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There are 333 comments under yesterday’s town slogan contest, and I’m going to let the entries keep trickling in for a few days. Maybe we can get the art department involved in mocking up town signs for the winning slogans next week. (Plus I want to see how this Bakersfield-Fresno feud plays out.) In the meantime, let’s kick off another challenge.
Tonight’s prize is Museums in the 21st Century. With a retail price of $60, it’s most likely the most valuable book we’ll be dangling in front of you, and we can’t just give it away. So tonight, you’re all freelance publishing consultants.
Like every other magazine, we’ve been chatting a lot about convincing more people to subscribe. More subscribers = more publishers willing to send us books for these giveaways = freebies for all (well, some). Let me pose the question to all of you – what would you do to help boost subscription numbers for mental_floss magazine?
If you’d rather take a more direct approach and boost subscription numbers yourself, here’s the page with all the details.
Comments (71)
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- Follow mental_floss
Maybe you could guest post on Boing Boing to attract attention? It seems to be popular at the moment, and it would definitely generate attention and possibly subscribers.
posted by Jessica on 1-16-2009 at 12:01 am
I’d run “_Floss Break” spots on morning/afternoon/evening/late night on Radio and TV Stations… primarily on those run by academic institutions.
With your range of topics, there’s sure to be something of interest to anyone!
posted by Amy on 1-16-2009 at 12:15 am
I would just give Mental Floss away to everyone in the world. That would provide 6 billion++ subscriptions.
Oh! You mean PAID subscriptions. ;)
posted by David P on 1-16-2009 at 12:24 am
How about a daily trivia game on Google’s homepage? Like a question, followed by a link to the answer here on mental floss, with an advertisement to the magazine on the answer page or something. Like Jeopardy! does.
posted by Joanna on 1-16-2009 at 12:29 am
Advertise in some medical journals! Show some before and after pictures… Before: an empty dentists waiting room full of cobwebs and old out of date magazines. After: a waiting room full of happy people reading mental_floss! Yay!
Yes, I know my idea is demented. Most of them are.
posted by Jason! on 1-16-2009 at 12:35 am
Call the national morning talk shows, Like the Mike and Juliet show (which is wonderful, BTW), and work out a deal to start a daily or weekly segment where one of your staffers appears on-air, selects a random audience member, and has them compete in one of your daily quizzes for prizes…
posted by dan on 1-16-2009 at 12:38 am
Hey there!
I’m in Human Factors, so of course I’m going to focus on efficiency and easy choices for the user. I love the cover of your magazine; it combines the huge “Guinness Book” words and that retro body builder, which I know I’d love to find on my coffee table. ;) But your subscription page is sadly lacking, I’m sorry to say. I subscribe to journals from the Human Factors and Ergonomics and my FAVORITE thing about it is that they give me the option to get both print and digital journals. I’ve got the magazine by my bed but it’s also super easy to send stories to my colleagues and friends. I think if you found a mid-range price between paper and digital subscriptions, it would attract a lot more people because, dude, it FEELS like two-for-one. Yay!
Plus, I think you’re “look at free preview” button should actually be a clickable link of the magazine cover; I missed the text the first time around.
Sorry to ramble but I don’t want mental_floss EVER disappearing!
Thanks!
posted by Caitorade on 1-16-2009 at 12:44 am
Swimsuit Edition: Scantily clad bombshells reading Nietzsche, discovering cold fusion, doing calculus, composing symphonies, and playing trivial pursuit.
posted by Zach on 1-16-2009 at 12:47 am
how about local cable tv ad spots in big cities and college towns?
posted by Valerie M on 1-16-2009 at 1:06 am
Mental Floss Trivial Pursuit Edition.
