After finding out Swimmer takes 30% of our budget,I was thinking how to make it better.I think it is perhaps fine as it is now for what it does now,but if it is to help us grow...
What do you think?
Rodale had a magazine called "Fitness Swimmer' a few years ago and I thought it was excellent and I think implied that such a mag could be(almost) profitable.The current 4 in one format of "Swimming World" now seems excellent.Perhaps Swimmer should have sections:Competitive Swimmer,fitness swimmer,tri,noodlers(to be totally inclusive.)This might help with the problem of technique articles in Swimmer.The articles seem aimed for the middle and are too simple for elite swimmers and too advanced for beginners.
If you want to sell issues how about more pictures of good looking Masters swimmers in swim suits(it worked for Sports Illustrated.)
I don't find the "new product"section very helpful as it just gives what the company says.How about product testing? I expect a company would be glad to say"our goggles were the top rated by USMS-publicity for us.)If you really want to sell how about product testing on LZR vsTracer Rise,vs Nero Comp.I bet most swimmers,coaches,and parents would be interested in that.
Ideas for Swimmer
If ppl would like to throw out ideas, I'll compile them here, then send thread to Bill Volckening. Maybe that will help.
This is a compilation of ALL suggestions. (Some are mine, many are not.)
I. Look and Feel
A. Layout and design
1. Streamline appearance overall, following model such as Outside magazine or SI.
2. No black backgrounds, please! Cannot read.
B. Organization
1. Move "USMS Contacts" box out of advertising pages and to front of mag, under Letter from Editor.
2. Reorganize "My favorite practice" page.
3. Retitle "Backsplash" page
II. Content
A. Sections
1. Sections for competitive swimmers, fitness swimmers, tris, noodlers
2. Technique sections not very helpful because aimed at middle; too simple for advanced and too difficult for beginners
3. "New products" section not very helpful as it just reproduces what the company says about its product; how about product reviews?
4. Put extensive user product reviews on the Web site
5. Product reviews only one issue per year. Use space for other things also on a once-a-year basis, such as a review of upcoming clinics in the winter/spring issue, or a book review section from time to time.
B. Columns
1. The face of Masters swimming
2. OW swimming
3. Special (not "secret"!) swim places
4. Monthly Q&A (see post 13 below for examples)
5. "Ask the Coach": everything from technique to how to overcome pre-race jitters
6. Guest columnist, content to vary by quarter, in acknowledgment of many different swimming interests (competitive, tris, OW, etc.)
7. Club Corner: Reproduce a good article published in an LMSC newsletter
8. Club column: feature different USMS clubs around the country, with membership, top 10 meet times, workouts, what their pools look like.
9. Technique column: frame-by-frame analysis of a swimmer's good stroke
10. (From Quicksilver): More detailed athlete bios instead of just their favorite workout. Not necessarily the top ten achievers. I think we all take special interest in hearing how others juggle our work, family, and recreation time. Kind of like swimmers of the month.
C. Features
1. Storied deep pools
2. How to lobby effectively to start a Masters swim program
3. How LSMC chairs retain USMS membership
4. Clean water concerns and swimmers
5. Special swims USMS swimmers (or others) have constructed for themselves. This has HUGE potential. I'd like to know more about the 23.4-mile swim the length of Chgo that Marcia Cleveland, Chuck, and did this summer. Why did it take 3 years to put together? Surely there is a good story here! Ron Lockman's Mexico-to-Oregon, pier-to-pier swim would make a terrific story, maybe more than one. Someone on the boards planned to swim ca. 100 miles over a short period; a story? Reminiscences from our own "geochuck," who has been dropping enticing tidbits from his personal history of marathon swimming into various threads. The story potential is really unlimited.
6. Import content from LMSC newsletters (see post 13 below for examples). This could be implemented immediately, I should think.
7. Articles on dry-land training, stretching, etc.--techniques to improve swimming.
8. Guest articles by "great" trainers or coaches, such as David Salo or Bob Bowman. Interview Coach of the Year.
D. Specials
1. Pictures of good-looking Masters swimmers in swimsuits
2. Centerfold: Quicksilver's buff cat (been doing pushups for a while)
E. Announcements
1. Clinics
2. More on what USMS org is doing, such as Convention
3. Integrate Endowment Fund better
4. LMSC scholarships
5. How USMS is involved in clean water and environmental issues (certainly could feature meets such as Big Shoulders, where a portion of the meet fee goes to Great Lakes Coalition)
III. Other Ideas
1. Window decal. A decal could be included in the first quarterly issue of the year, or sent separately to new members with registration.
2. Do away with mag. Put all info on Web site. Stroke tips are useful but could be put on the Web site.
3. Don't do away with mag. Mag is a "push" factor that unites swimmers, whether they swim with a club or not, and makes them feel they belong to org.
4. Put monthly technique on a pullout stock card.
5. Magazine arrives inconsistently. (And don't know when to expect first issue.)
6. Magazine not worth saving.
7. Would like to continue a magazine, but a better one.
8. If go to an all-online mag, have period of overlap to be sure the online version works at least as well as printed mag for users.
9. A national membership magazine is not within the core mission of the org.
10. Mag is not interesting.
11. More emphasis on competitions.
12. Less emphasis on competitions.
13. Mag is fine as it is now for what it does now, as a perk for members, but if it is to help us grow..., it needs an upgrade.
