Publishers' FAQ > Sales and Distribution > With limited time and money, how should we prioritize our marketing efforts for our magazine?

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The circulation absolute: renewals (keeping the subscribers you already have) should always be your first priority. Otherwise, spend your time on the things that give you the best return for your money. In short, identify by tracking and calculating cost versus income for new orders which efforts work best for your magazine.

Try all of the standard methods (bind-in cards, gift subscription mailings, small mailings to targeted lists, space ads) and determine which consistently provide the best return. Once you've incorporated the various facets of circulation marketing into your day-to-day operations and begin to yield predictable results, you may want to test new offers or creatives. Remember to be scientific when testing. Always test against a control and don't test multiple variables.

For more information on marketing, including instructions on planning a renewal calendar and letter series, read the monograph, "Circulation Development for Literary Magazines."