Airline Magazines a Great Publicity Too

If you are targeting an educated, richer audience with your message and your topic is a good fit, in flight magazines can be one of your most excellent advertising tools.

A quick look at the statistics should encourage you:

--lots of these airline magazines have high circulations.

--a lot of readers are Frequent Flyers, among the most educated and affluent consumers

--60 percent are men; 40 percent women

--74 percent are in the 25-54 age group

--86 percent are college-educated

--56 percent hold management positions

--57 percent have incomes of more than $75,000 a year

If you are pitching inflight magazines, here are 11 tips to remember:

Tip 1:
The editors' main pet annoy is that too many people pitch without knowing anything about the publication. Tom Chapman, editor of "Spirit of Aloha" magazine published by Aloha Air, says he is besieged with PR requests and materials, "99 percent of which is misdirected and I can not possibly use."

Tip 2:
Research each magazine before you pitch. Go to their website and see if you can find an documents or a sample issue. Read whatsoever you can find. If you can not find anything, contact the publication and buy three or four back issues. Read them cover to cover to get a good feel for the kinds of content the magazines want.

Tip 3:
In-flight magazines do not want travelogues or "how I used up my summer vacation" articles.

Tip 4:
None of them print poetry or fiction articles.

Tip 5:
Do not send a one-size-fits-all news release. Modify it for the specific needs of travelers. As soon as editors read your release, they should think, "This is ideal fit for our audience."

Tip 6:
These publication love information on traveler attractions in the cities the airlines serve. They also love to the point stuff. So your newsstand is a probability of being printed if you send a one-page release along with a photo.

Tip 7:
Check the writers' rule at every airline magazine's website to see how they would like photos put forward. Some want only electronic versions. Others want slides or color prints.

Tip 8:
Because many business visitor read these magazines, how-to information for business people is generally a good fit. For example: how to stay organized when you are traveling, how to pack for a business trip using only carry-ons, how to eat healthy when you're on the road.

Tip 9:
Several of these magazines have part featuring products that make life easy for travelers, from special luggage tags to the newest PDAs. Be sure to put forward a photo of your product, along with your press release.

Tip 10:
Most editors don't want follow-up calls from PR people, and many editors can't be reached by phone. That's why your initial pitch must be short, compelling and free of errors.

Tip 11:
Since most of these magazines buy articles from freelance writers, you should pay attention to which freelancers are writing for which magazines. Pitch freelancers, too. If they like your idea, it's their job to then pitch the editor and sell the story.

The more your article can fill the requirements of travelers, or entertain them, the greater the possibility that an editor will use it.