That or just make your own board game. Trivial Pursuit has a monopoly on the Trivia board game market. It’s time for a new king.
posted by Nathan on 1-16-2009 at 1:19 am
Embarrassing. Just saw that you already had a board game.
posted by Nathan on 1-16-2009 at 1:22 am
Podcasts and video podcasts for subscribers–even if they’re little more than someone reading the article aloud, at least then I could listen on my iPod. You could set it up through iTunes so that users can automatically have the new episodes downloaded. Plus, being on iTunes will help get exposure. You could even have a weekly (?) contest for subscribers to be “guest readers” for the podcasts.
posted by Ryan on 1-16-2009 at 1:22 am
Okay, I know it looks like i am just spamming, but one more idea. Sponsor a trivia competition of your own. Do prelim rounds on the internet and then bring the champions in locally. I don’t know, i guess you guys could figure out the details.
posted by Nathan on 1-16-2009 at 1:25 am
I definitely like the idea of podcasts. That would be amazing.
Also, maybe offering the mental floss iphone app for free with a subscription.
posted by Amanda on 1-16-2009 at 1:39 am
Sex sells. Every issue have a model (heck, alternate ‘em female and male if you want) wearing a dental floss–er, MENTAL floss–bikini, and have some obscure fact about the garment…
some examples, courtesy wikipedia (this article is a stub):
Many languages borrow the English word string to refer to this kind of underwear, usually without the G. Another common name is tanga. A frequent metaphor, especially in South America, is dental floss as in Spanish hilo dental or Portuguese fio dental.
The origin of the term “G-string” is obscure. Since the 19th century the term geestring referred to the string which held the loincloth of American Indians.
The modern bikini was invented by French engineer Louis Réard in 1946. He named it after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific, the site of the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapon test on July 1, 1946.
posted by TJ Hooker on 1-16-2009 at 2:46 am
Actually, in all seriousness, you’re bright guys. Everything is moving to the web. You’ve got magazine copy behind a “premium” login, but make it (digitally) worth it. Look to the New York Times or Good for captivating info graphics that can enhance the learning experience. Build out a tight, cross-referenced archive so that hot-linked words in articles take you around the stacks to other related articles, instead of springing irrelevant advertising links that no one clicks…
or not.
posted by TJ Hooker on 1-16-2009 at 3:13 am
I don’t know if its already been done or if someone else mentioned it already, but I discovered Mental_Floss from one of my Teachers in high school and I’ve been addicted ever since. Now that I’m an English Teacher in Italy, I tell all of my students about Mental_Floss and use it as homework for my lessons. I tell then to read an article or a Quick 10 and have them tell me certain things about the article in English and come up with other things that could relate to the article. They tell me all the time that they would LOVE to tell their friends about Mental_Floss, but its only in English and it is a very American based magazine. If I could improve sales and publicity, I would go INTERNAIONAL. Have a European division! The randomness and interesting…ness… of the magazine is just SCREAMING ‘Hey Europe! We’re just as cool as Dr. Who, Peter Schmeichel and Valentino Rossi!’. Think of the weird things that have happened in Europe that no one else really hears about… Just an idea, though.
posted by Kate on 1-16-2009 at 3:27 am
I wish I could compete for this book, but I’m guessing I’m ineligible… I love some of the ideas here, though, like the podcasts, international edition, swimsuit edition, and radio segments.
posted by Andréa Fernandes on 1-16-2009 at 4:57 am
Guerilla marketing! I am POSITIVE there is a strong enough following in the Mental_Floss community to achieve this. If you go to any medium to large city during the week and frequent the establishments where a bar or restaurant trivia contest is being held and speak to either the host and/or the players it would be extremely successful. I myself host a show in Jacksonville, FL and I know how strong the trivia following is here and I can only imagine how it is in bigger cities! Finding the local trivia M.C.’s would not be difficult once the target area is established…I myself would spearhead a campaign in Jacksonville as I know it would be wildly successful!
posted by Jamie on 1-16-2009 at 8:07 am
Targeting incoming Freshmen or college students through mailings. Also a big draw would be for the magazine to become monthly–I realize that that would cost twice as much, but it’s hard to justify a subscription for something that only comes out every 8 weeks.
