Jessica Cox and Michelle Pierce |
Jessica Cox and Michelle Pierce are graduates of the University of
Oklahoma’s College of Journalism with a background in Internet
marketing and writing for the Web. They currently provide PR services at Xeal Precision Marketing. Sign up to get crucial Internet marketing tips at Xeal's free Thursday webinar. |
Jessica Cox and Michelle Pierce
has written 5 articles for SB Informer. |
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Advanced Article Marketing: Getting Into MagazinesA high-profile distribution outlet for your articles Jessica Cox and Michelle Pierce
September 11, 2007
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With article marketing, you may be focused on getting your articles
into directories and databases on the Internet. However, you may be
overlooking an excellent potential market for you articles: magazines.
Now, getting an article that's been previously published online into a
magazine might not be possible. However, if you think you can expand an
article you've written to make it substantially different, then chances
are good that you'll be able to pitch it to a magazine. But first, you
have to get it to the editor and you have to convince them that their
readers will revolt unless your article goes in the first available
issue.
These tips work equally well for both print and online magazines. Both
are excellent places to seek publication, and you'll also have the
ability to put "Published in (Insert Name Here) Magazine" on your site.
First... read the magazine
Hopefully, you've targeted your piece to a specific audience, and
you're looking for a magazine that targets the same audience. The first
thing you need to do is read the magazine. Not only will this give you
a better idea of the magazine's tone and audience than just looking at
the title and description, but you'll also find out if any similar
articles have appeared recently.
Writer's guidelines are your friend
Most, if not all, magazines will have their writer's guidelines posted
on their website. That is where you need to look first. Look for
information on the kind of articles they accept, article lengths, issue
themes and deadlines.
If you're planning on sending out multiple queries, make notes of
magazines that accept simultaneous submissions. Few things irritate
editors more than when somebody sends them a query letter or email
without having even looked at magazine or the writer's guidelines.
Tread lightly in uncharted territory
If there are no writer’s guidelines available, you should first email
to ask if they accept guest articles for the publication. This initial
email also provides a good way to establishing first contact with a
real human editor. Be extremely courteous in all your dealings with
magazine staff. These contacts can prove invaluable when you later send
your actual query.
Choose your contact carefully
While you may feel the urge to send your article to the top dog of the
publication, this is often not the best course of action. The chief
editor is rarely the best person to contact regarding your article.
They are by far the busiest person on staff, and the most likely to
lose your precious query letter.
Instead, look for an assistant editor, associate editor, or a
designated editorial contact. This information can usually be found on
the About Us or Contact pages, or in the masthead of the magazine.
Convince them your article is perfect for them
Editors are in the business of publishing useful, interesting content
for their readers. Pitch your article on these terms. Think in terms of
what their audience wants, and explain why they would be interested in
your article. This will put you ahead of 90% of the spam articles they
receive on a daily basis.
If possible, you should also convince them of your skills and
credentials as an author or expert in this subject. If you have won
awards, or have a long track record in the industry, mention it. It
would also be a good idea to mention previous publications that have
featured your work. A list of previous publications goes a long way
towards establishing credibility in the eyes of publishers.
Don’t go overboard
Most query letters should be short and to the point. Editors are busy
people, and you will do well to get your point across without wasting
their time. Explain your topic and how you’re covering it in one
paragraph; add another paragraph for your author credentials (if you
have credentials); and exit gracefully.
Re-using your article
You’ve gone to all the trouble of researching a topic and writing your
article. Why not get the best return possible on your hard work? Once
you’ve sent your initial queries and gained a few publications, take
another look at your article. Is there another audience who would be
interested in the information? For example, if you write a piece
discussing training tips for the industrial industry, the same basic
information might be useful in crafting a healthcare training tips
article.
You'd be surprised at what expert author status can do for your
credibility in the business world. For example, would you rather work
with Generic Company Inc. or an industry expert with a stack of
publications to back up their claims of success? Taking the time to
demonstrate your knowledge helps convince customers to choose you over
the competition.
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