Bob Lusk's comment - "thinking about product reviews. I'm a bit skittish about that. Which aeration company do I choose? Which product of theirs? You can't imagine the pushback from the companies that don't get chosen. Same with feeders and a number of other products."

Instead of PB choosing a product or company why not, if they are a paid advertiser, have a lottery for each issue and the winner gets to write up a one or two page article that deals with their chosen products. Article should contain testimony and pictures of a pond / owner that is actually using the product. The lottery is a way of an unbiased choice of who gets to create / submit the advertiser article for the issue. If the advertizer does not submit their article on time then a back-up advertiser article is used and the looser loses their chance of having a feature article. The PB editor could have these articles lined up at the beginning of each year and just insert it for each issue.

If PB accepts them as an advertiser the products should be worthy of a short article all about using their product/s. To make it even more interesting the next PB issue could publish feedback from PB members about the previous advertisers featured product. If I buy something that does not do as claimed in my pond, other PB members would want to know.

Also I think the editor or a staff member could go out and do a feature story each issue about a magazine subscriber's pond. Or subscribers could send in a short story about their pond with several pictures. Instead of pond stories the editor could do phone interviews similar to what editor McDonald used to do including pictures with interesting pond related people or topics such as fish hatchery or professional fishery workers. Readers should find it interesting to read about an interview with Anderson's or Malone's Fish Farm. What about who raises the unusual species such as paddle fish, blue catfish. pumpkinseed sunfish, invertebrates or pond plants?. Why is one farm's fish better or unique compared to the others? What is their pride and joy? This might also generate additional advertising for the magazine. Not many fish farms are advertised in the magazine. Ads are mostly for products and services.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/18/19 03:18 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management