In a couple of months - provided my drunkard twin sister doesn’t swill all the capital as she has done a couple of times before - I will begin selling a product aimed at the Big Noses residing on this fair isle.
I will be looking at advertising (websites, mags, and the cute short shorts) and a few promotional events (i.e. drunken piss-ups).
I reckon a banner ad on Forumosa is actually the best bang for buck (and I’m not just saying that because Maoman has a cute arse). Mags like Compass are too expensive and their audience is mostly Taiwaners.
I’m selling a special “man fragrance” scientifically designed to attract hot, short-shorts-wearing xiaojie nymphomaniacs.
Slap. “Thanks, I needed that.”
The product in question is a guidebook for foreigners living in Taiwan, with an emphasis on teachers. All the boring nuts and bolts of getting cell phones, scooter licenses, visas and buying oversized undies, plus all the relevant Chinese phrases. I was supposed to have it finished in 2004, and then in 2006 but shit happens. Updated the bugger twice to get to where I am.
If I had known how much work was involved, I would not have bothered. Enough to drive a man to drink. However, I think it will be really useful for newbies.
Nice alliteration, perhaps you should be writing rather than editing.
You would not be so cruel as to make that up would you?
Oh well, never mind, sloppy seconds it is. It is good that there will two guides for folks. I realised a third into the project that there was no money in it, but being a stubborn prick decided to finish it. I don’t mind sharing half of nothing. And credit to the other fellow(s) - I know how much work is involved in such a project.
Make up some print promos and use bulletin boards at the foreigner hangouts. Compass is way too expensive, however if they write a review for you it is free. I’m assuming you’re in TP, should be another English magazine there with cheaper advertising rates. How about aligning yourself with a charity or business for a cross promotion? You could also do a giveaway with the radio or newspaper.
The hairless cat wrote: [quote]Make up some print promos and use bulletin boards at the foreigner hangouts. Compass is way too expensive, however if they write a review for you it is free. I’m assuming you’re in TP, should be another English magazine there with cheaper advertising rates. How about aligning yourself with a charity or business for a cross promotion? You could also do a giveaway with the radio or newspaper.[/quote]
Thanks for your suggestions.
Actually, I’m not in Taipei (an easy assumption given my cosmopolitan chat and general sophistication), but stuck out in the middle of no-where in Chiayi County (yet, thankfully not as remote as Sat TV who lives up in the mountains with a cannibal tribe).
i did edit such a beast, but it was
A) woeful,
B) compiled by the pragmatic method of internet cut and paste, and
C) fortunately not for general release.
i am sure there is a grand market for such a thing, but beware that once you start publishing, it will be a constant drag to update it so it stays relevant. good luck!
I’d say that you’d need a website to go hand in hand with it.
That way you’d be able to post updates and corrections, not to mention the latest and greatest stuff going on in this little island.
And I think Sandman is right, you ought to try to get it published in other parts of the world, seeing as people tend to buy all that kind of crap before they move, not once they’ve made the move.
Get in touch with the various agencies that bring newbie teachers here and see if you can arrange some kind of deal with them to get it to new arrivals.
Ah Jiayi, close enough to Taichung. The Taichung Voice has very reasonable rates, around $2000NT for a quarter page ad. Now once you have generated some interest for the book and people want to buy it, where can they pick it up? What’s the price tag on this book?
You could always put an ad in the China Post or another “newspaper”. Most people I know go for the entertainment, editorial and sports sections. And I think there’s a way to get search engines to put links near the top when people do searches, but I imagine that’s bloody expensive…
Maybe Mike Turton could post a link on his site, too; I know I found it invaluable before I came here, back in the day!
The Lost Swede wrote: [quote]I’d say that you’d need a website to go hand in hand with it.
That way you’d be able to post updates and corrections, not to mention the latest and greatest stuff going on in this little island.[/quote]
Absolutely.
The potential market is a bit small for that.
cfimages wrote: [quote]Get in touch with the various agencies that bring newbie teachers here and see if you can arrange some kind of deal with them to get it to new arrivals.[/quote]
Yes, I will contact the better ones, and I will also contact schools directly.
whitetiger wrote: [quote]Ah Jiayi, close enough to Taichung. The Taichung Voice has very reasonable rates, around $2000NT for a quarter page ad. Now once you have generated some interest for the book and people want to buy it, where can they pick it up? What’s the price tag on this book?[/quote]
Thanks for the suggestion. I just had a look at the Taichung Voice website, and I’m glad I’m not advertising in the the current edition. Edit: oops, forgot to answer the “where” and “how much” questions. As yet, I don’t know, but I have several Nobel Prize-winning scientists working on it.
Nemesis wrote: [quote]You could always put an ad in the China Post or another “newspaper”. Most people I know go for the entertainment, editorial and sports sections. And I think there’s a way to get search engines to put links near the top when people do searches, but I imagine that’s bloody expensive…
Maybe Mike Turton could post a link on his site, too; I know I found it invaluable before I came here, back in the day![/quote]
The paper is probably too pricey. As for Turton’s website, yes, I will be asking him.
To change their visitor visa to a resident visa, foreigners have to go to Taipei to the Visa office, or at least send a rep. How about contacting the offices there and finding out if you could have it sold there or on display with contact info. If they could get a piece of the cake or a mention about how farsighted they are, they might just consider it. Maybe talk to the mayor of your city and say that his vision has inspired you or whatever. The worst is that they say no, but heck you gave it a fair shot!
When you do the website, have highlights or the book by chapter for sale using Paypal. Many people who are serious about locating elsewhere if only for a year or two would like to know what they can expect.
or :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: