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Home > Archive > Chess politics > January 2005 > Chess Life & USCF (was: Get rid of the USCF?)
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Chess Life & USCF (was: Get rid of the USCF?)
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| Al Andalus 2005-01-09, 12:45 am |
| On 5 Jan 2005 at 04:33:33 GMT, Mike Nolan scribbled:
->Aside from the fact that our demograpics (what we have of them)
->are lousy, Chess Life is well below the subscription level that
->national advertisers are likely to be interested in.
My, my! <grin> That isn't what the blurbs say that are put out
by companies marketing USCF's mailing list or advertising space to
potentially interested parties in or around the publishing world.
Having delved into those "back channels" at one time or another,
I've seen how they describe USCF. It's totally awesome: "large base
of adult males" (implying big middle-class buying power); "highly-
intelligent" (meaning if your product or publication is so smart,
these chess geeks will surely identify with you); and so on.
Of course, it appears that advertisers haven't been fooled by
that hype. But you didn't have to confirm the reality for them.
<grin!> USCF needs to be more positive! We have a magazine that's
just waiting for space to be filled with full-page ads by
deoderant companies, public transportation services, and personality
counseling mavens, not to mention MENSA registration forms! Let's
get on the beam! Prosperity is just around the corner if we only
position ourselves properly in the marketplace. <grin>
--[vbcol=seagreen]
* Feed your ego -- Play Chess! *
(Headers munged to foil spammers; real info in taglines)
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Al Andalus wrote:
quote:
> On 5 Jan 2005 at 04:33:33 GMT, Mike Nolan scribbled:
> ->Aside from the fact that our demograpics (what we have of them)
> ->are lousy, Chess Life is well below the subscription level that
> ->national advertisers are likely to be interested in.
>
> My, my! <grin> That isn't what the blurbs say that are put out
> by companies marketing USCF's mailing list or advertising space to
> potentially interested parties in or around the publishing world.
>
> Having delved into those "back channels" at one time or another,
> I've seen how they describe USCF. It's totally awesome: "large base
> of adult males" (implying big middle-class buying power); "highly-
> intelligent" (meaning if your product or publication is so smart,
> these chess geeks will surely identify with you); and so on.
>
> Of course, it appears that advertisers haven't been fooled by
> that hype. But you didn't have to confirm the reality for them.
> <grin!> USCF needs to be more positive! We have a magazine that's
> just waiting for space to be filled with full-page ads by
> deoderant companies, public transportation services, and personality
> counseling mavens, not to mention MENSA registration forms! Let's
> get on the beam! Prosperity is just around the corner if we only
> position ourselves properly in the marketplace. <grin>
I agree. I do not uderstand why we have notgotten placements from other
advertising sources. Where are the computer ads? Where are the tooth
paste and car ads? I think we are leaving money on the table by not
pursuing them. If a large number of our members are scholastics; where
are the video gamers ads?
Rob
quote:
> * Feed your ego -- Play Chess! *
>
> (Headers munged to foil spammers; real info in taglines)
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-09, 5:46 pm |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>I agree. I do not uderstand why we have notgotten placements from other
>advertising sources. Where are the computer ads? Where are the tooth
>paste and car ads? I think we are leaving money on the table by not
>pursuing them. If a large number of our members are scholastics; where
>are the video gamers ads?
Who says that we haven't tried pursuing them? The problem is that the
USCF's numbers are fairly small and the ages so varied that Chess Life
isn't a very good vehicle for targeting specific customer types.
Here's a rough breakdown of circulation by 5 year age groups, with
and without regular scholastic members, since the scholastic members
get the magazine every other month.
