Trust in magazines

Following our blog on Monday about the source employees favour most for information (http://www.wearezephyr.com/blog/2011/06/14/trusty-channels/), we were really interested to see this blog by Matt Hutton, a client of ours at Zephyr. It describes the benefits magazines can offer, in contrast to instant messages delivered to staff or stakeholders most often via websites.
We’ll let Matt make his owns points about magazines, as they’re really good ones that we shouldn’t just nick. All we’ll say, before you start reading his blog is this: Eradicate the idea that magazines are necessarily print. Magazine for tablets is a new channel for internal communicators to consider.
leadandcreate.com

We do have some other points to make about magazines however, building on what Matt has said. All of which add up to the simple point, if you use them well, magazines can be a trusty source of information for employees.
Variety and emphasis
Magazines are designed to have variety all the way through, with distinctive design detailing signally different types of content and emphasizing the content that matters most. Readers can choose what they want to read based on these signposts but they’ll also know what you’re prioritizing as most important.
Associated ideas
Editors of magazines should work hard to connect pieces of writing as the connections can help shape a particular view of things. You could interpret this cynically as an attempt to control thought but it could equally be viewed as a way of helping readers get the broader view. Putting a connected series of articles together might help break down blinkered views of things.
Visual communication
We’re not saying websites aren’t visual but information and how you get to it does tend to dominate, whereas with a magazine (digital or print) you can take the space to convey ideas, emotions, priorities and, if you want to, fill a whole page with a big bold image. A powerful image with a strong message has a much great chance of grabbing attention and encouraging a detailed read.
Niche focus
You can be clear about your niche area of communication in a magazine. For instance, an orgnisation might create a magazine during a period of change and for the length of time necessary have that magazine be known as the only source for detail and analysis of what’s happening. Employees know exactly where to go for all available information.
Recurrent features
The same applies for features and columns you repeat in magazines. Build focus and quality into a particular column and it gains a reputation in the mind of employees. It can become the source of information they turn to first.
Portability
Let’s not forget many employees aren’t desk and computer based – think retail and manufacturing – and many regularly travel around. The portability of a magazine, on paper or downloaded onto your PDA or tablet, is one of its greatest joys. Read it wherever you want, without having to have an internet connection.
Timed expectation
You know when the next hit of information and insight is coming with a magazine (once a week, once a month, once a quarter, whatever it is) and if the content contained within the publication is high quality, expectation will be great amongst employees.

Magazines are of particular interest to us right now as we’re in the midst of developing an internal communications strategy for a manufacturing company with multiple brands that need connecting up.
Thanks Matt Hutton for getting us talking in detail about why magazines are so worthwhile. We wish you really well with your Lead and Create website. What it takes to lead creatively is an interesting debate in itself that we’ll dip into with you we’re sure!