Strategi Pengembangan Bisnis Journaling Book (Studi Kasus pada Fill The Blankspace)

Abstract

Industri journaling book di Indonesia mengalami pertumbuhan signifikan seiring meningkatnya kesadaran masyarakat terhadap isu kesehatan mental dan pengembangan diri. Journaling book merupakan salah satu produk dalam sektor industri kreatif yang berfokus pada pengembangan diri. Fill The Blankspace merupakan UMKM pelopor guided journal interaktif di Indonesia yang beroperasi sejak tahun 2015 dengan model online-first. Perusahaan menghadapi tantangan penurunan kinerja pascapandemi. Strategi yang telah dilakukan Fill The Blankspace dinilai belum mampu meningkatkan performa perusahaan, ditunjukan dengan penurunan nilai penjualan, penurunan insight media sosial, dan penurunan produktivitas bisnis menjadi indikasi bahwa Fill The Blankspace perlu merumuskan strategi yang tepat agar perusahaan dapat mempertahankan eksistensinya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi model bisnis saat ini dan merumuskan strategi pengembangan bisnis yang tepat bagi Fill The Blankspace di tengah persaingan industri kreatif yang semakin kompetitif. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada September 2024 hingga Agustus 2025 di Fill The Blankspace. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dan kuantitatif deskripstif. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam dengan para co-founders, karyawan freelance (illustrator, content writer, dan content creator), psikolog, perwakilan komunitas journaling, dan konsumen Fill The Blankspace, serta dokumentasi. Analisis data dilakukan secara bertahap menggunakan evaluasi Business Model Canvas (BMC) existing, analisis SERVO, analisis lingkungan eksternal (PESTEL dan EFE), analisis lingkungan internal (VRIO dan IFE), Matriks IE, SWOT, dan Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) untuk menentukan prioritas strategi. Model bisnis existing Fill The Blankspace menggambarkan usaha kreatif online-first yang menargetkan terutama perempuan usia 15–25 tahun (pelajar, mahasiswa, pekerja awal) yang tertarik pada pengembangan diri, produktivitas, dan aktivitas kreatif, dengan perluasan organik ke segmen lain yang membutuhkan jurnal tematik. Proposisi nilai utamanya adalah journaling book interaktif yang memadukan manfaat reflektif dan emosional, desain estetik yang quirky dan edgy dengan kualitas kertas premium, serta kredibilitas melalui kolaborasi dengan psikolog dan pakar. Kanal yang digunakan berfokus pada penjualan online melalui marketplace dengan Instagram dan TikTok sebagai media promosi dan komunikasi utama. Hubungan dengan pelanggan dibangun secara personal melalui DM Instagram dan kegiatan workshop, namun belum didukung sistem CRM pascapembelian yang terstruktur. Arus pendapatan bertumpu pada penjualan produk fisik (journaling book, planner, dan stationery) dengan kontribusi tambahan terbatas dari workshop. Sumber daya kunci meliputi tim inti yang ramping (co-founders, karyawan tetap, dan freelancer), ekuitas merek sebagai pelopor journaling book interaktif lokal, portofolio desain dan konten reflektif, komunitas pelanggan, serta fasilitas kerja sederhana dan modal kerja yang terbatas. Aktivitas kunci mencakup pengembangan produk dan konten, pengelolaan media sosial dan marketplace, sistem pre-order, pengemasan, pengiriman, dan pelaksanaan workshop. Kemitraan utama dibangun dengan percetakan, vendor packaging, jasa ekspedisi, serta kolaborator seperti pakar/psikolog dan content creator. Struktur biaya didominasi biaya variabel (bahan baku, cetak, honor freelancer/kolaborator, potongan marketplace, promosi) dengan biaya tetap relatif kecil (gaji karyawan, sewa kantor), sejalan dengan karakter bisnis yang didanai secara bootstrapping dan adanya ketergantungan operasional pada pendiri (founder bottleneck). Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Fill The Blankspace berada pada posisi kuadran V (hold and maintain) dalam Matriks IE. Analisis VRIO menunjukkan keunggulan kompetitif berkelanjutan pada aspek ekuitas merek dan inovasi konten berbasis pakar. Berdasarkan integrasi analisis SWOT dan QSPM, strategi prioritas yang dihasilkan adalah: (1) penguatan posisi merek di pasar mental wellness journaling melalui konsistensi narasi edukatif, pemanfaatan TikTok dan Instagram, serta penguatan komunitas; (2) pengembangan lini produk digital (seperti PDF prompts, worksheet, dan guided journal digital) yang melengkapi produk fisik, memperluas jangkauan pasar, dan mengurangi tekanan pada biaya produksi; serta (3) penekanan nilai dan manfaat produk untuk merespons penurunan daya beli dan persaingan di kanal online, dengan mengomunikasikan manfaat emosional dan psikologis journaling sehingga konsumen tidak hanya membandingkan harga. Perancangan BMC baru menekankan segmen pelanggan yang fokus pada self-growth dan mental wellness, proposisi nilai berupa pengalaman journaling reflektif yang terarah dan suportif, penguatan kanal distribusi digital, pembangunan komunitas sebagai sarana hubungan pelanggan jangka panjang, diversifikasi aliran pendapatan fisik dan digital, pemanfaatan sumber daya kreatif dan aset intelektual, kemitraan strategis dengan psikolog, content creator, dan komunitas, serta struktur biaya yang lebih terkendali. Kombinasi ini diharapkan dapat membantu Fill The Blankspace mempertahankan posisinya sebagai pelopor journaling book interaktif lokal dan meningkatkan daya saingnya dalam jangka panjang. Secara manajerial, manajemen Fill The Blankspace perlu memfokuskan sumber daya pada tiga arah utama yaitu memperkuat brand positioning sebagai mental wellness journaling brand melalui komunikasi yang konsisten di kanal digital dan pemanfaatan komunitas sebagai saluran edukasi dan engangement, kemudian secara bertahap mengembangkan dan mengelola portofolio produk digital yang relevan dengan kompetensi inti perusahaan untuk mengurangi ketergantungan pada produksi fisik dan membuka peluang pendapatan baru, serta memperjelas dan mengomunikasikan proposisi nilai produk agar konsumen memahami manfaat fungsional, emosional, dan psikologis yang ditawarkan. Perusahaan perlu memperkuat aspek organisasi dan sumber daya, seperti penyusunan SOP sederhana, pemanfaatan basic digital tools untuk CRM, serta pengaturan ritme rilis produk agar strategi yang dirumuskan dapat dieksekusi secara konsisten meskipun dengan tim dan modal yang terbatas. Dengan demikian, hasil penelitian ini memberikan panduan praktis bagi manajemen dalam mengarahkan prioritas pengembangan bisnis Fill The Blankspace di tengah persaingan industri kreatif yang semakin kompetitif.