All W/O Scholastic
0-4 31 18
5-9 6003 604
10-14 12528 1937
15-19 7665 6683
20-24 1532 1525
25-29 1352 1351
30-34 1834 1834
35-39 2510 2509
40-44 3251 3248
45-49 4794 4792
50-54 4427 4427
55-59 3871 3871
60-64 2544 2544
65-69 1769 1769
70-74 1279 1279
75-59 898 898
80-84 449 449
85-89 186 186
90-94 48 48
95-99 12 10
unknown 3395 2392
Whether you're selling toothpaste, diapers, video games or Geritol,
there just aren't a lot of potential customers in the mix.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
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Mike Nolan wrote:
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
other[vbcol=seagreen]
where[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Who says that we haven't tried pursuing them? The problem is that
the
quote:
> USCF's numbers are fairly small and the ages so varied that Chess
Life
quote:
> isn't a very good vehicle for targeting specific customer types.
>
> Here's a rough breakdown of circulation by 5 year age groups, with
> and without regular scholastic members, since the scholastic members
> get the magazine every other month.
>
> All W/O Scholastic
>
> 0-4 31 18
> 5-9 6003 604
> 10-14 12528 1937
> 15-19 7665 6683
> 20-24 1532 1525
> 25-29 1352 1351
> 30-34 1834 1834
> 35-39 2510 2509
> 40-44 3251 3248
> 45-49 4794 4792
> 50-54 4427 4427
> 55-59 3871 3871
> 60-64 2544 2544
> 65-69 1769 1769
> 70-74 1279 1279
> 75-59 898 898
> 80-84 449 449
> 85-89 186 186
> 90-94 48 48
> 95-99 12 10
> unknown 3395 2392
>
> Whether you're selling toothpaste, diapers, video games or Geritol,
> there just aren't a lot of potential customers in the mix.
> --
> Mike Nolan
Mike,
What are the chances of selling the magazine into bookstores?
Rob
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-10, 6:45 am |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>What are the chances of selling the magazine into bookstores?
Go ask your neighborhood bookstore if they've ever carried it or had any
requests for it.
While you're there, count the number of magazines they carry.
Then go to the library reference room and look up how many magazines
are published according to Ulrich's guide to periodicals.
Bookstores need volume to survive. Chess Life doesn't have that much
general demand. Heck, how many USCF members (or former members) post here
about how they'd rather NOT get it!
I think my sister-in-law's bookstore gets 2 copies of Chess Life, most
months she sells at most 1 copy.
Newsstand sales are a small fraction of most magazines circulation.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
|
|
Mike Nolan wrote:
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
>
> Go ask your neighborhood bookstore if they've ever carried it or had
any
quote:
> requests for it.
>
> While you're there, count the number of magazines they carry.
>
> Then go to the library reference room and look up how many magazines
> are published according to Ulrich's guide to periodicals.
>
> Bookstores need volume to survive. Chess Life doesn't have that much
> general demand. Heck, how many USCF members (or former members) post
here
quote:
> about how they'd rather NOT get it!
>
> I think my sister-in-law's bookstore gets 2 copies of Chess Life,
most
quote:
> months she sells at most 1 copy.
>
> Newsstand sales are a small fraction of most magazines circulation.
> --
> Mike Nolan
Mike,
Just as an idea... how many old copies of Chess Life do we still have?
I think we might be able to move them as either bundled sets by year
sold to used magazine collector stores or to discount bulk sellers such
as Hastings . If you can give me some advise , I will be happy to do
some leg work.
Rob
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-10, 5:46 pm |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>Just as an idea... how many old copies of Chess Life do we still have?
>I think we might be able to move them as either bundled sets by year
>sold to used magazine collector stores or to discount bulk sellers such
>as Hastings . If you can give me some advise , I will be happy to do
>some leg work.
They have cases and cases of them, contact Glenn Peterson on this,
gpetersen@uschess.org.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
| StanB 2005-01-11, 12:45 am |
|
"Mike Nolan" <nolan@gw.tssi.com> wrote in message
news:cruj22$2f6$1@gw.tssi.com...
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
>
> They have cases and cases of them, contact Glenn Peterson on this,
> gpetersen@uschess.org.
Get there when we move and you can pick them out of the dumpster.
| |
|
|
Al Andalus wrote:
quote:
> On 5 Jan 2005 at 04:33:33 GMT, Mike Nolan scribbled:
> ->Aside from the fact that our demograpics (what we have of them)
> ->are lousy, Chess Life is well below the subscription level that
> ->national advertisers are likely to be interested in.
