Idea: How to open a media outlet, business plan using the example of a newspaper

Business plan for a glossy magazine as the basis for design

Business activities in the field of publishing media products require a special approach, since standard commercial methods for implementing projects will not allow you to get a truly successful company at the end. However, the creative component does not mean that all actions within the design are unnecessary; on the contrary, the success of all other components will depend on the quality of the development of the action plan. To create such a project, a business plan for a glossy magazine is best suited .
This method allows you to combine all the specific aspects of the chosen field of activity with the experience and knowledge that has accumulated over a long time of its use.
And even a novice entrepreneur can use it as a key that will open the doors to a big business with the help of attracted financing.

Edition

Format: A4. Circulation: 20,000 copies. Paper: glossy. Print: full color Volume: 35 pages + cover Packaging: cellophane or cardboard box. Frequency: monthly. Distribution: targeted distribution, distribution at exhibitions at special exhibition stands, later - retail sales. The attractiveness of the publication will be facilitated by the fact that, along with environmental information, the reader will find practical economic advice. Main headings: "Clean" business" Axioms of environmental management World experience Expert's view Environmental investigation Legal field and others. It is planned to regularly conduct environmental ratings of enterprises. The level of environmental safety of enterprises' activities will have to be assessed according to the following criteria: - The level of environmental friendliness of activities (the impact of various company actions on the environment, the use of environmentally friendly materials and procedures within its business); — Level of environmental management (the attitude of the company’s management to environmental safety issues and its willingness to comply with environmental safety rules and monitor the state of the environment); — The company’s openness to environmental issues and willingness to dialogue with organizations involved in environmental safety issues (including non-governmental and government organizations). The bioeconomic direction of the magazine covers and analyzes environmental problems through the prism of interaction and mutually beneficial cooperation between ecology and economics. This includes publications promoting positive experience in the rational use of the environment, advocating the environmental justification of economic projects and any economic activity. It is worth mentioning other forms of work such as: environmental analysis, environmental monitoring (systematic observation of natural objects), compiling dossiers on environmental issues. The publication will contain high-quality illustrations provided by a foreign environmental organization; we involve professional environmental journalists who have specially trained abroad in the project. The quality of printing and paper is the highest.

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We express our gratitude for the work done to create a business plan for a cleaning company. Thanks to this business plan, the bank approved a loan of 18 million rubles for 6 years.

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The business plan downloaded on the website contains a very clear and accessible description of both the business in general and its financial component in particular. The calculations show a fairly clear picture of the actions and are convenient to use: make edits, adjust investments, sales, expenses. All formulas are editable and transparent.

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The business plan was prepared by the consulting company plan-pro.ru in accordance with the requirements, with high quality and even a little earlier than the agreed upon date. As a result, funds in the amount of 50 million rubles were received from a private investor.

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Feedback on the printing house business plan

An extremely correct business plan. He helped our printing house obtain a loan from Sberbank necessary to expand production (21 million rubles) for a period of 4 years.

Sergey V.V., Nizhny Novgorod region

Feedback on a business plan for a glossy magazine

The idea of ​​launching our own magazine came to us with our partners after several years of working in the field of journalism. After several unsuccessful attempts to attract financial partners for the project, we bought a ready-made business plan for a glossy magazine from the Plan Pro company. And they appreciated the completeness of the description of the target market, as well as the convenience and functional simplicity of the financial model used . As a result, we managed to convince a private investor to invest 15 million rubles in our project.

Werner I., chief editor, Moscow

How to promote a newspaper

This is task number one. Nobody wants to work in vain; every publisher and editor, in addition to their own ambitions, thinks about how to make money from the newspaper. And for this we need to shape the face of the publication, its reputation. An advertising newspaper also needs advertising in all known ways: outdoor advertising, TV, Internet, business cards, presentations.

The efforts will not be in vain if the newspaper has a high level of content and printing. It is unlikely that a business owner will want to pay for advertising in a gray and inconspicuous two-page publication. This means that format, appearance and competent marketing decide everything.

One day a great poet advised a fellow novice writer: “If you can’t write, don’t write.” This may be a warning for an inexperienced publisher: this path is too thorny and unpredictable. And if the warning had no effect - well, maybe this is called a calling?

Plan Structure

In order to fully describe the subject area and the procedure for achieving the goals laid down in the project, we will adhere to the following structure of the business plan for the release of a glossy magazine :

• analysis of the market state and its dynamics, assessment of prospects and existing opportunities;
• investment plan;
• printing and sales technology, equipment used;
• current expenses;
• revenue planning;
• requirements for personnel and wage fund;
• promotion features and distribution policy;
• period for the project to reach self-sufficiency.

