There are a number of important criteria in choosing your custom publishing partner. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin your search:

1. What are the goals of your custom publication?
   
   
2. Do you want your magazine to carry third-party advertising?
   
   
3. Do you want a publisher who has experience in your market sector?
   
   
4. At the same time, is it important that your publisher does not have a client who competes with your company?
   
   
5. What publishing services do you require?
   
   
6. Do you require other services in addition to publishing, i.e. website design and construction, for example?
   
   
7. If your publication is regional, would you prefer a publisher that is located in your region?
   
   
8. What is the budget for your custom publication?
   
   
9. Do you see certain magazines as your benchmark, i.e. publications that you aspire to?
   
   
10. Have you thought about delivery options, particularly mail vs distribution at point of sale or a combination of both?
    
    
11. Will there be a need to segment the publication for language or other purposes?
    
    
12. Do you have a database of target customers, or are you contemplating a purchased list?
    
    
13. And who will manage your publication internally?
    
    
14. What services should you expect from a custom publisher?

Services vary, but should include:

• Publishing Strategy
• Editorial
• Design
• Production
• Account Management
• Website Design, Content & Maintenance
• Advertising Sales
• Database Management/Segmentation
• Research
• Circulation/Distribution Management
• Promotion and Publicity
• Multi-Language Editions
  

The next step is the pitch process.

First, cast a net. Click the Membership Directory to find the names of the leading custom publishers in North America. Visit each company's website. Get a feel for each company's work. Then pick seven to ten companies that, on a gut level, feel right for your project, and give each a call. Spend 30 minutes talking with each about your project, and get a reaction from their response. Who wants your business the most, asks the right questions and understands your situation best? Which company's personality and positioning matches yours? Ask them to send you their company information and background materials. Subsequently, reject the ones that don't work for you, and invite three or four companies to pitch for your business.

This is crunch time. Challenge each to be creative and to prove that they are the perfect strategic and philosophical fit. Share as much information as possible: your goals, company data, problems, wants, needs and financial parameters. Ask each company to make a final presentation focused squarely on your project and how they can take it where you want it to go — perhaps, even beyond. And be sure each is bidding based on the same specifications so that you can compare apples to apples. Good luck, and enjoy the process!