3. CORE OPPORTUNITY
Having established a strong foundation in its first years of operation, WALTER has
an opportunity to expand readership and reader engagement in Raleigh and beyond.
4. CORE OPPORTUNITY
4
WALTER M is dedicated to capturing the life and soul of
Raleigh. As a high-quality print publication with captivating
profiles and stunning photography, WALTER has gained a
reputation as a local tastemaker.
WALTER’s readers are pleased with the magazine and
excited about its future. They are passionate about Raleigh
and eager to interact with the city in new ways. WALTER
helps them find new things to love and new ways to explore
this beautiful, one-of-a-kind city. WALTER is in a great place
with room to grow.
Our team has explored the life and soul of WALTER and
is pleased to present our plan for enabling this ground-
breaking new magazine to realize its full potential.
5. OBJECTIVES
1. Increase familiarity with the qualities of the WALTER brand
2. Increase the percentage of WALTER readers who regularly take action as a result
of what they are exposed to in WALTER
3. Increase revenue from all sources (subscriptions, advertising, events, other) to
support the growth of the WALTER brand
6. OBJECTIVES
Our campaign will seek to achieve three main objectives:
1. Increase familiarity with the qualities of the WALTER brand.
2. The WALTER brand determines its value and influence,
to readers, advertisers and other stakeholders. Having a
consistent brand image is not only vital for the magazine, it also
shapes the perceptions of all of the other activities with which
the brand is associated. Increase the percentage of WALTER
readers who regularly take action as a result of what they are
exposed to in WALTER.
3. A substantial number of readers already take action based
on something they see or read in WALTER magazine. We want
to increase this percentage and assure that those readers who
do act, do so with greater regularity. Not only is this a sign of
reader engagement, it will also help assure advertisers that
WALTER is delivering a a strong return on investment.Increase
revenue from all sources (subscriptions, advertising, events) to
support the growth of the WALTER brand.
Increasing revenue is imperative to enable WALTER
to continue to thrive and expand and to maintain strong
relationships with all of its stakeholders. This plan will add
value to the WALTER brand to increase subscriptions, build
new advertising vehicles to complement display advertising, and
attract people to WALTER events.
6
8. 8
AUDIENCES
To achieve our objectives, we will target four main audiences: readers, prospective readers,
advertisers and partners. Our research has enabled us to profile each audience and to document their
current mindset. Our campaign will be designed to shift audience perceptions. For each audience,
we have articulated their current mindset (as they might express it) and projected the future mindset
they will have after being exposed to our campaign.
Readers
Whether they subscribe or receive WALTER for free, readers are well-educated and affluent
individuals in the community. Many of them are immersed within the community and participate
in social and cultural events. WALTER readers are proud of Raleigh and feel it is an up-and-coming
city. They like to support local businesses. The current mindset of readers, though positive, is passive.
Outlined below is what they currently perceive and what we would like them to perceive in the future
as a result of our efforts.
• I like WALTER and look forward to
reading the magazine.
• Many of the stories and ads appeal to
my interests and I like seeing people
and places I know.
• WALTER gives me good ideas for
things to do in Raleigh.
• I occasionally visit a store or other
place I learned about in WALTER.
• I trust WALTER and know that
things they feature are worth my
attention.
Current Mindset
• WALTER is getting even better; it
appeals more directly to me.
• I check out WALTER online between
issues of the magazine when I’m
planning things to do.
• I share stories from WALTER with
friends in my social network who
don’t get the magazine.
• I’m excited about upcoming
WALTER events and will plan to
attend with my friends.
• I frequently visit a store or other
place I read about in WALTER.
Future Mindset
9. 9
AUDIENCES
Prospective Readers: Young Professionals
While there may be many prospective readers who fit the profile of the current WALTER reader, one
reader demographic that we will seek to expand is is young professionals in Raleigh and the Triangle
area. These young professionals are college graduates (likely of North Carolina State University or
another school in the Triangle) building careers in the Triangle area. They are living a middle class
lifestyle and are busy and on-the-go. They appreciate Raleigh’s concentration of people like them
and enjoy going to events with other young professionals. These young professionals are fairly active
online and on social media. Outlined below is what they currently perceive and what we would like
them to perceive as a result of our efforts.
• I want to easily access news and
information through multiple platforms.
• I use social media to stay in touch
with friends, find things to do and
make plans.
• I love living in this area and am
always looking for fun things to do
with my friends.
• I’ve seen WALTER, but I don’t really
think it is relevant to me.
Current Mindset
• WALTER is a great resource for me
to find out about fun things to do
with my friends.