>
> My, my! <grin> That isn't what the blurbs say that are put out
> by companies marketing USCF's mailing list or advertising space to
> potentially interested parties in or around the publishing world.
>
> Having delved into those "back channels" at one time or another,
> I've seen how they describe USCF. It's totally awesome: "large base
> of adult males" (implying big middle-class buying power); "highly-
> intelligent" (meaning if your product or publication is so smart,
> these chess geeks will surely identify with you); and so on.
>
> Of course, it appears that advertisers haven't been fooled by
> that hype. But you didn't have to confirm the reality for them.
> <grin!> USCF needs to be more positive! We have a magazine that's
> just waiting for space to be filled with full-page ads by
> deoderant companies, public transportation services, and personality
> counseling mavens, not to mention MENSA registration forms! Let's
> get on the beam! Prosperity is just around the corner if we only
> position ourselves properly in the marketplace. <grin>
I agree. I do not uderstand why we have notgotten placements from other
advertising sources. Where are the computer ads? Where are the tooth
paste and car ads? I think we are leaving money on the table by not
pursuing them. If a large number of our members are scholastics; where
are the video gamers ads?
Rob
quote:
> * Feed your ego -- Play Chess! *
>
> (Headers munged to foil spammers; real info in taglines)
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-12, 9:45 am |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>What are the chances of selling the magazine into bookstores?
Go ask your neighborhood bookstore if they've ever carried it or had any
requests for it.
While you're there, count the number of magazines they carry.
Then go to the library reference room and look up how many magazines
are published according to Ulrich's guide to periodicals.
Bookstores need volume to survive. Chess Life doesn't have that much
general demand. Heck, how many USCF members (or former members) post here
about how they'd rather NOT get it!
I think my sister-in-law's bookstore gets 2 copies of Chess Life, most
months she sells at most 1 copy.
Newsstand sales are a small fraction of most magazines circulation.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
|
|
Al Andalus wrote:
quote:
> On 5 Jan 2005 at 04:33:33 GMT, Mike Nolan scribbled:
> ->Aside from the fact that our demograpics (what we have of them)
> ->are lousy, Chess Life is well below the subscription level that
> ->national advertisers are likely to be interested in.
>
> My, my! <grin> That isn't what the blurbs say that are put out
> by companies marketing USCF's mailing list or advertising space to
> potentially interested parties in or around the publishing world.
>
> Having delved into those "back channels" at one time or another,
> I've seen how they describe USCF. It's totally awesome: "large base
> of adult males" (implying big middle-class buying power); "highly-
> intelligent" (meaning if your product or publication is so smart,
> these chess geeks will surely identify with you); and so on.
>
> Of course, it appears that advertisers haven't been fooled by
> that hype. But you didn't have to confirm the reality for them.
> <grin!> USCF needs to be more positive! We have a magazine that's
> just waiting for space to be filled with full-page ads by
> deoderant companies, public transportation services, and personality
> counseling mavens, not to mention MENSA registration forms! Let's
> get on the beam! Prosperity is just around the corner if we only
> position ourselves properly in the marketplace. <grin>
I agree. I do not uderstand why we have notgotten placements from other
advertising sources. Where are the computer ads? Where are the tooth
paste and car ads? I think we are leaving money on the table by not
pursuing them. If a large number of our members are scholastics; where
are the video gamers ads?
Rob
quote:
> * Feed your ego -- Play Chess! *
>
> (Headers munged to foil spammers; real info in taglines)
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-15, 12:46 am |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>I agree. I do not uderstand why we have notgotten placements from other
>advertising sources. Where are the computer ads? Where are the tooth
>paste and car ads? I think we are leaving money on the table by not
>pursuing them. If a large number of our members are scholastics; where
>are the video gamers ads?
Who says that we haven't tried pursuing them? The problem is that the
USCF's numbers are fairly small and the ages so varied that Chess Life
isn't a very good vehicle for targeting specific customer types.
Here's a rough breakdown of circulation by 5 year age groups, with
and without regular scholastic members, since the scholastic members
get the magazine every other month.
