Take a closer look at City Security magazine today

With over 11,000 printed copies distributed around the UK, you can now read our latest version (autumn 2017) in digital format free when you subscribe from www.citysecuritymagazine.com

You don’t have to be in security to read City security magazine as it will inform and enlighten you on all issues related to security today.
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When everyone shouts at the same time, no one can understand anything.

And it’s the same with some forms of advertising.

On-line banners ads…

Especially annoying is the page filled with online animated banner ads, all flicking away, distracting you from reading the articles you want to read.

Then, because of the confusion, you accidentally click on a link …This then takes you to a web page that you didn’t want to go to!

And the irony is, the guys selling online banner ads can monitor how many clicks each ad has had. They will register this as a hit and then tell the advertiser how well the banner ad is working for them!

In Print…

Especially in the glossy magazines, the first eight or ten pages or more, can just be advertisements before even the contents or editor’s page.

For the reader this can be equally frustrating, as they flick through these ads quickly, in order to get to the section they intended to read when they selected the magazine in the first place.

So not all advertising works, but what does City Security magazine do that’s different?

With City security magazine

We try hard to get the balance right between the number of advertisements and pages of editorial, so both will work in harmony with each other.

We remember that the reader initially selects the magazine for the content, not because of the advertising. We also have to wear our commercial hat, because it’s the advertisers that pay for the production costs, so…

In our experience, advertising works best when positioned next to editorial. If the article is good, the reader will keep this spread open longer and have more chance of reading your Ad. If the Ad also relates to the editorial all the better, because we can assume that the reader will be more likely to be interested in that advertiser’s services or products.

For further information on City Security magazine visit the website

Jumping off the e.newsletter bandwagon…

 Well, we didn’t even get on that bandwagon when we drew up our business plan to launch City Security magazine as a nationwide quality security magazine.

Don’t get me wrong, e-newsletters and e-comms do have a place if you want immediate access to news and current information. In fact, there’s no better medium. You can read the latest news stories from your laptop, tablet, mobile or kindle wherever you are in the world, without carrying a load of magazines or books and there are so many online sites and magazines out there. Fantastic!

So why go to print I hear you say?

The main reason was to produce something that’s different, something that has value, and something that stands out in an over-crowded communication landscape.

The printed City Security magazines can be seen by everyone and read in a number of places that e.communications just can’t go. Here are a few;

1. In the receptions of large businesses
2. In Airport business club lounges
3. On literature stands at businesses and universities
4. In goody bags after a business seminar
5. At major trade shows and events
6. And, of course, delivered directly to the desk or home of subscribers

 The reader experience

There are pros and cons for both medium. I mentioned the pros, so here are a few cons for online communications;

1. Eyes get tired of looking at a bright electronic screen all day – doing work, reading the endless amount of emails and junk mail, tweets, facebook, etc etc.
2. Readers easily get distracted by animated Ads
3. Web site visitors to online magazines follow links to other sites

Here are a few Cons for printed magazine… None.  Ok, a bit biased here, but it is my blog!

From our launch, just over 18 months ago, we have doubled the distribution of City Security magazine from 4,000 copies to just over 8,000 for our summer issue just circulated.

We have had enquiries from all over the world and were Media partners at IFSEC International which attracted 27,000+ security professionals and CT Expo in London in June/July this year.

There seems to be no end to the popularity of the printed word, on a subject that is vital to the security of us all in this format.

To receive your free copy visit www.citysecuritymagazine.com

Why “Eat as much as you like” marketing offers makes me sick!

We have all seen the offer “Eat as much as you like” outside some restaurants and this obviously attracts some customers, but I ask you…

Is this ethically right?

With millions of starving people around the world, how on earth can we stomach going into these sort of restaurants knowing this. And what kind of society are we to allow this kind of promotion?- a sick one I would say.

This promotion encourages greed, and is greed now good again?

We have one of the highest levels of obesity in this country and many health organisations try to combat this by focusing on what people eat. Is it healthy, how many calories etc? But we should also look at the quantities they eat and certainly not encourage binge eating.

Promoting “Eat as much as you like” is not a slogan I would use to promote a healthy living.

We would not allow a pub or club promotion saying “Drink as much as you like for a fiver!” for obvious reasons.

I like original and good marketing ideas, that is my job, but when it’s wrong, it’s wrong.

Surely we can’t allow this sort of marketing to be allowed and quiet frankly, it makes me sick!

Does spam come from aliens?

Spam seems to love my blog site. It has attracted soo many spam emails (400 and counting) that I think this site has a secret Spam fan club : )

Most of the spam email comments to this site are really flattering; some are just a series of letters and numbers (maybe a secret code for something?) and some, I believe are from aliens from another planet; They are just weird.

Everyone suffers from spam emails but I really don’t get the point? Are the aliens just sending these to annoy us earthlings?

Well I got news for you “I don’t like Spam!” never did. Even at school (and that was some time ago now) it was horrid and now it’s just simply annoying.

I know it takes less than a 100th second to delete a spam email but if anyone can suggest best spam filters I am sure my readers would be interested.