ShopSmart
Lisa Lee Freeman, editor, ShopSmart:
1. What do you consider the single most important achievement your magazine has accomplished in today's marketplace?
ShopSmart is changing the way women shop by making them savvier consumers. Readers get the unbiased advice they need so they can shop with confidence, whether they're buying a new car, a pair of shoes, or a bottle of wine for dinner. ShopSmart tells readers which products really live up to their claims-and which ones don't.
2. Looking back at your history, what was the most important hurdle you were able to overcome?
The most important hurdle we had to overcome was to create a successful newsstand- only magazine in a brutally competitive environment. ShopSmart overcame that hurdle by leveraging the Consumer Reports brand and reinventing a classic for a new generation that wants to buy the best but also puts a premium on saving time.
3. What was the biggest pleasant surprise?
From our very first focus groups our target audience "got it." Readers understood what makes ShopSmart unique and embraced the concept right off the bat.
4. What is the biggest challenge you are facing today?
Our biggest challenge is sustaining the momentum we got from the premier issue. Publishing on a quarterly schedule creates natural lulls between issues, so we are exploring ways to keep our readers' enthusiasm high throughout the year.
5. Imagine you have a magic wand, and you can strike the magazine and make it a human being. Describe that human being.
She's confident. She's savvy. And she's equally at ease buying a car or trolling for great deals on a new fall wardrobe. But she also knows the world of shopping is full of misinformation and biased advice, so she does her research before she hits the stores by referring to a trusted, independent source like ShopSmart.
6. The number of new magazine launches has been on a steady increase. What advice do you offer to someone wanting to start a new magazine?
When readers buy a new publication they are in effect buying into your brand. And they need to trust that brand. The only way to gain their trust is to make a promise to readers and deliver on that promise with every issue. ShopSmart promises to save readers time and money and help them become savvier shoppers. In every issue, readers will learn how to choose the best-and avoid the duds. Readers will also get valuable tips on how to get the most out of their purchases.
7. Finish this sentence: In 2010, your magazine will be...
empowering a new generation of consumers to shop smart and save.
|