• I get and share information from
WALTER online.
• I frequently go to stores or other
places I’ve heard about from WALTER.
• My connection to WALTER really
makes me feel like I am part of this
community.
Future Mindset
10. 10
AUDIENCES
Advertisers
WALTER advertisers are trying to target affluent customers in the Raleigh area with a range of
products and services. They believe the print edition of WALTER provides a quality environment
for their message and although they feel their advertising is working, they do not have any tangible
evidence of this. Advertisers support WALTER and want it to succeed. Outlined below is the current
and future mindset of WALTER advertisers.
• WALTER allows us to reach affluent
people in Raleigh.
• We want to be viewed as part of the
“life and soul” of Raleigh.
• Other magazines offer us more ways
to get exposure and connect with
readers than WALTER does.
• I appreciate it when people tell me
they heard about us from WALTER
magazine and wish this happened
more often.
Current Mindset
• WALTER readers are appealing not
just because of their income but also
because of the way they like to enjoy
the city.
• Readers trust the WALTER brand, so
I appreciate having options to
deepen my engagement with them.
• I have tangible evidence that
WALTER readers are supporting my
business.
• I am getting a good return on my
investment in WALTER.
Future Mindset
11. 11
AUDIENCES
Partners
Although WALTER has limited experience working with partners, there is potential for WALTER to
collaborate on mutually-beneficial efforts with others. Prospective WALTER partners are businesses,
cultural institutions and major charities recognized as part of Raleigh’s “life and soul”. They have an
image and reputation that are consistent with that of WALTER and are actively involved in the com-
munity, considered good citizens. Outlined below is the current and future mindset of prospective
WALTER partners.
• We are always looking to reach and
engage active and influential people
in Raleigh.
• We feel we are part of Raleigh’s “life
and soul” so our brand is aligned
with that of WALTER.
• We like what we’ve seen from
WALTER so far.
• WALTER does not appear to be
interested in partnering with others.
Current Mindset
• WALTER is interested in partnering
with organizations like ours to
support our community.
• A partnership with WALTER could
be mutually beneficial.
• WALTER could help us reach and
engage the people we care about and
we could do the same for them.
• I’m going to explore a partnership
with WALTER.
Future Mindset
12. KEY LEARNING
Overall, readers like WALTER and consider it a resource for learning about
and enjoying life in Raleigh.
13. KEY LEARNINGS
Our research revealed five key learnings to inform our approach.
Overall, readers like WALTER and consider it a resource for learning about and enjoying life in Raleigh.
Readers appreciate the quality of writing and design in WALTER and use the magazine as a guidebook
to the city. They are proud to be from Raleigh and appreciate that WALTER celebrates its life and
soul by writing profiles that provide a new perspective on well-known people. They view Raleigh as a
vibrant, up-and-coming city and think it is important to celebrate both its history and its progress.
WALTER is already a trusted brand that influences reader behavior. Even though WALTER does not
directly make recommendations to readers, the magazine has a significant impact on reader behavior.
In our survey of current readers, 58 percent of respondents said they have taken an action based on
something they read in the magazine. Readers trust the WALTER brand and use it as a reference.
WALTER has the potential to extend its influence into new areas beyond the magazine.
There is potential for WALTER to further build and leverage its influence. Because WALTER
is a trusted brand, the magazine has the potential to expand its readership and influence in the
community. WALTER’s implicit or explicit endorsement means a lot – whether recommending
people to know, places to go, things to do or things to buy. In addition, there are completely untapped
markets for whom WALTER can be influential, such as the thriving young professional population in
the Triangle.
While the WALTER brand enjoys high awareness, there is a lack of clarity about the characteristics of
the brand. The WALTER brand is highly recognizable, yet people who have not read the magazine are
unclear about its contents and purpose, and current readers do not always know what to expect from
the magazine. There is also a sense that advertising and editorial content are not always aligned.
Some readers feel WALTER content is relevant to a broader range of people than it targets with
advertising and controlled distribution.
The WALTER brand reputation is fragile and affected by more than the magazine. Although the print
edition of the magazine is generally very respected and well-liked, it is no longer the only vehicle that
carries the WALTER brand. . Other aspects of the brand are WALTER events and the WALTER
online presence. In these newer areas, where WALTER is less established and is not yet managing to
the same standard of quality, there is potential to either damage or promote the WALTER brand.
Advertisers believe in WALTER, yet want to see more evidence of return on their investment.
Advertisers like the magazine and want to continue working with WALTER. While they believe there
are benefits to having a presence in WALTER, there is no tangible feedback loop that gives them
specific evidence of their return on investment. Readers say WALTER influences their actions, yet
advertisers indicated that customers rarely report they learned about them from WALTER. In terms
of the price of advertising, small businesses indicated that they are especially price sensitive and said
that they would not increase display advertising spending even if WALTER reached more people they
care about.
13
14. STRATEGIES
Align advertising and editorial with the WALTER brand characteristics
Celebrate and promote the multidimensional WALTER reader
Engage with readers online in ways that are responsive to their needs and interests
and support the growth of the brand
Partner with leading Raleigh institutions to extend reach and influence
15. STRATEGIES
Align advertising and editorial
with the WALTER brand
characteristics
We believe that WALTER has done a
great job with branding itself through
and events, and we want to continue
that throughout the entire production
of WALTER, from advertisements to
editorial pieces. This would allow the
magazine to have an even better flow
throughout and sharpen the WALTER
brand.
Celebrate and promote the
multidimensional WALTER reader
WALTER exists for its readers, and it’s important for any magazine to make its readers feel engaged
and appreciated. Simple ways of increasing WALTER engagement and appreciation could include
subscriber-only access to online articles that may not appear in the issue or may appear slightly before
distribution. WALTER could also accommodate users who like to get their content online by creating
an app that features the magazine as well as an online version. A much simpler approach is to just be
more involved on social media and provide relevant and interesting posts online such as teasers or
graphics.
Engage with readers online in ways that are responsive to their needs and interests and
support the growth of the brand
Running multiple social media accounts and producing an entire magazine can be difficult with
limited staff, but because WALTER has these accounts, it must manage them effectively. WALTER
should respond to every tweet that praises the magazine as well as acknowledging mentions on
Facebook. If a user has a question, it should be answered promptly as to not feel ignored. WALTER
should generate at least one original post each week.
Partner with leading Raleigh institutions to extend reach and influence
WALTER, like any other business, is always looking at ways to expand. WALTER should look at local
aspiring institutions and businesses to broaden the audience reach while selecting partnerships that
maintain the same brand image.
15
17. 17
TACTICS
The next step in expanding WALTER is to build upon the
high-quality print publication to create a comprehensive,
cohesive brand. The magazine’s ability to capture the life and
soul of Raleigh through captivating profiles and immersive
photography must be translated into an interactive online
presence. WALTER has earned the trust of its readers and
has the ability to further increase its influence by creating
regular content online. This content should include both the
articles published in the print edition and content exclusive
to the website.
18. 18
Website
WALTER’s website will be one of the first
places prospective readers will go in order
to find out more about the magazine. The
magazine’s superior content and layout
quality should be reflected in the website.
The online space will also add another
platform for advertisers. Online
advertising is easily measurable, and
on the website you can track how many
people click on an advertisement and
how many people visit the website, giving
advertisers numbers so they can measure
their return on investment. A well-
designed website benefits advertisers as
it incorporates ads seamlessly and makes
the source appear more trustworthy. This
redesign also incorporates a section for
native advertising, which will provide
a new source of advertising revenue
that is more engaging for readers than
traditional online ads.
It is much easier for readers to get more
information about things that interest
them if they are already consuming the
content online. For example, if someone
reads an article about a restaurant that
interests them on WALTER’s website,
it is likely that they will search for the
restaurant’s location, more reviews, etc. if
they can quickly do so on their computer.
It will also be easy for readers to see
advertisements online for products that
interest them and click directly through
to that advertiser’s website. An appealing
website also increases the likelihood that
potential subscribers who see articles
shared online will want to subscribe.
Publicizing events online is much easier
and less expensive than in print or
other media. Additionally, it provides a
way for potential attendees to get clear,
comprehensive information about what to
expect from the event.
TACTICS
19. 19
TACTICS
Newsletter
A recurring theme in our surveys and interviews was the desire to see more event coverage in
WALTER. Because the magazine only prints once per month, we believe it would be beneficial for
WALTER to start its own newsletter to engage with readers on a more regular basis. Other successful
publications like Garden & Gun, New York Magazine and 5280 have used newsletters to their
advantage to generate advertising revenue and reader interest.
We propose that WALTER start with a monthly e-newsletter, “One WALTER”, that is released
between issues. The newsletter must be consistent so that subscribers know exactly what they are
signing up for each month. We propose the following content:
• One event in Raleigh you need to attend this month: this can be anything from a WALTER event to
a concert or a non-profit function. Connect WALTER to the ‘life’ of Raleigh.
• One place you need to visit in Raleigh or the surrounding area: share a cool travel destination or a
nice spot for a picnic. Suggest a weekend getaway or something closer to home.
• One restaurant or business worth a visit: make a recommendation to further engage readers with
WALTER and Raleigh. Featuring local businesses has the potential to increase WALTER’s brand
awareness among prospective readers.
• One historical site or story about Raleigh/NC: celebrate the soul of the city. Explain the significance
of a statue or an old building that readers might be curious about. Share a little-known fun fact
about a well-known figure from Raleigh’s past.
• One article to look forward to in the upcoming print issue: give a quick preview of a person or topic
you’ll be featuring in the next issue. This could include some behind-the-scenes pictures or insights
into your progress, making readers feel more connected to the magazine.
These areas of coverage would bridge the gap between the magazine’s current editorial content and
readers’ desire for more suggestions from WALTER. We believe a newsletter is the most time and cost
efficient way to connect with readers without changing the tone and direction of the magazine. It also
has the potential to generate advertising revenue to supplement display advertising in the magazine.
20. 20
TACTICS
WALTER Getting Engaged
Social Media is an excellent way of engaging readers so that they feel
appreciated and part of the process, though it must be done correctly
in order to be effective. When the expectation of an active and engaging
account isn’t met, the reader either thinks that the organization is too busy
to respond to him/her or just too lazy to respond.
Any easy way to avoid such problems, is to create a social media calendar
that shows when social media accounts are going to post throughout the
week. Most social media sites will also allow for an organization to schedule
a post beforehand so that the post can be published without someone having
to physically send out each post at that specific time. This can be extremely
helpful for when content may be better saved for a more appropriate time to
increase hits.
There are also many applications that distribute the same message out
across different social media sites at the same time, a less time-intensive
way for WALTER to engage. WALTER can easily track how many clicks
their posts get by using bitly links. It simply changes a url to a bitly url that
gathers information on how many clicks that certain link gets. It’s an easy
way for WALTER to track how effective their social media posts are.
21. 21
TACTICS
Facebook
Building and actively updating WALTER’s Facebook can expand the brand that is established and interact with
readers in the way that Facebook is easy advertising for WALTER itself. Any articles or pictures reposted from
WALTER’s account by a subscriber impact a network of friends beyond the magazine’s usual reach. It’s the
perfect opportunity for WALTER to use its fans to spread the word about the magazine.
During our observations of WALTER’s Facebook now, there had only been three informative posts – two of
which were reposts from Twitter and a profile and cover photo change corresponding with the September
issue. As for the month of August, there had only been one post. Additionally, when readers posted on the
WALTER page or mentioned them in their own status update, WALTER failed to interact with them. Facebook
is designed for interacting with users and creating an interactive community– something that WALTER should
cultivate. The type of content WALTER could post on Facebook could encourage user-generated content to
make readers feel more involved with the magazine.
• Post on average three times a week. By increasing the number of posts, WALTER will appear on timelines
more frequently.
• Not only interact with readers on Facebook, but advertisers as well. Posting their content on our “wall” and
having them do the same. By establishing a connection with our advertisers outside of the magazine, we are
increase both revenues.
• Including content that didn’t make it into the magazine, such as short feature writings or a story further
expanding on what is in the magazine.
• In between magazines, WALTER can share photographs of interviews or the team putting together the
magazine. The key is to allow readers to feel as though they are apart of the WALTER community.
• When sharing WALTER photos, followers can be prompted to “caption the photo” or share it to increase the
awareness about the next issue coming out.
• Utilizing Facebook specific tools such as Event Pages to promote WALTER events. Having Event Pages allows
for the WALTER community to interact on social media. Also, WALTER can use this as an opportunity to
post updates about the event and create more excitement in the weeks and days leading up to the events.
• In addition to post about WALTER events, WALTER could utilize Event Pages to post about other things
happening in the Raleigh area. WALTER is about the Life and Soul of Raleigh, and this allows for them to
inform their readers on other things that are happening in the community.
• After WALTER events take place, they should upload the event photos to Facebook, allowing readers and
individuals who attend to tag themselves in photos and share them on their own walls for others to see. This
is a simple way for WALTER events and photos to reach others outside of just those who attend the events.
• WALTER should strive to respond and converse with readers that post about WALTER, whether it is on the
WALTER page or on their personal page. Again, this is a great way to interact within the WALTER community.
• WALTER should share posts that readers write about the magazine or events.
• WALTER can post questions or fill in the blank posts for their readers and followers to comment or like.
Whether it is asking their weekend plans in the city, their favorite fall activity or a new restaurant they want
to share about.
• A new idea to get WALTER readers engaged is to encourage readers to photograph their favorite parts of the
city and tag WALTER’s Facebook page in the process. A contest could exist for the “Best Picture of
Downtown Raleigh” with pictures from readers being voted on through Facebook. The prize could be a gift
subscription but the engagement with readers will help them feel connected to the magazine and that it is a
two-way conversation.
22. 22
TACTICS
Twitter
Maintaining a strong Twitter presence will give further legitimacy to
WALTER as prospective audiences, advertisers or partners look online for
information about WALTER. Utilizing the biography section and cover
photo would allow WALTER’s Twitter to fully explain its purpose, and link
to its main website.
Adding exclusive or supplementary original content on Twitter can engage
readers in-between issue releases, help to cover special events in the area
or build excitement by giving previews of future articles. Incorporating
links, photos or videos in Tweets makes them more engaging. Examples of
tweets could be posting photos from a shoot that were not released on other
platforms or allowing a interviewee to “take over” the Twitter account to
post about his or her average day or answer questions from readers.
Posing polls, Twitter contests or question and answer sessions allows
readers and other interested audiences to reach out to WALTER and feel
truly involved in the WALTER experience. During events, create a hashtag
for attendees to use when posing the event. Then favorite, respond or
retweet select tweets that use the hashtag. Another example would be to ask
a question and favorite, respond or retweet select tweets that respond to the
question.
23. 23
TACTICS
Instagram
One of WALTER’s strongest features is its visual content. Having a strong
Instagram account lets WALTER show off the beautiful pictures that are
in the magazine as well as exclusive online content. Instagram has a much
younger demographic and will benefit WALTER when reaching out to new
audiences, particularly young professionals.
WALTER can use Instagram to illustrate the diversity of Raleigh and the di-
versity of WALTER Magazine by including photos of Raleigh’s architecture,
food, events and culture. This cost-effective resource adds another layer to
WALTER’s social media presence, as it can be linked to Facebook and Twit-
ter posts as well as viewed in on the Instagram website.
Instagram photo contests are a way to engage audiences to share their fa-
vorite parts of Raleigh. By asking readers to post photos with a WALTER
tag or hashtag, WALTER can view and repost photos they feel best captures
the beauty of Raleigh and the mission of WALTER. This way, the Instagram
engages audiences and creates unique content readers can find online.
Another way to incorporate contests in WALTER’s Instagram would be to
create a “Where’s Walter?” photo contest. On WALTER’s Instagram, post
images of a small Sir Walter Raleigh image in various locations in Raleigh,
and invite WALTER’s readers to guess the location. This helps to create fun
content for WALTER’s online presence while showing readers various “hid-
den gems” of Raleigh. After revealing the location of Walter, give a descrip-
tion of why the location is important to Raleigh.
24. 24
TACTICS
WALTER on The Town
Events are a way to get WALTER magazine physically in the hands and faces of
the citizens of Raleigh. They can also help establish the brand and create buzz for
upcoming events while creating content for the magazine both before and after
the event.
Soul of the City Celebration
Many prominent magazines host a signature annual event that creates buzz for
the magazine and exudes the characteristics of the magazine, such as Garden and
Gun’s annual Jubilee Made in the South weekend in Charleston, the magazine’s
founding city. The weekend is a celebration of southern sport, food, art and
music. Because WALTER is a magazine about the Life and Soul of Raleigh, our
team thinks an annual Soul of the City celebration would be an ideal event to
allow the people of Raleigh and surrounding areas to become more familiar with
WALTER and the qualities of its brand and content.
It would be a large event that would bring more familiarity to the magazine
in addition to bringing more revenue. Events are a way to increase revenue. A
large event can also bring more sponsorships and advertising, which helps the
magazine. This event would also feature the many talents and hidden gems of
Raleigh, prompting readers or event attendees to go to restaurants that were
featured at the event, buy art they saw or go listen to bands they heard at the Soul
of the CIty celebration. It also allows advertise to display their store or services in
a way that is not just a picture, but get to potential customers in person.
WALTER is about the Life and Soul of Raleigh, so the event would feature the
people, history, culture and talents of Raleigh. The event would showcase people
who are shaping or have shaped Raleigh. Featuring certain influential people of
Raleigh would be a way to honor those people who have made Raleigh what it is
today, both past and present. Ideally the event would be held in an uncommon
venue to showcase the hidden gem aspect that readers love about WALTER,
featuring locations with a story that may have been forgotten.
25. 25
TACTICS
WALTER Weekend/ Experience Series
Raleigh is a deeply diverse city, and with all of the unique places to see and
histories to hear, it’s hardly something that can be experienced in a day.
Weekend-long programs have become more common, and exploring Raleigh
over the course of a weekend as hosted by WALTER is an option that we
have explored for the magazine.
WALTER Experience Series
Weekend excursions have the potential to comprise an assortment of events,
reaching out to a variety of demographics in different ways and allowing
readers a chance to explore different parts of Raleigh in the company of
WALTER and its readers. Ranging from family-friendly ghost tours to wine
tastings and cultural events, WALTER is not limited to the events it has
hosted up to this point.
Engaging the readership outside of the magazine’s pages can bring the
brand of the magazine to life. Our research has indicated that there are
some readers who would participate in WALTER events, but obligations to
their families have left little time. Hosting multiple Raleigh-related events
over a weekend would allow WALTER to organize family-friendly events to
involve these potential-participants. For a young-professional demographic,
a separate event targeted to them would engage this unreached group and
show how the magazine is also a reflection of their Raleigh experience.
Potential destinations vary from food tastings and chef and artist events
to pub-crawls and festivals, all engaging readers beyond the magazine.
Arranging this series of events under the umbrella of a “WALTER weekend”
would be a cohesive way to bring all target demographics into one
overarching event and provide the opportunity to gain subscribers in new
ways.
26. 26
TACTICS
WALTER Weekend
A full weekend excursion organized by WALTER would reach one specific
demographic and focus solely on increasing that group’s engagement
with the magazine away from the city. While Raleigh itself does provide
unlimited opportunities for events, there are destinations outside the city
limits that also reflect WALTER’s brand. Such trips would involve a tour
guide leading the group to planned activities and events in the selected
location. One possible excursion would be to a city such as Asheville, which
provides the Biltmore Estate, Addison Farms Vineyard and fine dining that
would identify WALTER as a refined brand that reflects the values of its
readers.
A full weekend immersed in WALTER unites readers in a shared experience,
strengthening the network of readers and the way they identify with the
magazine. The weekend trips would allow WALTER readers to see other
cities in the way that WALTER portrays Raleigh: as a vivid and lively scene
of people and experiences that deserve to be uncovered and explored. These
trips will extend WALTER’s brand to other already well-regarded locations,
and readers will have experiences to associate with the brand and will
have even more reasons to encourage peers to interact with the magazine.
Connecting with the editorial staff and the magazine on a more personal
level invests the people in WALTER and WALTER in its readers, and this
relationship is one that will benefit both parties as the magazine continues
to expand.
27. 27
TACTICS
WALTER Promoting the City
A media kit is crucial to attract and give information to advertisers and
potential advertisers. A more visually appealing media kit gives the
advertisers a better sense of the content and quality of the magazine. Media
kits are an extension of the magazine and its brand, so it is important that
advertisers can get the feel of the magazine through the media kit.
The current media kit for WALTER is very text heavy and is very short,
essentially lacking the suave southern ease of the magazine’s brand. The
new media is more aesthetically appealing and gives more visuals as to the
content of the magazine. The new media kit adds more visuals and presents
the magazine’s information about its audience, distribution and advertising
rates in simpler and more attractive manner.
The new media kit also adds an editorial calendar that is a useful tool for
advertisers, giving them an idea what will be in the magazine each month so
they can plan to advertise according to content. The new media kit also adds
more information about advertising on other platforms. Currently, the only
way to advertise through WALTER is through the pages of the magazine,
but the new media kit will inclue information about additional advertising
through the website, WALTER events and sponsored content. Added
new methods of advertising will create a new stream of revenue through
advertising that was previously not there.
29. 29
PARTNERSHIPS
WALTER Magazine can benefit from partnerships with restaurants, clothing
outlets and other Raleigh businesses aligning with WALTER’s vision of
capturing Raleigh’s life and soul. They also should be highly involved in
city affairs and well known throughout the city. These types of companies
make for the best partnerships because they will help WALTER to cultivate
and engage the audience the magazine seeks. Through partnerships with
area restaurants, WALTER can host mutually beneficial events around the
food. Similarly by partnering with clothiers and other local businesses,
WALTER could help promote businesses it feels best serve the community.
This quasi-endorsement aligns with WALTER’s vision to support and be a
member of the community, and in return the businesses promote WALTER
to their customers through their own stores and social media.
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To assess the progress each tactic has toward achieving the campaign’s objectives, we recommend
having an ongoing survey that readers can fill out. The initial survey conducted by our team can serve
as a baseline, and ongoing surveys can be useful to measure the changes in progress toward the objec-
tives.
The initial survey collected data on reader’s familiarity with the WALTER brand and how often read-
ers take action as a result of what they are exposed to in WALTER. Comparing future surveys to this
data will show the percentage increases in familiarity and action.
Consistent surveying will also collect changes in the WALTER demographics, which will be useful as
WALTER continues to grow. This is especially true with advertisers; the more accurate this data is,
the information advertisers will have to target their messages to increase their return on investment.
Increase familiarity with the qualities of the WALTER brand
The main tactics that will be able to increase WALTER’s familiarity with the qualities of the brand are
the missions to increase WALTER’s online presence as well as WALTER events. With the tactics men-
tioned in WALTER Exploring Online and WALTER getting engaged, the magazine will be regularly
interacting with readers online and giving potential readers the chance to learn more about WALTER
through social media and with a more interactive, a more visually appealing website and a newsletter
that will be sent out between issues. These various platforms allow WALTER to cultivate its brand and
have readers see it beyond the magazine. Events can get the magazine and brand in front of the faces
of readers and potential readers around Raleigh. WALTER is able to be in control on their events and
can advertise their brand as the Life and Soul of Raleigh in the manner they so choose.
Increased familiarity with the brand can be measured through followers, likes, comments and shares
on various social media. Each social media platform has ways to see engagement and reach of all
posts. On Twitter, measurability can be seen through Followers and favorite and retweets per tweet.
Facebook allows you see how many people have engaged with your post through shares, likes and
comments. There are several services that show social media analytics, in addition to what is already
available on the site. Google analytics is also a service that allows you to see how many people have
visited WALTER’s website in addition to other features. As people become more familiar with the
WALTER brand, the attendance and popularity of events will increase.
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Increase the percentage of WALTER readers who regularly take action as a result of what they are
exposed to in WALTER
A key to increasing the actions of WALTER readers is by generating more awareness of WALTER
events and partnerships. A tactic to increase awareness about events is by building a stronger online
presence through the use of social media platforms. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, the
WALTER team can highlight events through posts that engage the readers. By making readers more
aware of the events that WALTER is a part of, they will be more inclined to attend. Other than using
status updates or tweets to inform readers about events, WALTER can include stories in the maga-
zine, use the newsletter and create Event Pages to provide awareness of upcoming events.
WALTER can also use social media to highlight the partnerships it has with restaurants, clothing
brands and other Raleigh businesses. These partnerships can provide content that WALTER uses for
posts on social media. It is our hope that by using the WALTER brand to leverage these brands, that
the partnership will be beneficial for both ends. When readers are apart of the WALTER community,
we want them to take action from the things and features in the article - whether it is going to a WAL-
TER sponsored event or trying out a new restaurant.
By using social media as a way to increase awareness, we will be able to adequately measure the
number of readers who were influenced by WALTER. Using Event Pages helps to measure those who
have visited that page to find out more information, Instagram can measure with number of likes,
and Twitter can be measured with the amount of conversation that is generated from the posts. All
of these forms of social media have tools and analytics that measure the reach of a post. Additionally,
it is possible to measure the influence our brand has on our partnerships by encouraging readers to
mention WALTER or providing incentives in the magazines for particular brands.
Increase revenue from all sources (subscriptions, advertising, events, other) to support the growth of
the WALTER brand
WALTER will increase its revenue primarily from exploring advertising partnerships and improving
the media kit. These tactics are catered toward ensuring and improving strong partnerships between
WALTER and outside entities, aiming to increase revenue for advertisers and WALTER’s revenue
from advertisers.
Revenue gained from events will increase as WALTER creates signature event series that become
staples in the minds of Raleigh’s residents. As they gain popularity, more guests will attend the events,
increasing ticket sales.
Advertising revenue increases can be measured by comparing the advertising revenue numbers from
past years to those from future years after these tactics have been implemented. Using ticket sale
data from previous events compared to the new events will show increases in revenue based on these
events. Ongoing survey data will also show advertisers’ and partners’ satisfaction with WALTER,
indicating what moves should be made in the future for continued success. Similarly, survey data on
perceptions of WALTER events wills track trends in satisfaction and indicate future moves.
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RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
We came up with the campaign keeping WALTER’s current limited resources in mind, even though
we did not create a budget in our campaign. For future growth in the magazine, we recommend that
WALTER invests in three areas: Staffing, training and development and services and support. These three
areas mainly focus on expanding WALTERs online presence and interaction with readers on all levels.
Staffing
During many aspects of our research, we realized that one main obstacle that the WALTER team faced
was implication and taking on new tasks, just due to the amount of work the WALTER team is already
taking on. A major suggestion that we have to take on new ideas and achieve the set objectives is to
hire a Community Manager.
