The Laughable News

Saturday, 05 19th

Last update06:37:29 PM

Pre-Sales FAQs

Here are some common questions that people ask before they join our website.  If you have any questions that are not answered here, please Contact Us.  If it warrants a FAQ, we will add it here.

 

  • What does The Laughable News look like?

    The Laughable News is a B/W newsletter printed on 11X17 inch paper, printed on both sides.  It is filled with quirky news, fun facts, puzzles, cartoons, and jokes.   Click Here to download a Print-Ready PDF file.

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    Front
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    Rear

     

  • How does this work? How do I make money?

    You use our newsletter templates to create your own community newsletter.  Then you customize the template with your own contact info, print it, and distribute it to businesses throughout your community.  

    You make money by selling ads within your community newsletter.    Your ad sales will come from local businesses, charities, home-based business, etc.

  • How is my publishing area determined?

    In the USA, each publishing area is a county, or a group of counties.  

    In the rest of the world, we divide areas mostly by cities or regions.  

    When you register, simply let us know what area you would like to publish in.  A typical population for your area will be between 100,000 and 500,000.  If you live in a smaller area, you may need to combine several cities/counties/regions to reach that population.  If that is the case, just make note of your request for multiple areas when you register.

  • My area is already reserved? What should I do?

    The first step is to contact us and let us know you are interested in that area.  It may be possible to secure that area for you, as the person with the rights may be willing to give it up.

    If the area is not available, we may be able to find you an area nearby that will suit your business nicely.

  • Is software required?

    Software purchase is optional. If you want to create your own ads and layout the weekly newsletter, you will need the following two programs, or some version of them. If you are not comfortable operating the software, you can outsource the work.There are people in the community who offer design/layout services for a reasonable fee.

    • Adobe InDesign: This is the program for manipulating the newsletter template. The template is designed in InDesign format, and uploaded to the website. InDesign is the only program that will open that file.
    • Zipped File Option: If you wish to design your newsletter in a program other than Adobe InDesign, you can simply download our Zipped File Package. It contains all of the content from the weekly template, but saved as individual text and image files.
    • Adobe Photoshop: We recommend that you use this program for designing all of your ads. As this is the program we use, we will be able to provide more assistance should the need arise. But, you can use any program you like to design your ads. 

    You can find both of these programs in one package: Adobe Creative Suites (Design Standard). Acceptable versions include CS3 or newer. The newer version will have more 'Bells & Whistles', but is not necessary for what you will be doing. Save some money and buy an older edition on eBay. You can try the software for 30 days for free at Adobe's Website

  • How much does it cost to join The Laughable News?

    Membership Options: 

    FREE Membership

    • Access to Community.   Just because you aren't paying doesn't mean you aren't part of the community!  With your free membership, you'll have full access to our community pages.  Come in, make friends, and discuss anything. 
    • Partial Access to Forum.   As a Free member, you'll be able to view/post within parts of the Member Forum.  Use it to introduce yourself, ask questions before you buy, etc.  Some exclusive areas will not be shown until you are a paid member.
    • Tutorial Videos.   Watch step by step tutorials that walk you through the process of laying out your weekly newsletter in Adobe InDesign. 

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    Basic Membership - $495 per year

    All Of The Above, PLUS:

    • Access to 52 Weekly Newsletter Templates.   As a registered member, you will be able to download up to 52 professionally designed newsletter templates for your newsletter business. 
    • Access to Sample Ads and Business Files.   Download sample ads, business card templates, advertising contracts, and more.  Our download section is increasing all the time as members share their ads and other designs.
    • Reserve your Exclusive Area.   When you register, you will reserve your requested area. You alone will have the right to publish The Laughable News in your area.  

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  • What forms of payment are accepted?

    paypalAll membership fees are paid through Paypal, an online payment terminal. It is fast, easy, and secure. And best of all, it is FREE for you to use. You will not pay any transaction fees when sending us money. Paypal gives you the option of paying with existing balances, bank accounts, or major credit cards.

    We are not able to accept any other forms of payment: checks(cheques), cash, money orders, direct credit card payments, etc.

  • Do I have to pay for the entire amount? Can I just pay monthly, or quarterly?

    Yes, you are required to make a full payment before you will be registered on the website.  We only accept full payments.  We do not accept partial or installment payments.

  • What is the refund policy?

    I'm sorry, but we DO NOT offer refunds.

