[theforum] colors & support block

[Martin Burns]

On 16 Nov 2008, at 22:57, Erika wrote:

> Martin Burns wrote:
>>
>>>> Assuming we won't countenance ads on weo (and I think our
>>>> audience is so used to seeing them elsewhere that that wouldn't be
>>>> such A Bad Thing any more)
>>>
>>> worth revisiting if we need the money to survive.
>>
>> Which we do.
>
> Ok, so now there is an established need for money that we didn't  
> face a
> few months ago (it sound like).

Nah, we always did, but we had a cushion for a long time.

> Google ads are an option... it's something we have really been against
> in the past.  Advertising is different now than in the past...
>
> Another, less permanent, option would be a fundraising drive,  
> something
> with a beginning, middle, and end.  Again, check out wikipedia.  Every
> single page features a very prominent call for fundraising.   
> Presumably,
> once they reach their goal (6 mill $ !!!`), that will go away.

I very much doubt it - limited drives are great to buy capital items;  
not so much for ongoing operational costs.

>>> FWIW I would like to see us to continue our tradition of creative  
>>> and
>>> nontraditional solutions to problems.
>>
>> I'm fine for experimentation, but let's have something to compare
>> against. Champion/challenger.
>
> I don't understand what you're saying.

Measure the effectiveness of approach, the current best idea. This is  
the Champion
Test new approach - the Challenger. If it outperforms the Champion, it  
replaces it.
Repeat.

> I hope that others here will weigh in with ideas, opinions (on
> fund-raising/advertising) and have the ability and motivation to  
> follow
> through... If not, well... yeah, bring on the google ads.

And I'm not convinced that there'll ever be a silver bullet, so go  
multiple approaches (hence shwag, plus cash, plus mirror servers, plus  
Google Ads)

>> infer that donations are needed. Ya need to actually directly ask.  
>> 'n'
>> shit.
>
> my argument was about the manner of asking.  bright colors vs subtle
> colors, essentially.

I don't think it's a simple choice between #ff0000 and #cccccc; I  
think it's a matter of degree. But using the info of the current  
article, and assuming that sidebar blocks are the blue thing in  
weo.easyweb.co.uk:
1) I'd make a Google Ads Block the same as the page background, so  
more subtle than a standard block
2) I'd make a Contribute block more vivid, but make the content react  
to the role of the user, as suggested in previous mail - anon users  
are asked for register for site + lists & buy Schwag; logged in users  
add asks for content, donate cash & mirror servers; previous donors  
add asks for regular cash.


> So I gather:
> 1. we need to raise money to fund our effort
Yes

> 2. we need to determine goals
Enough to live on, with a cushion to guard against bad times.

> 3. we need to decide on strategy
Ask all visitors to contribute to evolt, rather than passively  
consuming, and ask for contributions appropriate to what we know about  
the user (which may be nothing).

> 4. we need to incorporate that into our redesign strategy.


As above I think.

Cheers
Martin

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