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Welcome to The Niche Fix. Each week, we will share insights from experts and professionals in the niche publishing industry. Have questions or thoughts about the industry? Reply to this email, and let’s chat!

But first…

We’re already deep in planning mode for 2026, and we want your input. What do you want to see at Niche Media Events next year? More roundtables? Bigger keynotes? New sales or audience tracks? Hit reply and let us know.

Here’s what’s locked in so far:

Niche Media Conference — April 8–10, Orlando, Florida
Niche Leadership Summit — September 2–4, New Orleans, Louisiana

We’re making 2026 our best year yet. Hope to see you there!

Now, let’s talk sales…

The Secrets of the Top Sellers in Niche Media

By Zach O’Brien

In today’s publishing landscape, ad sales isn’t about sliding a rate card across the table. The most effective sales leaders in niche media are thriving by listening harder, packaging smarter, and backing up promises with proof.

From housing and aviation to local business and military markets, four top sellers shared their playbooks for winning in 2025.

Brand Before Demand

For Jennifer Watson Laws, EVP of Sales at HW Media, success begins at the top of the funnel. After years when marketers chased nothing but leads, she’s seeing a pivot back toward brand.

“You have to have a strong brand before people are willing to investigate your product,” Laws said. “This past year we’ve seen a return to branding, a little bit of shine, not just the hard CTA.”

At HW Media, that renewed focus is showing up in podcasts, sponsored content, and increasingly in live events. “Our events business has just taken off. Clients and sponsors are really seeing a tremendous benefit from being in front of people in person and having those one-to-one conversations. That’s what solidifies relationships.”

Ask, Don’t Tell

Paul Hoefer, VP of Business Development at Spotlight in Fargo, frames sales as a discovery exercise, not a pitch. “It goes back to the old ‘sell me a pen’ thing,” he said. “I don’t go in telling them what they need—I ask. What’s worked for you? What hasn’t? What do you want to change?”

That curiosity has paid off. Hoefer recalled a call he’d prepared for just ten minutes that turned into a $20,000–$30,000 contract. “It was about listening, writing things down, and then building a plan that matched what they told me.”

He also pushes back against the idea that print is obsolete. “That’s an objection we’ll hear forever, but in niche markets, print still works if you get it in the right hands,” he said. “Direct mail, high-traffic racks, QR codes—print doesn’t have to be static.”

Integration Over Isolation

Julie Miller, owner and publisher of US Military Publishing, has been selling ads for two decades and recently bought the company outright. For her, integration is the key.

“I like to sell packages,” she said. “A little print, some sponsored stories, maybe a digital guide. That’s what benefits our readers, and it’s what makes the most sense for the client.”

Miller admits that digital dollars alone rarely add up. “Digital is little bits of money here and there. To make up what you get from a full-page ad, you have to sell a lot of it. Print is still the moneymaker, but it’s getting harder to sell. I am seeing more people coming back to it though—even millennials and Gen Z.”

One of her favorite prospecting tricks is watching press releases. “We can’t run every story editorially, but if I see a company with budget, I’ll reach out. Lately it’s become a great cycle—press release comes in, I introduce myself, and then I’m turning them into new clients.”

Selling by Objective

Nancy O’Brien, Senior Director of Industry Affairs and Events at AIN Media Group, has been in publishing for more than 35 years. Her advice sounds simple but requires discipline: always start with the customer’s objectives.

“Even if you’ve been doing business with a client for ten years, you don’t know what their goals are next year,” she said. “You have to ask: what’s changing in your marketing budget? Are you launching something new? Do you need more leads? Then you put the right products in the proposal. That’s the only way to manage when you’ve got 50 things to sell.”

She also insists on bringing proof. “The best way to get in front of the VP of Marketing or the president is to bring data. Show them where their brand ranks in perception compared to competitors. We finally have studies that prove print works—that it improves brand preference and purchase intent. That’s the kind of information that gets you in the right room.”

Mindset Matters

Beyond tactics, each leader stressed the importance of mindset, especially for younger salespeople.

Laws is candid about the generational gap. “When you’re young, you are the grunt. Work-life balance is important, but 50–50 isn’t achievable early on.”

Hoefer looks for resilience. “No is my second favorite word. If you’re afraid of rejection, you won’t last.”

Miller prizes curiosity and adaptability: “You’re never too old to learn in this industry.”

And O’Brien still gives rookies the same first-week assignment she’s used for decades: “Sit down with your magazine and your competitor’s, write down every advertiser, figure out what they’re spending. In a few days you’ll know your market inside and out.”

Secrets Worth Stealing

Taken together, the lessons from these four sellers form a clear playbook for 2025: lead with brand, listen before pitching, prove value with data, and create opportunities for human connection.

Or, as Hoefer likes to say: “You can’t have a cheeseburger budget if you’ve got a porterhouse appetite.”

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