SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Discuss general aspects of Genii.
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Richard Kaufman
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SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 23rd, 2008, 7:08 pm

Every new subscription to Genii that comes in from now until December 31 will receive, free of charge, our entire first year of Geniiall 12 issues from 1999. We normally charge $35 for thisbut well give it to you, all 1,000 pages, free with any new subscription (or subscription renewal if youve expired at least three months ago). Your only cost is the postage: $5 (U.S.) (Outside the U.S. the postage is $40 for Global Priority Mail). So, for your one year subscription youre really getting two years of Genii: our first and our next. Celebrate our 10th anniversary by subscribing or renewing, and help Genii make it to 100 years!
Click here:
http://geniimagazine.com/subscribe/index.html
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David Thomas
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby David Thomas » October 23rd, 2008, 10:26 pm

If possible, can you give us some highlights of cover magician stories and magicana from those issues Richard?

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Joe Pecore » October 23rd, 2008, 10:27 pm

Share your knowledge on the MagicPedia wiki.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby George Olson » October 24th, 2008, 2:16 pm

My question is this; If I paid on line for my renewal in late September, do I "qualify" since my Subscription starts next month?

My magazine comes with the reminder covers.

If so just let me know and I'll remit the postage ASAP.

GO

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 24th, 2008, 2:51 pm

Call the office.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Roger M. » October 24th, 2008, 5:23 pm

So this perk doesn't apply to those of us who are about to renew our subscriptions, but have been dedicated enough subscribers not to let them lapse in the first place?

Is it not sort of a slap in the face to renew a subscription on time, and get nothing, while watching folks who've let theirs lapse by three months get this incredibly generous offer?

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby George Olson » October 24th, 2008, 6:02 pm

Thank you Richard.

Roger M. don't be so hard on Richard, he's running a small business in really dangerous times and he's trying to do what's right and prudent to build his business.

I for one didn't take it as a slap in the face, but rather as an exciting chance to share the wealth.

GO

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 24th, 2008, 6:22 pm

Roger M, you will see offers to "new subscribers only" or "subscribers who've let their subscriptions lapse" all the time in magazines. Why should a magic magazine be any different than any other magazine. It's not a slap in the face--it's a sales incentive. In case you haven't noticed, the economy is in the toilet. Money is tight. Some people who haven't subscribed before may see the extra incentive as something that makes subscribing more attractive.

You see things like this all the time in the real world of retail sales: you just never have the opportunity to speak to the owner directly like you do here.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Roger M. » October 24th, 2008, 11:59 pm

No big deal, as a subscriber about to re-subscribe, these are my honest thoughts.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Cugel » October 25th, 2008, 3:53 am

Just let your sub lapse and get your wife, girlfriend or whoever to subscribe on their credit card.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 25th, 2008, 10:44 am

Following Cugel's instructions, you will miss at least one issue when your subscription lapses, which you will then have to purchase as a back issue.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby David Alexander » October 25th, 2008, 11:44 am

Having edited two niche(non-magic) magazines I know better than practically anyone else on this forum how difficult the niche magazine business is. In essence, Richard creates a new product every month from scratch. Tweleve times a year he does his best to fill the 1,000+ pages of Genii with material he thinks will be interesting to his subscribers. He manages the writing, editing and advertising with the hopes he'll make enough to support his family. How many people on this forum could do that? Hands?

Gee, I don't see anyone volunteering to supply their "expertise," just complaints without trying to see things from his side.

As a special interest niche magazine, Genii is both well-produced and far below what it should be sold for, especially in these massively difficult financial times. Both the advertising rates and the subscription rates should have gone up years ago, but they haven't.

GIVE RICHARD A BREAK.

Stop the nonsensical whining, stop being provincial, stop trying to figure how to game the system and support the man.

Roger M.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Roger M. » October 26th, 2008, 11:03 am

I gave no indication that I was interested in trying to "game the system" or undertake any activity that would somehow "beat" Richard out of the special offer.
I'm Richard's customer, and not out to con him out of a free dozen issues of Genii.

