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dotandmegan  Offline
Lab Factotum
Joined: Sep 09, 2006
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Posts: 2390
Posts Left: 0
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23163 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Megan & Krissie Guide Dog pup
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Location: Ayrshire
Gender: 
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 Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Hmm a hard one this. There ARE lots of other "networking" sites where you can join for free - just look at the success of Facebook etc (although I'm thinkig of coming out of there because it's got too big and greedy  ). So I think you do have to look hard at why people should hand over a tenner, and why in times of hardship they're not as prepared to do that. Here are some thoughts:
1. Having been part of a Team providing a free (ie paid for by the Scottish Govt. but closed members only) online community for Heads and Deputes in Scottish Schools, and knowing some of the background problems to web design and management, I think this is a great site. It's easy to use, very accessible and (once you get your head round it) straightforward to share photos etc. Also well managed by enthusiastic Moderators. And also one I think(?) I can trust not to mis-use my information. Worth paying for? I think so.
2. It's not just a supportive social networking site (nice though that is) but a Community of Practice - that is, people are sharing expertise and ideas which take forward their ability to be a good/responsible lab owner. So you're performing a useful function. Definitely worth paying for IMO as I've had several excellent tips which have saved me a lot more than the subs.
3. There are several other lab owner or just dog/pet owner sites out there. e.g. dorks which seems to be free. Perhaps they are "stealing" members? How do they fund their operation?
4. How do you see your role in the general dog (especially lab) owning world? Is this just a pin-money business to you, or do you feel it's worthwhile providing a platform for advancing various causes eg against puppy-farming, lost/rescue labs, raising standards in breeding, keeping the Kennel Club on its toes (to mention a few items that have been discussed on your pages). Should you be using this as a reason why people should a)choose your website, and b)pay a subscription?
5. And if you do want it to continue for any of the above reasons, is it then worth trying to attract more advertising which would help the site pay its way more?
6. Or is it just a case of market forces? - your need to make a living means that the site falls off the shelf like so many other small businesses in this strange credit crunch world we now inhabit.
I for one would miss you dreadfully but I would survive. Whether I would do as well by my very precious doglet without the advice and support is another matter 
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Goldentouch  Offline
lead trained
Joined: Jun 21, 2005
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Posts: 4683
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36500 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Leo, Meg
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Location: Scotland
Gender: 
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | there's definitely value there, but there needs to be more |
I completely agree, and similarly to others, as a member of other forums, I too feel i get a looooot more for my money. Days out, HUGE discounts on stuff and yearly freebies, including a quarterly magazine which is delivered to my door for free and its all included in the £12 yearly subscription to the site. ((There is also a FREE forum which i belong too which gives members 5% discounts to products and arranges 'days-out' at a Fraction of the cost for members. This website costs absolutely nothing to become a member, yet it still offers something))
Advice here is super, and i can't fault it, ever....But at the end of the day, it's the other members who are giving me the advice which i'm asking with regards to, not the actual site itself.
Personally, making the GT forum private members only wouldn't push me to stay....Like others have said, lots of people either know each other in real-life, live very close or have email addresses/phone numbers etc anyway.
Like the majority, I too would like to see a bit more for my cash. Yes, it may only be £10 a year to subscribe...But why are so many other sites Free...OR, other sites which do also charge seem to give people a lot more for their hard-earnt cash.
The site is great, and very well moderated. Clearly everyone concerned takes pride in the site and community....But at the end of the day, hundreds of other sites offer this too...And during such hard times, people will hold on to their cash and go elsewhere if it comes to it (and/or if there are more benifits, incentives etc)
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Jill, Meg & Leo xx
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_Jac_ Offline
Imposter
Joined: Aug 04, 2006
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Posts: 10537
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22517 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: The imposters ..Brooke,Jenson,Zanna and Bess.
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Location: Under a flatcoat...
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:53 am Post subject: |
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What about if all the sections bar introductions and finding a good breeder/health tests were subscribers only ?
Or whilst they have their free 5 posts they can view the other sections, then when posts are finished they have to pay to see them, gives them a taster .
If they want more for free they would surely go elsewhere anyway? If they are genuinely interested they will think £10 worth it, after all you could learn much more on here than a puppy book would teach you 
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I am only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand!
