News
Welcome! Join us for client publication news and updates, plus explore our thoughts on publishing, marketing, and customer service, as well as new technologies and ideas to make your next project soar!
Texas Nursing Magazine Goes All-Digital
TEXAS NURSING MAGAZINE
Monarch Media proudly publishes Texas Nursing Magazine. Produced quarterly by the Texas Nurses Association (TNA), each issue features several thematic features and a journalistic-approach to sharing nursing news and advocacy information to the association’s 16,000+ members.
A SHIFT TO ALL-DIGITAL
In 2024, the TNA Board voted to take TN digital primarily to reduce hard costs associated with printing and postage. With 60% of online readers accessing TN on a desktop or laptop computer, we are closely following the statistics of the digital publication to understand the habits of our readers to best serve and reach them.
Digital Publication Reader Experience
We are working with our clients to enrich the readers experience by adding lots of interactivity to the online experience–hyperlinks, embedded video, mobile-friendly versions of all articles, integrated social media and enticing delivery in their inbox. Calling all association membership managers: Effective use of these tools may also attract potential new members!
Digital Publication Advertising
Going digital may be a cost-saving move, but it brings potential risks including loss of readership, advertisers and advertising revenue. Digital advertising is still seen by many advertisers as an economical investment–a lower-cost option, where print advertising is the Cadillac. Transitioning readers to the online magazine and bringing views, reads, and engagement helps to mitigate that mindset and will allow for more competitive digital advertising rates. To that end, Monarch has extended and enriched the advertising reach for TN by packaging magazine ads with digital offerings fused into the online experience at every interval. It’s all about multiple touchpoints and customization to the advertiser. As we often say, we build relationships with our publications’ advertisers that in turn generate sales. Custom publishing also engenders custom advertising solutions.
Check it Out!
This latest issue of TN features articles all about bridging cultural divides. From a nursing perspective, it also dives into the state of gender equality in nursing, wellness initiatives, programs for inclusivity, trailblazers in their field, and more.
Not being a nurse, I want to say that I was profoundly drawn to the ideas in this issue. I am a patient and I pay attention to the nursing profession as a patient, just as I pay attention to the teaching profession as a parent. The culture and treatment of professionals who take care of us directly affects us. As patients, colleagues, friends and family, we have a role to play in elevating the conversation around positive nursing culture and inclusivity. We can support, voice our concerns, and choose (though perhaps not always) who and where we obtain services. Read more here.
— Andrea Exter, cofounder of Monarch Media
Digital Magazine Experiences: My iPhone Case Study
Sunday mornings are my reading mornings. I love to sit down with a book or magazine and sink into it. This morning, I decided to read my one my favorite magazines, dwell. Having worked in architecture and architectural publishing for a decade, design for the built environment brings me joy.
One of our longtime publications has recently decided to go entirely digital. So, weeks ago I embarked upon a personal case study to try to engage fully with a digital magazine. dwell was my choice as it was available on Libby (my absolute favorite app for reading books) and would come straight to the app on my iPhone with every new issue from the Austin Public Library. Great!
This morning, I opened it up with enthusiasm. And to my surprise, I was immediately drawn into the cover, not because it was beautiful. It was, of course; but because it was inclusive—a topic that has been a part of my every thought lately as I design and edit, and especially as I source photography. The cover of dwell this month unassumingly features a full-figured woman, and she is enjoying her gorgeous backyard pool. Bliss!
My case study is off to a terrific start. I sink in. But, I quickly realize, I can’t “walk into” the photos the way I usually can in print. In print design for architecture, it’s common to play up to the photos by placing them as large as possible so the reader can experience the space fully and see the details. I clicked to read the cover story article. While the text flow worked great, the photos were static. On my phone, the small photos were not doing it for me, and I was not able to enlarge them in the article view. Going back to the layout view, I was able to enlarge and move around the page. But in doing so my view was segmented, not comfortably global as it is in print. Disappointed but curious, I read on. I found that my enjoyment of the content was diminished drastically because of how much of the article I could not see. It was a much narrower view than I was used to. Now, I suppose this could be because of my day job! And reading about design does entice you to want to see it ALL at once. Overall, I spent much less time on the magazine, and I didn’t read in detail when I wasn’t able to really “walk into” the photos.
So, I will continue my case study with more of my favorite magazines. Perhaps long-form journalism is more well-suited to my iPhone screen? I’ll be sure to let you know. And for now, I’ll renew my dwell print-only subscription and pay the $1.66/month or $9.96/year for the experience I truly enjoy.
