Got experts? IMPRESS editors are impressed by name-brand contributors
(read: business leaders with some claim to fame) who can offer meaty advice.
"We're bringing the experts to the little guy," Eakeley says. The premier issue
featured articles by Slate publisher Michael Kinsley and graphic design
guru Abbott Miller. Although the magazine caters to small business owners, it
doesn't profile small businesses.
When pitching ideas, think broad. Kinko's customers are united under the "small
business owner" umbrella, but their respective niches cover just about every
service on the planet, so story topics can't be too vertical. "Whether you are
an accountant, architect or [Webpreneur], there are certain basic principles
that apply to growing a business," Eakeley says.
Broad doesn't mean cookie-cutter, however. Skip the "Five Keys to a Successful
Resume" approach. "We are looking for new ideas that haven't been beaten to
death in business books," Eakeley says. "We want experts in the field to provide
the absolute latest. Every story should involve some reporting." To wit: the
editors recently killed plans to cover the telecommuting craze for lack of a
fresh way to report on the trend.