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Tarimoor_Art Offline
Chocalabaholic
Joined: Sep 27, 2007
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Posts: 8115
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1127 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Indie and Tau
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Location: Yorkshire
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| labadmin wrote: | | Quote: | | get more advertisers to increase your revenue that way. |
We have always had little interest in advertising on the site, as you can see our advertising slots are usually empty |
Ehem, I hate to tell you this, I've emailed and pm'd you enquiring about advertising costs, as well as the free advertising with a discount for LF members, and I haven't had a response, one pm is still sat in my outbox.
I'd like to have offered a discount to LF members before now, but have been stuck waiting for replies. I advertise discount on other forums where you don't have to pay to advertise, so those members can already take advantage of the offer.
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Jaynemaria Offline
lead trained
Joined: Oct 15, 2007
Age: -1967
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Posts: 3650
Posts Left: 0
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22118 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Max and Sam
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Location: Desborough northants
Gender:
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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well I did um and arr when my subscription ran out last year for financial reasons and not being able to work because of my illnes, but in the end decided that as I am at home all day I get good value for money.
I am on a M,E site that is free, but they have recently asked for donations as they had the server bill come in and not enough money to pay it, but as soon as they asked the money was donated to apy that bill and a good amount for the next lot of Bills.
Also that site has a link for you to do your shopping through at various sites and they get donations through that. Is that worth thinking about here?
One thing that dissapoints me on here is that the chat room doesnt get used as much as it should. I would love a good old chat, so although its open all the while(I think), perhaps we could have a chat schedule, with a host (I do this on the M.E site) so people know when someone is in the chat room at certain times rather than thinking to ourselves oh no one is there Im not going to bother and be the first.,and we could get a regular thing going, ?
Dont know if any of this makes much sense to anyone but I know what I mean 
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Scubabe Offline
2011 Charity LF Calendar
Joined: Oct 17, 2006
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Posts: 5224
Posts Left: 0
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45102 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Ozzie (DOB 12/09/06) & Vegas (DOB 02/07/08)
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Location: Gorgeous rural Oxfordshire
Gender:
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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Jac, I think you hit the nail on the head.
A scuba site I belong to has 2 sub-forums available to non-subscribed members - the introductions forum and the medical issues forum.
Every other forum, including ones about where to find the best dive site, gear tests & reviews, the forum for people to post photographs, technical diving, rebreathers, identifying sea creature etc etc etc - they are all subscription only.
I agree with posters above who said that in these times, people are cutting costs, but for me £10 a year is not a big expense. I suspect for many, if it was a "service" they perceived as good "value for money" then it wouldn't be a problem, but many people do wonder what they really get for their money.
I, for one, would love to see some more events created and advertised. Okay, so maybe the big camping GT didn't attract enough interest last year. But the local meet ups do often get a great subscriber base, so maybe we could have certain people who's "job" it is to organise more local GTs in each area. I for one would be happy to take on a task like that, once a month, it doesn't take long to organise.
Also some workshops would be great, obviously they would all be pay-per-attendance, but things like Helen's (Barney2007) gundog taster day. Things like the gundog training days which Shadybug helps to advertise up in Northumberland. Maybe some photography workshops for those who would like to get better at taking action shots of their pooches - again, I'd be happy to help organise things like that. Maybe some doggy first aid courses. Agility tryout days. A tracking taster day. etc etc etc Spread them all about the country, so we can all take advantage. And make people pay (via the Furbabies site) before they are guaranteed a place. Have only 10 places available on the day, and when they're all gone, they're all gone. Not expensive activities, just cheap ones - £10/£15/£20 etc, days out and things to do and skills to learn. All optional of course, but things like that are great to attend, and if someone can join LF and get a photography course from a fab photographer for just £20 for a half-day course, then they are more likely to join - it is perceived as good value.
Anyway, just a few rambling thoughts from Oxfordshire on a grey Thursday afternoon...
Ness
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Jaynemaria Offline
lead trained
Joined: Oct 15, 2007
Age: -1967
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Posts: 3650
Posts Left: 0
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22118 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Max and Sam
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Location: Desborough northants
Gender:
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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Just checked R.e the shopping link on the ME site and they get between 2 and 20% commision for sales through their link. they have things from Amazon to thorntons, and if a few pet suppliers could get encouraged to sign up on here that would probably be a money raiser
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Marleys_Mum Offline
puppy walker
Joined: Nov 28, 2006
Age: -1982
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Posts: 520
Posts Left: 0
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4087 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Marley, Jess ( Border Collie), Sam (Shih Tzu), Pudsey (Collie) Barney (RIP cocker spaniel), Max (RIP Lab X)
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Location: Wirral
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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few suggestions:
1. Reward loyal members first eg free gift or reduced membership
2. Allow 'newbies' a 7 day free trial with excess to everything and as many posts as they want in that way you have given them a taste and they know what they are gitting for there money
3. Have flyers made that we can print off and give out, I always recommend LF to my clients and it would be nice to give them something with the details on. Would also be good to have things to hand out at gts when people are curious about the number of dogs!
