Replies

1. 
   MisterT | Jun 25, 2003 07:08pm | #1

   My boss could sure benefit from it!

   I'm not sure whether he would part with 100$ though.

   I'll mention it to him.

   You can lead a horse to water....

   Mr T

   Do not try this at home!

   I am an Experienced Professional!

2. 
   OracleDesign | Jun 25, 2003 07:30pm | #2

   Hello Joe,

    

   I am an avid fan of just about everything that FHB produces and a long time subscriber of many Taunton publications. However, paying $100 to $120 per year for twelve newsletters is somewhat over the top for me. There are a significant number of publications readily available to the building trades that focus on just the issues that you are proposing. And, they are free trade magazines with the possible exception of one or two. I have subscribed to about six of these trade publications for many years and found them to be insightful and innovative. They address nearly every possible topic for builders and building trades. From tax and retirement planning to training and pricing structure and I can’t think too many topics involving us builders that hasn’t been addressed at one point or another. I certainly have no intentions of raining on your parade, but I can’t see paying for something that I perceive is already out there and readily available for free. I subscribe to FHB & FWW because they offer a quality publication that isn’t available anywhere else. May I suggest sticking to that format. Thanks.

1. 
   jimblodgett | Jun 25, 2003 08:24pm | #3

   Welcome aboard, Joe. 

   Is it safe to think that at that price there will be zero advertisements?  That articles will be targeted to a professional builder, that you won't try to increase circulation by trying to reach a broader audience?  That there will be no painfully transparent advertisements thinly disguised as articles...written by stone sales companies about new choices in manufactured stone for example?

   For the kind of dough you're talking about, I sure wouldn't want it to be like all those freebees that fill my mail box every month.  Although, I have to say, those rags do keep the recyclers busy.

1. 
   busieditor | Jun 26, 2003 05:09pm | #9

   Hi Jim,

   Yes, it's very safe to assume there will be no ads or "advertorials." It's one reason I'm here -- I'm very tired of working for ad-driven publications.

   Joe Provey

2. 
   busieditor | Jun 26, 2003 05:00pm | #7

   Thanks for your comments. Our mission is to deliver more value than our competitors in a format that will make it a lot easier to read every month than paging through a stack of freebie trade magazines. In regard to pricing, it's a concern for me too. We will not be taking any advertising, so both the newsletter and Web site costs will have to be supported by subscriptions.

   In the near future, I'll post more about the benefits we plan to make available to subscribers in addition to the newsletter.

   Joe Provey, Editor FH Builder Advisor

3. 
   brianspages | Jun 27, 2003 05:41am | #18

   How about a contribution of your sources here...

   Any online suggestions?

   Thanks,

   brian

1. 
   AaronRosenthal | Jun 27, 2003 06:35am | #19

   I don't subscribe. It's actually cheaper to get the magazine at my local discount grocery chain than I got when I subscribed to Woodworking. Of course the exchange rate was different.

   I would really have to be convinced to subscribe for 100 US ($cdn 140.00) for information which may or may not be relevant to local conditions. I could certainly use my local library much less expensively.Quality repairs for your home.

   Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada

3. 
   jonblakemore | Jun 25, 2003 10:31pm | #4

   Joe,

   I agree with the comments about the $$.  It seems that you are paying somewhere around $8 per letter.  The site access is nice, but how would you delineate from the Business folder here at Breaktime?  I thinks there's alot of information in here for free.  What's going to motivate me to spend the dough?

    

   Jon Blakemore

1. 
   busieditor | Jun 26, 2003 05:15pm | #10

   Hi Jon,

   My hope is that the newsletter will help you save or make 10x it's cost every year. If it can't do that, then I know it will fold. In addition to saving time and money, however, the newsletter will be a source of information that will help small builders get more satisfaction -- and less stress -- from their work.

   Joe

1. 
   bobl | Jun 26, 2003 05:24pm | #11

   will FWW have similar newsletter?  does it make sense to have it cover both aspects of the business?

   have you considered a "free" issue to current subscribers (spending $100 on a pig in a poke is a lot) "free" acces for a month to the website to see if it will help?

   guess the basic question is How are you going to intice people to want the newsletter/web site?

   edit: I'm a retired person, not in the business, have subscription to both FHB and JLC and due read the business articles in JLC, but won't buy a newsletter just on the subject.

   bobl          Volo Non Voleo

   Edited 6/26/2003 10:27:01 AM ET by bobl

1. 
   busieditor | Jun 26, 2003 05:37pm | #13

   Yes, we're trying to figure out how to reward current subscribers. I like your idea.

   Joe Provey

2. 
   CloudHidden | Jun 26, 2003 06:12pm | #14

   >have you considered a "free" issue to current subscribers (spending $100 on a pig in a poke is a lot) "free" acces for a month to the website to see if it will help?

   I agree. New publications typically have an undated, unpriced trial issue anyway (I forget the official term), so creating one as a pdf should work great and keep costs to just the editorial costs, and not the printing/distribution costs. Hey! We just saved Taunton more than the subscription price! Maybe a credit for that amt is called for. <G>

4. 
   JeffBuck | Jun 26, 2003 12:51am | #5

   You realize that's triple the cost of the mag subscrip?

