We’ve started an interesting experiment with the November issue of the magazine and I must say I’m enjoying it! You all know I’m a big tweeter, and using Twitter to promote the latest issue of the mag is nothing new for me. But this month we’ve taken it to a new level!
If you don’t already know that our November cover star is Iggy Pintado, then shame on you! The ‘connectedness expert’ and author of Connection Generation shared some great insights on how small business owners can use networking, both on and offline, to help them succeed and grow. And while he shies away from that hideous term ‘social media guru’ (which is about as meaningful as the term ‘serial entrepreneur’) he does most of his connecting online, through the mediums of LinkedIn and Twitter.
So, when we decided Iggy was going to be on the cover, the two of us sat down and planned how we could use social media to drive awareness of the magazine (and if it boosted sales of that issue, what’s not to like?). Iggy started this by asking people to tweet the location when they saw the issue for sale at a news agency, using the hashtag #dynabizmag. This quickly gathered momentum, and before we knew it, readers started using Twitpic to send photos of themselves with their copy. Brilliant! It’s now fast turning into a ‘who has the cutest kid holding a copy of Dynamic Business magazine?’ competition (and yes, we will be giving a prize to the best photo).
At the same time we’re regularly running a Friday subs offer to Twitter followers who can subscribe for a year for just $20. Whether this all leads to an increase in news agency sales and subscriptions though, is irrelevant. We’re not actively trying to increase our circulation at the moment and everyone knows that’s not how publishers make their money. What I really love about this little project is the level of interaction with our readers. It’s seen our Facebook Group membership grow from 70 to more than 400 in just a week and, in turn, I’ve been giving that group a lot more love. I’ve had more feedback on what’s in the mag for one single issue than ever before and it’s created a real feeling of community and reader engagement.
Long may it last!
If you would like to follow Dynamic Business, Iggy or myself on Twitter you can find us at the below addresses:
- Dynamic Business – http://twitter.com/DynamicBusiness (@dynamicbusiness)
- Jen Bishop – http://twitter.com/jenbishopsydney (@jenbishopsydney)
- Iggy Pintado – http://twitter.com/iggypintado (@iggypintado)
