CatherineS2 Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I have received a phone call from someone trying to persuade me to advertise in a magazine called "Exclusive Holidays". For the special introductory price of £200 (It's normally £550) my advert would feature in the magazine for a whole year (4 issues), as well as being on their website www.villafinder.com for a year as well. I had never heard of either of these, but it does sound like a good deal. Apparently the magazine has a circulation of 25,000 and is sold in Smiths, Waitrose etc. Does anyone else have any experience of this publication? My house is in Normandy, but the magazine/website covers properties worldwide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I'd be very cautious. Check out everything you can before parting with money. Ask for copies of ABC certificates to verify circulation (if the circulation is not audited, don't believe a word of the sales guff). Look at web sites - the site above seems to come up with a USA-based travel club, not a listing of French holiday homes. The only listing for that magazine I could find had hardly any information (just that you could buy a subscription, and that it appears six, not four times per year).I work in magazine publishing, and many of our own advertisers get plagued by cold calls offering magazine advertising or entries in directories at so-called discounts. Often the publication never appears, or is subscription-only, or is only touted around at exhibitions and the like. These publications can never supply official circulation figures and will always try to fudge round these questions.Of course, this may be a totally genuine offer - if it is, the salesperson will be only too pleased to provide proof to back up the claims as they will be as fed up as we are with the activities of certain other publishers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineS2 Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Thanks for the info Will. I'll ask them about the ABC certificates.And I made a mistake with the website, it's actually www.thevillafinder.com which is a much nicer-looking site than the first one I mentioned (but will it pull in the customers?!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I agree. That site looks much more promising and makes me feel a bit better about the whole package. However, in the page about the magazine linked from that site there are key phrases that suggest the real circulation is somewhat less than the claimed 25,000 and the magazine is not exactly on general sale, so I'd still tread carefully.It would be interesting to hear from anybody with direct experience of this magazine and web site, also what other owners of holiday lets pay for their advertisements in other publications, and what response they get. Of course, you would do well to look at Living France and its sister magazines, which have a guaranteed circulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vrooje<BR>Cheers,<br>-Brooke<BR><br><B><A TARGET=blank HREF="http:www.experienceburgundy.com">http:www.experienceburgundy.com<A><B> Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Hm... the website says the targeted circulation is 25000, which makes me think they haven't reached that level yet. Or did I read it wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I don't know much about the company you quote but is saving £300 in the first year really a great bargain when it's such an unknown quantity?I have used Chez Nous for the past 3 years and we have almost 100% bookings for the 4 month summer period each year - they publish their directory in November each year and you will find it in almost every WH Smiths. You can have an entry on their website within a few days (we got good bookings from the website alone in the first year).I would give Chez Nous circa £550 and get bookings rather than taking a chance on a little known publication.Dougwww.myfrenchholiday.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Forum Admin Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I can't see them listed on the ABC site (under Exclusive Holidays) so don't think their figures are independently audited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineS2 Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Thank you all for your replies.I asked the guy about the ABC certificate and he said that they are not independently auditted.I then contacted 4 existing Normandy advertisers which I found on the website - only one of them had ever had a booking via the site or magazine, and that one was two years ago; none of them were going to renew their subscription.I have decided to give this one a miss... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peynau Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 We fell for the sales patter last year and to date have not had a single enquiry. When we contacted exclusive holidays they could not tell us how many hits we'd had. All in all, the company did not impress us and we will not be renewing our subscription. Hope this helps, I don't want to go into too much detail but can do if you email me direct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jongleurs Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 They contacted me too ......... think they found us from Holiday Rentals site as we have just listed with them. He rang two or three times to try and persuade me to advertise with them and was not very happy when I told him no. Not ever seen their publication in the UK but am going back soon and will have a look. The advertising price deal does seem good but not so good if nothing comes out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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