I see that they have announced a price hike on Pitch fees for next season, all those who have already booked will not be affected, but the increase will take place on bookings from the 9th December 2018, according to an email l received today.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
The same question was asked on the CMC forum and this was the official response:-
Regarding your response around unwanted advertising and communications this is more of a complex matter. The magazine has a significant cost attached to it and its main function is to provide our members with information required to enjoy their main hobby, which is touring. Regarding the advertising and loose inserts, we endeavour to make hobby specific and or relevant to the demographic. Without the support of advertising, the whole cost of producing the magazine would be a cost. As a Club we need to consider spend wisely.
Many of our advertisers are now either member offers (most exclusive to our members) or products which are related to the Club shop, where members receive a discount to purchase relevant products to support their touring lifestyle. Look out for the member offer and Club shop icons.
The leaflets (inserts) that accompany the magazine, do perform well, indicating that members are using the products and services advertised, however we understand it is not for everyone. We do have strict guidelines on advertising we accept through our channels. We also understand that any advert is only relevant if an individual is considering that purchasing that product or service."
So the usefulness of the leaflets is monitored and saves the Club money. I counted seven leaflets in my magazines. Four were for charities which I am sure people will want to consider given the time of year. I will certainly donate to one of them. One was for beer and one for wine also appropriate for the time of year and the other was to do with men's shaving products.
If it helps finance the distribution of the Club magazine I don't see a problem but some people expend more energy complaining about them that actually putting them in the recycling?
Quote: Originally posted by gedsjeep on 26/11/2018
so, heres my question.
when the current old people all die, what are they doing to encourage the next generation of caravanners? and i mean the generations younger than me (50) that are not already involved in camping and caravanning?.
because it sounds like "not much" from the description above?
How did you start? Did you read a magazine? Unlikely...you have friends or family that tell you about it or (like us), you start off camping and realise it's too darn cold in a tent
I don't think many people are swayed by a magazine.
As an aside, I edit a magazine for a small car club and I know how painful it is to get new and interesting content. As with any job, don't knock it until you've tried it...
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
You can easily stop receiving unsolicited junk mail through the post by contacting the Royal Mail which is probably why advertisers now find it more productive to place their junk mail into a magazine which the Royal Mail has to deliver because it is addressed to you.
Quote: Originally posted by gedsjeep on 26/11/2018
so, heres my question.
when the current old people all die, what are they doing to encourage the next generation of caravanners? and i mean the generations younger than me (50) that are not already involved in camping and caravanning?.
because it sounds like "not much" from the description above?
How did you start? Did you read a magazine? Unlikely...you have friends or family that tell you about it or (like us), you start off camping and realise it's too darn cold in a tent
I don't think many people are swayed by a magazine.
As an aside, I edit a magazine for a small car club and I know how painful it is to get new and interesting content. As with any job, don't knock it until you've tried it...
my family was at it way before i turned up, but the question was sort of aimed at the club, as well as the magazine. looking at their adverts its not like they will appeal to a younger demographic.
Quote:
my family was at it way before i turned up, but the question was sort of aimed at the club, as well as the magazine. looking at their adverts its not like they will appeal to a younger demographic.
so what do they offer younger caravanners?
None of the infills in this months magazine were particular aimed at an older age group. Even if they were that is done because it proves more effective by results. Younger people are more inclined to use the internet so the effectiveness of infill advertising is not so effective. If you don't like the infills recycle them and allow the club to use the revenue to keep costs under control.
I find it's content is just recycled from past issues. It must be very difficult to find new ideas.
I often can not be bothered by the type face used, even in a good light it's not easy to read, and black or coloured type is impossible. It did claim not to have changed type face but there was an awful lot of complaints.
Some of the articles on touring different regions are ok, car and van tests too.
My wife and I often have a laugh about the letters complaining about all and sundry!
The leaflets get taken out and straight in the recycling box!
You do get them with other magazines too,same destination!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Quote: Originally posted by The 2 Tops on 26/11/2018
Leaflets binned - magazine will follow after a quick browse through. Really fed up with the persistent syrupy headings for items in the mag - editorial staff must think themselves real smart a**es!
Bertie.
The gushing letters of praise are a joke however they are the only type of letter that they will print. The forum is a bigger joke because if you say anything negative no matter how minor you get attacked by about 5 posters who seem to think they own the forum. The dog thread is a total joke as when I last checked about 18 months ago it was then a couple of hundred posts long.
Having only recently found out it was possible, we have now opted out of receiving the magazine.
It's not because of any advertising "in-fills", it's because apart from maybe a quick skim through(prior to lobbing it straight into the recycle bin)it just didn't really get read.
So for us, it just seemed one hell of a waste.
..and how many other households do likewise?
Personally, I feel that monthly is maybe too frequent for such a publication and that quarterly would more appropriate(cost effective?),
(with any "important" 'site news/updates etc just being issued in a small, cheaper to produce and distribute leaflet/booklet?)
Back to the subject of advertisements and their necessity to help fund things(in this case, a magazine etc);
When said ads reach a level that they start to detract from a product and/or just plain irritate the customer, then surely that is the point at which they risk becoming counter productive?
Quote: Originally posted by David Klyne on 27/11/2018
The same question was asked on the CMC forum and this was the official response:-
Regarding your response around unwanted advertising and communications this is more of a complex matter. The magazine has a significant cost attached to it and its main function is to provide our members with information required to enjoy their main hobby, which is touring. Regarding the advertising and loose inserts, we endeavour to make hobby specific and or relevant to the demographic. Without the support of advertising, the whole cost of producing the magazine would be a cost. As a Club we need to consider spend wisely.
Many of our advertisers are now either member offers (most exclusive to our members) or products which are related to the Club shop, where members receive a discount to purchase relevant products to support their touring lifestyle. Look out for the member offer and Club shop icons.
The leaflets (inserts) that accompany the magazine, do perform well, indicating that members are using the products and services advertised, however we understand it is not for everyone. We do have strict guidelines on advertising we accept through our channels. We also understand that any advert is only relevant if an individual is considering that purchasing that product or service."
So the usefulness of the leaflets is monitored and saves the Club money. I counted seven leaflets in my magazines. Four were for charities which I am sure people will want to consider given the time of year. I will certainly donate to one of them. One was for beer and one for wine also appropriate for the time of year and the other was to do with men's shaving products.
If it helps finance the distribution of the Club magazine I don't see a problem but some people expend more energy complaining about them that actually putting them in the recycling?
David
We are into being a tourist with our caravan and enjoying life so why do we have all these inserts with offers for funeral plans included with a leisure magazine? Not very hobby specific! Do they expect most of their members to die over night?
How many tress were cut down to supply all those extra glossy inserts? How much extra electric was used to create those inserts? How much more pollution was created to produce the inserts? Also recycling creates further pollution so the club is not being very environmentally friendly.
BTW if you opt for the digital version do you get a discount on your membership fee? Are there still adverts?
If there is a discount for the digital version we would probably change as then it can go straight into our junk folder.
Having a restricted circulation, the membership, is a nice little bonus for the magazine. You can mimimise wastage on print runs.
Inserts are normally charged at £X per '000 circulation.
A normal magazine will start to lose circulation if it pees off the reader, with the consequent drop in revenue from th e insert. Restricted circulation does not have to care.
Inside the magazine you are probably running 60/40 advertising to editorial ratio, which should give you around 40% gross profit or around 20% net.
The reader has become unimportant financially!