Andy Sernovitz, Word-of-Mouth Marketing specialist, had a good post about trade magazines.

Two sentences that I found to be the most valuable from his post are:

"Trade mags are your free ticket to diverse knowledge about all sorts of markets."

"I know a little bit about a LOT of businesses. "

I agree with Andy that it is a good idea to subscribe to trade magazines or at least set up some RSS feeds for various trade magazines.

It’s also a good idea to look at trade magazines in a variety of industries. Articles and ads from other industries can provide ideas and spark creativity.

In addition, they can make you a more well-rounded conversationalist. Most are free as well.

Whether its Manufacturing Today, Recycling Today, or Professional Carwashing and Detailing, there is sure to be something interesting to you.