Hello
May I thank everyone who has taken the time to respond to this thread, I knew that Issue 8 of PWC would provoke some discussion, but I must admit to being surprised (pleasantly) by just how much!
Firstly, I should say that I very much welcome all of your comments, both negative and positive. I constantly ask for feedback on the magazine, I created a space on the PWC website for just that function. I also set up the email account feedback@profe... so that readers would be able to easily give me their comments.
The reason I did this, is because I am not afraid of criticism, in fact I positively want it. Its my opinion that some organizations in the window cleaning industry have become stagnant because they don't listen to criticism, and I hope the magazine never becomes like that. Criticism, when its constructive, is what lets you know if you're doing things right... or not.
I'm not the least bit offended by the comments of readers, rather I'm actually rather taken aback by the depth of feeling about the magazine. Its now clearer than ever to me that PWC readers really do care about the mag, and quite honestly, knowing that makes me feel that my effort over the last year has been worthwhile. PWC readers have a right to express their opinion about their magazine, and I am genuinely grateful when they do.
So, to the matter in hand: Why the change of style for PWC?
Although I ask for feedback, for a number of reasons it's quite difficult to get. Most people don't take it upon themselves to criticise a person, an organization, or a product directly and that's probably just a British thing. For the second year of publication, I wanted to do things a little differently, a fresh approach, a broader appeal. I selected a focus group from among window cleaners, both subscribers and non-subscribers, and over the course of a few weeks, got some in-depth feedback about what they thought of PWC.
The comments I got were that the magazine was "very professional" which was good, but also the feeling that the style of PWC was just a little bit "highbrow", even (dare I say it) stuffy? It became obvious that readers found the magazine useful, but was it really enjoyable? Was it too serious? The feeling was that perhaps it was.
I spent a long time looking into ways that I could broaden the appeal of the magazine, to take it forward. I decided it should be physically a better quality magazine, and I hope the fact that it has grown from 36 pages to 52, and also that the paper is a higher quality stock has not gone unnoticed. The layout of the pages has also been revised, and this has been no small effort.
But the real challenge was the content, and in many ways this is something you can't really know how its gone down until it's 'out there'. Now it is in print, and the full picture of what readers think will emerge. The point is, now readers have something to compare against. Even if the new style proves to be unpopular, I can say with my hand on my heart that I was not afraid to try something new, and that has got to be a good thing.
Subscribers to the magazine are in some ways, a special group (and a very valued one). Like window cleaners who tend to post on forums, a window cleaner who subscribes to a window cleaning magazine is serious about their business, and about their trade.
What, though, about the average window cleaner who doesn't use forums, isn’t a member of any association, and doesn't bother with trade shows? I think its fair to say that would describe by far the vast majority of window cleaners. How many times have you spoken to a window cleaner in your neighbourhood who hasn't even heard of WFP, the work at height regs, ladder safety? Plenty I would guess, because that is what most of the window cleaning industry is like. We always complain that window cleaners have a poor public image, and that's not for no reason.
It is important to me that the magazine appeals to these window cleaners as well. After all, I started the magazine with the purpose of improving information in the industry as a whole, but if that information isn't presented in a way that is appealing, then it won't be read.
I think that most here are business owners, and you are no doubt very interested in the issues surrounding equipment, safety, best practice etc. But what about employees? Will they be as interested as you would be in those things? They might, but only if the information is presented in a way they that takes their interest.
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