It is worth mentioning that Libby had the newest issue first for non-subscribers. Print-and-online subscriptions ($27.48/year) I’m sure get you that early access too. But I’ll stick to print-only for this one and get excited for Sunday morning when it hits my mailbox!
– Andrea Exter, cofounder of Monarch Media
Nurse Blake’s Magazine On a Mission
Nurse Blake Magazine is four strong issues in and building momentum and readership by the thousands. He’s a man on a mission creating a growing readership and community of nurses to support each other and the profession.
Nurse Blake Magazine
Monarch Media is proud to partner with Nurse Blake and publish Nurse Blake Magazine now reaching more 30,000 readers in print nationwide and thousands more online quarterly. The articles are all the things! From fun and sassy articles by Blake himself to heartwarming and life-altering stories of nurses in the field, it’s truly a great read cover to cover and we hope you enjoy this latest issue.
My Favorite Articles
I’m dying to try Nurse Helena’s recipes. Helena is featured in Off the Clock this issue. Food and care go hand in hand and she’s dishing out the duo in heaping portions for nurses and the nursing community. Find her latest inspired recipes here!
I was so moved by our Nurse of Quarter, Makenzie Beach, and her life-saving story. And, I learned a lot more about living donor transplants and organ donation.
What’s Next?
With Nurse Blake’s continuing education experiences for 2024 taking off at both NurseCon Orlando in September and NurseCon at Sea this last week, we are excited to see what’s next in nursing and how this community can grow and foster support for one another in the name of care for ALL.
– Andrea Exter, cofounder of Monarch Media
Image Format Primer
Ok, it’s been a while since we talked tech! From digital advertising to print display, what is the best image or graphic file format? I know it’s easy to go straight for a PNG with that “quick export” button, but is it the right format for your project?
In case you want to deep dive (but not too deep) to learn about all the usual formats and what they do best, jump now to this great article from Shutterstock. I love the side-by-side visuals so you can see what the file formats look like in comparison to each other.
Are JPGs still king?
JPGs are still the go-to format for non-vector images (photos). Their lossy compression ensures details remain in tact while compressing file size. But beware that the smaller the file size, the less data. Print requires more data, or pixels per inch. Be sure you thoughtfully save because that data disappears unless you have the option to choose “lossless compression” in Adobe. For print, it’s best to stick to a PDF.
You might recall some of the basics about JPGs, but what is a JPG-Large? Well, it’s basically just what it says it is–a larger version of the JPG file. Quick trick: You can rename a .jpg-large to .jpg if you run into issues and it will behave in your latest online software like Canva.
PNG is queen. But, like in chess, she does have limitations.
PNGs are perfect for logos (vector graphics) because they retain detail and can travel with transparency which a JPG cannot do. Say goodbye to white boxes! They do have a larger file size, but typically work fine for websites. And that brings up color space. PNGs are inherently RGB, so you’ll be forced into another file type if you need to convert to CMYK for print.
Print-ready? Then choose PDF.
PDF is the high-quality standard when it comes to print. For example, your printer will ask for you for a PDF in order to print your magazine or publication. Everything inside the publication is tidied into a package and exported to be able to retain its original quality, size, location, etc.
And, PDFs carry interactive capability. Digital publications are born from PDFs which can house links and data like bookmarks for an interactive experience.
Perfectly clear? Call on me for help.
Getting it right so your publication is gorgeous – that’s the job! And I take it seriously. Give me a shout and we’ll help you attain the right file format for the project!
– Andrea Exter, cofounder of Monarch Media
Rebranding: Do No Harm
As a designer, I admit I can get restless with an old design. There are times you want to see change because maybe you’re bored or even a bit fickle when it comes to your branding. I totally get it. There are days I think, “Boy, I would love to get in there and redesign our Monarch logo.” I was younger when I designed it and maybe I could improve upon it now that I’m more experienced and the business is older with certain goals achieved and new goals set.”
But, I hesitate. It’s good to know why you’re doing something. Why would I rebrand when business is bustling and our market is gaining greater awareness of our services and abilities? Today, I stumbled upon an article in smallbiztechnology.com: “5 Deadly Sins of Poor Rebranding” by Ramon Ray. I love a good list of what not to do. I think they are more helpful than lists of what to do! Ray says, “It turns out, branding, just like surgery, is driven by a single rule: Do no harm. When it comes to creating or changing a company face, you better think twice.” Change for the sake of change is often unwise. I especially like his checklist– a great exercise before you incur the investment in rebranding.
