"Today's custom publications must be comparable to the best newsstand magazines," says Kathy Gogick, President of Danilo Black Custom Media International. "Content is the secret to custom media because it has the extraordinary power to persuade. Good writing and good design thoroughly engage readers, and in custom media, envelop them in your brand. Yes, custom publications are marketing tools first, but if they're not as good as newsstand magazines — or better, they're not going to do the job."

Why custom publishers?

Companies turn to custom publishers for benefits ranging from improving quality to reducing costs to freeing up staff time. A custom publisher can help your company:

Access top talent

Because custom publishers are in the publishing business, they have access to top creative talent — people who have experience in both traditional newsstand magazines and the marketing skills of the custom publisher. This is a unique blend of capabilities, and they add up to a core competency that is required for success.

Reduce the costs of publishing

Cutting the cost of an in-house editorial and design staff is one major bonus of outsourcing your publication, but there are other benefits as well. Custom publishers can save your company on paper and printing expenses simply because they often buy in bulk. Also, long-term experience in publishing processes can account for savings in unforeseen ways, i.e. an eighth of an inch off of a page size, for example, can save thousands of dollars.

Refocus staff time

When you outsource everything from concept through fulfillment to a custom publisher, you can save your in-house communications staff thousands of hours a year. And that's time you can refocus on your core business.

"The rule of the thumb is that the most effective companies focus their resources on their core competencies," says Jim Offel, Vice President of custom publishing for DCP in Walnut Creek, CA. "In a cost-benefit analysis, it doesn't make sense to spend those resources elsewhere."

Chris McMurry, CEO of Phoenix-based McMurry Publishing, agrees. "It's like the old Industrial Revolution concept of division of labor," he says. "Leaving it to the experts works."

Making your custom publishing partner selection

Once you've decided to leave it to the experts, you need to find the right expert. Here are six steps for making a good match:

1.  Check them out

First browse the CPC Membership Directory. Peruse the member profiles and look at member websites to find companies whose philosophy you agree with and that may be a good match.

2.  Talk to them

Give each a call and spend some time in conversation. Ask those CPC members that past this initial test to send details about their companies and samples of their work.

3.  Seek synergies

Look for publishers with expertise in your industry, yet you'll probably want to avoid conflicts. Seek companies who understand your market and can best speak to your audience.

4.  Consider custom expertise

Also, look for publishers whose custom magazines clearly take into account the client's needs first, not the publisher's needs. "You want a publisher who's demonstrated the ability to create a product tailored to the client's situation, "says Diablo's Offel. " Make sure the samples don't all look and sound the same. You have a unique audience, objectives and messages. The publisher's ability to craft and customize a publication to your needs is crucial."

5.  Look for additional resources

Your custom publisher should also be able to offer you extra services that fit your company's needs, such as advertising sales, website development, research capabilities, distribution management, etc.

6.  Complete the selection process

Send a handful of publishers a request for proposal (RFP). Make sure you specify exactly what you want in your RFP, and make it comprehensive, so you're comparing apples to apples. Invite the finalists to visit your company to make a presentation. A face-to-face meeting will give you a chance to see if the candidates' working styles and project management approaches fit with your company's.

Easing the transition

After you've selected the right publisher, make sure the start-up or transition goes smoothly. Here are four strategies for streamlining the shift:

1.  Set clear expectations

In those early meetings, brief the custom publisher on the unique needs of your company. "Your publisher should pose many preparatory questions," Offel says. "When do you want the issues published? Who are the decision makers who need to sign off on topics and manuscripts? If the vice president has to look at the proofs and the vice president hates the color purple, let the custom publishing team know. That will allow them to create a production schedule and process that's appropriate for your needs."

2.  Appoint a liaison

"Assign one person responsibility for making this happen and—most important-for making it happen on time," says McMurry. "This is an outsourced project unlike any other. The more people who need to sign off, the more complex it gets. Having one key liaison is critical, especially in large companies where the publication will be sent at high levels and approved by many people."

3.  Determine your level of involvement

You can contract for a totally turnkey service, or choose to remain more hands-on. Most custom publishers are willing to take on as much or as little of every aspect of publishing as the client wants them to. There is no template.

4.  Reallocate resources

By the end of the first year, you should find that working with a custom publisher frees up your time, your in-house staff and your budget. You'll need a plan for refocusing those resources or core business projects.

Reaping the rewards

In the end, when you leave it to the experts, you should see notable improvements in the quality, results and creativity of the publication. "Custom magazines are no different from consumer magazines." McMurry says. "You must engage the reader, move the reader from page to page, convey information appropriate to the need of the reader in a way that's useful, entertaining, and credible. The people who know how to do that are custom publishers."