How to create your own magazine: staff

At the first stage, to create your own magazine, you need to attract 5–10 employees:

• chief editor (usually the project manager);
• correspondents – up to 6 staff units;
• spotter;
• design specialist;
• product sales manager

Most of the work is done by correspondents remotely. Accounting can be outsourced.

The importance of marketing research in the business plan for publishing a glossy magazine

Since there are respected and long-known players in this market, it is important to understand how we will differentiate ourselves from them in terms of competitive advantages and what target audience the project will be designed for in order to win the desired market share. Based on the results of work on this section of the business plan for publishing a glossy magazine, a marketing strategy should be formed that takes into account the competitive characteristics of the company:

• quality of content;
• uniqueness and exclusivity of stories and photographic materials;
• quality of printing and publication design;
• price;
• Availability in all traditional distribution channels.

If you are planning to publish a magazine in the beauty industry, then you can also think about opening your own modeling agency, which will greatly simplify doing business in general. A modeling agency business plan includes a description of the startup and calculation of all necessary financial indicators.

Project implementation stages

1. Buying a domain and hosting.
2. Installation and development of CMS.
3. Design development.
4. Selection and testing of authors for the quality and uniqueness of texts.
5. Filling the site with content, registering the site in search engines.
6. Registration in contextual advertising services.
7. Registration of a legal entity.
8. Media registration.
9. Media promotion, attracting audiences and advertisers.
10. Analysis of the result, adjustment of the plan.
11. Project development.

Pre-launch preparation plan

In the process of implementing the plan, all actions necessary to resolve legal and organizational issues of the company’s activities, developed as part of the glossy magazine :

1. Registration of the publication's activities in the appropriate legal form.
2. Opening a current account in a bank.
3. Registration with tax authorities.
4. Assessment of existing offers on the market for printing similar magazines.
5. Search for talented journalists, photo reporters, designers and other personnel.
6. Studying the features of registration and licensing of publication activities.

Description of the business idea and its relevance

More than 13 thousand publishing houses – newspapers and magazines – are registered with the Ministry of Press. Most of them are small and narrow-profile publications. Of these, only 300 are regularly published.

These statistics may seem disappointing. Indeed, competition in the printed products market is very high. Small publishers are being squeezed out by larger ones, some of which operate under license from foreign journals.

However, every year several new monthly magazines appear on the market, which manage to take their place in the sun and become profitable.

Sources of income for the glossy magazine:

1. Paid subscriptions. The reader pays for the content published on the pages of the magazine.
2. Advertising placement. Advertising units occupy up to 30%. Large companies are willing to pay a decent amount to have their brand advertised on the pages of the publication.

Financing an investment project for a glossy magazine

The business described carries great risks, since the media market has formed, and it will be quite difficult for new publications to reach mass circulation. However, as practice shows, a purposeful and creative person, who clearly understands the goals and tools for achieving them, is able to turn the market upside down, subject to appropriate funding and the quality of the development of an action plan. To get a reliable foundation for your business, download from our website a sample of a ready-made full-fledged business plan for a glossy magazine, with calculations of the main financial and economic indicators. You will be able to attract financial partners who will support your entrepreneurial potential with their investments, and you will take your rightful place in the market.

Investment structure:

• preparation of the publishing house office – XXX rub.
• purchase of furniture, office equipment and journalistic equipment – ​​XXX rub.
• purchase of professional software for layout and design – XXX rub.
• program for promoting a new publication – XXX rub.;
• hiring personnel that meets qualification requirements - XXX rub.;
• printing of the first edition – XXX rub.;
• financial reserves – XXX rub.

In total, the cost of the investment project for publishing a glossy magazine will be from 20 to 50 million rubles.

Technologies and equipment

The technological cycle of publication contains the following stages: preparation of materials, acceptance of them for publication by the editor-in-chief, layout of the issue, printing in a printing house, distribution.

Equipment for the implementation of a business plan for publishing a glossy magazine , taking into account the use of partner printing services:

• photo and video equipment;
• voice recorders;
• furniture, computers and office equipment, with professional software;
• air conditioner;
• coffee - machine;
• motor transport;
• security and fire alarm systems.

Business project overview

The goal of the project is to provide a wide range of target audiences with the information they need, making a profit through retail sales, advertising and paid advertisements.

The project is designed for 2 years. During this period, the enterprise must recoup the funds spent on its opening and achieve self-sufficiency. The nature of the enterprise will be formulated as the production and publication of a newspaper of an informational and advertising nature.