What about joining up with Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers?
posted by Sarah on 1-16-2009 at 8:15 am
I think you should put coupons for a free sneak-peek issue of the magazine in packages of dental floss. It would be a chance to target all types of demographics, or you could specifically do it for frosh kits for univeristy students. I think it would be a fun novelty and people really like to try something for free before they commit.
posted by Megan Mc on 1-16-2009 at 8:28 am
I would get articles from Mental Floss republished in college newspapers, newspapers, other magazines, and even talk shows. Get Letterman to use one of your quick ten lists. The smart ones who are curious will get subscriptions.
posted by Hilldawg on 1-16-2009 at 8:53 am
Kill the website. If you stop giving it away people will subscribe. (Or be so ambivalent you too will declare bankrupcy.)
posted by Death on 1-16-2009 at 8:56 am
Do like Vonage, AT&T, DiSH Network….. all do. Have your subscribers recommend people get subscriptions. When they refer someone both the referee and referrer get one extra magazine free.
posted by Witty Nickname on 1-16-2009 at 9:10 am
What about a Mental Floss article chock full o’ tidbits (L.M. Boyd-style) published daily, or weekly, in college newspapers?
posted by Renis on 1-16-2009 at 9:12 am
Create a viral video! Your next submission contest should be everybody creating their own videos for mental floss and posting them on youtube!
posted by Lisa on 1-16-2009 at 9:55 am
Please take over the “Quick 15″ or whatever that retched trivia crap they play before the movie starts is called. It is such a waste!!! You could make it interesting, get good air time and do the public a service. Bonus: Your audience has to watch it.
posted by Lauren on 1-16-2009 at 9:56 am
I am not sure what you should do to increase subscriptions, but I do know a couple things I have done.
First, we send out mass E-mails to people in our ultimate frisbee league (500+ people on the list) about things going on in the league. The E-mails often contain facts of the day, that are pulled from Mental Floss. We include links to Mental Floss’s website in the E-mails.
Second, I am getting married in May and registered online at Amazon. Did you know you can register for magazine subscriptions? I registered for Mental Floss.
Third, rockin’ my Palindromes are rasemordnilap every chance I get!
posted by Chris on 1-16-2009 at 10:02 am
Do I get points for already increasing your subscription base? I gave a year’s subscription to my best friend for Christmas 2006. She had all her back issues on her coffee table. Her dad found them, loved them, wanted more, so she renewed her subscription this Christmas and gave her dad a gift subscription too.
Although, in a real idea — Be one of the video clue sponsors for Jeopardy.
posted by Lindsey on 1-16-2009 at 10:03 am
Actually, I LIKE that idea of putting copies of MF in waiting rooms (I actually thought of submitting that myself before settling on my RADIO/TV idea) , especially if said waiting rooms are for less than pleasant events.
Think of it, whether you’re getting a tax auditi or your root canal… your fears and anxieties can be distracted by the really cool and informative article you’ve been reading while waiting.
The DENTAL office is, of course, the *best* location… while dental floss helps to keep yout teeth healthy, MENTAL always keeps your BRAIN healthy!
posted by A,my on 1-16-2009 at 10:10 am
Do Colleges and Universities still give those ‘Goodie Boxes’ to new students? I used to love them – snacks, heslth/hygiene
products, coupons, and… SAMPLE ISSUES OF MAGAZINES.
Maybe you could put one of yours in this type of thing if it still exists …. mine were 20 (EEK!!!!!) yrs ago.
posted by Amy on 1-16-2009 at 10:16 am
As an addition to the technologically- based suggestions, how about getting some MF staffers to create an MF Channel or Community on YouTube?
posted by Amy on 1-16-2009 at 10:23 am
I’d be willing to get “caught” in a very public love triangle with Angelina Jolie and Angela Lansbury.
Then anytime I am within camera range of the paparazzi, I will be sporting a shirt that says, “Read Mental Floss.”
posted by Nick on 1-16-2009 at 10:27 am
Hook up with Urban pranksters. They have local groups in almost every big city in the country, their youtube views are in the millions, and they’ve been featured on Good Morning America. In addition to the immediate buzz they could generate for you, the ensuing media attention would surely get your name out there.
