B2B Premium Niche News Publisher Says His #1 Subscription Marketing Tactic Isn’t Online

He’s got a great Twitter following, a strong opt-in email list and solid SEO for keywords that count in his industry… but publisher Dan

He’s got a great Twitter following, a strong opt-in email list and solid SEO for keywords that count in his industry… but publisher Dan McGovern of the premium b2b news site, Sustainable Food News, told us in an exclusive interview for our Case Study this week that an offline marketing tactic is what sells the most subscriptions.Turns out Dan’s most important subscription marketing tactic is getting on a plane and personally attending as many industry events as possible each year. He goes to nearly a dozen shows a year, showing up even if he’s not one of the speakers. The point is to meet as many execs in person as possible.It’s paid off for Dan’s site which now boasts subscriptions from more than 200 companies in the organic food industry, including some highly profitable site licenses. But, it’s diametrically opposite of what many other online publishers do. Most tend to sit behind their computers and build virtual relationships instead of real-world meetings. Plus, most b2b trade magazines have cut back in travel budgets so harshly that few reporters ever go to real-world events anymore. According to Dan, that could be hurting their potential subscription business.Just because you’re a virtual publication doesn’t mean you should do everything virtually!

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