ItвЂ™s a pretty good value and in addition to the book people get something really cool thatвЂ™s cobranded and this year itвЂ™s from Patagonia. WeвЂ™ve also introduced the premium subscription tier, which includes deeper discounts on the stuff in the store and a gift every year from one of our sponsors. That tells us what weвЂ™re doing is resounding with the readership.ДЄnd then weвЂ™re getting a bit more sophisticated on how we retain our readers by offering increased value beyond just the six magazines a year. But, now weвЂ™re well over 80% renewals year-in, year-out. Our renewal rate is probably the biggest factor in that вЂ“ upwards of 70% have always renewed their subscriptions every year. You mentioned that you have your highest subscription base that youвЂ™ve ever had right now.Д«rendon Thomas: Yes, by quite a margin. But if youвЂ™re looking for something physical that lives in your living room or on your bookshelf, then weвЂ™re pretty much the only place to get it at this point. I didnвЂ™t expect that to have an effect on our subscriptions. We also had the unfortunate demise of Surfer magazine, which took a competitor off the table. So, there are a lot of surfers out there. Then thereвЂ™s been a general lift and surfing has made out pretty well through the pandemic as far as itвЂ™s a great exercise to do thatвЂ™s inherently socially distanced. Thousands of people took us up on the offer and then a lot of them converted into subscribers. That kick started things for us because when people actually got one in their hands, they were amazed by the quality of it. So people just had to pay for shipping and weвЂ™d send you a copy of the journal.

We thought itвЂ™d be fun to lighten the mood and lift everyoneвЂ™s spirits by offering a COVID relief package. Over the years weвЂ™ve printed a few too many issues of certain editions. We had a number of back issues still in stock. When COVID hit, we were pretty scared of what was to come like everyone else. With COVID has readership gone up because thereвЂ™s more surfers out there or are existing surfers surfing more?Д«rendon Thomas: ItвЂ™s hard to say. But, we really were able to speak to our subscribers and get better and more personalized and find new subscribers through marketing channels.

The editorial team obviously has continued to do what they do so well for a number of years now. ThereвЂ™s now a lot of efficiency in the way we run the business and itвЂ™s freed us up to spend more time on marketing. WeвЂ™ve spent a lot of time and energy on that side of it. When I came in as Publisher, there wasnвЂ™t a lot of attention paid to marketing product, to how we manage the subscription software, and the website was in a bit of a low place. What do you think has been driving the growth?Д«rendon Thomas: Probably the modernization of the back office to be honest. ThatвЂ™s obviously very encouraging for us. Publisher Brendon Thomas: WeвЂ™ve had steady growth for the better part of five years now and got some jet fuel poured on when COVID hit. How has business gone for The SurferвЂ™s Journal the past few years?

Arcgis file formats