Planet_Rock_Lofts
38 posts
Apr 27, 2006
2:50 PM
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Hello All Fanciers,
I am in the beginning stages of starting a roller publication (initially FREE) to interested roller enthusiasts. I am currently looking for two things first, if anyone else feels that there is enough interest out there for such a publication? And second, photos of your birds (description of the birds etc) and lofts and other information.
As I stated this is the beginning stages and we have not even done a complete layout, but will be working on the publication layout/design etc in the next few weeks.
We welcome all input, ideas and comments.
Thank You
Planet Rock Lofts
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MCCORMICKLOFTS
498 posts
Apr 27, 2006
3:51 PM
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Some questions:
Have you researched the cost of printing, the cost of paper, the cost of paper overage, the cost of mailing, the distribution (should you choose such a route), the cost of 4color. I will assume you will do the lay out yourself. Quark will probably serve your needs if you have that program.
Who will do your printing? Will you personally mail out the copies or have a distribution service handle the mailing?
What pound stock will be the minimum you can afford for the cover, as well as the inside pages?
Do you understand how page forms work in regards to web presses?
Have you researched the potential for advertising revenue?
These would be some of my initial questions.
Now, with the fresh news that the Pigeon Debut is now defunct due to the lack of generating enough revenue to actually produce the magazine any longer, my suggestion would be to examine the cause and effects of their unfortunate discontinuing.
Being in the magazine business for nearly 20 years, I can tell you that no matter how many subscribers or buyers of the publication you have, the main income generator is Advertising Revenue.
Advertising revenue is becoming more and more scarce in the pigeon hobby. Our hobby is blue collar, and low tier in the spectrum of how we allot our monthly non-essential expenses. With the shipping situation, many who would support publications with an ad are being suffocated by the shipping restrictions. The shipping situation is primarily what did the Pigeon Debut in; advertising fanciers couldn't justify advertising a product they could not deliver.
Your biggest opponent to enthusiast print publications is the Internet, and forums just like this one. Many people get their roller or pigeon fix from the massive number of forums and web sites where information is largely available as well as real time answers to questions.
These are just some of the comments I can generate. The main reason I do so is to give you some reasoning fodder to chew on. Hopefully you will step back from the wonderful enthusiasm to publish a magazine that hopefully all roller fanciers would appreciate and make a calculated examination of the all of the possible variables.
Plan on not making profit for at least 3-5 years. That is the working norm in most magazine models.
Brian.
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Double D
199 posts
Apr 27, 2006
8:41 PM
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I, for one, would be very interested in something well done but in color. I love the bulletin I get from the NBRC but would enjoy it much more if it were in color. Stories on the more well-known flyers and their secrets, techniques, breeding programs, etc. is also something I would thoroughly enjoy. I'm an avid reader and consume everything I can get my hands on.
Darin
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Santandercol
45 posts
Apr 27, 2006
9:52 PM
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I'm in and would definately like to contribute whatever possible.Photos,stories,B.S.Yeah!!Theres gotta be some other feed stores or suppliers who would advertise.That's the big one,getting ads.Best of LUCK!!!
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Kellinos
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nicksiders
548 posts
Apr 27, 2006
11:35 PM
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Get as many suppliers and vendors to buy into the magazine with advertisemnets. If you depend on subscriptions for the revenue it will not make it.
Seed and grain companies; pigeon supply companies; hardware companies; pet supply companies; feed stores; resturants; lumber companies; feather mechants; shed builders; artists; pigeon clubs; drug companies; attorneys; vetinarians; website builders; software manufactors; and any others you can think of.
Got to think outside the box. Your love for pigeons alone cannot make it successful.
Just my 50 cent worth
Last Edited by nicksiders on Apr 28, 2006 8:30 AM
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Velo99
398 posts
Apr 28, 2006
5:05 AM
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OK
Thinking outside the box tells me to save start up costs publish a online magazine for the first 6-10 issues. Build a subscriber and advertizer base. Then do an actual paper publication.
Count me in. I can write a little bit and I have a digicam.
v99
One other thing,only put out three or four issues a year. Another cost reduction and also gives you more time to make it better each issue. In case you have to totally scrap a concept or idea.
Last Edited by Velo99 on Apr 28, 2006 11:33 AM
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nicksiders
551 posts
Apr 28, 2006
8:32 AM
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There you go.......Velo
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siddiqir
209 posts
Apr 28, 2006
11:28 AM
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Why not website?
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Velo99
400 posts
Apr 28, 2006
1:38 PM
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Brian,
I wouldn`t be able to do the math with my extremely limited knowledge of the field. So I was right and wrong. lol Elighten us how to build a periodical site oh great noble guru.
Sid,to answer your question, another website to compete with the three goood ones out there already? Too small of an audience and the redundency factor wouild greatly increase.
v99
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Velo99
401 posts
Apr 28, 2006
3:58 PM
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Brian
pretty much what I thought.
yits
V99
UNLESS, one were to publish a "special edition" quarterly or so. Instead of an actual website. Put it up for a week then pull it.I know Planet is full of great ideas and I don`t wanna squash them.
MTC
v99 again
Last Edited by Velo99 on Apr 29, 2006 6:09 AM
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Santandercol
50 posts
Apr 28, 2006
10:23 PM
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Yeah,,,come to think of it now with all the otherinput,,,,,why bother with these other guys already doing an excellente job providing us with a base to interact and post pics or whatevever,less yer in tasmania er somewhere timbuctu.
All due respect of course,
Cheers,
Kel.
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Kellinos
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Planet_Rock_Lofts
39 posts
Apr 29, 2006
7:29 AM
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To everyone who posted a response,
Thank You and please continue. I don't take anything personally, this is a business idea and it can go either way (good or bad). Brian is right, actually everyine is right. This same type of dialogue is brought up when proposing a new magazine at various companies and entrepreneurial firms.
I published my own magazine/mail-order catalog (music), and there was a constant search for ad dollars initially. What I discovered was a way to distribute my magazine for FREE but still generate income to pay for the publication. And that was the mail-order catalog.
We stopped chasing the ad dollars and started distributing merchandise. We all know merchandise cannot be downloaded so we ran with it. Mail=order Catalog grew very fast (worldwide), then we started distribution for various artists. Now mind you the internet was in its infancy at this time (late 1993) so things have changed quite a bit.
Ad dollars came calling after we built the brand. So, a lot more thought has to be put into this since it so a tiny niche. The interent is making the world smaller and i was using it back in 1992 - 1993, however, I still consume magazines because magazines let me know about the different websites first. There are so many websites that I can't and don't want to go online all the time to find them it gets boring. But a magazine in hand with gright pretty pictures that's for me.
And think about this how many sites do you go to that update every other month? I need to see new information all the time. It takes serious website management to update sites and most sites are not business enterprises they are owned by the fancier.
So please more input more inputmore input is greatly appreciated to help us with our final decision.
Thank You
Planet Rock Lofts
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washington86
57 posts
May 01, 2006
10:47 PM
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that's a perfect idea. a non-organization is prefect, but try to gian at least some money to get started. i bet there will be people buying off those magazines like crazy. I think is a perfect idea in makeing a magazine because people all over the world can read about it, even roller fans and other pigeon lovers.i would like to read about many different loft arounf the USA, and reading about how they succeed or fly their bird in comptetition.
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