How to Make Money With a Local Newspaper

Home-based businesses offer a wonderful opportunity to start out on your own or supplement your full time job. Finding the opportunity that is right for you can take some research and time. There are lots of choices available, with lots of pros and cons. For people with access to a computer and some basic sales skills, starting a local newspaper offers a good income for just a few hours of work per week.

Instructions

1. Determine the layout of your paper by deciding on the number of pages, the size of the publication, print type and color scheme. These are some basics to get you started. Your local printer can help with design layout and cost estimation for your newspaper. They can offer invaluable help with your project.

2. Determine the content or newspaper focus. Is this a general neighborhood newspaper that will feature items such as yard sales, lost pet notices and school schedules or will you expand your focus to include your hometown? Answering this question can help you determine the types of articles and ads that you will feature in your newspaper. Unless you live in a very large neighborhood, you will probably want to start a paper that covers your entire town. Articles for your paper can be written by you, solicited from local citizens, provided by city employees or reprinted from larger publications. Often you can fill an entire paper with announcements, schedules, and notices provided by city departments. Try to mix in other local entertainment or sports articles to diversify your content. The more varied your content, the more interest your readers will take in your publication.

3. Selling ads will cover the cost of printing and distributing your newspaper, as well as provide you income. Contact local businesses like restaurants, gift shops, florists, auto repair shops, fitness centers and video rental stores to discuss possible ads in your paper. Be sure to stress that this will be a local paper which will be distributed to people within a few miles of their business. The cost of your ads will be determined by the printing and distribution costs for the paper. You should have several different size and price options available for purchase.

4. Once you have your content and ads, it's time to assemble your newspaper. If you have access to a professional layout software program like Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, they offer easy layout templates for your paper. If not, Microsoft Word or Publisher offer great, easy templates that will work for your paper. Use the software that you've chosen to layout your newspaper for publication. Keep older editions of other newspapers to layout and design ideas. When you have a basic layout, print a copy and proofread it for errors. You should also have several other people proofread it in case you missed anything. When you are happy with the look of your paper, you can take it to the printer for publication. Be sure to keep a backup of your paper in the event of a technical issue with the printer.

5. Distribute your newspaper via mail, inserted into another local publication, personal delivery or via other business deliveries (i.e., included with pizza deliveries, grocery deliveries or other local business).Once they are on their way, you are officially a small business owner.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your newspaper small at first to keep costs low. You can always grow.

• Consult your printer for common paper sizes to avoid charges for special paper.

• Make your newspaper colorful and informative to keep your reader's attention.

• Don't put your newspapers in other people's mailboxes. This is a felony.

• Don't order more copies than you can easily distribute or you will end up with a garage full of old papers.

• Avoid producing a paper that is a copy of another local publication. Do your homework up front.