UK Royal Mail launches discount promo to publishers

Royal Mail is launching a promotion offering consumer publishers a 25% discount in order to help the weekly magazine market boost its marketing activity and sales.

Royal Mail claims that the reduced distribution costs will potentially allow weeklies to increase their marketing activity, using the money saved from the discount programme to increase their overall subscription circulations.

To qualify, weekly magazines must have less than 5% actively purchased UK single copy subscription sales as recorded in the December 2003 ABC audit figures, and must apply for the offer between August 2 and September 24 2004. The discount will apply for 12 months from the first discounted mailing, or from October 8, whichever date is earlier.

Royal Mail says that increased subscriptions will profit the sector in a number of ways, including increased cash flow, greater sales stability through enhanced buyer loyalty and increased knowledge of the target market, which allows publishers to cross sell other titles — all of which will help secure long-term profitability for weekly magazine subscriptions.

Tom Wasilewski, head of publishing at Royal Mail, said: “It is essential for publishers to build a reader profile and implement an effective CRM strategy based on subscription data, for example utilising life cycle information to target readers [and their families] with relevant magazines at different stages of subscription holders’ lives.”

The move comes ahead of Royal Mail plans to bring size-based pricing on delivery of magazine subscriptions, which is due to begin in the autumn.