Reading Industry Publications
What kind of people read After Market Business, Motor Age, The Equipment News, Auto Rental News or Chain Store Age? How about Publishers Weekly? What is the audience for Adweek? Automotive Rebuilder? Billboard? Dealer Business?
You may not find these on the average newsstand, however these magazines and hundreds more like them can be very important to you. The industries you have targeted as your market most certainly have trade journals that are widely read within that field.
By becoming familiar with these publications, you can put yourself at a distinct advantage, keeping abreast of each industry's advances, vocabulary, and technology. Reading the trade publications will enable you to understand the business environment faced by your prospects.
Subscriptions tend to be expensive, but most of these publications are available at public or college libraries. A reference librarian can point you to the most popular trade periodicals in your target markets.
Reading the trade publications will give you a greater understanding of the industry jargon employed by your prospects. The "who's who" and "on the move" sections can prove to be a fertile source of sales leads. A hand-written note of congratulations on having appeared in the column can be followed up with a phone call to discuss your products and services. Facts culled from these articles can also be used to open conversations in lieu of discussing the weather or the prospect's children.
Finally, you might even consider an ad from time to time. The chart of information above is for the automotive aftermarkets, and includes contact phone numbers as well as pricing. Happy reading!
