I just passed in my final business plan. Excellent. It is quite satisfying to see this pretty and professional final result that I spent lots of time trying to perfect all neatly printed and tucked into a folder. Looking back on the semester, it's awesome seeing how my simple idea that started in September blossom and evolve into a formal business plan and website today (Guan Xi News if anyone wants to check it out:).
Sandy, thank you for making my time in the journalism program fun and fascinating. From newswriting to editing, your classes were always a highlight in my schedule because you fostered a professional yet comfortable environment that I always enjoyed being in. Best of luck and you better come back as a guest speaker next semester!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Reflections of Making a Business Plan
Paragraphs of casual self-praise, color-coordinating, and minute alignment later, I have successfully made a professional looking business plan. This exercise was a first for me and I'm happy to say that I think it turned out quite well. I was surprised at the difficulty of writing about my business idea in a manner that would make it appeal to investors and incite excitement for a new venture. It was kind of like finding that fine line between excitedly telling a friend about something awesome while still remaining coherent enough for them to understand. The visual part was definitely the hardest for me. I wanted it to look nice, but also professional. Since my area of expertise is not graphics, I tried to keep it simple and classy by adding color and textual difference. Overall creating my business plan was a positive exercise that pointed out my strengths and weaknesses of presentation.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
I will never be a graphic designer
Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned from creating my business plan is the importance of the aesthetic appeal. Up to this point I felt very confident with my written and verbal presentation of my EJ project. I know that I can grab the attention of an audience through words because that's what I've dedicated my time and efforts to thus far.
I always knew that visual presentation was equally important, but I've never really had to sell one of my ideas with visuals. This business plan highlighted my flaws. I spent 30 minutes trying to line up borders and center graphics. As frustrating as it was to spend so much time on what seems like minute details, it's good to know the areas I need to improve.
I always knew that visual presentation was equally important, but I've never really had to sell one of my ideas with visuals. This business plan highlighted my flaws. I spent 30 minutes trying to line up borders and center graphics. As frustrating as it was to spend so much time on what seems like minute details, it's good to know the areas I need to improve.
Thoughts about Gagen's Opinion Piece
Watching the events of the Boston Marathon Bombings unfold during a journalism class last semester was a truly remarkable experience. We were able to process and discuss in an academic setting the aftermath and reporting taking place live on-the-scene. I definitely think it is appropriate for Thomas Gagen to post an opinion piece like this less than a year after the bombings. There is no doubt that a horrendous event occurred that left many families broken, but certain actions should be questioned further. I think Gagen did a good job of delicately stating discrepancies of the April 19 response while also maintaining a somber and professional attitude.
I agree that one of the biggest questions about the response is why so many police officers were needed to find one already injured man. "Surely the Watertown police needed help, but did the presence of so many officers encourage more gunfire than was necessary?" Shutting down Watertown and searching the houses within the perimeter not only infringed on the people's Fourth Amendment rights, but it also raised the state of public panic. Of course there was a cause to be afraid of, The Tsarnaev brothers set off bombs, but instating a lock down over an entire town was quite an anomaly.
Looking at the comments section below the article, some said that the people gladly went along with the lock down and search, indicating that the police did the right thing. Sure there were no reports of protesting the mandatory house stay, but I mean, wouldn't you stay inside if swarms of officers and guns were in your neighborhood? I know I would. To end his questions, Gagen presents a clear and succinct plan of action he thinks should be done. One that includes "an authoritative study, commissioned by the Patrick administration, but independent of state government." I agree that a period of analysis and reflection should be done so the events of the marathon bombings can be explained and applied to future instances.
I agree that one of the biggest questions about the response is why so many police officers were needed to find one already injured man. "Surely the Watertown police needed help, but did the presence of so many officers encourage more gunfire than was necessary?" Shutting down Watertown and searching the houses within the perimeter not only infringed on the people's Fourth Amendment rights, but it also raised the state of public panic. Of course there was a cause to be afraid of, The Tsarnaev brothers set off bombs, but instating a lock down over an entire town was quite an anomaly.
Looking at the comments section below the article, some said that the people gladly went along with the lock down and search, indicating that the police did the right thing. Sure there were no reports of protesting the mandatory house stay, but I mean, wouldn't you stay inside if swarms of officers and guns were in your neighborhood? I know I would. To end his questions, Gagen presents a clear and succinct plan of action he thinks should be done. One that includes "an authoritative study, commissioned by the Patrick administration, but independent of state government." I agree that a period of analysis and reflection should be done so the events of the marathon bombings can be explained and applied to future instances.
Friday, November 22, 2013
News in disguise
I was researching the Northern Pass Project for one of my other classes and a Concord Monitor article popped up pretty high in the Google search. The headline reads " Northern Pass Project: Two Views." And I think, great! I found an article that lays out both sides of the argument so I can form my own opinion.
Wrong.