I personally think, like many things in life, you know when it’s the right time. There is a trigger. A change that precipitates the need for additional change. And when I get restless, I’ll go back to this list! In the meantime, do no harm.
– Andrea Exter, CEO and cofounder of Monarch Media
Coming Up for Air
You might have noticed our last blog post was in September 2017—yes, we have been a bit busy! The blog has been simmering away on the back burner while we have been attending to new clients in the New Year. 2018 is off to a great—albeit hectic—start with five publications (one monthly, two bimonthly, and two quarterly) as well as collateral for annual client events.
But, we are coming up for air! We have brought in a talented professional contractor to help us provide full-service publishing and keep our sanity all at the same time.
Our team is working with each client to refine everything from scheduling to editing and proofing. We have introduced new, efficient proofing processes, which create collaborative editing with our clients and their internal teams.
As we continue to learn and grow, we want to hear from you! How do you create greater efficiencies? What software, apps, or media are you lost without? We’re interested in your latest, greatest timesaving ideas. How do work with your teams in different locals? What technology helps you work together across miles, platforms and industries?
We’re looking forward to a productive and exciting 2018! And we’re off to meet another deadline…
Finding Focus: Monarch’s 6th Anniversary
As we quickly approach our sixth anniversary, it seems like just yesterday we were celebrating our fifth year and clinking glasses with our clients. Time is flying, and we are having fun! With each year we are gaining knowledge and wisdom about ourselves, our clients and how our little company thrives.
In our third year, we realized we needed a defined market in which to market to. We didn’t ponder it long. The association market was clearly the right fit. As owners, we both have association publishing experience, working knowledge as association staff, and we live in Austin where many associations are headquartered. Our focus on the association market has been a huge factor in Monarch’s growth — and we love helping associations with everything from their publications to their conventions!
This past year we had another moment of true clarity. You would think this would occur after a three-day reflective retreat for business owners, but it came after a rather bizarre meeting with a potential client.
You see, Monarch’s business model is unique in that we employ two different services under one roof — publication design and advertising sales. When we have the ability to marry these two services on a client’s publication, everything runs like clockwork. The processes we have honed over the years support both our services. When combined, they hum along swimmingly. The publication, and in turn our client, benefits in met deadlines, engaging design and a growing revenue stream. We know this.
So, this potential new client was going to be one of those “we need one of your services now with the option of perhaps bringing on the other service later.” We left the meeting a little disheartened knowing our business model would be divided if we took on the client. But through this, we gained something far greater — clarity. Clarity on who we are as a company and our ideal future clients. It was as if we were holding a large magnifying glass that brought it into complete focus. We simply know we do our best work as a team, and moving forward our team aims to provide its best product to clients who utilize Monarch’s complete custom publishing services.
THANK YOU to our current clients who we absolutely love working with everyday, our former clients from whom we gained great knowledge and those who have given us an opportunity to submit a project proposal that wasn’t quite the right fit. Each interaction has helped us define who we are as a company and find our focus. Year seven, here we come!
Terrible Ideas
Under the Tuscan Sun — it’s one of my all-time favorite movies, and it’s chock-full of wisdom about life, love, friendship, writing, and inspiration. One of its many thought-provoking quotes sprang to mind instantly when I read this article in Inc. I could hear the voice of actress Lindsey Duncan, who played the captivating Katherine: “Terrible idea…. Don’t you just love those?” (Under the Tuscan Sun, 2003) Of course, she was talking about Diane Lane buying a villa in Tuscany, but the meaning holds true. Terrible ideas lead to the discovery of new, unintended and oftentimes amazing things.
This is the general idea that author, Yazin Akkawi was talking about in his article, “How You Can Instantly Become More Creative, According to Science.” Akkawi says, “The secret to creativity, according to science, is persistence.” And I am here to tell you that it’s absolutely key. I design and manage the design of all our publications for Monarch and there are times the ideas are just not flowing. Being on deadline and without the luxury of time, I just keep searching for ideas. The Inc. article says, “Research finds the most creative ideas tend to arise after many others have been considered and discarded, proving that the key to creative thought is to just keep at it.” I read this and thought, YES! This is my process. I’m unrelenting. I can’t walk away without at least the inspiration for the next idea. A blank page is never an option for me.
It’s reassuring when science backs up your process! As I read on, I realized I am apparently doing something right. Embracing bad ideas is necessary for uncovering great ones. Here are two reasons why:
- Ideas that solve a problem in a unique way are usually a combination of existing ideas, many of which may seem bad at first.
