First Issue Completed and Distributed

Well I am happy to say that the first issue has been published and distributed. I will offer my thoughts on the first issue in a later post. But today I am inclined to write about the distribution of the magazine.

The magazine is being distributed for free and is available at selected locations throughout the tri-county area. These carefully chosen locations include restaurants, a bank and other professional offices. All the owners have been real receptive to the idea behind the magazine and were more than willing to allow me to place the publication in their place of business.

During the distribution route, I ran into an old friend at a Jamaican restaurant in Miami across from the Miami Dade Community College. The name of the restaurant is PepperPot. We had a long talk catching up on the past several years. He was really supportive of the magazine and was more than willing to allow me to place the magazine in his restaurant. We tossed a few ideas back and forth and he provided me with a few leads to pursue as far as securing some advertising commitments. We also talked about the challenges he faces running the business that he took over from his father. The restaurant will be 30 years (I think) in existence next year. As I sat there talking to him I thought to myself this is a story in the making. To round out our discussion he pledged his support as far as advertising is concerned for the next issue. Surely this is excellent news as I put together the second issue that is due out the end of August.

Another interesting stop on the distribution route was my meeting with the head of the Greater Caribbean Chamber of Commerce who is the manager of a bank that is situated in a predominantly Caribbean community in Broward. I had met her once before but had spoken to her a few times. She has been extremely supportive and encouraging about my magazine idea and was thrilled that the first issue is now in existence. She allowed me to place the magazine in her bank and offered to pass on any feedback that she is aware of. That type of support is essential for a variety of reasons, none more so than the fact that she is the head of a prominent organization that is in contact with local entrepreneurs that I am reaching out to. In fact the next members meeting for this Chamber is mid July. I plan to attend this event to further pitch my magazine.

I have some additional avenues that I aim to pursue for distribution. This area will need constant evaluation as I aim to ensure that the magazine is reaching the intended audience. And of course there is the never ending search for new ways to reach out to the targeted audience. So new channels will be added for the upcoming issue. One of those avenues will entail visiting various social and civic organizations that are aimed at the Caribbean population in the Dade Broward and Palm Beach counties. More on that later

So all in all everything went on as scheduled. Now that the magazine is in circulation I am eagerly awaiting any feedback on it.

In closing, I came upon an interesting situation while in the distribution process. In Lauderhill, there is Caribbean restaurant/bakery that is a franchise called Golden Krust and has a drive through. So I am wondering if this is the first (or only) Caribbean restaurant that has a drive through. Will keep on the lookout for this....................