4. Organise a charity event (i'd help with this one) Example the biggest labrador walk for cancer i'm sure we could get big sponsers for this.
5 How about having a labrador forums dog display team (bit like the dancing goldies) there are enough of us and again could draw in sponsorship
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flyaway Offline
puppy walker
Joined: Sep 13, 2008
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Posts: 420
Posts Left: 0
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708 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names:
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Labadmin,
I was prompted to join as I wanted to specifically ask a question - couldn't be doing with free posts as I'd be tentatively counting up my 5, when I'd want to use some just to give my thankyous! So for me that £10 was not in the equation for joining.
I am surprised that without subscribing, anyone is able to access the vast majority of information on the Labforums website for free, so why would they wish to pay at all, when it is already available to read on the site without payment.
I would think that the vast majority of people coming across the site from search engines or as recommendations are looking for information either for now or for the future. And the website does that. Many people are visiting the site (as you've already said the visitor stats are still good) but glean the information they need for free and not join. They have the answer they need, and maybe do not want to post anything, or have their answer using 5 free posts.
If running the website is potentially not going to be a future viable business, then if I were you I would put my businessman's hat on and restrict free viewing of the majority of information. Rather than lose the website altogether I'd advise that you allow for free the Introductions section, and perhaps offer one other section which you rotate.
So it would work that for a period of time you freely allow Introductions and Puppy Stuff. Then Introductions and Top Lab Tips, and so on. That way you 'capture' more interest than if you give access to a specific section.
I'd note on the header page that all these other sections are available to subscribers.
If you implement the restrictions to sections as I've suggested, then I'd also consider reducing free posts. The free information serves as a taster, the £10 joining fee gives access to the rest of the information in the other sections.
You could run a promotion for a month.
For example if there is a trend in the statistics where you know May is a 'slow joiners' month then for that month make an offer of lowering the subscription rate for that month.
Another promotion could be to release 2 free taster sections plus the Introductions with great emphasis on "This is yet another section that will always be available to (new) subscribers".
Another promotion: A bulletin to advertisers (and I'm sure that there would be potential advertisers perusing the website) on the lines of 50% reduced advertising costs if you carry their advert for a month.
Another promotion: If you get a member who is willing to offer discount for using their business, for example offers a £2 voucher for doggy treats, you could use that as a promotion to offer to the first ten subscribers that month.
Ideally it would be rather nice for existing members to be rewarded too. Those members who have joined could be rewarded with a 10% re-subscription discount for loyalty. Looking to a rosy future, you might consider giving a 3-years joined member an extra 3 months membership for free.
Sue
Last edited by flyaway on Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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labadmin Offline
Head Honcho
Joined: May 08, 2005
Age: -1967
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Posts: 1697
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11464 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Bradley Todspak
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Location: Devon
Gender: 
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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ok firstly sorry the restricting of viewing of the forums to subscribers only / members only is the death knell for any forum site, the reason being is that if visitors cannot see the information then neither can google and the other search engines and over time they will remove all the pages they have listed from their search results and then eventually lab forums wouldn't show up in google etc and no-one would find the site to join it
| Quote: | | Ehem, I hate to tell you this, I've emailed and pm'd you enquiring about advertising costs, as well as the free advertising with a discount for LF members, and I haven't had a response, one pm is still sat in my outbox. |
Strange the last PM i have from you is almost a year ago, PM me today and will look at it promise 
| Quote: | | make an offer of lowering the subscription rate for that month. |
This is an idea I already have on the plate and will be announced when and where on the forthcoming email newsletter
A number of LF members are also pet related companies and I will be emailing them soon to ask for discounts for subscribers in exchange for inclusion in a new discounts database
FREE trials allow someone who has a problem to come on and sort it and leave, I tried these on another forum i run and they dont seem to work unfortunately.
One coding change i have made today which wasn't in place (An oversight from when i switched to subscriptions) was to make the site search facility subscription access only, i have now done this and so the information may be there but its awkward and time consuming to access without being a subscriber now
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