FAO -- Regular / Long Term Members

[Paddy]

This evening a recieved an interesting email from a new member.

It read as follows...

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Hi,

I was looking into becoming a paid up member of the club, but it doesnt seem to be an option?

Who pays to host the club and maintains it? maybe we could get them donations or something to help out with costs of running it?

or better still have a calendar thread, each member can add 5 pics of their car, 12 pics are choosen through the year, for a club calendar next year.

Places online produce custom calendars like that for £4.99 each delivered, so if the clucb charged £6.99 just £2 profit on each one, it could help towards club running costs.


Just an idea, im new here, I dont know how the club works, but I do know that nothings free! so someone somewhere is losing out on funds.

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I must say its an interesting idea. Especialy liked the part about the calendar.

Thoughts and opnions?

Paddy

[Ray]

I believe we just moved to welshy's hosting. (see discounts).

[welshy]

indeed hosted on our servers now, andy though covers the cost from his own pocket at a guess....

[Paddy]

I thought that may be the case.

Would be good to get something in place to remove that burdin.

Although we have a selection of regulars i just dont know if we have enough.

I mean it took over 24 hours for a posted titled 'FAO -- Regular / Long Term Members' to get a response.

Paddy

[davelowe]

I must have missed this post on Monday. Bit of a dilemma really all this funding business - what with the internet being what it is. Personally I would hope that advertising covers the hosting fees - but I guess there could well be a shortfall (or a surplus).

I don't know what other people think about subscription fees; I imagine it depends on exactly what you give and receive from the site. I've read a lot of useful stuff, but I like to think I also answer some questions and produce useful information for other people. It's kind of like problem solving bartering I suppose.

To get impractically complicated, you could perhaps have a 'donate' button (paypal) for useful posts or some kind of rated answer system so the club owners get some cash - or a premium only sticky area? Personally I wouldn't pay to be a member here as it is currently structured - not least because as a 'regular / long term member', I've answered to the best of my abilities more questions than I've asked. Maybe I'm missing the point.

EDIT: Spotted the donate button on the homepage (d'oh!)

[Clone]

I think forums shouldnt be subscription simply because of the nature of a forum- free chat, help and advice, a subscription would scare off potential users. However the calendar is a great idea and i for one would be more then happy to buy one. Also i love the idea of a best pic comp, i think it would generate a good bit of interest.

Oh and i dont have a clue what FAO means hence why i didnt read the thread at first thinking it was for long term members only.

[Toosh]

FAO - For Attention Of

Id be happy to chip in a little towards something along them lines. Even tho i'm signed off sick at work so enjoying the 70 quid a week Statutory Sick Pay

Times are hard for everyone tho.

[Ray]

I mean it took over 24 hours for a posted titled 'FAO -- Regular / Long Term Members' to get a response.
Paddy

i'd have replied earlier but i was in scotland for work.

I think andy and myself decided against charging people for advice. when the site started we did have some car stickers made up and charged for those but that was it.

[Paddy]

I wouldn't think of it as charging people for advice, rather, prehaps by dontation or callander idea , a way to improve the site.

Ie not for profit but just so everyone gets something out of it.

I know if I had a MOC callander hanging on the wall it would strike up some convo between friends. (Due to my motor being on the front page!!! )

Would also be away of getting to know others a bit better.

I have met / going to meet some great fellas, thanks to this forum over the last number of years.

P

[Paddy]

FAO - For Attention Of

Id be happy to chip in a little towards something along them lines. Even tho i'm signed off sick at work so enjoying the 70 quid a week Statutory Sick Pay

Times are hard for everyone tho.

Chin up lad. We wouldn't see you stuck!

On a serious not, I hope your on the mend!

[davelowe]

I think andy and myself decided against charging people for advice. when the site started we did have some car stickers made up and charged for those but that was it.

I noticed a thread a couple of days ago about those stickers. Are there any still available? I'd certainly (and proudly) display them on my car windows.

[Paddy]

Yea as the above, I think its about time i displayed my own.

Any still about ray?

Or if you have the image file i have a recent friend that does graphics. I could order a few and send to the masses.

[shawty500]

I have found a site which produces custom calendars for £1.69 each!

all we need is get a sticky thread in the megane adventures section, get an artistic pic of your car, come November we vote for our 12 favourite pics, and wallah, we have a club calendar!

Calendars can be priced at £4.99 which imo is a fair price it makes a little bit of money not a huge amount but better than nothing.

Another idea, would be to make the technical section a members area, with an annual fee of £9.99 a year, this would include a copy of the calendar, a megane OC tax disc holder and a pair of megane oc club vinyls to go in the rear quarter windows of our meganes.

I know a place that would make up the vinyls for £2 delivered! Then we got the place for the calendars at £1.69, cheap tax disc holders here:
http://www.notjustbinders.com/tax-disc-holders.asp could even chuck a custom notpad and "club pen" in! lol http://www.note-pads.co.uk/viewProduct.aspx?catID=170&productCode=NPP-JPX-227 and http://www.promotionalpensite.co.uk/lev4_29_0_0_Printed_pens_under_15p.asp respectively.

not bad for what you get imo. so to sum it up:

for £9.99 a year, you get:

Access to Technical Support Forums and club member discount section
Club Calendar
Tax Disc holder
Notepad for The Glove Box
Megane OC Pen
Club Stickers for your car


Ok it might not sound much, but, the technical data is worth that alone! You can save double that on insurance alone by being a paid up member of a car club! How many times have you needed a pen and paper in the car? isnt it worth that alone?

I may even be able to arrange a club discount for club members on car breakdown services if anyone is interested (AA RAC etc....)




Seems fair to me. ok there is 100% profit being made on membership fee, BUT the time, effort, hosting costs, running costs (electric etc..) and amintenance alone needs to be catered for somewhere. and with the extra funds going to the club, any excess funds can be used for an event at renaultworldseries or something to cover food or something for club members.

Lots of ideas there! lol

[BlueMeganeII]

Its a grey area but the biggest help is those google ads. I can't discuss the exact figures we make from googleads on our site due to their T and Cs but it now more than covers the costs of the site to the point I'm thinking of moving to vbulletin next year. Having a members area is difficult as you need something extra to offer those members which is difficult. The MeganeSport.net seem to be hitting a happy compromise such as sales etc but its easy to attract fully paid members on specialist/enthusiast web sites. Sites like these and Scenicforum is far more difficult and we have only 5000 members and fewer hits that yourselves. Plus the people that do visit come to solve a problem then leave again. Specialist sites such as Meganesport are quite the reverse.

Best option? Move that paypal donate button and integrate it into the forum. Having a goals tab etc so you can see a target and money recieved that month. Those can donate - have the option and those that don't - don't.

Just MO.

[BlueMeganeII]

Also those of you who have attempted to use Renaultforums will notice it fails miserably as theres so many people who turn up for one or two posts to get help and then leave, and half of the replies are just moderators saying I don't know the answer to your question and hopefully someone will be along shortly. For example theres far more content here about the Megane on here than there.

Its a really tricky one, perhaps it time to rebrand the website with Megane III images with the hope to lure in new owners to further build the community and perhaps attempt the member charging system.

Good luck either way.