    If you are unsure whether you wish to become a PAID member, you may register with the FREE plan.  It will allow you to navigate the website, and community, and decide whether The Laughable News is right for you. When you are ready, you may upgrade to a Paid membership at any time.

  • Can I change the name/branding of the newsletter?

    Of course! The great thing about using our templates is that you can do whatever you want with them.  Change the name and logo, change the layout, add your own local content, etc.

    You are free to keep the name/logo and publish your newsletter under the name The Laughable News.  However,  you may not use The Laughable News  as part of a legal entity(ie. corporation name), or on your bank accounts. 

    As per our Terms and Conditions, you may make any changes to the Template without notice to us.  These changes include, but are not limited to, the name of the newsletter, the header design, the layout of ad and content columns, and/or the content of the newsletter.  However, if you continue to use the copyrighted name "The Laughable News" anywhere on the Template or elsewhere, then you MAY NOT make any changes to the layout of the Template, and it must remain original in its entirety.  

    Now, with that said, if you are wanting to make changes to the layout, we would love to see what you come up with.  If we like your design, and feel that it is not going to cause any copyright violations, we may approve it.  Then you will be able to continue to use it along with the name "The Laughable News".

    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

  • Is this a franchise?

    No, we are not a franchise system.  

    We are simply providing content to you so that you can start your own newsletter business.

    We have no say over how you run your business, what you charge for ads, etc.  We are simply here to offer content, and support should the need arise.

  • How far in advance do you design the newsletter?

    We always design 6 weeks (6 issues) in advance so that you have plenty of time to get your printed copies from the printer.

  • How much does it cost to print the newsletter?

    Our services do not include printing, and you will therefore need to find your own printer, and make your arrangements with them.

    With that said, we still do our best to find good printing options for you.  Sometimes, we are even able to secure exclusive deals for The Laughable News publishers.  If we get a quote from a printer, we will list it within the Products and Services Directory, along with their contact info and pricing.  

    The best deal we have found so far is with a company who is willing to print your newsletter for just 5 cents per page ($50.00/1000 copies), and it even includes folding/shipping!  You can find their listing here.


    If you are looking elsewhere for printing, you'll soon find that the above offer is the best deal EVER!  Other printers seem to vary wildly in the cost to print.  We've heard of estimates as low as $100 for 1000 copies, all the way up to $350 for 1000 copies.  So, if you can find a deal that matches or beats the one listed above, let us know!

  • I see ComParrot puzzles in the videos, but not available for download. Are they available?

    No, we do not offer ComParrot puzzles anymore.  Perhaps we will at some time in the future.

  • Do I have to use the ad sizes shown in the PDF sample? Or can I do it my own way?

    The Laughable News - sample newsletter

    The ads in our Sample PDF Newsletter are just examples of how you can create different ad sizes.  The newsletter holds 35 small ads, and the other sized ads shown are just combinations of multiple small ad spaces. (ie.  The BLOCK ad is just 4 small ad spaces put together)

     

    You, of course, are not obligated to follow our example.  You can use all small ads, various sizes, or even break away from our design and create completely new ad sizes.

  • I don't want to design my own ads. Can someone do it for me?

    We always recommend that you learn to design your own ads.  It will save you money, and it is empowering.  But, if you really don't want to, then there are options available to you.  

    The best option is to outsource the work to one of the providers listed in our forum.  They will design the ads, and even layout your weekly newsletter for a very reasonable fee. 

  • Do I need to sign a contract?

    terms_and_conditionsYes, there is a contract, but no, you do not need to sign... sound confusing? Have no fear! We've made it really easy for you.  

    Instead of having to print off, sign, and fax back a paper contract, you just need to agree to our "Terms and Conditions".  So, when you are registering as a member on our website, you just need to check the box, and you are all done.

  • Is there a discount for the 2nd year and after?

    Yes and no.

    There is not an automatic discount or reduction in price that occurs just because you've been a member year after year.  With our already low prices, we couldn't justify offering the membership for less.

    However, further annual discounts are possible.  

    You can save up to 40% off the regular price just by signing up for a longer memberhsip period.

    You can even earn a free membership!  How?  

    • By being a positive member of our community.  We offer member points when you perform tasks such as sharing ad designs, posting in the forum, etc.  You can read more about the Membership Point System here.

About Ryan

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 Hello, my name is Ryan, and I am the owner of The Laughable News. Want to know a bit more about me? ... Read More 

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