sign-up journey can cost you customers, money and even damage your reputation appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

How easy you make it for customers to buy, obtain, read and loyally subscribe to your publication can be the secret to a successful title. So, we asked Alan for his key tips on creating a smooth and successful experience for subscribers. 

1. The payment process should be quick, easy and give customers choices.

Whether subscribers want to pay via the phone, online, use a credit card, PayPal, direct debit or even cheque, you should give them the option to choose their preferred payment method, and it should be frictionless.

That means a secure payment portal that automatically communicates with your subscription management system to update customer accounts. Also, people that will pick up the phone when queries come and have a reliable team to bank any cheques that arrive via post. 

2. Customer accounts help put the subscriber in control.

Creating a unique account for each subscriber gives them the power to personalise their subscription experience. A good account should allow subscribers to update their details, easily see their remaining issues or renew their subscription in just a few clicks.

It’s also important to have those added features that make everyday account management easy, such as autofill options and the ability to reset a password quickly. 

3. Accessing content needs to be fast and reliable.

People expect access to digital content immediately when a payment has been made, or a new issue has been released, so how you provide your content to subscribers is crucial. 

Print content won’t be as quick, but it should still feel seamless to your subscribers. That often comes down to having an excellent customer service team to answer any queries if problems arise, such as missed deliveries or postage delays. 

4. The key to auto-renewals is, you guessed it, automation. 

When asking your subscriber to renew their subscription, it needs to land in their inbox at the perfect time, and they should be able to follow through with as few clicks as possible. The easier you make it, the more likely they’ll renew.

An excellent subscription management service will reach out to subscribers automatically when the time is right and auto-fill their details when it comes time to pay. For subscribers that haven’t chosen to auto-renew, a reminder email can go a long way in retaining their loyalty. 

5. Know your customer really well.

While it’s not a direct touchpoint on your customers’ journey, obtaining and using a suite of metrics will inform future interactions with your subscribers. From your subscriber demographic to how many subscriptions have lapsed, your renewal percentage rate or your unrealised liability. Data can be very valuable and help you communicate with subscribers in the right place, at the right time, and with the product they’re looking for. 

So, with this checklist in mind, how can you improve your customer journey to create a database of loyal subscribers? 

The post Is your customer journey set up to create loyal subscribers? appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Aspermont’s new Chief Content and Strategy Officer (CSO) Ian Hart will be responsible for all content functions at Aspermont, across all its content formats; editorial, research, events, agency and data. This appointment is in line with Aspermont’s stated intent to develop new products and services globally across its main B2B sectors. 

Ian Hart has an EMBA from London Business School and over 20 years’ experience in B2B subscription-orientated information and data businesses. 

He has held various product and editorial management roles over his career and has specialised in leading and scaling teams to transform and launch new high-value products by placing emphasis on deeply understanding customer needs. Hart believes that this has been achieved through bringing together deep industry experts with market-leading technology and data approaches, and partnering with customers and others in the industry to create value.

Managing director Alex Kent said: “I am delighted to welcome Ian Hart to the Aspermont executive team. This high-calibre appointment underscores our ambition to broaden our global content distribution from our current sectors of mining, energy and agriculture. 

“Over the last 6 years we have consistently expanded our executive team, and with each appointment, a different area of our business has been revolutionised to enable a stream of new products and divisions to be launched. 

“Hart will bring executive level leadership to our most important division – content – and will focus on widening our coverage and audience reach. His background in data will enable us to launch a series of new high-value products that will actively drive our return on investment.

Ian Hart said: “Aspermont has positioned itself as a global leader in media for the resource industries. The potential for the company to deliver an ever-increasing amount of high-value digital content products and services is clear and the ambition to deliver quickly, using an entrepreneurial mindset, is high. 

Headquartered in the UK, Aspermont publishes for the mining, agriculture, energy and technology sectors, and has offices in Australia, UK, Brazil, North America and the Philippines. 

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The new GamesHub website will focus on recognising games as creative works, and provide comprehensive coverage of the Australian industry. The platform aims to expand how people think about and appreciate games from all over the world, and encourage new voices and perspectives in Australian games writing.

Vertical Networks Group also publishes ArtsHub, Property Portal Watch and ScreenHub. 

Edmond Tran has been appointed Managing Editor of GamesHub. Tran joined the Vertical Networks Group team in March 2021 as Managing Editor of ScreenHub, after 12 years’ experience working with GameSpot, the global games and entertainment publication recently acquired by American marketing firm Red Ventures.

Tran said “I couldn’t be more excited about the direction that GamesHub is taking, especially the values we’re adopting as part of our core from the get-go.”

ArtsHub and ScreenHub Director of Content George Dunford said “Over the past year our games content has boomed and we think there is an opportunity to bring the same great coverage to this creative sector. I’m really keen to discover new writers and perspectives on games.”

Vertical Network Group recently re-platformed its websites with the help of The Code Company, which has given it the opportunity to expand what it offers its audiences. The adoption of a WordPress Multisite has allowed the group to launch the new GamesHub brand quickly. 

The post GamesHub launches as a sister publication to ArtsHub appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Bush Journal has been launched by 11 photographers who live and work in rural Australia – from Western Australia’s wheat belt and vast cattle properties in the Northern Territory, to sheep stations in Victoria and cane farms in Northern Queensland.

“Our creative medium is naturally visual. We trudge through boggy creeks and dusty paddocks armed with our cameras and tripods – fighting old barbed wire fences, cranky bulls and swarms of flies – to capture some of the magic we feel in the bush,” says the publication’s website. 

