Thread: Looking for partners to start a magazine project

Hi all,

I'm planning to make a magazine for Bali. Haven't got any idea about it or how would it be.
Me personally a Designer. I like the style of exotiq or balieats magazine (that sort of Magz that I was looking for).
I'm gonna need people like a content manager, and anyone who has links to any printhouse in Bali, And so on. Photographer also welcome, but I've already got candidates.

Actually the idea came when I wanted to make an advert on a magz, and they've got really expensive rates! like USD 2,500 for each ad.
so I was wondering that this kind of business makes hell lots of money -- but obviously will cost a lot too.
I know it's not an easy thing, but perhaps we can start from a small one.
Let's talk about this if interested. Suggestions are also welcome.

Cheers!

Funny you should bring this topic up now, my wife had a phone call from Jetstar this morning wanting to advertise her wedding company in their bi monthly inflight magazine. The cost was $2500 for a half page add plus an interview where she could further promote her business. They have a Print Run of 55,000 which targets 658,000 Passengers. These are take home magazines to so they're free. What Magazine did you design the add for?. I would think a smaller Bali magazine wouldn't make anywhere near that amount.

Exotiq costs US$ 1,250 on 20,000 copies print run and let's eat magz costs US$ 700 on 10,000 copies. Both for half-page, and the magazine isn't for free.
Like I said, I haven't got any idea about what it is going to be, but have some visions,
Like perhaps it will be talking about hidden places in Bali with some restaurants and villas review, what-to-do lists of specific regions, and so on. Any suggestion?

I understand it wouldn't make money as much as those top-ranked magazines, so it could be started with low-cost advertising offer first. Well -- start from a small one, and make it bigger.

I use 7 different magazines here in Australia, the 3 top ones are now holding out for $3500 for 1/2 page the rest $2500 with the odd deal at $1250.
If you count up all the ads in each issue it's a fair amount of money considering we have to supply the ad in print format.
Your biggest hurdle is going to be getting people to place an ad in your first issue as you have no circulation data etc to present to them.
Most magazines come from an establish one in which they can show data for, customer base, targeted readers etc.
You need to define what your magazine will be targeting, tourists already in Bali, potential tourists outside Bali, business to business within Bali etc.
The data for this is then easy to access for which you can build up a sales pitch for your advertisers.
Formatting and printing is not what it used to be and you could probably do 90% of it yourself these days with the software around.
You can then mock up an issue and start looking for your customer base at very little cost, if it proves to have potential you can then look for investors.
Good luck

Thanks kiwi,

Okay, let's say that me and my team had done all those things and it actually proved to have potential.
So in which ways are easier for us to get investor? Cause I think to get investors would be the main thing next.

You would need to show investors a list of potential advertisers who are willing to place ads with you, from this you need to work out the production cost v profit.
Like it or not investors want to know whats in it for them.

And where exactly could I look for one? Well, without hiring any business consultancy and all that jazz?

Please be aware that there are a number of these magazines already available. The big failure with most of them is insufficient promotion of their own product and lack of control of the circulation of the printed copy.
For instance the Bali Classifieds has a lovely glossy 50 page magazine. However their distribution leaves a lot to be desired. They come into places and drop off 50 magazines every month. The following month they come and drop another 50. It does not matter that there are still 30 magazines left from the previous month.
This happens in a number of places I frequent. This means that hundreds of these magazines are going untouched. The money wasted in the production of these makes me shake my head.