As one with a Broadcast Journalism Degree who’s worked in TV NEWS, Entertainment NEWS and yep, Christian Media for roughly 19 years, I love observing and analyzing the trends.

And for whatever reason, right now it seems like every week there is a NEW Urban ADVERTORIAL PUBLICATION, hitting the pavement, with a little confusion about how to operate and how to identify the right target audience that will help sustain the publication in this new digital age we live in.

Trust Me when I say, it takes a lot of work, experience and ingenuity to stay around as long as publications like Ebony, Jet, Gospel Today, and Black Enterprise. And these publications do not call someone to request an interview and then ask the subject of the interview to PAY for that feature.

That’s NOT how it works.

However, it seems like every other week I have conversations with popular faith-based Marketplace Leaders who have some FUNKY story to tell about their experience with a Christian-based advertorial magazine publisher, who doesn’t seem to understand the difference between Journalism/Entertainment Journalism & STRAIGHT UP ADVERTORIAL PUBLISHING.

The conversation goes something like this:

Christian Advertorial Publisher:  “Hi, Marketplace Leader, I’ve heard a lot about what you’re doing and would love to feature you as a cover story in my magazine”

Marketplace Leader:  Great, tell me a little bit more about your publication and I’ll let you know my availability for an interview.

Christian Advertorial Publisher:  We publish once a month and feature leaders of faith like you that are making a difference.  You can visit our site at www.christianmag.com, plus I’ll send you a few copies in the mail.

Marketplace Leader: Okay great, I look forward to the interview and to reviewing your publication.

About a day or so after the initial conversation, the Marketplace Leader then gets an email similar to this one:

Hi, Mr.  Marketplace Leader thanks so much for agreeing to be featured in my magazine. Please decide on which feature size you’d like and then just click here to pay $$$$ for your feature.

EXCUSE ME?

You’ve got to be kidding, right?

Unfortunately, many are not!

That’s right, now all of a sudden I see more and more Christian “advertorial” magazines that appear to be posturing themselves as legitimate Journalistic or Christian Entertainment Publications, when in actuality they are really more like those MONEY PAGES magazines we all tend to throw away every other month.

You know the ones, full of advertisements, yet no REAL content?!

Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE reading great magazine features. But the ones I love the most are the ones created with some journalistic integrity. Meaning they don’t do a “switacharoo” on you, after asking to FEATURE you in their magazine.

The great long-lasting magazines that we love to read, are mainstays because of ADVERTISING dollars and READERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS.  Yep, that’s right, the advertisers pay big money to advertise in their publications because they know the readership subscriptions are legitimate and can be measured accurately.  Those advertisers also know that they are filling a specific need to a specific audience!

One of the best articles I’ve seen on this subject is “ 5 Reasons Why New Magazines Fail”

So, here’s my “2 cents” worth of advice to all you Pastors, Ministry Leaders, and Marketplace Leaders who continue to call me asking whether or NOT you should pay to have a feature piece done on you…

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

I’ve been featured in Ebony Magazine, Local & Regional Newspapers and Christian Entertainment Shows and NOT ONCE HAVE I PAID to have the publication “cover me!”  And as a former Publisher of a city-wide alternative URBAN entertainment publication, not once did we ask folks to PAY us to cover them!

There are so many media opportunities out here now, that if you invest in a good strategic media & P.R. plan, you might be surprised at where your message will land.

Trust me, if you keep doing what you’re doing and MAKING the right strides, the RIGHT people will see and God will OPEN DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT, without you having to PAY $$ TO WALK THROUGH THE DOOR.

What are your thoughts & experiences?

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