The journaling book industry in Indonesia has grown significantly in line with rising public awareness of mental health and personal development. Journaling books are one of the creative industry products that focus on self-development. Fill The Blankspace is a pioneering interactive guided journal micro-enterprise in Indonesia that has operated since 2015 with an online-first model. Despite its strong brand equity, Fill The Blankspace has experienced post-pandemic performance decline, reflected in decreasing sales, lower social media engagement, and reduced business productivity, indicating the need for more appropriate business development strategies. This study aims to evaluate the current business model and formulate suitable development strategies for Fill The Blankspace amid increasingly competitive creative industries. The research was conducted in 2025 using a qualitative and descriptive quantitative approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with co-founders, freelance staff (illustrator, content writers, and content creators), psychologists, journaling community representatives, and customers of Fill The Blankspace, complemented by documentation. Data analysis employed a stepwise approach combining evaluation of the existing Business Model Canvas (BMC), SERVO analysis, external environment analysis (PESTEL and EFE), internal environment analysis (VRIO and IFE), the IE Matrix, SWOT Matrix, and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) to determine strategic priorities. The existing business model depicts Fill The Blankspace as an online-first creative venture mainly targeting women aged 15–25 (students and early-career workers) interested in self-development, productivity, and creative activities, with organic expansion to other segments needing thematic journals. Its core value proposition is interactive, thematic journaling books that combine reflective and emotional benefits with quirky, edgy aesthetics and premium paper quality, supported by credibility through collaborations with psychologists and experts. The business relies on online marketplace sales, with Instagram and TikTok as key promotion and communication channels. Customer relationships are built personally via Instagram DM, marketplaces, and workshops, but are not yet supported by a structured post-purchase CRM system. Revenue streams are dominated by physical product sales (journaling books, planners, and stationery) with limited additional income from workshops. Key resources include a lean core team (co-founders, permanent staff, and freelancers), strong brand equity as a local pioneer, a portfolio of reflective content and designs, a loyal customer community, basic work facilities, and constrained working capital. Key activities cover product and content development, social media and marketplace management, pre-order systems, packaging and shipping, and workshop implementation, supported by partnerships with printers, packaging vendors, logistics providers, and collaborators such as psychologists and content creators. The cost structure is dominated by variable costs (materials, printing, freelancer/partner fees, marketplace commissions, promotions), while fixed costs remain relatively small, in line with a bootstrapping business model and operational dependence on the founders. The analysis shows that Fill The Blankspace is positioned in Quadrant V (hold and maintain) of the IE Matrix. VRIO analysis indicates sustainable competitive advantages in brand equity and expert-based content innovation. Integrating SWOT and QSPM results, three strategic priorities are identified: (1) strengthening brand positioning in the mental wellness journaling market through consistent educational storytelling, optimal use of TikTok and Instagram, and community reinforcement; (2) developing a digital product line (such as PDF prompts, worksheets, and guided digital journals) to complement physical products, expand market reach, and reduce pressure from physical production costs; and (3) emphasizing product value and benefits to respond to declining purchasing power and increasing online competition, by clearly communicating the emotional and psychological benefits of journaling so that consumers do not focus solely on price. The redesigned BMC emphasizes customer segments focused on self-growth and mental wellness, a value proposition centered on structured, supportive reflective journaling experiences, stronger digital distribution channels, community building as a platform for long-term customer relationships, diversified physical and digital revenue streams, strategic use of creative resources and intellectual assets, partnerships with psychologists, content creators, and communities, and a more controlled cost structure. This combination is expected to help Fill The Blankspace maintain its position as a local pioneer of interactive journaling books and enhance its long-term competitiveness. From a managerial perspective, Fill The Blankspace needs to concentrate resources on three main directions: strengthening brand positioning as a mental wellness journaling brand through consistent digital communication and community-based education and engagement; gradually developing and managing a portfolio of digital products aligned with the company’s core competencies to reduce dependence on physical production and open new revenue opportunities; and clarifying and communicating the product value proposition so that customers clearly understand the functional, emotional, and psychological benefits offered. At the same time, the company should reinforce organizational and resource aspects such as simple SOP development, the use of basic digital tools for CRM and process automation, and structured product release timing, so that the chosen strategies can be executed consistently despite a lean team and limited capital. Overall, the findings provide practical guidance for management in directing business development priorities of Fill The Blankspace in an increasingly competitive creative industry landscape.