Case Study

Service Dealer Magazine

Service Dealer is the market leading magazine for the groundcare and agricultural machinery trade in the UK.

TAP was appointed as publisher of Service Dealer Magazine in September 2013. The publication is highly respected and distributed bi-monthly to all the dealers who sell and service equipment as well as the manufacturers and distributors.

Looking good and sounding great

TAP started with a redesign and improved the magazine’s look and navigation. A plan was then put in place to evolve the Service Dealer brand and reach.

Targeting the right people in greater numbers

By working strategically with manufacturers and distributors, TAP worked on the circulation list stripping out wastage and adding recipients from the target audience, taking the circulation from 1,800 to 3,300 in just 12 months.

Getting a louder voice in todays market

Social Media has helped with awareness as well as interaction with key manufacturers and events, underpinning the Service Dealer strapline “The Voice Of The Industry”.

Digital platforms

The Service Dealer Weekly Update is also emailed out every Friday from an interactive publishing platform and is read on average by 50% of the recipients.

Onwards and upwards

In Autumn 2017 TAP conducted some reader research to identify areas of possible improvement.

Since taking over, the magazine and Weekly Update have taken significant steps forward in design, navigation pagination and revenues. We have also developed the brand through design, events, Social Media and reciprocal sponsorship.

Service Dealer Conference & Awards

TAP introduced an annual conference to complement an evening awards ceremony which was introduced in 2015.

TAP is responsible for all aspects from recruiting sponsors and attendees to conference theme and execution.

"From the very start, TAP demonstrated that it understood our relatively niche sector. It brought fresh ideas, new stimulus and professional design that has considerably improved the quality of the title, accelerated revenues and grown the circulation. It also added its expertise in new media to bolt-on to the already strong print offering. In summary, TAP has added a solid ‘backbone’ to the titles, without ever comprising those original ideals of trust and confidence in the editorial values and aims – and has taken a loyal and growing readership along with them."

Chris Biddle - Founder of Service Dealer Magazine