[Theforum] another online community in trouble

[Paul Cowan]

Hey all,

Time for me to chip in on theforum I suppose, been freeloading off
y'all for a long time.

What about the idea of *combining* the text-ads with the sustained
membership option? Not even making members pay for them, but making them
a "value-add" for paid membership? Something like:

Become an evolt.org contributing member. For US$5/month (or whatever) you
get:
    * extra 10MB of hosting space on m.e.o. (I'm making this up)
    * .. other benefits here (see below) ...
    * the chance to advertise your services to other members in a sidebar.

So, on the evolt homepage, you have a little sidebar thusly (forgive ASCII
art):

    +-------------------------+
    | Featured Member ads     |
    +-------------------------+
    | Mino (link)             |
    | For all your ASP, SQL,  |
    | and hosting needs, email|
    | Paul Cowan on xxx at xxxx  |
    |                         |
    +-------------------------+
    | Isaac (link)            |
    | Staying in Adelaide?    |
    | To be shown around town |
    | for a "good time", call |
    | Isaac Forman on         |
    | (08) 5555 1234          |
    +-------------------------+

Or whatever -- choose 1 or 2 randomly on each page load.

If the text ads are a way for members to promote themselves, their
design or coding services, or whatever, then (a) it increases the
benefit of being an "evolt.org member", which can a recurring (budgetable!)
fee, and (b) it helps eliminate the "selling out" by running text
ads for heartless multinationals. It's much more of a "community" thing,
which I think is a great thing about evolt.

Obviously recurring monthly cash is the best way of raising $$$. By
helping make m.e.o accounts (or, more accurately, "premium accounts",
to avoid those who can't afford it losing the basic service -- or
a better name, like "e.o contributor account") a better BUSINESS
prospect, poor starving freelancers are more likely to get benefit
out of it and make it worth their while, or people might be able to
get their employers to pay for it.

Other benefits along this line would be great too. No idea what,
maybe people on theforum might have something they could
contribute.... like  "m.e.o contributors get 10% off hosting fees
at Crazy Rudy's House of Co-Location" or whatever... be creative.

I like the idea of ramping up the 'premium' m.e.o accounts, rather than
introducing "fee for this, fee for that"... but that's just me.
What would I know?

Paul.