Main financial features of the project:

• — the total cost of opening the enterprise is 1 million 225 thousand rubles;
• — the main source of financing is a commercial loan in the amount of 1.225 million rubles;
• — interest rate on the loan – 14%. In the future, it is possible to reduce the rate for commercial projects;
• - start of loan payments - from the first month of project implementation;
• - the total amount of accrued interest to be paid on the loan - from 78.5 thousand rubles. This amount will constitute the investor’s total income;
• — payback period taking into account discounting – 2 years
• — the total economic effect for the designated life cycle is 18.8 million rubles.

More detailed details of the enterprise’s financial plan are in the corresponding section of the document.

For entrepreneurs who decided to focus on publishing an advertising newspaper - in the video:

Financial model of a business plan for investing in a glossy magazine

Operating expenses

Depending on the accounting system used by the company, the structure of operating costs of an investment project for a glossy magazine will look approximately as follows:

• settlements with the lessor – XXX rub.;
• utilities – XXX rub.;
• expenses for printing the magazine – XXX rub.;
• depreciation of equipment;
• consumables, repairs and purchase of necessary journalistic equipment - XXX rub.;
• promotion budget – XXX rub.
• payment of wages – XXX rub.;
• taxes and fees – XXX rub.;
• other costs – XXX rub.

The total operating costs for the business plan for publishing a glossy magazine will be XXX rubles. per month

Income from the implementation of a business plan for investing in a glossy magazine

The amount of income will directly depend on the number of readers who are ready to purchase the product of the investment plan for publishing a glossy magazine . Accordingly, circulation will be influenced by those consumer attractiveness factors that will be incorporated in the strategic planning process:

• exclusivity of content, stories and photographic material;
• colorful design of covers and contents;
• high-quality printing;
• affordable price;
• proximity to the consumer.

Implementation structure:

1. Retail sales – XXX rub.
2. Subscriptions – XXX rub.
3. Access to the full Internet version – XXX rub.

The planned monthly profitability of the business plan for publishing a glossy magazine is set at the level of XXX rubles.

Personnel and motivational issues

If you want to receive unique and professional content, be prepared for significant staff costs - professional and successful journalists will not work for an idea. This fact must be taken into account when planning the size of the wage fund, as part of the operating costs of the business plan for publishing a glossy magazine .

Example of publication structure:

• editor-in-chief - XXX rub.;
• reporters – XXX rub.;
• designer – XXX rub.;
• layout designer - XXX rub.;
• promotion and PR specialist – XXX rub.;
• accountant – XXX rub.;
• HR manager – XXX rub.;
• drivers – XXX rub.;
• cleaning lady – XXX rub.

The financial analysis

The financial prerequisite for success in the implementation of the project is the creation of start-up capital in the amount of two million rubles and the production activities of the editorial office.

It is expected that from the sale of the circulation the editorial office will receive (Appendix 11): § in 2006 – 840.80 thousand rubles.

Advertising revenues will be: § 2006 – 4147.20 thousand rubles; § 2007 – 5345.28 thousand rubles; § 2008 – 5760.00 thousand rubles;

Total receipts from sales of circulation and advertising - 16,748.88 thousand rubles.

For the period from 2005 to 2006, the following expenses are expected: for equipment of workplaces - 469.1 thousand rubles; for rent, maintenance and operation of the building - 910.8 thousand rubles); for printing services – 2320.00 thousand rubles; on paper – 2757.06 thousand rubles; to pay for postal services for delivery of the magazine - 735.84 thousand rubles); for wages – 2933.84 thousand rubles; to pay for transport services – 273.60 thousand rubles; for household needs, business trips – 172.8 thousand rubles; for communication, subscription – 108.00 thousand rubles; for advertising campaigns – 408.00 thousand rubles; for loan servicing – 900.00 thousand rubles. Total expenses will amount to 11989.04 thousand rubles.

Payback period

Compliance with planned cost and revenue indicators will allow the project to recoup within 3 to 5 years.

Business plan for publishing a glossy magazine

The business plan has a clear structure, contains detailed financial calculations, and the financial model allows you to flexibly change any business parameter. This is the optimal solution for those who plan to attract investments, want to get a loan or have a ready-made template for developing their business plan.

The structure of the financial model for publishing a glossy magazine

A financial model is a separate file in MS Excel format - essentially it is a separate product designed for business planning and calculation of all its indicators. Each of the parameters of the financial model can be changed manually. There are no macros in the financial model. All formulas are transparent and changeable.

