Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Hi Everyone,

I was told by a friend that this was a great place to get some straight answers and great opinions so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I'm thinking of setting up a new business in Accy and wondered what you good folk think of the idea. No I'm not trying to promote the business or sell you anything, I just want your opinions.

The idea is to start a local community magazine. Now I know that it has been done before, but I'm thinking of something with a little more content than just mainly adverts. It would be full colour and be backed up with a website with even more content. It would be free and delivered to homes in the area as well as perhaps available from various locations such as libraries etc.

I just thought that with the Observer leaving town and getting more and more Manc orientated, maybe there is room for this.

What I would like to know is do you think it would take off and what sort of things would you like to see in it. What would make you want to keep it and read it?

Any opinions welcome and thanks for being here.

Matilda.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

give it a try

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Thanks Mallard.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Have a word with my old mate, Tunny (see members' list) - ex-Accy lad who now runs a community website in Staines.

See it LOCAL Staines, Egham, Chertsey, Sunbury, Sh

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

I take it the magazine would be funded by advertising. What do you expect the split to be between news and adverts.

I have not seen a free newspaper around here for years and they are cheaper to print than a magazine.

I do wish you well as I really would like to see printed news become more popular again.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

would be great if it could take off, think yer biggest problem would be delivery,the local free paper "Citizen" had trouble with dead heads dumping em,in other words wanting money fer nowt.;) sincerely hope ya suceed with this venture.:)

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

dont we have a member that has a magasine...... sure i remember pam or tosh saying something about it being rubbish and the 'editor' coming and saying it wasnt..... but i have slept since then so i could be wrong..

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the replies so far. Very encouraging. To answer some of the questions:-

Yes it would be paid for by advertising (hopefully!) That way it would remain free to the community. It will be coupled with a local community website as well so that could also carry affiliate ads to raise revenue as well. I'd like to see the split between ads and news at about 50/50. The more ads we get, the more news and views etc we can include.

Yes I think there was a mag produced. I think it was called the BB5 Guide. Never actually saw a copy myself and I hope I'm not offending anyone here but I believe it wasn't that good.

What I really would like to know is what would you all like to see in such a magazine? Obviously we could have a section on local facilities eg council contact numbers, health centres etc. All suggestions welcome and thanks again for the encouraging comments.

Matilda.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

I think the ideas a good one, however i think you'll have great problems around here getting people to pay for advertising!!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Think your right Taggy, that's one of the reasons given for the Observer closing the office in Accrington, the onset of the Internet has taken the steam out of local publications. Don't know if the Citizen is still going, but I haven't seen one around here for about 5 years

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

I think info on volunteer services would be good to have in the magazine
There are a lot more services available than people know about

Short courses and taster sessions for those out of work.... or top up training sessions for those in work

Although a lot are available local they are not easy to find out where and when

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

The citizen is still going ..... i get the hyndburn citizen delivered every week ...mind you its more about blackburn than hyndburn!!

even though im in rossendale!!!!:D:D:D

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

I have recently been given a few back-dated copies of "The Herald" It is a glossy coloured magazine distributed free to 30,000 homes in Padiham, Gt. Harwood and Clitheroe and I admit to being very impressed despite a huge amount of advertising:eek:

In the Oct 08 edition which is the one I have to hand there are 26 pages with input from Nigel Evans MP, A fishy story from Janet Stansfield and a regular, the Grumpy Git:D It also includes informative clips of information ranging from Luciano Pavarotti to Sophie who tells of living with her illness Cystic Fibrosis.

Most of the jokes are lifted from the internet but all in all, is a very good read from cover to cover. You can view the front and back covers (All adverts) HERE

If your magazine can come close to what the Herald has achieved, I for one would welcome it through my letterbox! Good luck

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

We get the Herald delivered and you are right Busman, it is a good read.

Matilda, these are just some ideas that you might also like to consider.

