Some of you holding the magazine right now were first introduced to High Country News when an envelope landed unbidden in your mailbox, asking you to subscribe. If you are still with us today, we’d like to thank you! You are part of a very special group.
For the most part, HCN’s readers were turned on to the magazine by an in-the-know friend, got a gift subscription from a generous family member, picked up the magazine in a class they enjoyed, or found their way to it in some other word-of-mouth fashion. HCN spreads best when the excitement that comes from finding a publication that speaks to your experience, concerns and sense of community rushes over its banks and can’t help spilling onto others.
That’s the main reason we’ve decided to stop using so-called “direct mail” — those unbidden letters asking strangers to subscribe. Add to that the waste inherent in the practice and its sizable costs, and we knew it was time to move on.
And so now, we’re going to concentrate on growing our network of partners and organizations engaged in the same kind of issues HCN writes about — finding the folks who are doing the work. That includes you, the readers who have stuck with us because you recognize the value of independent reporting on the West.
Our publisher, Greg Hanscom, recently went on a mini-tour of a few Western states, meeting with readers in homes and brewpubs across the land. He came back riding high on the excitement readers have for High Country News. It was a great reminder, for him and the rest of the staff, that our efforts don’t exist in a vacuum. We have a wide range of readers and enthusiasts out there already evangelizing on our behalf and ready to jump on further opportunities.
With that in mind, I have a few suggestions (requests, really) for how you can help spread High Country News:
Give a gift subscription. The most straightforward way — just send it to friends and family! hcn.org/gift
Send free gift trials. Easier on your wallet, and still puts HCN in the hands of people who are likely to appreciate it. hcn.org/gift-trial
Pass along your copy. No forms to fill out. Give an issue to someone, along with your personal testimony as to why you appreciate HCN.
Let us know who HCN should work with. Do you have connections with organizations or individuals who are leading the charge on issues like climate change or environmental justice? Equity in access to the outdoors? Conservation or stewardship of natural resources? Let us know at dearfriends@hcn.org.
If you’re feeling revved up about informing and inspiring people across the West, we would love to use that excitement any way we can. Drop us a line with your ideas: dearfriends@hcn.org.
Thank you to everyone who’s submitted book picks for our summer reading program!
Check out the submissions and vote for your favorites at reading.hcn.org/bookboard.
— Michael Schrantz, marketing communications manager
Michael Schrantz is the marketing communications manager for High Country News based in Santa Fe. Email him at michael.schrantz@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor. See our letters to the editor policy.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Spreading the news.
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