Listed in the byline only as "Gary Long, For the Monitor," I found out at the end of the piece (which only shows one view of the argument, by the way) that Gary is President and COO of PSNH, one of companies that created the Northern Pass Project. Sure, under the headline it says " power plan is good for taxpayers and good for the environment," but isn't it the Monitor's job to interview this man, not let him write his own piece?
Wrong.
Listed in the byline only as "Gary Long, For the Monitor," I found out at the end of the piece (which only shows one view of the argument, by the way) that Gary is President and COO of PSNH, one of companies that created the Northern Pass Project. Sure, under the headline it says " power plan is good for taxpayers and good for the environment," but isn't it the Monitor's job to interview this man, not let him write his own piece?
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Competition for Guan Xi News
Just as it's important to understand the target market, it's important to find out who you'll be fighting with to gain audience attention. Luckily, Guan Xi News is a specialized, niche market website that has little direct competition. However, there are other, if not quite as local, competing sources.
Hippo Free Press
The Hippo is a weekly paper circulated throughout New Hampshire. While is mostly covers southern New Hampshire, it's the state's largest circulation weekly and its second largest circulation paper all together. The Hippo covers general events, restaurants, activities, classes and more and has built a strong and loyal base. The Hippo Free Press is perhaps the biggest competitor to Guan Xi News because overlap could happen in the events and restaurants categories. However, Guan Xi News is specialized and online only and can still stand apart.
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is a publication based out-of-state that has larger facilities and funding and can therefore cover more international topics. Our audiences may be similar because Guan Xi News will also feature issues and topics currently happening in Asia. While The Globe may have Guan Xi News beat when it comes to large scale coverage, Guan Xi News is at its core a local service that will connect more directly with New Hampshire residents.
BBC News online
BBC News presents a similar style of competition as the Boston Globe because BBC Asia is a bureau that is on the ground and covering a wide range of news stories within Asia. The BBC can potentially serve as a supplement to the audience of Guan Xi News, not just a source of competition. I'd like to incorporate BBC articles in a discussion forum on Guan Xi News so my audience can get a scope of what's happening overseas and how it could relate back to New Hampshire.
Hippo Free Press
The Hippo is a weekly paper circulated throughout New Hampshire. While is mostly covers southern New Hampshire, it's the state's largest circulation weekly and its second largest circulation paper all together. The Hippo covers general events, restaurants, activities, classes and more and has built a strong and loyal base. The Hippo Free Press is perhaps the biggest competitor to Guan Xi News because overlap could happen in the events and restaurants categories. However, Guan Xi News is specialized and online only and can still stand apart.
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is a publication based out-of-state that has larger facilities and funding and can therefore cover more international topics. Our audiences may be similar because Guan Xi News will also feature issues and topics currently happening in Asia. While The Globe may have Guan Xi News beat when it comes to large scale coverage, Guan Xi News is at its core a local service that will connect more directly with New Hampshire residents.
BBC News online
BBC News presents a similar style of competition as the Boston Globe because BBC Asia is a bureau that is on the ground and covering a wide range of news stories within Asia. The BBC can potentially serve as a supplement to the audience of Guan Xi News, not just a source of competition. I'd like to incorporate BBC articles in a discussion forum on Guan Xi News so my audience can get a scope of what's happening overseas and how it could relate back to New Hampshire.
Market Research for Guan Xi News
Before delving into the particulars, it's important to know why this exercise matters. Based on the outside sources I looked at, market research is important because in order to start a successful business, you have to know what you are dealing with. Gathering as much information as early as possible helps you prepare for questions advertisers and investors will most likely throw at you.
Here is a list of 10 elements of market research that pertain to Guan Xi News:
The target market for Guan Xi News is all of New Hampshire, the total population of which is 1.3 million (as of 2012), according to the US Census Bureau. Of that population, 2.4% identify as Asian. While Guan Xi News is an outlet that will appeal to any NH resident regardless of background, the Asian population is a key group because of specific focus and interest in the content.
The target market encompasses the entire state, but will most likely be heaviest in the larger cities. This is because of greater numbers of opportunities (events, classes, businesses that reflect Asian cultures) and greater population diversity. These cities are Manchester (109,565 total residents), Nashua (86,494), Concord (42,695), Salem (28,77).
The demographics of the target market are more ambiguous. Guan Xi News offers a service in the specific area of Asian studies and cultures and therefore will reach a number of age groups. For example, a forty-year-old world news connoisseur, a family of four that has traveled to Thailand, teachers and students of Asian studies, a couple that immigrated to New Hampshire from Guangdong, China, or a young professional looking for a festival to engage in over the weekend.
Similar to demographic openness, income level does not matter greatly in terms of identifying the target market. There will be no paid subscription to access content because Guan Xi News is a service and source for all. Money for the target market would come into play based on personal interest to attend a festival or visit a shop.
For the foreseeable future, the biggest cost to run Guan Xi News is transportation. The main goal of Guan Xi News is to highlight Asian cultures in New Hampshire. This means traveling to different locations across the state to report. Currently I am the only staff member and will cover my own cost. In the future, interns and staff will hopefully join as a volunteer service. Adding paid staff is an option to be explored once the site is established.
Also needed is a website to display Guan Xi News content. A Wordpress blog offers a neat, clean, organized, and professional outlet that can be personalized and easily updated. This provider is ideal for a start-up because the basic level blog is free. The basic plan include a blog, theme options, and basic customization. In the future, upgrades may become feasible based on site profits. The premium level plan is $99/year and adds a custom domain name, advanced customization options, and 13GB of storage for video, audio and other content. The highest plan is the business level which is $299/year. This option adds 50+ customization options, unlimited storage, complete ad control, and live chat support.
Saigon Asian Market, Manchester NH
Vacation Bound Travel Agency, Nashua NH
Academy of Heath and Martial Arts- Taoist Arts Center, Nashua NH
Exploring grant funding from organizations with similar passions to Guan Xi News is a way to involve the community, receive funding, and spread the word. The positives are the immediately tangible benefits of start-up money for travel and the negatives are restrictions and regulations pertaining to advertising and even content. The Association for Asian Studies awards grants to individuals who have profound interest and expression in areas relating to Asian. The grants applicable to Guan Xi News are the China and Inner Asia (CIAC) small grants (of about $2,000) and the Council of Conferences (COC) outreach grants (varied amounts). Finally, the budget for promoting Guan Xi News at the time of start-up with involve personal funding from me.
Here is a list of 10 elements of market research that pertain to Guan Xi News:
- How large is the target market?
- Describe the populations, demographics and income levels of the target market.
- What tools are needed to provide the service?
- How will Guan Xi News be promoted to the target market?
- On what budget will Guan Xi News be promoted?
- What are the specific services of Guan Xi News?
- What are the target market's needs?
- How fast is the market growing?
- What is the geographic area for the target market?
- What are the opportunities and threats facing Guan Xi News?
- How will the opportunities and threats be dealt with?
The target market for Guan Xi News is all of New Hampshire, the total population of which is 1.3 million (as of 2012), according to the US Census Bureau. Of that population, 2.4% identify as Asian. While Guan Xi News is an outlet that will appeal to any NH resident regardless of background, the Asian population is a key group because of specific focus and interest in the content.
The target market encompasses the entire state, but will most likely be heaviest in the larger cities. This is because of greater numbers of opportunities (events, classes, businesses that reflect Asian cultures) and greater population diversity. These cities are Manchester (109,565 total residents), Nashua (86,494), Concord (42,695), Salem (28,77).
The demographics of the target market are more ambiguous. Guan Xi News offers a service in the specific area of Asian studies and cultures and therefore will reach a number of age groups. For example, a forty-year-old world news connoisseur, a family of four that has traveled to Thailand, teachers and students of Asian studies, a couple that immigrated to New Hampshire from Guangdong, China, or a young professional looking for a festival to engage in over the weekend.
Similar to demographic openness, income level does not matter greatly in terms of identifying the target market. There will be no paid subscription to access content because Guan Xi News is a service and source for all. Money for the target market would come into play based on personal interest to attend a festival or visit a shop.
For the foreseeable future, the biggest cost to run Guan Xi News is transportation. The main goal of Guan Xi News is to highlight Asian cultures in New Hampshire. This means traveling to different locations across the state to report. Currently I am the only staff member and will cover my own cost. In the future, interns and staff will hopefully join as a volunteer service. Adding paid staff is an option to be explored once the site is established.
Also needed is a website to display Guan Xi News content. A Wordpress blog offers a neat, clean, organized, and professional outlet that can be personalized and easily updated. This provider is ideal for a start-up because the basic level blog is free. The basic plan include a blog, theme options, and basic customization. In the future, upgrades may become feasible based on site profits. The premium level plan is $99/year and adds a custom domain name, advanced customization options, and 13GB of storage for video, audio and other content. The highest plan is the business level which is $299/year. This option adds 50+ customization options, unlimited storage, complete ad control, and live chat support.
Saigon Asian Market, Manchester NH
Vacation Bound Travel Agency, Nashua NH
Academy of Heath and Martial Arts- Taoist Arts Center, Nashua NH
Exploring grant funding from organizations with similar passions to Guan Xi News is a way to involve the community, receive funding, and spread the word. The positives are the immediately tangible benefits of start-up money for travel and the negatives are restrictions and regulations pertaining to advertising and even content. The Association for Asian Studies awards grants to individuals who have profound interest and expression in areas relating to Asian. The grants applicable to Guan Xi News are the China and Inner Asia (CIAC) small grants (of about $2,000) and the Council of Conferences (COC) outreach grants (varied amounts). Finally, the budget for promoting Guan Xi News at the time of start-up with involve personal funding from me.
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