As a customer, I posted my thoughts.

My thoughts were directed to Richard, and as posted in my follow-up it's really not a big deal to me, but does represent how reading the special offer made me feel as a customer.

Richard responded to me.
End of story.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Evan Shuster » October 26th, 2008, 11:18 am

I got a great deal from Richard two years ago by extending my subscription for three years, and getting the Hilliard book for $15. Having been a current subscriber at that time I saw it as a big "thank you" from Mr. Kaufman. Much appreciated!

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Magic Randy » October 26th, 2008, 11:28 am

This is a good incentive to attract new subscribers. I wish you well on the promotion.

For those that think this same offer should be given to existing subscribers, that is not a reasonable expectation. Most subscription based products/services companies use these types of promotions to attract net new customers. It is not really profitable in the short term, but building up the subscriber base is key to their business model. Those of us who are already loyal subscribers do so because we see value in the product. We benefit indirectly from the promotion because it helps assure the health of the company so that they can stay in business and continue to provide us their products.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Glen Guldbeck » October 26th, 2008, 2:46 pm

Hi Richard,

Thanks for a great offer. Just signed up for two years a few minutes ago. Picked up the Ramsay issue yesterday at Magic Apple in CA and thought to myself "why the he** did I let my subscription lapse a few years ago???". Your comments in "Genii Speaks" worked...lol. All the best and thanks for the Ramsay footage.

Glen

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 26th, 2008, 2:50 pm

Thank you, Glen. It means a lot.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 27th, 2008, 12:44 pm

I neglected to account for postage outside the U.S. in my initial post, now corrected above. Anyone outside the U.S. will have to pay $40 for Global Priority Mail. Sorry about that.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby D. Andrus » October 29th, 2008, 4:34 pm

Quick question....

What is the cutoff date for a new subscription to begin? If I respond in the next week or so, would I receive the December or January issue as the start of the subscription? I usually buy each issue at the shop locally anyway and I do not want to possibly miss the December issue while waiting for the subscription to kick in. I always like to support the local brick and mortar shops here in Michigan, but I cannot pass up your latest offer. I will still spend plenty locally in support of our shops.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 29th, 2008, 6:24 pm

Your subscription would start with the December issue if you respond by Monday, when it goes to the printer.
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000
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby 000 » November 9th, 2008, 6:29 am

Your offer above is certainly attractive to non subscribers, as is your offer for life subscription. I suppose for those pondering the issue, ought they also ponder on your own statement on this forum a while back that you only forsee one of the four mainstream publications still being in print a year from now?

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 9th, 2008, 10:17 am

I think if you actually go back and read what I wrote, you'll find that's not it. What I wrote was that I think ONE of the four publications won't be published in printed form in the near future.
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000
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby 000 » November 9th, 2008, 11:01 am

Which gives you a 25% chance of not receiving your Genii in the near future.
As a constructive suggestion, consider what the competition is offering..........subscribe......until you stop. In that way, I think subscribers may last longer, then faced with the annual bother of renewing and forking out in one go.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Rick Ruhl » November 9th, 2008, 11:45 am

000 wrote:Which gives you a 25% chance of not receiving your Genii in the near future.
As a constructive suggestion, consider what the competition is offering..........subscribe......until you stop. In that way, I think subscribers may last longer, then faced with the annual bother of renewing and forking out in one go.


Im sure that's a paperwork nightmare for Magic Mag. My god, running all those credit cards and keeping the database updated, that's at least a full time job.

The lifetime subscription is a great idea. I do know QST for hams do it too, but they also let you pay $100 a month and you dont get the goodies until it's all paid off.. cash flow. But that may be a paperwork nightmare too.

The biggest thing I dont understand, is that there are only 600,000 hams in the US, and QST gets 150,000 of them, yet there are millions of magicians yet only a few thousand subscribe to the mags...

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby David Alexander » November 9th, 2008, 1:14 pm

"Millions of magicians?" It may seem that way if you're trying to make a living performing magic, but the estimates I've heard - 20,000 or so - seems more in keeping with the reality of the situation, the vast majority being amateurs. You could further divide the amateur field into casual interest amateurs and serious amateurs - far fewer of the latter than the former.