   I'd never pay that much......that $100 to $120 would be much better put toward a membership in my local builders association that offers monthly round-table discussions.

   Just my opinion...but if I'm the target market you'll have to a huge job on selling me the value. That price seems way outta line. I doubt I'd spend more than $40 for a newsletter.....if that.

   Now that I'm thinking about it....if the info is there..I'd rather see it pared down to the best stuff and actually be included in the mag I'm already reading for const/biz articles.

   JLC does a pretty good job at fitting in some biz stuff each month.

   Jeff

   Buck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

    Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite                  

1. 
   ProDek | Jun 26, 2003 02:36am | #6

   I think I'll keep my money and try to learn something from the breaktime forum.

   It's all I can do to keep up with the info here and in FHB magazine.

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

   Bob

1. 
   SHazlett | Jun 26, 2003 05:06pm | #8

   I would MUCH rather see this info presented as part of the regular magazine----like JLC does.Including it in the magazine might return FHB to a bit more of a professional  orientation instead of the DIY direction it seems to be heading in. Instead FHB is suggesting this method as a way of producing another " profit center"

2. 
   busieditor | Jun 26, 2003 05:25pm | #12

   Thanks for leveling with me Jeff. I realize I have a steep uphill climb here. Most people aren't used to paying for information. There are so many sources where they can go to get it for free. But that's why so many publications are so weak from an editorial standpoint -- and why they are beholden to advertisers.

   Somehow, it's okay to blow $100 at a restaurant in one evening (or two) but not on a product that (assuming we do a good job) can change the way you do business and affect the quality of your life.

5. 
   xMikeSmith | Jun 26, 2003 06:20pm | #15

   joe... Breaktime    IS my newsletter.. it's always there.. i don't have to file it..

    i get feedback from non-pros.. and pros alike..

   personally... i'm not interested in another newsletter.. but good luck anyways

   Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

6. 
   TommyB12 | Jun 26, 2003 09:48pm | #16

   I'll spend any amount of money to make more money. 

   You'd have to convince me.  Maybe throw in a free fhb cd with subscripton to current subscribers?  That would only cost a few bucks.

   Tom

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jun 27, 2003 04:32am | #17

   Maybe throw in a free fhb cd with subscripton to current subscribers?  Or free hats!  Lord knows we've been trying to get hats from Andy forever.Do it right, or do it twice.

7. 
   Dinosaur | Jun 27, 2003 07:58am | #20

   Joe--

   I'd say you should look at the skew in the number of "Business" posts vs. the number of "Construction Techniques" or "General Discussion" posts here on BT. Yes, the business end of this business is important; but I think this market is more interested in building better than in admin and financial as an aim in themselves.

   Another aspect is the fact you're targeting small residential operations. Very good idea--guys like me that can't build more than one or max two houses a year and who do it all themselves never seem to have enough time to handle all the paperwork that goes along with it--but we're not going to be the guys that are going to kick out 3 figures for a 'professional' newsletter. Yes, I know that's about the going rate for such things; some cost much much more. But I don't subscribe to them. They can't make me earn enough more to pay back the subscription; if they could, I wouldn't be part of the target market you describe.

   I used to publish a free, controlled-circulation trade newspaper, 'way back in the seventies; advertising revenues just about covered production and distribution costs, and after a few years I gave it up as too much work--I was doing it essentially single-handed with a few free-lancers to write topical columns. But it was a valuable resource that people in that industry were sorry to see disappear, if mail I received afterwards was any indication.

   With Taunton's resources, it would surprise me if you couldn't manage a similar format--if you keep the production costs down (B/W or 2-colour; high-calendared newsprint or offset stock) you would have the luxury of turning away advertisers who try to 'push' editorial--and still make enough money to justify your salary and fancy corner office (LOL). Remember, the infrastructure is already there. What do you think?

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

1. 
   SHazlett | Jun 27, 2003 03:49pm | #21

   Dinosaur,

   you are correct in noting that the business forum here is pretty anemic compared to some of the other folders.

   However-------that wasn't always the case.The business folder here USED to be much more active and vibrant.AS FHB made efforts to make this place more DIY friendly,repeatedly changed formats & procedures,----a lot of the folks who regularly discussed topics in the business folder drifted off elsewhere.

   I am not saying wether this is good or bad.but I do see a bit of a Taunton tendency to cater to the DIY crowd----while trying to profit from the "professional" crowd.

1. 
   Dinosaur | Jun 28, 2003 12:04am | #22

   I've noticed the shift towards weekend warriors in the magazine too; I suppose it's logical to find it in BT as well.

   'Professional newsletters' of the type proposed by Joe have a long history in what you might call 'ancillary' publishing--it's only relatively recently that major publishing outfits like Taunton are starting to put them out to create another profit center. Ideally, an industry association would publish any such newsletter, and subscription would come as a benefit of membership. Secondarily, my suggestion of a controlled circulation trade rag paid for by ad revenues--but kept down-cost so as not to compete with Taunton's other slicks--would make sense and provide a place for the sort of information too long to find on an internet forum without getting a crick in your neck and smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes.

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?