How to Make AW Some Money!!! Ideas Welcomed!!!

dgiharris · Oct 28, 2007

Hi Mods, Overlords, and other important AW People types.

In response to the google ads post, my thoughts are unless you can propose a solution to a problem, you shouldn't complian.

Lets take on the problem of how to raise more Money for AW.

I have a suggestion. Could you post a monthly tally of how much people donate to keep AW running?
It may help people donate more as I'm sure we (i'm guilty to) probably assume you have more than enough money needed to run the site.
If you don't want to get into actual figures, you can just normalize the graph/chart (i.e. have arbitrary units) and the graph/barometer chart can show the various states/status of funding.

Maybe the chart could look something like

-AW is Rollin in Dough
-Living Large
-Comfortable
-Making Ends Meet
-Working Poor
-Food Stamps would be nice
-Homeless, Will write for food

THis sort of VISUAL INDICATOR could be a little chart on the top right corner so as we come to the site we can see the status of the month. That might help people to see that "hey, someone needs to donate, let that someone be me."

Then you can also put up a special profile (avatar along with a quick write up) of the person who donated the most for the month.

What do you think?
Anyone else have any other ideas???

Mel...

TrainofThought · Oct 28, 2007

There is a generous benefactor link at the top of the page and we have an AW auction. I don’t think a monthly tally or graph will push people to donate they either have it or they don’t. My take on it. :Shrug:

poetinahat · Oct 28, 2007

Good on you, Mel. It's good of you to come up with a positive response!

[eta: I mistakenly recalled dgiharris as the OP from the Google Ads thread. My apologies.]

sassandgroove · Oct 28, 2007

Did I miss something?

poetinahat · Oct 28, 2007

Yes, this.

Oops -- I mistook dgiharris for gp101. My apologies to both initialed parties.

sassandgroove · Oct 28, 2007

Thanks Poet.

Now My head hurts.

If you mean one of those thermometer things to gage how much has been donated, I'm not sure that is a good idea. This is ongoing, there isn't a goal, then you stop. There is a list of those who are benefactors, and we do the auctions. I think people give what they feel they can. That's what I did.

Khazarkhum · Oct 28, 2007

Where are the auctions?

TrainofThought · Oct 28, 2007

It’s the Bargains Board: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=80 and you’ll find it at the top off Office Party.

dgiharris · Oct 28, 2007

Hmm....

The key concepts of my idea, which is markedly different than what is currently being done, are:

1) To make the $ plight of AW much more visible, almost to the point where if you log on to the site, you SEE it. No clicking to links, etc
2) To Incentivize. Squeaky wheel gets the oil and a MONTHLY barometer is an easy, visible way of SQUEAKING and SQUEAKING often.
3) How do we know there is a problem if it is never spoken about or shown.

So I went to the link about the benefactors, saw a list of names. I have absolutely no context for the status of AW, what a "good" amount is, etc.

My idea, giving the highest donator per month, a little profile thingy, is a great way to incentivize people to beat last month's giver. Also, the MONTHLY barometer also puts everything in context and is the best way to articulate the status.

Anyways, I just want to make the point that the core of my idea is DIFFERENT than what is currently being done.

Also, as someone who does work with marketing people on occasion, you must be very very wary of thinking you know how people will react. You must try, try everyting, get data, let the data decide. Worse thing you can do is to assume you know what the result would have been and NOT TRY.

Anyways, that is pretty much all I have to say on that. If the current stuff you are doing isn't working, then the obvious solution is to try something else. If you don't want to, then (like golden word syndrome suffers), there probably isn't much I can say to persuade. You.

Either way, I'm sure we all want the same thing, what is best for this wonderful site.

Mel...

gp101 · Oct 29, 2007

I did college radio many years ago and we relied on endowments, school budget, and annual marathons (pleas to our listeners for $$$$ to keep us running).

I see a marathon working nicely. Maybe a couple months after the holidays when peeps have their Christmas bills paid off. A 24- or 48-hour marathon with pleas (can't think of a better word--it's not begging though, it's standard for marathons) for donations and temp stickies on each board could raise some good money. An hourly tote board would be nice to see how far we've come along. And obviously a weekly--or actually a thrice-weekly--mention leading up to the marathon would notify people to be present and help out when the time came.

I don't see this as low-brow at all, as some people may feel. It works great for charities and other organizations looking to raise money to meet their needs or make their work cost-effective.

Also, something I always wondered but never mentioned, since we all obviously write and read more than the average public, could a company like AMazon be convinced to advertise here while offering a promo code to AW users (must be current members and maybe even use member name and password or something) for discounts on books? I'm sure we'd be a target audience they'd like to take advantage of, and with the fairly sizeable community we have, it may pay off for both AW and Amazon (or some other company whose services we would like to get a discount on that is writer related). Not sure how all that works, but it seems like it may pay off for all parties concerned.

Just a thought. I'm all for helping AW make money despite what some may think because of my post RE: one particular ad.

dgiharris · Oct 31, 2007

Interestingly enough,

I went to the NaNoWriMo Website and they are doing what I suggested.

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

hmmm...... Coincidence? Notice how the funding is the FIRST thing you see as you come onto their website. No having to find it, no having to click links. BAMMM!!!! in your face.

Which is what advertising 'a need' should be. Just like a query letter! Communicate the point immediately, no fussing around. If only we applied a query letter philosophy to our problem instead of being like a newbie?

Anyways, just an observation, do with it what you will

How to Make AW Some Money!!! Ideas Welcomed!!!

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist

TrainofThought

A flowering bud of bitchiness

poetinahat

say it loud

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut

poetinahat

say it loud

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut

Khazarkhum

TrainofThought

A flowering bud of bitchiness

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist

gp101

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist