Okay, I made a major step in print advertising. I took out an ad in the next issue of People StyleWatch. I know, I know...but basically they made me an offer I couldn't refuse (a 'remnant' ad that was heavily discounted). They contacted me, and after I consulted all my business friends etc for advice, the opinions were unanimous that I shouldn't pass it up.

It comes out on Monday. A million issues, on the stands for five weeks. It will be the first time I really dip my toes in the truly mainstream....this should be interesting....

What are your thoughts on advertising crafts in that arena? What do you consider when you take out print ads?

My personal feeling is that mainstream is GOOD. Why not encourage the general public to check out the cool stuff that we crafty ladies already know about? The print ads we all tend to do (Venus, ReadyMade, Bust, and so on) are great but at the same time we're sort of preaching to the choir with them -- in many cases they're reminders to existing customers (which is still *very* important!) rather than ways to grab new customers.

I say congrats on the ad -- let us know how it goes!!

congrats. You did the right thing. Now more people will know about the awesomeness the crafty community has to offer.

I think that is great, a wonderful opportunity to expand your business further. Good for you for going for it! :oD

cool!! great move! maybe it will tip them off to doing a feature on you!

is it people stylewatch different from regular people mag? i know people mag has a style watch section. i have the new issue but i can't find you! if its a separate edition, i'll go pick it up tomorrow at the store. all the new issues come out on saturdays...i'm a magazine addict so i know these things!

I think that is really cool! I agree with plainmabel about the preaching to the choir comment and that reaching mainstream is good for your business. You can introduce new people to the wonderful world of craft. If you've been approached by People magazine, I have to say that you've hit the big time! Congratulations!

My question would be "why not?". This could only be good for you, especially since you didn't spend an enormous amount of money on your space. Plus, they approached you.

Congratulations!

I think it's a GREAT move. Let us know how it turns out! Oooh, now I have an excuse to pick it up at the newstand! :)

ksue

Thanks! And, I hadn't thought about how it will affect all the other businesses I have linked on my site...I do get emails from people who say "I had no idea there was this whole crafty world, I had so much fun looking at all the other businesses..." So, that makes me feel good, knowing that the advertising will stimulate business for others too....that's crazy to think about.

So, I figure you all owe me about $100 bucks each.
;)

It's a separate issue of the magazine, sold on newsstands only (doesn't go to subscribers). I was told it comes out Monday, but I'm gonna go see if I can find it today.

I agree on the preaching to the choir. I mean, I absolutely want to support those publications and present my biz to my people, but I'm also looking for unchartered territory...

Thanks ladies! It's dorky, but I've never been so excited about an ad.

i think that is great news SublimeStitcher!!
mainstream, spainstream... it will bring you more exposure and new customers and that is not a bad thing. in fact i hope it takes your biz to a whole new level. good luck!!

I think that's fabulous!
It seems to me that the mainstream is becoming more and more receptive to crafts, judging from the use of crafty props and recommendations for handmade items in popular magazines.
I just placed a teensy ad in Parenting Magazine (it comes out in May). I am very curious to see what happens as it too is very mainstream.
Congratulations!

I saw your ad last week and thought, "WOW!" and then I logged on to the Glitter boards this morning and saw this thread! :)

I think it's great! 'Cause it's true: so many people aren't familiar with D.I.Y. and all the handmade goodness we produce. Spreading the crafty word can only be good!

One thought I had about ads is what about taking them out in Women's Day or Real Simple or some of those publications geared towards older women. Many of these magazines have some crafty projects in them, and I'm sure Moms and Grandmoms would see stuff and think, "Oh, my kid would *love* some embroidered kitties on their jacket!" or even "Ooh veggies! Perfect to dress up my kitchen towels!" :)

Just a thought!!! And good luck with the Parenting Magazine ad, paperdreams!!! :)

Hey,
I picked up the mag two days ago, before I read this post and was so happy to see a familiar face in the ad section. I think it looks great!
Good luck.
Raquel.

