SA4 Mag – Over 300,000 Monthly STEPS Delivering
The SA4 magazine has grown into a very popular source for local information. Matty launched the magazine back in 2011 and this is what he says about himself and the magazine: –
“My Name is Matty, and like Leon, I have grown up around magazines. I am 34 now and I have been producing and delivering magazines since I left school really. I started off just delivering the magazines for my father and then 12 years ago, I started up my own Community magazine in the SA4 area – called – you’ve guessed it – ‘The SA4 Mag’.”
“I have always enjoyed my Job and the fact that every day is different, but the things that I enjoy the most is working closely with my customers and getting to know them, and I also love delivering the magazines themselves (which some people may find strange!).”
“I obviously spend a lot of time in the area, and it has become a second home to me. You get to see residents when out and about delivering magazines to their homes, but you also build up a relationship with the shop owners. Faces become familiar when you drop magazines off every month into Gowerton, Gorseinon and Pontarddulais for example, and you get told of upcoming events or what is going on.”
“To think back to the very first issue – it was difficult. The first magazine was the hardest to produce because you are completely starting from scratch – it is just an idea in your head really. Dads help and advice was really helpful, but there is a big leap of faith from advertisers to spend money on a concept.”
“I still have advertisers in the magazine today that were in that very first issue and as my father said earlier (in this booklet), I think the reason that there is still a demand for the magazines, is simply because it works well for the advertisers.”
“We are over a decade on now and the vast majority of our work is repeat custom. But advertising can be a funny game. Sometimes people don’t advertise because they are too busy, and sometimes people don’t advertise because they are too quiet.”
“Having grown up around advertising, I always think it’s best to find something that is sustainable for a long period of time. Advertisers seeking that ‘quick push’ is less effective than a longer sustained period of advertising – even if the advert is not as big.”
“I really enjoy running the SA4 magazine and working closely with businesses in the area at how best to get their advert out locally. I think the reason the Community Magazines work so well is that it’s a great way to target an area and to get your advert out to the homes and businesses of a specific area you want to target.”
“We deliver the same homes in the SA4 Area each month, as well as the shops and I think it’s the knowing that the magazine is coming through the door each month which makes the magazine work so well. Also having a range of interviews, quizzes, crosswords, sudokus and news from the local area make the magazine something people look forward to landing through their letterbox each month.”