14. Tired of working online all day; keep printed publication.
15. Move to all-online with sign-in for paying subscribers: allows more timely publication of news of interest and easier archiving.
16. Non-elite swimmers need content and drills, too.
17. Like and use the drills.
18. Partner with an entity like Flowswimming to produce technique videos .
19. Mag is pretty well done. At least flip through every issue.
20. Ditto, but: more killer, less filler.
21. Articles written at junior high level.
22. Prefer not to receive magazine and to have membership fee discounted.
Ideas for Swimmer
If ppl would like to throw out ideas, I'll compile them here, then send thread to Bill Volckening. Maybe that will help.
This is a compilation of ALL suggestions. (Some are mine, many are not.)
I. Look and Feel
A. Layout and design
1. Streamline appearance overall, following model such as Outside magazine or SI.
2. No black backgrounds, please! Cannot read.
B. Organization
1. Move "USMS Contacts" box out of advertising pages and to front of mag, under Letter from Editor.
2. Reorganize "My favorite practice" page.
3. Retitle "Backsplash" page
II. Content
A. Sections
1. Sections for competitive swimmers, fitness swimmers, tris, noodlers
2. Technique sections not very helpful because aimed at middle; too simple for advanced and too difficult for beginners
3. "New products" section not very helpful as it just reproduces what the company says about its product; how about product reviews?
4. Put extensive user product reviews on the Web site
5. Product reviews only one issue per year. Use space for other things also on a once-a-year basis, such as a review of upcoming clinics in the winter/spring issue, or a book review section from time to time.
B. Columns
1. The face of Masters swimming
2. OW swimming
3. Special (not "secret"!) swim places
4. Monthly Q&A (see post 13 below for examples)
5. "Ask the Coach": everything from technique to how to overcome pre-race jitters
6. Guest columnist, content to vary by quarter, in acknowledgment of many different swimming interests (competitive, tris, OW, etc.)
7. Club Corner: Reproduce a good article published in an LMSC newsletter
8. Club column: feature different USMS clubs around the country, with membership, top 10 meet times, workouts, what their pools look like.
9. Technique column: frame-by-frame analysis of a swimmer's good stroke
10. (From Quicksilver): More detailed athlete bios instead of just their favorite workout. Not necessarily the top ten achievers. I think we all take special interest in hearing how others juggle our work, family, and recreation time. Kind of like swimmers of the month.
C. Features
1. Storied deep pools
2. How to lobby effectively to start a Masters swim program
3. How LSMC chairs retain USMS membership
4. Clean water concerns and swimmers
5. Special swims USMS swimmers (or others) have constructed for themselves. This has HUGE potential. I'd like to know more about the 23.4-mile swim the length of Chgo that Marcia Cleveland, Chuck, and did this summer. Why did it take 3 years to put together? Surely there is a good story here! Ron Lockman's Mexico-to-Oregon, pier-to-pier swim would make a terrific story, maybe more than one. Someone on the boards planned to swim ca. 100 miles over a short period; a story? Reminiscences from our own "geochuck," who has been dropping enticing tidbits from his personal history of marathon swimming into various threads. The story potential is really unlimited.
6. Import content from LMSC newsletters (see post 13 below for examples). This could be implemented immediately, I should think.
7. Articles on dry-land training, stretching, etc.--techniques to improve swimming.
8. Guest articles by "great" trainers or coaches, such as David Salo or Bob Bowman. Interview Coach of the Year.
D. Specials
1. Pictures of good-looking Masters swimmers in swimsuits
2. Centerfold: Quicksilver's buff cat (been doing pushups for a while)
E. Announcements
1. Clinics
2. More on what USMS org is doing, such as Convention
3. Integrate Endowment Fund better
4. LMSC scholarships
5. How USMS is involved in clean water and environmental issues (certainly could feature meets such as Big Shoulders, where a portion of the meet fee goes to Great Lakes Coalition)
III. Other Ideas
1. Window decal. A decal could be included in the first quarterly issue of the year, or sent separately to new members with registration.
2. Do away with mag. Put all info on Web site. Stroke tips are useful but could be put on the Web site.
3. Don't do away with mag. Mag is a "push" factor that unites swimmers, whether they swim with a club or not, and makes them feel they belong to org.
4. Put monthly technique on a pullout stock card.
5. Magazine arrives inconsistently. (And don't know when to expect first issue.)
6. Magazine not worth saving.
7. Would like to continue a magazine, but a better one.
8. If go to an all-online mag, have period of overlap to be sure the online version works at least as well as printed mag for users.
9. A national membership magazine is not within the core mission of the org.
10. Mag is not interesting.
11. More emphasis on competitions.
12. Less emphasis on competitions.
13. Mag is fine as it is now for what it does now, as a perk for members, but if it is to help us grow..., it needs an upgrade.
14. Tired of working online all day; keep printed publication.
15. Move to all-online with sign-in for paying subscribers: allows more timely publication of news of interest and easier archiving.
16. Non-elite swimmers need content and drills, too.
17. Like and use the drills.
18. Partner with an entity like Flowswimming to produce technique videos .
19. Mag is pretty well done. At least flip through every issue.
20. Ditto, but: more killer, less filler.
21. Articles written at junior high level.
22. Prefer not to receive magazine and to have membership fee discounted.