Plus, they’re just kind of awesome.
posted by Chelsea on 1-16-2009 at 10:49 am
I would have people sell subscriptions door to door using “sad” stories to sell the magazines. The hope is that one of these people will stumble across some newbie, white collar criminals who need help laundering money. In exchange for keeping quite, the criminals would buy hundreds of subscriptions to your magazine.
posted by Ryan on 1-16-2009 at 10:58 am
What about creating little mental_floss ‘knowledge in a nutshell’ booklets, the way they did at Starbucks with The Good Sheet, which is created by Good magazine and was intended to “tackle one election topic” a week for 11 weeks during the Presidential election this past fall? The little booklet unfolded the one large page, was colorful and informative, and definitely offered readers a new way to look at an election issue.
Instead of just being about politics, yours could be about almost any subject or several subjects ala the magazine and the website, as we know m_f is quite diverse in its topics and always giving its readers some kind of knowledge they didn’t have before.
It was printed on newsprint, compact and easy to take with you along with the grande decaf latte.
Knowledge and joe…on the go!
posted by Carolyn on 1-16-2009 at 11:00 am
Good idea, Sarah! I’m glad there are other Bathroom Readers out there! You could advertise on other websites and in other magazines. I got interested in mental_ floss because I read something published in Reader’s Digest.
posted by Sara on 1-16-2009 at 11:28 am
Zach posted my idea, Mental_Floss the Swimsuit edition. Perhaps a Sandra Day O’Connor pin-up fold out or Kari Byron from Myth-Busters and Danica McKeller. Speaking of Myth-Busters what about a special Myth-Busters edition.
posted by Don on 1-16-2009 at 11:39 am
#1 Advertise on dating sites, esp. the ’specialty’ ones for geeks and smarty pants people. (iqcutie.com etc.)
#2 Sex sells… so spice it up a bit.
#3 Partner with a retailer(s) to offer free trial subscriptions at POS. when I buy items at Ulta, I am often asked if I’d like a free subscription to “insert Mag title here.”
#4 Offer digital subscriptions via kindle. I LOVE my kindle and I would pay. Publish costs are less… no paper!
#5 Find a way to feature Mental Floss on Oprah. Send her a few hundred copies :)
#6 “Ain’t no thang like a chicken wing.”
#7 Get doctors and vets and salons to carry your magazine. People will pick it up, read it and LOVE it!
#8 Seriously… kindle it!
posted by CM on 1-16-2009 at 11:51 am
I like the podcast idea. I would subscribe and I know several other people who would as well.
posted by Forest on 1-16-2009 at 11:51 am
They’ve already done a swimsuit edition, but probably not what you’re thinking.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/store/product.php?productid=16189&cat=248&page=1
I’d say avoid using sex to sell… I like thinking of mental_floss being classier than that.
The podcast sounds like a cool idea… it doesn’t have to be long or frequent. I think How Stuff Works already have a podcast of that type though…
posted by Jason! on 1-16-2009 at 11:51 am
I was introduced to MF by the pieces that used to appear on CNN. Similar pieces on, perhaps, one of the network morning shows (Today) would do well, or I imagine a bit on The Daily Show or Colbert report would do a good job of reached a large potential audience (and would allow Mangesh to meet and become best buds with Jon Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert.
posted by Steven on 1-16-2009 at 11:54 am
A well publicized year long trivia and puzzle based “Treasure Hunt” using clues from both the Magazine and the Web Site.
The keys to making this work:
1. Publicize well in advance of launch date: Puzzle lover web sites, NPR, Viral YouTube videos etc . . .
2. Incorporate some fairly complex (though still solvable) clues which would require more than a newstand reading of the magazine, make it tough enough that people need to buy the magazine.
3. Don’t let them miss a month. Synergy between clues from month to month (i.e. October’s clue tells readers that they need to bring September and November’s cover’s together to find an additional hint).
