In previous posts, Printing Options and Printing Time, we discussed the printing of a magazine. I would like to briefly revisit this as it is becoming the time of year when you should be talking to your printer in preparation for your magazine.
I suggest talking to a printer at the beginning of your layout process so that you can avoid problems later on. If you take the time to layout a beautiful magazine only to find out that you can’t afford it you will be upset, to say the least. When you talk to a printer they can bring their experience to the table to help you problem solve. In our magazine, last year, we found that by making our page size 7 1/4 inches2 instead of the 8 inches2 we were originally going with, the printer saved us money because he could print 24 pages per signature (12 pages on each side) instead of the standard 16 pages (8 pages on each side). This allowed us to do a full 4 color magazine. If we hadn’t talked to the printer we would have had serious decisions to make before we went to press.
Now, for those of you who may not be able to go to the printers, you may still want to talk with a printer. They may be able to help you with some tips and tricks (If they help you pay them back by giving them a free listing in your patrons list, or a thank you in the acknowledgments). In the past a different printer actually bound the magazine for us, but we printed the guts. You never know what they might be able to help with.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Fundraising
Fundraising!
How many of you just cringed? How many of you wonder why I just asked that? In my experience as an adviser I have met a variety of staff situations. One magazine can walk out their school’s front door and see five different companies that will donate quite a bit of money. Another has to raise almost every penny on their own. When I joined our magazine 4 years ago, the district gave us $1000 for the year. We raised $400 to $600 in addition to that so we averaged a budget of $1500.
What’s amazing to me is that the magazine has had success in the past despite the financial handicap. The year I came onto the staff we approached the school district for funds. The district had a grant that had $3000 dollars that could be used for our magazine. Instantly the print quality of the magazine matched the talent that was producing the magazines in the past. While we still had to consider money in the final decisions, the boundaries were closer to limitless.
Unfortunately the old axiom “Money makes the world go ‘round” is just as true for magazines. While it is possible to produce a good magazine on an inkjet, the archival quality leaves a lot to be desired. Finding the money to produce a publication requires a lot of work and dedication. We have a position on our publication staff that is dedicated to fundraising. That student’s job is to call, write, or e-mail local businesses to solicit funds. Unfortunately the fewer students you have working on fundraising, the less they can canvas businesses.
To be more efficient with raising money, start with anyone who has donated in the past. Chances are they will give again. Once you have exhausted that list, identify businesses in the area that have donated to other school functions. Ask you yearbook staff or adviser for a list of their patrons, but be sure that you don’t steal away patrons from them. Also try and Identify businesses that deal with publication, printing, books, etc. They may be more inclined to contribute to a school publication.
How many of you just cringed? How many of you wonder why I just asked that? In my experience as an adviser I have met a variety of staff situations. One magazine can walk out their school’s front door and see five different companies that will donate quite a bit of money. Another has to raise almost every penny on their own. When I joined our magazine 4 years ago, the district gave us $1000 for the year. We raised $400 to $600 in addition to that so we averaged a budget of $1500.
What’s amazing to me is that the magazine has had success in the past despite the financial handicap. The year I came onto the staff we approached the school district for funds. The district had a grant that had $3000 dollars that could be used for our magazine. Instantly the print quality of the magazine matched the talent that was producing the magazines in the past. While we still had to consider money in the final decisions, the boundaries were closer to limitless.
Unfortunately the old axiom “Money makes the world go ‘round” is just as true for magazines. While it is possible to produce a good magazine on an inkjet, the archival quality leaves a lot to be desired. Finding the money to produce a publication requires a lot of work and dedication. We have a position on our publication staff that is dedicated to fundraising. That student’s job is to call, write, or e-mail local businesses to solicit funds. Unfortunately the fewer students you have working on fundraising, the less they can canvas businesses.
To be more efficient with raising money, start with anyone who has donated in the past. Chances are they will give again. Once you have exhausted that list, identify businesses in the area that have donated to other school functions. Ask you yearbook staff or adviser for a list of their patrons, but be sure that you don’t steal away patrons from them. Also try and Identify businesses that deal with publication, printing, books, etc. They may be more inclined to contribute to a school publication.
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