Are you actually “paying” for business subscriptions?

April 27, 2012 by Dean Rieck
Filed under: Business Smarts

I was talking to a fellow copywriter a few weeks ago and he complained that he spent over $300 a year on various subscriptions.

When you think about it, that’s not that much to keep up with industry news and the latest tips and technologies. It’s easy to pay even more. However, I told him I do the same thing for free.

For many publications, especially in business niches, there aren’t enough subscribers to make subscription fees profitable. The real money comes from advertising space.

So publishers frequently employ a strategy called “controlled circulation.” Basically, they provide free subscriptions to boost circulation and allow them to earn more from selling ads.

As I write this, I don’t spend a dime on business subscriptions. Every marketing or business publication I get is free.

A few years ago, I set up a “store” where you too can subscribe to a wide variety of trade business magazines for free. There are also a lot of reports, industry guides, white papers, and downloads.

Publications don’t offer this deal all the time. So publications come and go in the store. However, if you keep checking, you can eventually amass an impressive collection of subscriptions, even for publications that ordinarily charge hefty fees.

Click here to browse the current offers. And don’t be shy. These subscriptions really ARE free. And you can ask for as many as you want.

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