Detailed calculation of investments for publishing a glossy magazine

While working on a business plan, we look at dozens of different sources of information. This includes data from equipment suppliers, industry portals, interviews with market experts, and official statistics - such systematic data analysis provides a complete picture of all project parameters: prices, equipment costs, premises costs, costs, etc. .

Business income plan

A necessary component of a full-fledged business plan is a flexible sales plan. It is important, on the one hand, to have a forecast for the business as a whole, and on the other hand, to be able to look at profitability in the context of a separate profit center or even a separate product.

Cash flow forecast for a glossy magazine publication

The cash flow statement is the most important document in any business plan. Contains comprehensive information about the company's operating, investment and financial inflows and outflows, and also allows you to evaluate the overall picture of the company's performance.

Selecting premises and purchasing equipment

The next stage is renting or purchasing an office for the editorial office. More expensive, but profitable in the long term, will be the acquisition of property. But in most cases, when starting a periodical from scratch, renting an office is easier. The best option would be any room in an office building. You can also choose a room on the ground floor of an ordinary apartment building. The main conditions are the presence of a separate entrance, telephone and Internet connections. The editorial area can range from 20 to 200 sq.m., it depends on the scale of the newspaper, first of all, the size of its staff, as well as the size of the investment.

There are no special requirements for the equipment and design of the editorial office itself. If the premises were previously used as an office, minor cosmetic repairs and equipment with the necessary technical equipment will most likely be required.

Newspaper business plan

To create and layout a newspaper you need to purchase:

1. — computers (by number of employees);
2. — office equipment (printers, scanners, equipment for pre-printing newspaper strips, etc.);
3. — furniture for the work of editorial staff;
4. - safe;
5. — if necessary, a cash register;
6. — landline telephone (if initially absent).

Computers will have to be equipped with special programs for layout of newspaper pages. Professional-grade software is quite expensive, so this expense item must be taken into account in the financial part of the business plan. A cash register will be needed primarily for those publications that offer paid advertisements. In this case, it is worth purchasing this equipment, which will make it possible to issue payment receipts to clients.

If the newspaper has a full-time photojournalist, a professional camera will be needed, which will also become a significant cost item. However, if a freelance photographer is hired, this specialist will work with his own camera.

With the further development of the enterprise, famous public and political figures may be invited to the newspaper office, so the atmosphere of the editorial office must be at the proper level. In this regard, over time it is worth equipping a press center and reception area for meeting important guests, sponsors and partners.

Advertising campaign

First of all, you should organize promotions and send magazines free of charge to places where your potential readers will see them. To make your magazine famous, you should attend thematic forums, as well as exhibitions and other events. Distribution of magazines is possible through retail chains, Rospechat kiosks, or through address subscription.

Think about your marketing strategy in advance. Here's where you can post information about the journal:

• on local radio stations and television channels;
• on social networks and on special websites using advertisements and banners;
• in other printed publications;
• on buses, trolleybuses, trams and subways;
• in affiliate advertising networks;
• on billboards and banners.

To increase the popularity of the new magazine, it makes sense to establish information partnerships during various cultural events. Develop a calendar of events in your city and send appropriate proposals to the organizers.

It is equally important to promote the magazine using social networks: you need to create accounts and maintain them regularly, attracting readers, as well as set up targeted advertising, collaborate with the most famous bloggers and copywriters in your field.

The success of a printed publication is ensured by useful and unique information. If you cannot afford to maintain a large staff of journalists, you need to hire freelancers who pay for a set volume of articles and order the writing of articles with a certain frequency.

Publishing printed materials is not a field of activity that, after launch, does not require constant monitoring and participation, especially at the first stage. The task at the start of a business is to survive and conclude contracts with the first advertisers. This requires an investment of money, time and effort. If you successfully cope with this, then you can then transfer control of the magazine to the editor-in-chief.

How to make your own magazine and ensure its profit

To make your magazine profitable and get maximum business income, you need to choose a niche wisely. Even with high competition, you can find your own “highlights” - fundamental differences from the rest. You need to experiment, create new thematic sections, use the services of highly qualified copywriters.

Understanding the interests and needs of the main readership will allow you to obtain information content that is of interest to them. In addition to the paper version of the publication, it is worth creating an official website on the Internet.

The Challenges of the Publishing Business

Creating a highly profitable printed publication is not an easy task. First of all, you will have to learn all the intricacies of the publishing business: from finding investors to selling magazines on newsstands.

You need to be prepared for the fact that you will not be able to make high profits in the first months of work.

If you have editorial experience and are familiar with this area and have a desire to bring new ideas to life, draw up a business plan and get to work.

Publishing your own printed materials can be an exciting creative process, which, if organized rationally, will provide owners with a high level of income.