RE: Magazine Contacts

["James Purchase" <jppurchase@rogers.com>]

Bob,

"Last year I jumped in midstream and tried to do some promo with the
magazines. One of the problems I ran into was, even when I had an address or
phone number enabling me to e-mail, snail mail or fax them one of our well
done Press Kits, there was no simple way to verify that they had gotten it,
ask if they had any questions, or to ensure they understood what it was and
how it might be of benefit to them. IOW, I couldn't "sell" the contest much
because I had no actual contact person within each org. to communicate
with."

"IMHO, an actual contact person of some type at each pub would be a big, big
help in personalizing our liaison with them and ensuring better press. I
realize this is overstating the obvious but it bears repeating."

AMEN! I understand exactly what you are talking about here - many of the
companies merely have web based comments areas and you never know who is
actually receiving the comments and/or information you are sending them.

It can get VERY frustrating to prepare and submit information and then never
know if it was received and never see it appear in print or never even hear
back from them.

I also concur with the need to capture this sort of information and have it
maintained for furture use by the AGA for other purposes. That is one of the
reasons I used a spreadsheet to monitor the vendor contacts I had made in
2000. Properly set up and maintained, such a database can help greatly to
know who is likely to be of use and which companies are just not worth the
effort or might require a different approach.

Even a database of the various AGA members and where they are from might
come in handy - if we need local contact/support/help in any area it would
be nice to have the name and email address of someone who actually lives in
an area (sort of like me asking Edward Venn if he could track down the
contact info on Asian magazines because I know that he lives and works in
Japan).

Please see my comments to David Lass regarding the setting up of a "central
clearing house" within the AGA for such matters.

I have looked at the "press kit" which was available online last year and
I'm very impressed - all relevant details are included in a very attractive
format. I'm VERY open to the idea of someone other than me handling
promotional matters - I just think that we should set up something central
where the needs of ALL interested parties (i.e. the AGA, the Contest and the
Convention) are considered and taken care of in the most efficient manner
possible.

James Purchase
Toronto



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