You have decided to start up a magazine, but how do you get started, find subscribers and more importantly obtain paying advertisers so that you stay profitable?

Getting started

1. Decide what the subject of your magazine will be make it as popular as possible, but also choose a niche. This way you pique interest and combat competition.

2. Find out where your target market is going to be. For example if you want a community magazine try and tailor it to a market such as parents of school children etc.

3. Make sure you have enough information for several editions.

4. Set up your printing and delivery activities.

Getting subscribers and generating leads for your magazine

1. Use your web site to obtain sign ups, preferably using a sign-up box. Offer an incentive to sign up and assurance of use of their email address for legitimate reasons.

2. If you want to concentrate on off line customers, then send out a sample magazine to all of your target area, use a coupon with an incentive to sign on to receive your magazine.

3. Submit details of your newsletter to all on line directories you can find.

4. Include details of your magazine on all of your correspondence. Place an advert on your car, on tee shirts anything you can think of.

5. Make good use of community areas to advertise your magazine such as cafes, sports centers, shopping centers etc.

Obtaining advertisers in your magazine

You may have to run your magazine for a short while, whilst you build up your subscribers.

1. Swap ads with other magazines that have a similar target area either geographic or lifestyle. This will ensure that you look more successful at the beginning. Few people will want to pay to be the first advertiser.

2. Make up a marketing pack consisting of a sample magazine (with adverts), details of your target area, the number of subscribers you reach etc.

3. Offer key advertising ads, such as back page, to your larger advertisers.

4. Send out your marketing pack to potential advertisers. Offer free advertising for one or more issues or 5 ads for cost of 3 etc. This is to allow your advertisers to test out your magazines.

5. Offer free adverts for a short while to businesses that will also circulate your magazine for you.

Expanding

Everything is running smoothly so now you want to expand.

1. Look around for other markets or how to get more people in the same market.

2. Take on other writers so that you can expand your output.

3. Ask for feedback from your existing subscribers.

4. Examine how you can make things more efficient and cost effective.

5. Add to your content and your advertisers.

6. Add extra features to your magazine such as a Question and Answer section or a Product of the Month section.

Lastly enjoy yourself