And on the percentage of hams who subscribe to the ham magazine, I would point out that 150,000 of 600,000 is 25%. If Genii has the same ratio to the real number of magicians, it should have 5,000 subscribers. I believe it has more.

At $54 a year it is a bargain, especially given the production quality and content.

000
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby 000 » November 9th, 2008, 1:37 pm

Depending on the number of lifetime subscribers, I respectfully submit that in the long run such offers devalue the 'family jewels', in this case Genii. One day the esteemed Chief Genii will take his well deserved rest, leaving the new owner with a large liability and thereby making it even tougher to make the venture a success.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Dustin Stinett » November 9th, 2008, 2:38 pm

000,

Being a member of the family (but dont call me Guido), and working in the numbers-crunching end of marketing, I have talked with Richard about this new offer. Frankly, he really doesnt expect to get so many lifetime subscriptions that it will put undo pressure on The Genii Corporations financial position. I can assure you that the percentages are very small.

Also, your assumption that Genii will go away in a year is based on faulty reasoning. Richards belief (and he is just guessing) is that one of the magazines of either the IBM or the SAM will cease printed publication and become an online publication. He was not referring to Genii or MAGIC.

Dustin

PS: I am responding for Richard because I know that he is out with Emmas Brownie Troop today, taking in some nature.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 9th, 2008, 4:34 pm

Back now from my daughter's Brownie troop hike.

To the business at hand: watching the trends in magic, in the economy, and in publishing, it has been my opinion for several years that either M-U-M or Liking Ring will go entirely print-free and exist only in an online form. Both organizations are losing members and their money can be better spent than on producing a magazine. However, I am not an official of either organization (though I am a member of both). What they do is their business, however they will eventually be left no choice in the matter.

As far as Genii selling lifetime subscriptions, those who have been reading this Forum for many years now will recall that I have clearly stated that I expect to be the editor of Genii until age 65. That's another 15 years. If I win the lottery I might reconsider that, but the odds are pretty slim, aren't they?

I don't comment on here about what Stan Allen and MAGIC magazine do--it's his magazine, he does what he wants. I'm really not sure if offering to allow people to subscribe and pay monthly is good or bad. They pay more than regular subscribers, but still slightly less than if they buy it from a dealer, or simply were to buy an issue each month.

A Lifetime Subscription to Genii bears no relation whatsoever to allowing someone to pay for a magazine monthly--comparing the two options is asinine. What do you get when you subscribe to MAGIC monthly? The option to pay more than if you just subscribed normally. What do you get if you take a Lifetime Subscription to Genii? Every issue that's published from now until the day you die; every book we have published in the past and will publish in the future; three free Kaufman and Company books; free membership in the Genii Archive; and on and on. It's a good deal. And Genii will be in business for many years to come.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

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Joe Pecore
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Joe Pecore » November 9th, 2008, 4:59 pm

Don't you already have a monthly subscription option called Buy Back Isssues"? :-)
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby David Thomas » November 9th, 2008, 8:25 pm

If I am still insanely into magic as I am now, in several years I will buy a lifetime subscription.

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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby David Mitchell » November 10th, 2008, 12:56 pm

I'm seriously considering the lifetime Subscription. The hassle of not having to rememeber if I paid for this year or not, plus the bonuses will make it very worthwhile.

David.
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Eoin O'hare » November 10th, 2008, 2:27 pm

Richard, is there a time limit on the lifetime subscription, I don't mean death, rather, the period of time in which we can take up the offer?
Designer & Maker of The Stripper Jig Card Trimmer

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: SPECIAL OFFER: Get one Year of Genii Free When You Subscribe by Dec.31

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 10th, 2008, 2:29 pm

I've been asked that question a half dozen times. I don't have an answer yet.

I can tell you that we will credit your existing subscription and deduct that from the life sub total if you like. Some folks have, instead, been transferring their existing subscriptions to a friend and paying the full amount.
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