Starting a Magazine
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- 9 Responses
- Noyz319
I have lots of questions. I'm looking into starting up a print mag, a quarterly (but possibly just twice a year at first). I've found some useful links on google, but i was wondering if anybody here has ever been involved with a start up print mag? Any tips, advice, things to watch out for?
I'm having a hard time deciding on paper/cover stock, money is a huge issue so i'd like to be able to cut corners. I'm also hoping to do full colour throughout, but again money. Another thing is how big to start (local, national, international)? All things i need before phoning around for quotes.
If anyone has any past experiences or links to histories of any small magazines (in depth details of how they first started out, etc.) that would be really helpful.
Thanks
- propa0
I just sent this out for spec.
5,000 and 15,000 copies. Cost for Saddle Stitch and Perfect Binding.
Here are the common details.
Finish size: 8 3/8 x 10 7/8
Cover: 80lb gloss cover, printed 4 over 4 with gloss varnish.
Text: 60lb gloss text printed 4 over 4
Page count: 72pg plus cover
I hope that helps.
- Biofreak0
mmm.. designed a mag for a bimonthly deal.
cost cutting was a big thing, so i went by the printer and browsed around.
you can do some really amazing things with unbleached recycled paper. nice natural tones and incredible textures. i really really really highly suggest you talk to your local printers to see what kinda stock they have. be honest with them and let them know that their logo will be on the mag cover or something. they will probably love to talk to you!
=)
- Noyz3190
thanks guys, i figured my best bet would be to just talk to some printers. that unbleached idea sounds worthwhile bringing up.
anybody else have any experience with magazines?
- SLAZ0
what kinda of mag and where and how will you distibute it?
some ideas: talk with some printers and publishing houses, but dont give away your idea. Those fockers love stealing new ideas and making a buck! Maybe do some mockups and try and sell it off to a publishing house. If that is your idea, then send me an email, I may be able to point you somewhere.
If you want to do it internally, try getting some shops/stores involved for distibution and also see if people would be interested in advertsising to help you offset some of the costs.
Have your idea down first, then move forward! Good Luck! Ambition is a beautiful thing....
- GooseAss0
be prepared to lose a lot of money... advertising is the key.
- unknown0
Well, I helped like 4 large magazines to establish their business and I can tell you that there are a couple of rules. This is going to be a long one so please read through carefully.
First:
Distribution is maybe the most important thing. Where you distribute the magazine will dictate your target audience, and with good target audience it's easier to get good advertisers.Second:
Since you're starting out, there is one unfortunate fact. You must count that you will lose money for at least first 6 months. Because I know how you feel about the funding, this is my proposal. You should include a small $100 ad boards in your magazine in order to attract smaller clients. You will see that they are the ones that will bite first. Reserve like 2-3 pages for that board. Having like 15-30 small advertisers will help you financially and it's much easier to sell that to them.Third:
Don't count on sales (if you're selling it) to provide you with money to publish the next issue.
In the normal practice (where you actually sell the magazine) you include the costs of production, but the advertisers are the ones actually covering that expense. The cover price should be your profit while advertisers actually pay for the production.Fourth:
If we say that in real-estate industry main keywords are location, location, location in the magazine publishing is content, content, content. You have to realize that delivering quality content is ensuring good advertisers.Fifth:
Finally, making your publication available to the consumers (target audience) always on time is VERY VERY important. If you say, for example, that you're going out with a new issue every 3 months on 5th of the month, YOU HAVE TO DELIEVER, otherwise you lose advertisers.My personal advice to you:
In the era of internet almost everyone receives some magazines electronically. If I were you I would design a nice web site with subscription support and e-version of the magazine first. This will initially cost less since you don't have to think about production that much, you just invest as much money as you can to advertise it online and offline as well. This is also a good move because it will be much easier for you to present the idea and the appearance of the magazine to potential sponsors. The fact that most of the big magazines are switching to this form of magazine distribution says a lot as well.Be smart, be responsible. Starting a magazine is very serious business. It will occupy 200% of your time. Gathering content, dealing with advertisers and distributors is tricky business. :)
Wish you best of luck.
- Noyz3190
Boz, thanks man that's some great rules, helps out a lot.
- Mick0
I've seen even big companies do experimental magazines and lose lots of money. Be prepared and do you research, especially as far as who your direct competitors are... what can you offer that they don't. If you think you have a new concept and no direct competitor - tell that to the stores that have 50 magazines sitting next to yours :) Phone your competitors and say you're interested in advertising, ask them for their readership/subscription numbers, how long they have been in business, etc. to get an idea of what their success is.
- lipsmack0
We are on our fourth issue of start-up (not the only magazine I do), and have broken every single rule in boz post....and the mag sucks. Amazing that major corporataion can't pull-off a magazine luanch.
its typical for a smaller start-up to skip newstand sales. go for a controlled circulation book, build subscriptions, brand awarness, offer free copies through website. Advertisers like this too since the target is very narrow and traceable.
if it succesful then move to newstand, but its costs big bucks, and is a dirty business.