At the beginning of every publication (internal or external) there is always a discussion of whether to include story teasers on the cover. The answer … it depends.
The point of cover teasers is to entice the reader to open the publication. For those sold at the grocery story checkout, publishers are t
rying to peak your interest enough to buy the magazine. That’s why numbers play such a big role in cover designs. You see the “100 secrets no one ever told you” or the “22 ways to get stains out of your favorite shirt.” The larger the number, the more reasons to buy the magazine. Studies have shown that 80 percent of consumer magazines’ newsstand sales are determined by what is shown on the cover.
Many of the publications I manage are for employees. Now, in the case of one, some form of the publication has been produced for more than 40 years. When employees get it in their mailbox, they know what kind of information will be included. They are already a captivated audience, so cover teasers aren’t as important — or even necessary. Instead we are able to fill the front cover with a professional photographer that shows an employee at his / her finest. It keeps the entire focus of the publication on the employees.
However, if the publication wasn’t as well-known, cover teasers would be a needed feature. You need to tell your readers what they should expect to read in the publication. Is the publication about work the company is doing? How about employee benefits? Community relations? During those first issues, teasers may be necessary to grab the reader’s attention and show him / her that this publication is worth the time. You must create a loyal following before exploring the possibility of no teasers.
The same is true if the publication is for marketing reasons. For example, if you’re sending out a 20-page publication to potential customers, cover teasers are a great way to show the range of the information included. If you’re a bank, maybe your cover teasers would touch on insurance, loans and credit cards — three different service offerings you provide. This way, no matter which business receives the publication, each one will probably have a need for at least one of those offerings mentioned. Potential customers are busy people and you need to quickly attract their attention through well-written teasers.
The important thing is to take each publication one at a time. There is no steadfast rule for every magazine or every newsletter. Examine your reasoning behind the publication and your target audience. Both of these are key factors to determining whether a tease is necessary.
