Guest Post By Kylee Decker

Long Live Lucky!

After reading about new Lucky editor, Brandon Holley’s plans to breathe fresh life back into the magazine, I realized that I hadn’t picked up an issue in a while. Not because I don’t enjoy it anymore or because I’d noticed changes that don’t suit my taste… In fact, I couldn’t pinpoint a reason other than I subscribe to so many magazines that my subscription to Lucky had apparently lapsed and I hadn’t renewed it nor added it to my pack of gum, Smartwater and bananas in the grocery line out of fear that I would get home to find it in my mailbox. My lack of reading was really due to laziness, forgetfulness and worry that I would end up with multiple issues.

I was bummed to read about Lucky’s slump in newsstand sales and ad pages, so I decided that I’d better pick up an issue to see if I’d missed something on my short hiatus. When I grabbed the February issue off the Target magazine rack, my heart almost hurt to see how small it was. February may not be a huge month for fashion, but the thought of my favorite magazine hurting hurt me!

I felt it was my responsibility as a reader, fashion enthusiast and avid shopper to think of some ideas to refresh my beloved title. I hope you’ll help me in my quest!

Readers and site visitors are looking for an experience beyond what the static pages can offer. Lucky needs to find ways to extend itself as a trusted friend. Somebody you’d want to ask, “Do you like this? Should I get it?” And somebody who will give you an answer. Not the flaky friend or the one who tells you that everything looks great… but the one whose genuine opinion matters.

Here area few of my ideas:

Social Channels:

My immediate general observation is the lack of mentions or ties to Twitter or Facebook. In fact, I did not see a single logo for either. And when I visited luckymag.com, I expected those icons to be readily accessible with minimal scrolling for quick and easy connecting. Not only did I have to scroll to find a Twitter or Facebook mention, but I couldn’t be linked within one click to either. Bummer.

“American consumers now expect to find and follow businesses on the Web beyond their corporate website,” according to research released by 1&1 Internet Inc., a global leader amongst web hosts.

I add this stat, not as a “no-duh,” but more of a reminder that social channels are no longer a nice-to-have even for brands… they’re a must-have.

My Recommendation: With the print piece as a hub, use QR codes to not only drive traffic to engaging video content, but also to promote connection and interaction in the social space.  Engaging with Lucky readers on Facebook or Twitter could be as easy as taking a photo using a tag reader.

Even an address or call out on the masthead would be helpful. That was actually the first thing I looked for on that page, only to be let down. The Twitter feed @luckymagazine is great, but it could be used for so much more!

Twitter Idea: The one thing I love Lucky for is that the styling and products were more attainable for me over other fashion titles like Vogue or even InStyle. They even do an under $100 issue every year that becomes my guide for months! This February issue has a range of price points, but a lot of what they feature is still aspirational for me. I just can’t afford $300 dresses on a regular basis… especially if it’s something trendy that might only last me a season or two.

Some of my favorite articles and columns to read are in the vein of, “The Look for Less.” Stylists and photographers create such beautiful looks, but I can’t afford to spend half a month’s salary to recreate them… which is why I love it when they give me tips to putting it together myself with like pieces on my budget. In fact, I read celebrity magazines for the very purpose of attempting to recreate their looks.

So why not have a Twitter handle staffed by Lucky team members, relevant bloggers, and style experts that is solely for the purpose of helping readers put together looks they love inside the magazine on their own budgets? I’ve always wanted to create a site that would comb the internet for less-costly alternatives of designer items. In this case, style experts could be on hand to help them do just that. Or better yet, why not put the Lucky Locator on Twitter and arm them with related pieces at different price points?

Social Shopping:

The way we shop is being shaped by several factors including friends, magazines and technology. We’re able to connect with one another more easily, making shopping more social. Collective buying sites like Groupon or Living Social offer deals that require a set amount of interest before they can be purchased. And sites like Polyvore or Fashism let users build outfits to share in the interest of soliciting positive endorsements from friends and even strangers!

Many of us wouldn’t dare leave the mall or house with an outfit that hadn’t been approved by someone. How many times have we asked one another, “Does this look ok?” Whether or not they are honest is another story. The point is; our style is often a combination of personalities and preferences.

My Recommendation: Ask for more reader feedback on what to feature in the magazine or even partner with one of these sites to include a “Reader’s Pick” section. People love giving opinions and this would be a great way to appeal to that! ModCloth is one of my very favorite sites and their Be The Buyer section lets shoppers choose styles to be sold on their site. Why couldn’t Lucky have a Be The Editor Section?

The Stickers:

I can’t lie. I don’t use these. I’m not a page tagger; I’m more of a tearer-outer. I sometimes even organize them into a lookbook of sorts that I can reference when I’m on the hunt for a certain look or outfit. With my love for magazines, I would also be digging out of my room everyday with the piles of magazines that would accumulate if I kept full issues to look back at again.

My Recommendation: Make the concept of the stickers more interactive. I get a lot of my ideas from magazines and if there happens to be something in my budget, I will absolutely go look for that exact item. In addition to offering text to buy, why not have a  text to shopping list? There could even be Lucky Alerts that trigger a reminder when I’m within 5 miles of a retailer that carries that item. I’m not likely to pull the trigger on beauty products or clothes that I haven’t tried on, so sending me a reminder of something I liked and where it can be purchased would be HUGE for me.

The Good:

There are also some amazing things that Lucky is starting to do!

Fashion & Beauty Blogger Conference: What a terrific idea! It’s a win-win situation with bloggers being able to get hands on advice and knowledge from insiders at such a respected and fun magazine, and Lucky gets to interact with its readers that are passionate about their content to hear what inspires them! I love it and am so glad that there are more planned. I think it will only mean good things for the magazine and the peons from the fashion writing world like me!

A Giveaway A Day in March: Typical entry into these types of giveaways include sending an email or entering a form. This round, Lucky is asking for interactions via Twitter, Facebook and even Tumblr for entries! I think it’s a great way to get readers used to interacting with them through these channels.

The App: Lucky’s mobile app allows users to search for staff-recommended pieces. I’d love to see Lucky tie this content to the magazine even more… maybe offering alternative pieces in different price points for those items featured in the magazine.

What would you like to see from your favorite shopping magazine? Let’s give them some ideas that will put them back on top!

Celebrity:

I realize that Lucky hasn’t always included celebrities and artists within their pages for reasons that I’m not completely sure of. Too aspirational? I noticed a few more celebrities than usual in this February issue, but I think that not only would the magazine benefit from a tie to pop culture, but there are a ton of celebrities with an amazing eye for style. Like I said, style searching is the main reason that I read those rags.

I was thrilled to see an actual article on cover girl Nicole Richie! An actual article, not just a quick blurb. She has great personal style and her own line, which makes her perfect for the magazine!

My Recommendation: Create some deeper ties to pop culture throughout the magazine. Maybe it’s featuring a certain celebrity or TV show and how fashion helps shape its story. And it doesn’t always have to be the obvious choices like Gossip Girl or Mad Men. Maybe Alyson Hannigan’s character on How I Met Your Mother? She has great style! Readers could vote on who they’d like to see featured. It could be tied to luckymag.com to shop her style.

I like hearing style secrets from young professionals and bloggers, but ties to pop culture have more mass appeal.

What would your recommendations for a magazine like Lucky who is trying to survive the digital age?

About the Author: Kylee Decker is a Social Media Strategist by by trade; lover of style and the business of fashion by passion. She shares her opinions on style and experiences with social media on Twitter at @kyleedecker and on her blog at whatkyleehearts.tumblr.com.