4. Get people to SUBSCRIBE. A free hint guide with your subscription.
5. Make people read the magazine. Incporporate clues into the text of articles, to encourage active reading (and thus greater love of the material) rather than skimming.
6. Appeal to a broad range of competencies/encourage team work, think along the lines of “How Did You Know”
7. Make the prize AWESOME (I’m thinking guest editorship for one issue along with swag to make your own Mental Floss office at home)…also grow the Prize by soliciting donations from guests, contributors and interview subjects.
8. Keep it “imaginary”. Tempting though it may be to put the treasure in a real physical place, it will turn off a lot of potential participants.
posted by EMStoveken on 1-16-2009 at 12:01 pm
I think the Swimsuit Edition is hilarious. Except instead of hot models, I’m envisioning Marie Curie with a photoshopped old-fashioned bathing suit Heh.
posted by stacybee on 1-16-2009 at 12:01 pm
Strike up a partnership with Jeopardy by handing out free copies of mental_floss at tryouts and see where the word-of-mouth takes you from there.
posted by erak on 1-16-2009 at 12:05 pm
Create a mental_floss mascot (call him Flossy) and parade him around the city handing out leaflets and/or free magazines
posted by Mor on 1-16-2009 at 12:06 pm
Here is goes: MAGIC
Everyone loves magic…so put a free magic trick in every magazine and BAM! subscribers will appear in droves…it will be like magic.
You can also give free subscriptions to various magicians and have them promote the magazine at their act (at the very least it will peak someone’s interest enough to pick up a copy and realize how much they love it). There is also a chance the magicians may be skilled in hypnosis – I think you can see where this is going.
posted by Patrick C. on 1-16-2009 at 12:24 pm
I’ve actually thought about this topic quite a bit, so I’m very excited to respond.
If I understand correctly, you’re not exactly looking to promote the magazine or the website, but, rather, you’re trying to find a way to get more people to subscribe. To get more subscribers, you’ll need to target specific markets, and I have two markets that I feel are ideal for your magazine. Also, suggestions on how to reach those markets.
The first market to focus on is probably the one you already focus on- college students. Around the time that I started reading mental_floss, I had recently returned to college after taking a 10 year hiatus. After only a short while of being a student again, I literally started to “feel smart again”. The school I attend is a Community College, which offers an Honors Program, of which I became a part of. This Honors Program was full of young and old students who truly enjoy learning. It was also full of professors who love teaching.
My first suggestion is this- a major push toward college students and professors. College professors are constantly pushing their opinions onto their students (I’m not implying this is a bad thing). By giving free or discounted sample copies to college professors, with the suggestion that, if the enjoy the magazine (which they surely will), they recommend it to their students. Additionally, college students should receive some sort of discount if they subscribe (or maybe a free mental_floss logo t-shirt for a double subscription). After all, most college students are strapped for cash.
(If offering a discount to ALL college students is a bit much, then perhaps offer it only to members of orginizations like Phi Theta Kappa, which is the international honor society of two year colleges.)
My next suggestion deals with a completely different age group-senior citizens. The big buzz regarding the elderly these days is that they need to keep their minds sharp to help them live longer and fuller lives. I believe mental_floss is a perfect tool to help anyone keep their mind fresh. Here, the phrase, “feel smart again”, has never been more accurate. Furthermore, for those individuals who may have missed out on certain experiences in their lives, mental_floss offers an opportunity to correct what they have missed through regualr articles like 101 Masterpieces or Spinning the Globe. Also, many older folks have at least some expendable income, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it.
