You are Publisher of the Australian magazine Your Life. Could you introduce yourself and your periodical?
Your Life magazine has been published for 18 years – it is the longest serving title in the Australian market. It was purchased by our company, Retirement Publishing, in 1999. At that stage it was an annual, and had a very advertorial persuasion.
During the past six years we have worked hard to understand the nature of the mature market in
Kaye Fallick has been publisher of Your Life magazine since 1999, and @boutSeniors website since June 2005. She has been writing for magazines and newspapers since 1992, her previous career being fashion design.
She has BA (Hons), Arts, University of Melbourne, Diploma Fashion Design & Production, RMIT, Diploma Professional Writing & Editing, RMIT
Certificate IV in Work Place Training, Box Hill TAFE
In June 2004 Allen and Unwin published a book Kaye authored, based on the information and resources uncovered during the past five years publishing Your Life magazine. Get a New Life has already gone to reprint. It is a resource book for those navigating life change, and covers all manner of changes from the vocational, to the locational (seachange), to the personal (relationships).
In addition Kaye is a freelance writer, radio broadcaster and conference speaker.
What are the main topics covered by Your Life?
Your Life is presented in sections which include cover story (major feature), special report (usually financial), changing lives working lives, finance, wellbeing travel, home and people and passions.
Which companies are your main advertisers? What are their fields of activity?
Our advertising is heavily derived from finance and travel (airline, hirecar, destinations, accommodation) sectors, as well as volunteering, bequests and wellbeing (active ageing).
Would you like to express your point of view on the 50plus market in Australia?
There is no single 50 plus market in Australia – there are many segments. We prefer to consider the market in terms of decades and look at the different life experiences happening within that decade.
For instance, 50-60 is a time of great change for most people. In financial terms they are highly likely to still be earning, but making major investment decisions and doing some pre-retiree planning. In relationship terms this is a time of great challenge for long term marriages with the possibility of divorce, re-partnering, loneliness etc very high.
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Health wise most women are navigating menopause, men may be facing issues regarding impotency, and general physical health and energy levels are high on the agenda. Travel is a passion, with the time poor 50-60 year old dreaming of a week, month or year off to “run away” – not necessarily to a 5 star hotel, often to do voluntary work or to get to know another culture more intimately than a quick holiday normally allows. A thirst for adventure and new experiences typifies many Australians in this decade
Issues and attitudes very different for the 40-50 year olds, the 60-70 year olds and those aged 70 plus.
It is a great market in which to work, but too many publishers in this field are patronising about their readership, treating them as “old” and “past it”. A magazine which I think serves its audience very well is AARP, The Magazine, published for members of the American Association of Retired Persons. Given the circulation of 35 million, it is clearly delivering well.
Is the online version of Your Life magazine similar to the paper version?
Yes, but our sister website www.aboutseniors.com.au ; is very different. Our company purchased this website in 2005. We send out an enewsletter fortnightly – when printed this runs to 5 A-4 pages, full of hotlinks, newsbites, and further information. It talks to those aged about 50-70 about government legislation, retirement planning, finance, travel, wellbeing, current affairs, reviews, recipes, competitions, deals and discounts etc.
Is the online version as successful as the paper version?
This website is huge! Because of the detailed, continually updated content, it receives 2 million hits a month, and 70,000 unique visitors. It googles second on a “seniors” word search, and second when “seniors travel” is typed in. Our enewsletter is sent to 12000 subscribers monthly, and the audience is very active in with competitions, Q&A, link follow-up, feedback, suggestions etc.
Kaye Fallick
Publisher, Your Life magazine
19 Beatty Avenue
Armadale ; VIC ; 3143
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Ph ; (613) 9824 6901
Fax (613) 9824 6362
publisher@yourlifechoices.com.au