Whether it is through the magazine, online or at events, WALTER has generated a sense of a
WALTER Community with its readers. The main goal of the Community Manager is to develop and
maintain this community. A way to maintain this community is through the WALTER social media.
We have enlisted several ways to improve and expand the social media aspects of the WALTER
brand to better reach its audience, whether it is posting on Instagram, creating a poll on Twitter,
or responding to posts on Facebook, the Community Manager will generate dialogue. Through this
on going dialogue, the Community Manager can further tap into the wants the readers have for the
magazine. Whether it is highlighting a charity event in the community or the newest restaurateur, the
Community Manager can have an on-going conversation through social media with readers that make
them a part of the planning process in the WALTER brand..
As briefly mentioned, the use of a Community Manager is vital way to engage with the WALTER
audience at any point in time. By making sure the readers feel as though they have a say-so and
connection with the brand, as well as advertisers have a direct way to communicate with readers will
benefit the WALTER magazine outside of just magazine sells. By creating a sense of community the
brand of WALTER will continue to grow.
Social Media Workshop
We live in a time where social media training in the workplace is quickly becoming just as common
as ethics and diversity training. Social media is a key element in the WALTER brand that should be
treated as a valuable business tool. As such, we suggest that the entire WALTER team take a workshop
to learn how to effectively use social media and online marketing tactics. Taking proactive steps in
this area will ensure that the WALTER team is equipped to confidently and effectively represent the
magazine online. Establishing specific social media guidelines and strategies will create a consistent
brand image across all platforms, not just the print edition. This is extremely important to WALTER’s
mission of increasing readership and engagement, especially when it comes to reaching a younger
audience. As a forward-looking magazine, social media and a strong online presence is a must.
Sample workshop resources:
• Social Media Marketing Bootcamp, mediabistro.com (individual sessions $99)
• Continuing education in social media, Lynda.com (monthly membership $25, group pricing available)
• Using social media in business, ed2go.com ($149)
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Social Media Guide
Social media is only an asset if it is consistently reflective of the organization’s brand. Outlining the
magazine’s social media policies in a guide helps to solve any issues of inconsistency and confusion of
how to best portray the WALTER brand on an online platform. Such a guide would go hand-in-hand
with any social media training, reflecting the lessons and suggestions specified for WALTER.
Each social media platform has its own strengths, and differentiating how to use each to achieve the
most effective result would be included in such a guide. Facebook is valuable for creating events,
posting WALTER articles intended to create a conversation and engaging readers in more time-
intensive media. Twitter’s structure provides quicker ways to stay updated with relevant information
about the magazine and other events happening in Raleigh, and Instagram’s value is in showcasing
photographs and the artistry within each issue of WALTER. Knowing how to best use each platform
is vital to successful social media campaigns, and an outline of this will keep the WALTER brand
consistent as the magazine continues to grow and different people take charge of the accounts.
A guide also would be a collection of all topics discussed in a social media workshop. From concepts
such as creating a schedule for posting content to outlining the types of content to be used by each
platform, a guide guarantees that the WALTER brand is portrayed positively and consistently. As
the magazine continues to grow, the number of people visits to WALTER’s social media pages will
increase, and consistency in times of expansion helps WALTER to maintain the unique brand that
readers have come to identify with so strongly.
Services and support
Hootsuite or other social media management system
Third-party tools, such as Hootsuite, are excellent ways to schedule many social media posts at once,
allowing WALTER’s social media feed to remain consistent and active without having to check it too
often. These tools show multiple feeds, so you can monitor multiple social media feeds on one page.
With this format, you can see how your readers are responding to your social media platforms without
switching from website to website.
This is an efficient way to control social media accounts allowing you to interact with your readers
online, but giving the staff enough time to work on making a monthly magazine.
Event planning and execution
We recommended that WALTER host more events. In order for those to be successful we suggest that
the company look into hiring a local event planner, or using a local event planning company.
A professional and local event planner will be familiar with the different venues, food and
entertainment available in Raleigh while being able to work within a budget. The limited staff of
WALTER’s main focus should be creating the content in the magazine. When WALTER does want to
host an event, they can use a professional to help plan the specifics and logistics of planning an event.
This can assure that the event is run properly, and the staff of WALTER can interact with readers.
WALTER should use the same event planner continuously for all of their events. WALTER should
look into the different event planners in the Raleigh area and choose one they think can best
accommodate all of the different types of events they plan to host both large and small. Using the
same planner will allow the same person to get to know WALTER’s brand and plan events that best
represent WALTER.
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
