Consolidated Press

Hitting the Road with the Right Travel Publication 

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Ah, the allure of travel. Even though some restrictions are still in place, the pace of travel has definitely increased from last year. Consumer air travel in June 2021 reached its highest levels since 2020, at 83% of 2019 volume (564,583 flights compared to 679,802 flights). Although cruises were suspended in March of 2020, as the industry aggressively pursued safety protocols, 200 sailings took place from June to December 2020, and in 2021, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) expects the industry to continue its recovery throughout 2021 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.   

While it may be some time until travel and tourism numbers reach the highs of 2019, they are showing significant improvement from last year. Overall, July spending on travel reached $98.5 billion, only 6.5% under July 2019 levels. Demand for hotel rooms varies across locations, but is only 4% under 2019 levels. Business travel remains strong, and leisure travel rates are reason to be cautiously optimistic.

travel publicationSpreading the News 

Despite numerous online resources, the travel industry still relies on print to attract, inform, and retain customers. The travel book industry alone sold $124 million worth of print travel guides in 2017, the largest year for sales in the United States after several years of declining numbers. In another study,  73% of visitors would consider altering their plans because of a brochure. While the web facilitates travel planning, travel guidebooks introduce readers to the highlights of their chosen destination. Local contributors help give recommendations, write about can’t-miss experiences, and curate attractions to help their audience create memories.

 

Another print piece enjoying a resurgence is the travel brochure. Travel sellers and agents respond to consumer demand and create brochures for their customers to take with them out the door. People of all ages like to have something tangible to refer to, take notes on, and share with potential travel companions. These brochures are more like catalogs, with plenty of editorial content. While the internet provides basic details and prices, printed brochure content excites and entertains. 

Don’t Forget Direct Mail 

Travel agents don’t need to wait for customers to contact them to hand over a brochure, though. The travel and recreation sector uses direct mailers to attract and engage its audience. This industry uses envelopes, postcards, and self-mailers at lower rates than, say, non-profits and retail businesses, but reap the same benefits that direct mail delivers. Envelopes containing a brochure and response card can appeal to emotions, self-mailers are versatile and cost-effective, and postcards convey simple information with clarity (i.e., Now Flying Non-Stop to London!). 

Go on a Journey 

An experienced printer will enhance your travel and leisure publications. Combining the right paper type with unique inks and specialty finishes creates high-end pieces that will attract, inform, and entertain. 

Get moving and contact Consolidated Press to get your printed publications into the right hands. 

Consolidated Press

Local Publications Center Community

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The local magazines, brochures or maps are still a vital and booming communications resource for small cities, townships, neighborhoods, and villages. Produced by local experts, and mailed to residents, these local and regional publications are regarded as trustworthy and filled with relevant information. 

Relevant Content for Readers community magazine

Community magazines, usually mailed to residents quarterly, provide timely articles on local issues, schedules of community events, information about recreational activities and clubs in local parks, and guides to community development. Local magazines targeted to local audiences impart a sense of community, and build a sense of comradery in neighborhoods.

For example, many community magazines publish information regarding the hours and contact information for the township or municipal offices. They share waste management schedules, including special recycling events and yard waste pick-up days. Parks and recreation departments publish trail maps, summer camp options, and farmers’ market schedules. Community events such as outdoor concerts, fireworks for the Fourth of July, and even car shows all appear in the local magazine.  

A similar community publication that neighbors enjoy is a calendar. Filled with photos of local flora and fauna, children enjoying nearby playgrounds, and other familiar images, plus holiday events, and information regarding, for example, school start dates or library book sales, community calendars are useful and stay accessible in households. 

Print Options for Advertisers 

Community publications are a boon to local businesses. Advertising dollars are well spent on space in a local publication. Because of the way these periodicals can build community, seeing an ad for a local business can feel like getting a recommendation from a trusted friend. These print publications help lead readers to an advertiser online as well; print ads that include QR codes and links to websites provide readers with more information. 

calendarWhether mailed to residents or distributed at a neighborhood business, locally produced calendars provide another cost-effective option for advertisers. Because a print calendar stays on-hand as a relevant reference in households, an ad is guaranteed to be seen. While an ad on Facebook may have a bigger reach, it does not necessarily hit the right target and demographic the way an advertisement in a local publication does. 

Print ads in magazines and on calendars have longevity. These publications have a life beyond the mailbox, often showing up in dentist and doctor offices, neighborhood grocery stores, coffee shops, and pharmacies. When someone picks up a magazine while waiting or just hanging out, they engage with the content and advertising differently than they do on social media.  

Professional Looking and Timely 

The nature of a community magazine demands a printer who knows how to print, bind, and mail in specific quantities and on schedule. Quality graphics, clear fonts, and the right paper are key to eye-catching content and ads. Events and shopping guides need to reach customers by mail well before they are going to happen so people can plan and budget, both time and money. Consolidated Press offers in-house mailing services, helping publishers navigate and negotiate the best mail rates for their magazine or calendar.   

 

 

 

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Consolidated Press

Magazines, Now is the Time to Shine

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The print industry is here to stay, and at the same time, the industries that use print are changing. Magazines and periodicals are perfect examples of industries in demand, yet these media companies are also changing how they do business. Ad revenues are down; subscriptions are up (in some cases, 15% to 30%), and printers can serve these markets in creative and exciting ways. 

Reread, Retain, Reward 

Research shows over and over again that people enjoy getting mail and many prefer interacting with print pieces rather than digital advertising. People who read print media learn more effectively and retain more information. Magazine readers are diverse and include members of every age group, income level, sexual orientation and ethnicity. According to research, 91% of adults in the United States have read a magazine in the past six months, including 95% of adults under the age of 25.  

Magazines provide trusted information, and compared to Internet and television advertising; magazines persuade readers to try new things, buy new things, and help them make purchase decisions. Paper-based reading stimulates emotions and desires, and helps focus attention. Readers have positive associations with brands that advertise in magazines, and often seek out more information about the advertised product or service.     

According to “Mr. Magazine”, Samir Husni, Ph.D., the founder and director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the Meek School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, magazines are here to stay. We don’t have a print problem, he explains. We have a business problem. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the business model in terms of distribution and revenue collection. Bookstores and newsstands closed, so periodicals need to depend on the post office to get to consumers. Advertisers have other, often less expensive outlets than print magazines. The loss of distribution outlets and advertising dollars is a real double whammy.  

print magazine and periodicals

Quality over Quantity 

In order to continue to publish, magazines need to deliver experience-making content, says Dr. Husni. People depend on the publications to which they subscribe to provide content they can trust, content that has been vetted and verified. Magazines are reinventing themselves by moving to quarterly publication, rather than monthly, or by releasing special editions. Timeless content that readers can return to will pay off for magazines as advertising models change 

Making a print project stand out from the pack can grab a person’s interest when browsing the magazine rack. As a non-disposable media platform, magazines have an advantage in style over other types of media. One option to engage customers is a bookazine, which is a publication that combines elements of magazines and books. A savvy magazine publisher will look beyond a monthly subscription, and create special editions on niche topics their readers will want to read and save. By using embossed graphics, foil printing, and high-quality paper, a printer helps publishers impart a feeling of value. (Very savvy publishers will also branch out into digital or streaming platforms, such as podcasts or television, information about which will be available to consumers via their print base.)  

A Knowledgeable Printer is a Valuable Partner 

Building a relationship with a printer will make a good print partner aware of the challenges magazines and periodicals face. By offering quality printing, an experienced printer will ensure that customers who are now laying down $12 or $15 per magazine get a collectible item that they can showcase in their homes.