So there it is. Two opposite ends of the spectrum, but, I feel, two groups that would benefit greatly from this fine magazine. Whether young or old, mental_floss is for everyone.
posted by Mike on 1-16-2009 at 1:05 pm
Not an easy fix, but here goes – MONTHLY instead of BI-MONTHLY. Personally, when I get the magazine I sit down, read it from cover-to-cover and then spend the next 7 weeks waiting for the next one to arrive. Making it monthly would help some “justify” having a subscription.
posted by heiligec on 1-16-2009 at 1:27 pm
Maybe you should sponsor some of the more quirky or trivia-based shows on NPR, like “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” “Whad’Ya Know?,” or “This American Life.” It would seem to me that they have a built-in mental_floss audience, AND you’d be supporting public broadcasting! Hooray!
posted by TJ Hooker on 1-16-2009 at 1:46 pm
Conferences. I know booths are expensive, but after being to several conferences as a vendor I know lots of people wander the exhibit hall and stop by booths. And they love free stuff. There are societies and conferences for EVERYTHING, so I’m sure you guys could find some good ones. One thing I’ve learned is that academics are not nearly as stuffy as you’d think, and I’m sure they’d be excited about something fun and nifty.
Also, this isn’t so much an idea, more like a plea-don’t go completely digital! I work on a computer all day and then take online classes. My eyes thank me everytime I read something that’s NOT on a screen.
posted by Kate on 1-16-2009 at 1:48 pm
1.) I will win the lottery
2.) I will purchase lots and lots of subscriptions to MF,
Done
posted by lindsey u on 1-16-2009 at 2:08 pm
@Jamie where do you do your trivia in Jackosnville, FL?
posted by Jennifer on 1-16-2009 at 2:09 pm
The radio spots are a great idea, but then you have the cost of creating a spot. A great way to get radio mention and help out your community is to do business sponsorships at public radio stations. That’s a pretty good target market for your product, as well.
posted by nikki on 1-16-2009 at 2:09 pm
I don’t know if all of your print content is online, but if it is, don’t make it that way.
I purchased a copy a few months ago from a book store (don’t have a subscription) and was disappointed I had already read most of the content from your Web site.
I agree with what others have already said about making it monthly because I can’t justify having a magazing subscription for something I only get every other month.
Also, since the target audience are younger people, saturate sites such as Facebook and MySpace with ads (which I know are expensive).
In exchange for a subscription or some other freebies, I’m sure you can find people (like me) who would be willing to post something on a regular basis on their blogs or Facebook or Myspace pages.
The more people know about the magazine, the more subscriptions you’d get.
posted by Shelly on 1-16-2009 at 2:13 pm
I will guilt trip everyone that likes to look at my copy of the magazine into getting their own subscription.
posted by Jason! on 1-16-2009 at 2:54 pm
what about a subscriber rewards program?
A random lottery of all subscribers for something awesome every month
A competition of some sort (crossword puzzle, find the answers to the questions in the mag, etc) in which any subscriber can enter to win
Rewards for every 6 months or year of loyal subscriptions
posted by Caitlin on 1-16-2009 at 2:56 pm
Make stickers that say “BEING STUPID AND READ MENTAL FLOSS!”
Send them out all over the country and have people slap them on every STOP sign they see.
(For those who need help- it turns a stop sign into a “STOP BEING STUPID AND READ MENTAL FLOSS” sign.)
posted by Scott-O on 1-16-2009 at 4:05 pm
I would give every subscriber, new and old, a bag of dried beans. Beans are quite versatile and satisfying.
posted by Bean a day on 1-16-2009 at 4:34 pm
Create ear plugs with a piece attached. When someone wears them it looks like they have flossed their brains. People will naturally ask them “Do you know you have floss in your ears?” and thus the word-of-mouth campaign begins.
posted by Scott-O on 1-16-2009 at 4:46 pm
Last submission:
Step 1: Create stickers ranging from small to HUGE saying “Doesn’t read Mental Floss.”
Step 2: Stick them on wanted posters in the post office, street signs over the mileage (e.g “Topeka” “doesn’t read Mental Floss”), slap it on Air Force One, the capitol building. Have a contest for best placement of the sticker.