All W/O Scholastic
0-4 31 18
5-9 6003 604
10-14 12528 1937
15-19 7665 6683
20-24 1532 1525
25-29 1352 1351
30-34 1834 1834
35-39 2510 2509
40-44 3251 3248
45-49 4794 4792
50-54 4427 4427
55-59 3871 3871
60-64 2544 2544
65-69 1769 1769
70-74 1279 1279
75-59 898 898
80-84 449 449
85-89 186 186
90-94 48 48
95-99 12 10
unknown 3395 2392
Whether you're selling toothpaste, diapers, video games or Geritol,
there just aren't a lot of potential customers in the mix.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
|
|
Mike Nolan wrote:
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
other[vbcol=seagreen]
where[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Who says that we haven't tried pursuing them? The problem is that
the
quote:
> USCF's numbers are fairly small and the ages so varied that Chess
Life
quote:
> isn't a very good vehicle for targeting specific customer types.
>
> Here's a rough breakdown of circulation by 5 year age groups, with
> and without regular scholastic members, since the scholastic members
> get the magazine every other month.
>
> All W/O Scholastic
>
> 0-4 31 18
> 5-9 6003 604
> 10-14 12528 1937
> 15-19 7665 6683
> 20-24 1532 1525
> 25-29 1352 1351
> 30-34 1834 1834
> 35-39 2510 2509
> 40-44 3251 3248
> 45-49 4794 4792
> 50-54 4427 4427
> 55-59 3871 3871
> 60-64 2544 2544
> 65-69 1769 1769
> 70-74 1279 1279
> 75-59 898 898
> 80-84 449 449
> 85-89 186 186
> 90-94 48 48
> 95-99 12 10
> unknown 3395 2392
>
> Whether you're selling toothpaste, diapers, video games or Geritol,
> there just aren't a lot of potential customers in the mix.
> --
> Mike Nolan
Mike,
What are the chances of selling the magazine into bookstores?
Rob
| |
| Mike Nolan 2005-01-15, 12:46 am |
| "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
quote:
>What are the chances of selling the magazine into bookstores?
Go ask your neighborhood bookstore if they've ever carried it or had any
requests for it.
While you're there, count the number of magazines they carry.
Then go to the library reference room and look up how many magazines
are published according to Ulrich's guide to periodicals.
Bookstores need volume to survive. Chess Life doesn't have that much
general demand. Heck, how many USCF members (or former members) post here
about how they'd rather NOT get it!
I think my sister-in-law's bookstore gets 2 copies of Chess Life, most
months she sells at most 1 copy.
Newsstand sales are a small fraction of most magazines circulation.
--
Mike Nolan
| |
|
|
Mike Nolan wrote:
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
>
> Go ask your neighborhood bookstore if they've ever carried it or had
any
quote:
> requests for it.
>
> While you're there, count the number of magazines they carry.
>
> Then go to the library reference room and look up how many magazines
> are published according to Ulrich's guide to periodicals.
>
> Bookstores need volume to survive. Chess Life doesn't have that much
> general demand. Heck, how many USCF members (or former members) post
here
quote:
> about how they'd rather NOT get it!
>
> I think my sister-in-law's bookstore gets 2 copies of Chess Life,
most
quote:
> months she sells at most 1 copy.
>
> Newsstand sales are a small fraction of most magazines circulation.
> --
> Mike Nolan
Mike,
Just as an idea... how many old copies of Chess Life do we still have?
I think we might be able to move them as either bundled sets by year
sold to used magazine collector stores or to discount bulk sellers such
as Hastings . If you can give me some advise , I will be happy to do
some leg work.
Rob
| |
|
|
"Mike Nolan" <nolan@gw.tssi.com> wrote in message
news:cruj22$2f6$1@gw.tssi.com...
quote:
> "Rob" <robmtchl@msn.com> writes:
>
>
> They have cases and cases of them, contact Glenn Peterson on this,
> gpetersen@uschess.org.
Get there when we move and you can pick them out of the dumpster.
|
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