- Accepting that most of your ideas will be bad will help you move on to new ideas faster and more easily.
I can’t tell you how many times I have looked at an idea for an article and thought, that direction is not quite right. But, I try it and one of two things happen. It doesn’t work, but something about it could be changed to make it work. Or, it doesn’t work, but it sparks another idea to try. In either case, I am making progress and that’s key to staying on track and meeting deadlines.
I was thrilled to find this article, confirming my process is a positive and effective one. Because, in the world of editorial design, there is no time to sit and stare at a blank page. Bring on those terrible ideas!
— Andrea Exter, CEO and Cofounder of Monarch Media
Choosing a Magazine Printer: 11 Tips for Success
We have clients who ask us printing questions daily. Fielding those print questions is a big part of what I do. What’s a good way to emphasize a special section? How do we work with an advertiser to include a gate-fold ad? Can we move the mailing label on the magazine?
We like to be in the know when it comes to innovative processes, responsive pre-press and proofing software, postage changes and mailing suggestions, as well as special print services like blow-in cards and polybagging. What are the costs and benefits of each of these offerings? How can these services create value, efficiencies and savings?
Publishing Executive published a terrific article, “10 Tips for Choosing a Magazine Printer,” that makes some great points—well, 10 actually!
One question I am asked often: Isn’t it better to use a local printer? Sure, I love to eat local, shop local for home goods and fresh food, and support local business, but you’re looking for the best fit for your publication first and foremost. The printer who offers exactly what you need might not be down the street. In the writer’s Tip #6, he adds, “an out-of-town printer with a good logistics operation might not be at a disadvantage and may offer strengths that the locals don’t have.” Which leads me to Tip #7. You know your publication. You know it well. If you print 5,000 copies quarterly, you may want to rethink going with the largest printer in the nation printing hundreds of thousands of copies for Vanity Fair monthly. Small fish, big pond. A niche printer who specializes in short-run publications might be a better fit.
Paper. There is a world of difference in paper and even at the same weight and specification, the opaqueness, feel and brightness can vary. As in Tip #8, ask your potential printer for paper recommendations based on what you want to achieve. Is the color of the paper the most important factor (think architecture versus people on a scale from warm whites to cool whites)? The paper weight, cost and availability can affect your best option. Get samples. Provide a print file and ask for a test print on the paper you are considering. Work with your printer to find your ideal paper for budget and beauty.
And then there’s postage—Tip #9. Printers who specialize in magazines and publications usually have a postage specialist on staff who can provide guidance and ideas for cost efficiency in mailing periodicals. From paper weight to co-mailing, there are ways to improve your bottom line. And the USPS guidelines for periodicals can be challenging to understand and comply with, so an in-house expert is duly helpful!
And finally, I’ll add my own tip: Examine Your Proofing Process. Each of our clients has a different proofing process. You may have one you’re comfortable with. But, comfort can come at a cost! Ask your printer how you can save money and time by adapting your proofing process. Soft-proof first if copyediting is part of your print process; hard-proof second for color and other issues, such as checking bleeds and pagination. Ask your printer if they time stamp proofs. This can be extremely helpful when replacing pages and checking final proofs. Some printers use proprietary software for approvals that time stamp your approvals, plus allow for comments. It’s all about efficiency and what works for your team.
Shopping for printers can be overwhelming, but investing the time to find the right printer will pay off. Prioritize your needs and start with printers who specialize in producing magazines. Have each printer bid on your last issue using it as a guide so you can compare apples to apples. Then use this list of tips to ask the pointed questions that will help direct you to your ideal printing partner.
— Andrea Exter, CEO and Cofounder of Monarch Media
Where WE Begin
Happy New Year! We hope your 2017 is full of hope and anticipation of what is ahead. We may all have varying political views and peer into the future with unknowns due to a new political scene, but we know this country IS GREAT! This country provides an avenue for two women with an idea to launch a business of their own. This country encourages entrepreneurs to succeed, to grow and thrive.
Our fore fathers got it right. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” –United States Constitution
WE are this country. WE make IT GREAT. Not one person, not one company, not one member of Congress, and certainly not one President. It takes a collaborative effort of people listening to one another, compromising together, supporting each other and working together to keep OUR COUNTRY moving in the right direction for everyone.
Our hope for 2017 is a coming together of “We the People of the United States” not from the highest office down, but from the bottom up. That is where “We” begins.