I think that it would be good to involve children from local schools...perhaps as part of and English project...to write articles about their environment/school/issues of the day.
I also think a short section on local history would be interesting too.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

If you want to see a copy of the BB5 guide i have an old copy that i've just found.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Great ideas so far. Hadn't thought of the training or schools ideas and also getting the local MP or councillors for that matter to write a column could be good too.

Shillelagh, would it be possible to get the copy of the BB5 guide from you? I'll happily send you a SAE. I had heard that it wasn't all that good but I'd still like to see it.

I'll also try and get hold of a copy of the Herald. I thought that was mainly Whalley, Clitheroe and Padiham area but if it's getting as far as Clayton-Le-Moors I reckon I need to consider it as competition!

As for the Citizen, we won't be weekly, probably monthly instead and again, it seems to be getting more like the Observer and covering a huge area. The idea behind mine is to be very local. We hope that local businesses would want to advertise with us for just that reason. In time we hope that the Gazette would be one of the first places people would look for local tradesmen - who might also like to offer discounts through the magazine? Coupled with the website it will be a great opportunity for businesses to get their message out there. Why go to all the expense of printing flyers and getting them delivered when they could have an ad with us for less money?

Thanks again for all the ideas. My list is growing longer but the more the merrier so please keep them coming. Also, if anyone would be interested in submitting any articles etc please do let me know. There's no point in re-inventing the wheel and there must be loads of you out there with tons to say!

Thanks.
Matilda.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Hi Matilda, your proposition should have the same chance as any other publication, thats to say that if you put enough effort in to the various aspects of it it will be a succes. Just be aware of those different aspects such as Editorial, Production, Distribution and probabily the toughest, Sales.

Also remember that as with most fledgling businesses you will feel as if you're working for very little reward in the early day, months, or even years!

BTW, I speak as an advertiser in local and regional publications, and yes I had an advert The BB5 GUIDE.
:)

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

its in the post ... 1st class today ...

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Hi Shillelagh,

Thank you so much for the BB5 Guide. It arrived this morning. That's really good of you.

It looks a little better than I thought it would actually but I still think we can dramatically improve on it. The first thing would be to have some colour there and the second would be to include a lot more local content amongst the ads.

As others have said though, perhaps the hardest part would be getting businesses to agree to advertise and pay for it. Me thinks that perhaps the best thing to do is for me to create a mock up and go and visit a few local businesses to see what they say.

In the meantime if there is anyone out there who has a local business, please could you let me know if you would be interested in advertising in such a publication. Again, I'm not touting for business - honest, just want to know what you all think.

Thanks again Shillelagh and if I can return the favour, please just let me know.

Matilda.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

You can talk to me when your ready...

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Wish you luck, but as you seem to understand, raising money through advertisers will be the major problem. I know recently that many local businesses would'nt pay £50 per year for a full page advert on a website aimed at promoting Hyndburn. And many of the Market Traders baulked at £25 per year!!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Hiya,

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, I've been away for a couple of days and nowhere near a PC. I've now got withdrawl symptoms!

Thanks for the support guys. As for paying for ads, it seems so far that as long as the price is right, businesses around here are still willing to pay. Perhaps it's because our proposition is in dual format - printed as well as online. Either way, I'm encouraged enough by you guys to plough on and I'll keep you all posted on progress and no doubt keep asking for your thoughts as we go.

In the meantime, please keep your ideas for content you would like to see and your thoughts on businesses advertising.

Thanks once again.
Matilda.

Re: Hi Everyone - can I pick your brains?
 

Just like to say that we get the Herald delivered. It may be nicely presented and glossy. But aside from the adverts, not much seems to be of local interest, apart from the odd input. Most of the stuff in there seems to be pulled straight from internet sites, and a lot of it most people have heard before. In fact I even jokingly asked them if I could have a job there, as i could generate them loads of stuff, lol.

I think the key thing IS local input. whether it be asking people to send in items, or asking people to be "local reporters"

OK we get local items in the LT an the Obby, but items form readers with a personal view on topics in their area could be of more interest.
Even local people giving views on their own interests.