While many publishers don't have any staff for a new magazine, getting a bit of help can be a smart idea, especially if the help is free or very inexpensive.
Ideally, a new publisher should avoid staffing costs until he or she is sure that the payroll can be covered by what remains of advertising revenues after the other bills are paid. However, few magazines are published in ideal world and hiring help for a start up publication is often an unavoidable necessity.
Hiring Magazine Writers
Paying for good writing is a standard expense for those who are working in the publishing world. A good magazine has articles and features that will make readers come back for more. If the publisher can't afford to pay writers, he or she should be prepared to do a lot of article writing or should ask the local college if any students working on their journalism degrees are interested in unpaid or low paying staff writer internships.
Before hiring any writer, a publisher should:
- Ask for a writing sample or writing credits. Writers who are unpublished are by no means bad writers. However, it is nice to know that the person you are hiring makes sense and has decent grammar skills.
- Create a contract and make sure it is signed by both parties. Having a lawyer create a contract for each of the different types of writers (freelance writer creating one article, column writer, or staff writer) beforehand is a good idea. Since a contract protects both the writer and the publisher, it is rare to have a writer object to signing a fair contract.
Hiring Magazine Advertising Sales Staff
Advertising staff can be a great idea for a magazine start up if the publisher can find experienced staff willing to work on a commission only basis. However, the publisher should think twice about signing a contract that gives commissioned sales reps an exclusive right to commission on all ad sales without a probationary period. If the staff fails to produce results, the publisher may find himself selling all the ads and paying commission to someone who is doing nothing to earn it.
No potential publisher for a small regional publication should ever proceed with a magazine that depends on advertisers to pay the bills if he or she is unwilling or unable to promote the publication to potential advertisers, preferably in person. Sales staff can take on quite a bit of this task as the magazine becomes established, but they are just not as passionate about the magazine as its proud owner.
Photography Staff Costs
Photographer costs can be minimal if the publisher has access to a digital camera or can find a student intern at a local college who wants to get some published credits before graduation. Another option is to hire a staff writer who also has some skill with a camera, so both jobs are filled with one salary.
For any magazine photos that aren't of a specific person or event, the publisher can rely heavily on stock photos. Stock photo companies such as istockphoto.com are very budget friendly for publishers on a tight budget.
Magazine Distribution Costs
It is a good idea to prepare for distribution before the magazine has been sent to the printers. Hiring someone to do local distribution can cost several hundred dollars per issue, depending upon the size of the print run and the price of gasoline in the area. Distribution for paid magazines is even more challenging, since many stores will not stock independent magazines easily. Paying a professional distribution company to take over this part of the process makes sense, but it adds to start up costs.
For more help with the costs associated with starting a new magazine, check out Start Up Magazine Publishing Costs.