Thanks! That's really great to know...I haven't seen it yet, so I think I'll go see if I can find a copy....

Errr....okay. I picked up a copy today....I have no idea why my graphic was reduced and text was added at the top and bottom. That was not part of the deal. Not happy. I specifically designed that ad to fill the space I was quoted. I paid for the whole space, not a 40% reduction.

Grr! Sorry for all the complaining posts. I called them and they said I was supposed to get a proof for approval. Nope. Nothing was sent to me....she was very apologetic and said she'd check into it and get back with me. I called again and left a message with the person who sold me the ad, one of the directors at the agency.

So, someone at their ad agency made their own decision about using my taglines (I specifically decided not to include more than one) and adding that "p.s. stitch it" which is only used on my email signature.

Hoo boy, am I pissed about this.

I know. To the casual observer it looks fine. But I didn't pay for them to mess with my graphic decisions. As far as I'm concerned, they majorly compromised the visual impact of my ad.

When you advertise, magazines have the right to make editorial changes for offensive stuff, but not like this, and they let you know first in any case. Never was it communicated to me "Oh, and it will get reduced by about 30-40% and we'll add a bunch of redundant text around it. We can use whatever tag line we can grab off your site, right?"

Wrong! Farts of Anger! RRRARAAARRRARRRR! FFT! FFFT!! FFT!!!

Just remember ladies: when you advertise, YOU are the client. They work for you.

Maybe they will run a corrected ad? That's the compensation we try to get for our clients at work if it is the publisher's mistake, for no additional charge to the advertiser ... much smaller publications we send ads to, but still. You are the client, they should do what they can, especially since you are part of a "bigger network of other potential clients for them, who will hear of your dissatisfaction"!

I hope they should offer some compensation if it isn't the way you wanted it and you weren't given final approval.

best of luck,
i sew vinyl

That is really strange. (And lame!) What kind of major publication doesn't get proofs signed?

Maybe you have a superfan in their ad department who was misguidedly trying to help out. (Using your email sig? That is weird!)

Whatever happened, how unprofessional of them! I hope you get excellent compensation.

All is well. They offered a partial refund (what I would have requested), and said it was all their fault. Plus a guarantee on my fall rate. Happy now. Yay!

That's great news! how has it worked out so far, have you noticed a huge increase in sales? I finally got my issue today, it looks so great in there! congrats!

Jenny,
That is HORRIBLE! What they did was a violation of the advertising contract!

Just so everyone knows, when anything in the ad is not as you sent it to them, the publication needs to give you a make-good, which is a 100% free ad in their next issue. (Jenny, you may want to still ask for that.) This is standard for a huge screwup like that. When sending print ads to a publication, it's good to print out a color copy of the ad in addition to sending the art, so they can compare the art on the disk to the printout. Then they know what the ad is approved to look like.

Please feel free to contact me directly if anyone has any questions about print ads. I do this for a living in my regular job.

Allison
happy home designs

I'm glad to hear your predicament was resolved! It can't wait to hear what effect an ad has on your traffic, and will be interesting to see if you attract a different sort of crowd from your normal demographic. I've never taken out a print ad of any kind, but always want to save up some extra cash and put a tiny ad in my local indie newspaper just to see what would happen.

I looked at your ad today as a show of crafty solidarity!

Sorry it wasn't the way you laid it out (I HATE that!), but yay for getting a partial refund (score!).

I, too, can't wait to see how it affects your biz!

I personaly, am very proud of you.
I have been down with Getcrafty for about a year, and I have seen you build.
I see your ads in the magazines that I read and I am just so happy to see them.
I have seen your work and I am just so elated that people are getting behind it!
Yea-hoo!
Hopefully I will be right there with you soon!
You rule!
e.

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Sweet! I had my mom help find the mag and your ad at Target - then we showed it to the checkout boy as it seemed he was straining his neck to see what we were looking for!