SSP Webinar Competitive Strategies for Launching or Repositioning your Publication - Diana L. Pesek Presentation

1. COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES FOR
REPOSITIONING YOUR JOURNAL
Diana L. Pesek
Journals Manager
April 9, 2013

2. PSUP JOURNAL PROGRAM
 In 2011, PSUP published 13 journals
 In 2013, PSUP will publish 30 journals

3. REVIEW OF JOURNAL PROGRAM
 Journals Publishing On Time
 Journals Not Publishing On Time
 Reasons
 Consequences

4. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
History
 1946 – Journal started by State University of Iowa
 1949 – Acquired by The University of Chicago Press
 1961 – Acquired by Penn State University Press

5. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Journal Characteristics
 Respected journal in the field of higher education
 Good subscriber retention
 On time publication
 10% acceptance rate – attracted submissions
from senior faculty

6. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Changes in the Journal
Started publishing erratically
No longer attracted appropriate submissions
Focus of articles too narrow
Where junior faculty published
Subscriber base started to erode
Older articles accessed more frequently

7. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Questions
 Why didn’t the journal publish on time?
 Was late publication attracting the wrong type of
manuscripts?
 Did lateness cause the journal to have too many
rejections and not enough acceptances?
 Was the editor contributing to the problem?

8. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Process
 2011 – PSUP Co-sponsored a Colloquium
 Invited thought leaders in the field of higher education from
around the country
 Day 1 devoted to general discussions of the field of higher
education – current and future trends
 Day 2 devoted to analyzing the Journal
 Mission
 Strategy to attract appropriate content
 Suggestions for new editor and editorial board

9. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Next Steps
 Appointed new editor and editorial board
 Updated Mission Statement
 Editor prepared to invite content for 18 months

10. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Branding
 New Cover Design
 New Text Design
 Designed Editor Business Cards
 Updated Website and Editorial Manager with
new Design
 New Marketing Promotional Materials

11. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Publicity
 News Release
 NewsWise
 Chronicle of Higher Education
 Mailing List
 Future Contributors
 Advisory Board
 Department Heads
 University Presidents, Provosts, Deans, Assistant
Deans, Administrators
 Association Presidents and Executive Directors
 Political Personnel
 Media Personnel

12. REPOSITIONING CASE STUDY
Marketing
 Mail Hard Copy – included press release
 Exchange Ads
 Ads in PSUP print journals
 Ads on JSTOR
 Conference Exhibits