“But in our travels, we stumble upon so many beautiful stories that linger in our minds long after photos are processed. Ordinary stories of grief, elation and survival that we think require a deeper telling, and the words of the subjects to bring them to life.

“So here we are, exploring those stories – and in doing so, hope we inspire you to share yours.” 

The publishers said that the decision to print the journal on premium newsprint marks what has been a lifeline for country people in the past – the newspaper. 

Available for $10, Volume 1 of the journal includes a feature on aerial photography, a day in the life of a young cattle woman who manages a 400 sq km station alone, a top-secret bush wedding in Far Western Queensland, plus tips and tricks on the art of self-portraiture. 

Regional women’s publisher Graziher recently interviewed photographer Georgie Mann about Bush Journal’s launch on the Life on the Land podcast. 

The post Bush Journal newsprint publication launches appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Eleven-year-old Abbie launched Her Way magazine in October after realising that there were no magazines for girls about women’s sport. 

The 12-page first issue of Her Way includes an interview with US Olympian golfer Hannah Green, women’s sports updates, book reviews on women’s sport, women’s sport idol profiles and facts. 

“I had the idea to start this magazine because I realised there were no magazines for girls just about women’s sport. I love playing and watching sport, and I also love to write,” Abbie said in her letter from the editor. 

The online magazine is $2 per issue, with $1 from every magazine purchase to be donated to UNICEF Australia’s Empower Girls Through Cricket appeal.

The magazine is planned to be released monthly.

The post Her Way women’s sport online magazine launches appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

Here are his tips for acquiring new subscribers and creating a world-class customer journey.

1. Use technology to find untapped markets

Acquisition starts with identifying prospects, and the most effective way to do that is to analyse your current database. Many new technologies are being integrated into subscriber management platforms, and using these to segment your existing dataset is crucial. Machine learning algorithms are helping to uncover further segmentation in data that wouldn’t otherwise be obvious to the human eye. The increased analytical capacity is promising.

2. Organised data collection is essential

Publishers can collect a bunch of data that doesn’t mean anything when taken out of context. So, an IT system that allows you to collect, collate and use data to make informed decisions about your current audience and potential areas for growth will help you understand where the opportunities lie.

3. Personalising your offering is key

Gone are the days where you could simply put out a message and attract leads to your business. Audiences these days expect highly personalised messaging and need to be reached in the right place at the right time. With the right analytical tools in place, you’ll better understand how to reach an engaged and qualified market.

4. An adaptable system will solve a lot of problems

Digital marketing has always been a game of trial and error. When it comes to subscriber acquisition and reaching new audience segments, you need to test multiple strategies. It’s paramount to have an agile system for marketers to get creative, try different tactics, change things up without massive amounts of reconstruction, and analyse any learnings quickly and efficiently.

5. Open all hours

Thanks to social media marketing, publishers need to think about their system’s capabilities in the context of a 24/7 global market. You can reach subscribers from all over the world looking to subscribe at any hour of the day or night. So, make sure your web order page is up, reliable and ready for action.

6. Always consider the customer journey

It’s one thing to get in front of potential subscribers, but it’s another to get them to subscribe. The customer journey should always be top of mind, and it needs to be simple, with as few clicks as possible between your audience seeing your ad, subscribing and getting their content. It is crucial to have a well-designed interface and intuitive system that can quickly capture the data you need from your subscriber and get them behind your paywall.

Please reach out to Alan if you’re planning to integrate new tools or upgrade to a system that’s customised for your publication. You’ll find all crmSubscribe’s details on their website: www.crmaus.com.au

The post Six techy ways to win new subscribers for your publication appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

To be hosted by Financial Standard’s Editor Jamie Williamson, the podcast will discuss the most-read news of the week and feature interviews with the industry’s leading wealth management experts.

“We will also feature the winners and finalists of Financial Standard’s Power50 and Investment Leadership Awards, which helped us identify industry thought leaders and investment experts through the years,” Williamson said.

The financial services publication provides trade news, investment analysis and education for superannuation trustees, financial advisers, researchers, consultants, investment managers, and professional investors. It’s channels include print, events, apps, mobile, digital and video.

“We’re really excited to launch this podcast as another avenue to have important, in-depth conversations that complement our existing offerings,” said Williamson. 

The podcast will feature news and insights from Financial Standard’s suite of quarterly journals, including FS Advice, FS Super and FS Private Wealth journals, as well as the annual FS Managed Accounts and FS Sustainability journals.

The publication’s stable of journalists and associate editors will regularly co-host the podcast alongside Williamson.

“Financial Standard is part of the Rainmaker Group of companies, which gives us timely access to independent superannuation and investment research from Rainmaker Information. It is exciting to further connect the experts behind this research with our readers through this fast-growing media platform,” Rainmaker Group Executive Director of Media Michelle Baltazar said.

“We’re very pleased to once again have the support of NOVA Entertainment, which have been instrumental in the launch of our Money magazine weekly podcast in July.”

The Financial Standard podcast is available at www.financialstandard.com.au, as well as on the NOVA Entertainment platform, Apple Podcasts, the Google Play store, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

Rainmaker produces strategic, tactical, and analytical information about the financial services industry predominantly for superannuation funds, investment managers, financial planners and consumers.

The Rainmaker Group comprises: Rainmaker Information, Financial Standard, FS Aspire CPD, SelectingSuper, SelectAdviser, Industry Moves, FS Sustainability and Money magazine.

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