Music magazines are distributed in a variety of ways. Here I am going to look at some of the ways and see which ones are most effective.
Free magazines handed out at venues: Allow everyone to have access to the magazine however they may not be interested in a specific genre of magazine so handing out a music magazine for free might not work.
Subscription only magazines: Allow people who are interested in a specific genre to be able to read a magazine regularly without having to remember to buy it. However there would not always be stories that they are interested in.
Other modes of distribution: Allowing people to choose the magazine at a shop gives them a wider choice but means they can look at the cover stories first to decide if there is something of interest to them within the magazine.
I feel that my magazine would be most effective if sold through subscription and also in shops. The audience for my magazine will know about my magazine through word of mouth. They are likely to mix with other, like-minded, musicians who would also read the magazine. It is through this that they would come to know about my magazine. Having them available in shops makes it possible for other people to find the magazine. If a subscription form is included in each issue then people who come across the magazine by chance can sign up for a subscription. Using a subscription to distribute the magazine means that readers have the magazine to read each month (or whenever they are issued) and they have been paid for up front so the magazine makes more money. It provides a regular income for the magazine reducing the risk of the magazine being unable to continue publishing.
