August 29, 2007
Weekend Sherpa offers e-mail model for online start-ups
By Robert Niles
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OJR: Unlike many other online publications, Weekend Sherpa seems to put its focus on e-mail over the Web. Tell me what you see as the economic and editorial advantages of publishing primarily via e-mail, versus just running a website?
Day: Editorially, I like the idea of connecting with an audience on a consistent basis with a weekly e-mail. My background is in magazines, so I think of it as getting your favorite magazine every Thursday. I also find it important in the online world to be very focused and have a clear agenda. You know what you're getting with Weekend Sherpa - every Thursday an e-mail will arrive with a few great tips on how to maximize your weekend in the outdoors. And while e-mail is our launch vehicle, we plan to continue expanding our website so that it becomes the one-stop site for outdoor weekend trip ideas in Northern California.
As far as the medium of an online e-mail and complementary website resource, I love the fluidity of the newsletter format and how its short and succinct template let's our readers get inspired, get the information they need, and then move on with their day. Weekend Sherpa's e-mail newsletter started with a subscriber base of family and friends. Over time, it's grown by word of mouth. We're not updating our information multiple times a day like the big websites; we update it weekly. So e-mail makes the most sense for engaging an audience.
OJR: What publications, online and off, do you see as Weekend Sherpa's competitors? What are you bringing readers and advertisers that those publications do not?
Day: Because we're locally based, I might consider any local media as potential competitors; this could include newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. Right now there isn't really any other local site that's doing what we're doing, so there isn't a direct competitor - at least not yet.
People are busy. They want good information in a nice package, which is what we try to do each week. We point them in the right direction. In general terms, we've found that our audience is young professionals who have a nice salary, but not a lot of time. To these readers, we bring a lifestyle e-mail that's primary focus is to suggest three economical and fun things to do outdoors in the Bay Area (and beyond) on the weekend. The "three-ideas" approach allows a nice range of options without being overwhelming to readers.
To advertisers, we bring a loyal and dedicated demographic of young, educated and influential people with disposable income who work hard and like to get out and explore or relax in the outdoors. Our advertising program is set up so that advertisers can share their story and talk about their brand, products and services. We are just wrapping up a successful 12-week campaign with Patagonia. It worked really well because it was a unique way to reach an engaged audience.
OJR: What about potential competitors? Do you anticipate established media companies in the Bay Area starting niche publications that would compete with Weekend Sherpa? If you don't see them as a threat, why not?
Day: There could always be a potential competitor out there, which is why you can't get lazy and rest on your laurels.
OJR: Where is Weekend Sherpa's start-up funding coming from? Are you profitable yet, and if not, when do you expect profitability?
Day: Weekend Sherpa is a self-financed business. We turned profitable after 9 months. I run a pretty lean business - but I am fortunate to work with some very talented people.
OJR: What is your background? Why did you decide to start Weekend Sherpa?
Day: My background is in advertising. I worked in the media department at an ad agency on big accounts with big budgets. Then I jumped to the sales side and sold advertising at a local San Francisco magazine. I started Weekend Sherpa because there wasn't anything in the market that was speaking to me about Northern California's great outdoors (Where do you go for good weekend ideas?). I love to explore, find new things, and have authentic experiences. The goal is to package all of that in an accessible format that anybody can do.
OJR: What's been the toughest challenge to date in building revenue for the site? How are you meeting that challenge?
Day: Ad sales is a tough gig. It takes persistence and patience. And e-mail isn't always considered the sexiest ad buy (compared to a large glossy magazine). So we sell based on the quality of our audience and the quality of our product. Our readers are fiercely loyal - 92% are reading 3 out of 4 issues. Another big challenge is balancing my time between editorial and business. I spend a lot of time doing research, taking pictures, managing the freelancers and interns, and editing. That's a lot of hats. And a lot of nights spent drinking Dr. Peppers at 11pm.
OJR: Do you anticipate expanding Weekend Sherpa to other markets, beyond the Bay Area? Or are you thinking about expanding this publishing model to other niches? Or both?
Day: The goal from the beginning has been to expand Weekend Sherpa to other appropriate markets. It's a business model that can be replicated in other niches too - and it's certainly on my mind and has come up in business discussions. But I think the first goal is to really get Weekend Sherpa fine-tuned and running well in San Francisco, where we've had great support from our readers and also from a lot of the local media.
OJR: What excites you about the editorial possibilities of online publishing? What more would you like to do, editorially, with Weekend Sherpa in the future?
Day: Online publishing is fascinating and offers multiple possibilities. Relatively, it's still very new. Social networking and user-based content is incredibly popular right now, and that's not going away. But I believe content is king - I strongly believe in the time-tested process of professionals putting together an editorial package. As a brand, Weekend Sherpa has many possible avenues. We could publish a book, have a TV show, or even host niche events. It is very exciting. And while I do look at the future, my main goal right now is to make Weekend Sherpa San Francisco a home run.
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