U.S. independents tell how they build circ in their own, creative ways

Lots of inspiring stories from MediaDaily News, out of the American Magazine Conference in sunny Phoenix, Arizona:

• Three independent magazine companies on a panel talked about how they successfully pursued valuable, but elusive, demographics and their stories were remarkably similar for their creative approach, according to a story by Erik Sass. Fabio Freyre, CEO of Latina Media Ventures, David Lusterman, publisher of String Letter Publishing, and Sue Webb, vice president of publisher development for the Synapse Group Inc. each said their methods wouldn't necessarily work for the big guys, but did for them.
• Latina publisher Fabio Freyre told how his magazine's three person circulation department visits nightclubs (like the Copacabana) selling subscriptions directly to women who can be found there dancing.
  
• Strings publisher David Lusterman told how they reached young, up-and-coming string players by starting a spinoff called Teen Strings and offering it to music teachers at a discount; it was so successful that Teen Strings has outstripped its parent in paid circulation.
• Synapse vice-president Sue Webb (whose magazine marketing company hardly qualifies as an either small or independent, since it is wholly owned by Time Inc., but anyway...) said the company partnered with a number of retailers so that, at the checkouts when people used a debit or credit card, they were asked if they'd like up to three magazines with the first three months free. "According to Webb," said the story, "the program works especially well with niche titles, and 'we believe this is going to be a huge, several millions sub source.' "