We work with clients to plan content months ahead of time. It’s not uncommon to write a story on the history of Christmas cookies in June or interview entrepreneurs with summertime businesses in February. This early and detailed planning is just one essential piece of the publication puzzle.
But there are times when the final proof of a magazine comes together that we have content that we didn’t use. That extra content can be photographs, full articles, or even fun statistics and sidebars. It’s great content; perhaps there simply wasn’t room to use it or breaking news took precedent. So what do we at Hammock do with our leftover content?
- Use it next time. If we have content that wasn’t used one month, perhaps there will be a hole to fill the next. If your leftover content isn’t time-sensitive, simply use it in your next issue.
- Post it online. If your magazine has an online component, post the extra content to the web to complement the magazine when it is printed.
- Use it in your e-mail newsletter. We wouldn’t recommend just sending a random e-mail with an article in it, but if you already send a regular newsletter or e-newsletter, supplement the content with the extra piece you’re wanting to use up.
- Save it for a rainy day. Hold on to it. If the extra content you have is about making new year’s resolutions, holding onto it until March just doesn’t make sense. But if the subject is an everyday, anytime topic, saving it for an issue that is in need of a little something extra makes total sense.