Newsletter Brainstorm

One idea I've been kicking around for several years is starting a newsletter in my local area. I looked into Coffee News and Flying Cow but don't have the money or the patience to build one of these businesses up, so I've considered ways to start my own off and on for some time. It always gets put on the back burner because of the commitments: 1. Financially, 2. Time in creating it, 3. Time in finding advertisers, and 4. Time in finding distribution points.

A couple of things have changed recently pushing this idea back to the forefront. I have talked with the owner of a children's hair salon and portrait studio whom I've known for a long time who has an interest in a coupon book or newsletter to cross promote his business with other "child or family" oriented businesses. I also know the owners of a couple of other businesses that I could at least distribute from, but they are not in my immediate area (one being an ice rink in downtown Phoenix - I'm on the far West side).

What I'm really stuck on is whether or not to try to find a niche: family oriented businesses in Surprise/West Valley area, or start with a less focused theme and go for a bigger area and audience which would allow me to include my friend who owns a liquidation store, the ice rink, my Real Estate office downtown, and some of the businesses around my print shop in Glendale. I'd have some distribution points right from the start that way.

I'd also have no shortage of ads to start out just with my businesses, my wife's new business and a couple of free ads (for an issue or two) for the businesses that will distribute them. Of course eventually I'd want to sell most of the ad space to make it profitable, but almost as important I think would be the ability to distribute my own ads to a bigger audience to benefit my other businesses. I may be a cheapskate, but why spend money on ads in other publications? I'd rather own that too and use that business to benefit my other businesses.

Which brings me to another thought, "would my businesses fit the niche of West Valley Family Oriented Businesses?" I don't know that they would exactly. I am a Realtor, I have a graphic design/print broker business, and my wife has started a gift basket business. With a website to correspond with the newsletter I could place affiliate ads for satellite tv and whatnot although I don't see that being a steady income stream.

My best idea as of right now would be a "Valleywide" family savings newsletter. Geographically I could spread out over the whole metro area and not be limited. I could also have the ads be specifically "money saving" in nature (ie: a coupon or special to save the readers money). That may keep people interested in getting it every month (or however often I can do it) looking for those money saving coupons and specials. The drawback to that of course would be considerable driving time to distribute them if I cover an area that big.

Anyway, with the experience and creative minds I know frequent these boards, I'm hoping for some input. Any thoughts, ideas, constructive criticism?

Hi Todd,

Vondre' Whaley is the absolute king at local area niche newsletters and other local area opportunities.

He knows about great newsletter themes and distribution.

He's very approachable, so zap him an email at [email protected] with your Q's and he'll probably respond favorably.

[GordonJ]

Todd, a question?

Where do people in your area take their kids for BIRTHDAYS? Is there a Chucky Cheese? A BOWLING alley that specializes in kid birthday parties? An "amusement" or "game" center?

Let me tell you about the Parade of Life.

Do you think that people are going to QUIT having children? Or a different way...are your elementary schools getting packed? As a realtor you KNOW one of the things parents look for is the school system and KID type stuff...like parks, recreation, sports, etc. Right?

Here's an example for you to BRAINSTORM about...in West Palm Beach FL there is an amusement/game center that caters to KID's birthday parties...specifically, boys and girls about 10 years old.

They "close" and lock the doors for the party...the party has EXCLUSIVE use of the facility...all the games are free...they have the pizza shop down the street deliver pizza's, they serve pop (soda for you non midwesterners)...and the party is 90 minutes or 2 hours...mostly, 90 minutes.

They are BOOKED solid for the next year.

My point. There is an ENORMOUS amount of money being spent...and there are TONS of people, like a Millard Grubb or Dan Butler magician for example, who offer services to these Kid's parties.

Why NOT have your first publishing effort focused in that direction? You won't lack for finding advertisers... make the first edition "Valley" specific, so that allows you to expand across Phoenix when it grows prosperous.