Step 3: Profit.
posted by Scott-O on 1-16-2009 at 4:50 pm
Since you have such a huge reader base on-line, why not offer print and digital subscriptions. Print subscribers will get the magazine sent to them (duh), digital subscribers can have the magazine emailed in .pdf form. As a bonus for people subscribing they can have access to a SUBSCRIBER ONLY FORUM where they can discuss flossy things or get sneak previews of articles that are being worked on or maybe they can pitch ideas to the writers. Something extra fun, ya know? The forum could be this super hip place that everyone wants to get into.
posted by Missy on 1-16-2009 at 4:56 pm
Two suggestions:
Nude Blogging. Advertise the hell out of it, build it up for weeks. “Starting next monday NUDE BLOGGING” Then when the time rolls around write your blogs in the nude, of course there is no need to actually post pictures. In fact, please don’t.
Fraggle Rock week!!!!!!!!!
posted by Chris on 1-16-2009 at 5:12 pm
Best way to increase the subscription would be to get Corporate Subscribers. This was one of the ways ‘USA Today’ and ‘Wall Street Journal’ became nationally known brand-names. All of us have lived in a hotel at some point, and they always have one of these newspapers and other periodicals, namely ‘Time’ or ‘Newsweek’ in their lobby. If mental_floss were to get Hilton or Sheridan to subscribe to their magazines and have a few copies in their lobby, the magazine should get a wide recognition. Also those individuals who loved the magazines would subscribe for themselves, further increasing the subscription number.
Also, increasing the frequency of the magazine to monthly would increase more interest. When I go through the entire magazine in a week, I hate waiting seven more weeks for a new copy to come.
Oh and I would love to have some podcasts. Like many of the readers and potential subscribers, I tend to have a busy schedule and would love to listen to some articles while driving to school/work or exercising. Although a luxury, this feature might get more people to consider buying a subscription.
posted by HP on 1-16-2009 at 5:56 pm
it would b a good idea 2 glue or staple the mag 2 hightimes magazines
posted by joe on 1-16-2009 at 6:26 pm
Well I’ve already gotten you two more subscribers. One when I was on a plane the passenger next to me saw my mental_floss and was curious so I lent it to him for the flight and before we landed he tore out the subscription mailer in the magazine, plus I turned a corworker in my office onto your website as well)…but if that’s not good enough to get a free book then I would have to say…
Sponsor pub trivia nights in major cities with prizes like with old magazines, t-shirts, or any other things you have laying around the office, like old books!
posted by NateJ on 1-16-2009 at 7:03 pm
Do a series of projects with TheOnion.com – they specialize in fake news, you specialize in interesting facts- so if you ran a series of contests where readers have to guess if it’s real or made up you’d keep us on our toes and make some friends!
posted by Sue on 1-16-2009 at 10:30 pm
I’m not sure if its been mentioned already but you could have bar trivia contests on the tv monitors made by MentalFloss. Kinda like they have a BW3’s, but much smarter.
posted by Amy on 1-16-2009 at 10:50 pm
Maybe a publicity stunt wouldn’t hurt. Lots of companies are doing that, like giant beach balls or closing down streets for a water slide… maybe Mangesh and Will should dust off their pudding truck idea…
posted by Jason! on 1-17-2009 at 12:57 am
Here’s an idea…
Continue the “Name X in Y minutes” contest, but, since you obviously couldn’t give away that many free books, just give away free back issues of mental_floss. This way winners can pass them onto our friends, who will obviously love the magazine, and eventually sign up for a subscription!
…oh …you’re already doing that? Well, then nevermind.
(For the record, I’m only joking around. I think it’s great that you’re going to continue the “Name X in Y minutes” contest. It’s a fun game to play & is a great way to include us readers as contributing members of your site. Thanks!)
posted by Mike on 1-17-2009 at 2:09 pm
Somehow I missed this post. Has anyone mentioned being a part of airline magazines? Almost every airline has one, and how many thousands of people sit on a plane bored out of their minds every day?
Perhaps an article, or even a sponsored quiz/trivia section.
posted by Dawn on 1-21-2009 at 5:10 am