KIDS are the best suppliers of information...ask the 10 year olds in your neighborhood and their parents, where they go, what they do and what kind of party they would like. I'd stick with "tweens"...9,10,11 year olds...and spend an HOUR researching this "industry" in the valley...

And see if there is the potential there, that I think could be...OK?

Pull out the yellow pages, look up birthday parties, ask around, chances are you probably have sold homes to families with kids (have you ever considered offering a FREE birthday party to your customers?)...

And I bet you a donut, you'd find some great advertisers for your:

"West VALLEY Party News"

I bet you can think of many ADVERTISERS that would love to get in your twice a month HOT newsletter on Parties for kids.

Just brainstorming here Todd...good luck in your venture.

Gordon Jay Alexander

Todd,

I think Gordon's "West VALLEY Party News" offers a rock solid way to bore down and carve out your own Family oriented business niche, which will hopefully open up to a big one for you! (Sowpub never ceases to amaze, eh?)

Here's a few more ideas to help your brainstorming:

http://www.babynewspaperbusiness.com...ePictures.html - Baby Newsgram site that demonstrates the power of personalization and maybe a few other product ideas, angles, or twists (What do you think, Phil?

Neighborhood Marketing - I'd recommend you read Street Smart Marketing by Jeff Slutsky, who does a great job of presenting specific examples of how to get into the trenches and multiply your efforts one neighborhood at a time. Which could also imply an effort to offer more concentrated neighborhood editions.

Web Video - Helping to sell the family party experience, and building substantially more advertiser value, with short on-site video clips to compliment the print newsletter. Nothing fancy, could be just your average youtube quality video posted to a blogger site, where you can also post more ads and comments. Could likely do a trade-out with a local photographer.

Prospecting - With Halloween just around the corner getting out and seeding prospective advertisers with some type of free How-to trick or treat, party, etc. hotsheet. And, during Halloween to take note of who's doing what (and trying hardest to reach) families with kids in your community.

Good luck,

Rod

I'll give myself much more than an hour of research! I'm hoping to get a mock-up done by the end of the month. I will need to crunch numbers to find out my total start-up and ongoing costs - and what I can charge. My goal is to have at least 10 - 12 distribution places, legal forms for advertising, rates, website and everything ready to get a first issue out at the beginning of 2008 (and of course grow larger from there).

Thanks for some great ideas. I'm considering a monthly giveaway on the website to drive traffic there (additional links, coupons, etc online), and maybe a referral gift for businesses that refer other businesses to me for advertising.

I love the "West Valley Party" idea - thanks Gordon! I want to get upcoming family events, concerts and such, some crosswords, soduku, (time passing stuff for those in waiting areas, restaurants etc.), and then of course coupons and money saving ads. Kind of a cross between Coffee News and a local Entertainment Book specifically for families with kids!

(Sowpub never ceases to amaze, eh?) <---- You got that right Rod!

Thanks again, and feel free to keep the ideas coming!

- Todd
Arizona's Family Realtor

Todd,

Expanding on Gordon's and Rod's suggestions...

A few more backend Product ideas for your Local newsletter... Unlimited possibilities...

http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=16828
http://www.personalheadlines.com/
http://www.thefamilypost.com/

Give it a Smart little Green “twist” like the one created by a mommy-entrepreneur from Redwood City...

Although "Our Little Earth" is an “international” newspaper for children 8 to 12 years of age...

Become the "Our Little Earth"... For your Community... Maybe with Fundraising & Sponsorship Tie-ins...

Make sure your Publication is in hard copy Offline & Online and ready for Expansion into other Geo-locations...

You just never know on Expanding & Growing ideas... Specialty products... And/or maybe Licencing Agreements... Affiliate backends...

Help your child learn about current events and the world with a child-friendly online newspaper geared specifically for them...
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...bay&id=5698538
http://www.ourlittleearth.com/

Phil