Subscriptions are now up and running Forums

nukeadmin · Site Admin

Im not happy with the icon in the forums yet, so this may change to a little icon next to the username or something to denote a user is a subscriber but the subscriptions are up and running.

As of now i'll be honest there are no real benefits, but this is what i intend to do with subscribers:-

Get some bigger window stickers designed and printed and each subscriber will receive one of these.

Chase up campsites and pursue Pussers idea about negotiating with them about discounts for MHF Subscribers

Chase up some accessory dealers etc and negotiate some discounts again.

Remove all advertisements if possible for subscribers in order to make their viewing of the site less cluttered and faster access.

Some other addons to the site once i come up with some Wink

You can read about the subscriptions either by clicking on the link on the left under the Buy Stickers link etc, or click this link:-

autostratus · Moderator

I've never been on to hide and always asked the awkward questions first so here goes.
How many subscribers are you aiming for and what do they get for there money?
I can see the ambition to cover costs which I support wholeheartedly but I would like to know what actual costs we are talking about.

If we get 1000 subscribers (about 15% of the old site) the income would be £15,000
The site server costs were said to be £150 X 12 =£1,800 per year

So. What does the balance of £13,200 do?

Put another way. You only need 120 subscribers at £15.00 to cover the £1800.00

johnsandywhite

A BIG P*** up at Christmas for all the members attending a special Rally. Very Happy

Just joking. Wink

Merlin · Account Deactivated

I was banned from another motorhome forum when I asked what the ten pounds was for!

autostratus · Moderator

We're off to France next week so if I can't log in when I get back I guess i' m in trouble. Crying or Very sad

theboadacea

Good post Gillian, can I add my two pennys worth?

I would guess that there are many hidden costs to running a website like this .. the amount of hours that Nuke puts in for a start.

At present he does it all for free (unless anyone hear is sending him gifts on the side Laughing

), but if he could put it to work and actually make a wee bit of money from it then he can hold off getting a proper job for longer and devote more time to making it even more excellent than it already is!

No one can afford to donate that much time for free really, especially when he is supposed to be out travelling and seeing the sights etc.

I doubt that everyone who signs up would actually subscribe so aiming for £15k in the first year may be a little adventurous - but good luck if he reaches it.

I am sure there are other things like maintenance, new equipment every so often, his own satelite costs to enable him to keep up with the site developments, production of the free stickers etc ... and maybe even a few bevvies thrown in!

I'll subscribe when I finally get an internet connection again (on a friends pc at the mo) ... purely because I have found a site I like Wink

Also, Nuke did mention other benefits, I may even save more money than I've spent on subscription if the discount at other places comes to fruition.

Whew, i'm all talked out now, this must be pretty much the longest waffle i've had for a while .. i'm off for a lie down, feeling a little light headed Shocked

nukeadmin · Site Admin

Hi all,

well sorted the icon issue, see my little crown next to the username, now onto your comments

Well there are many background costs that i have incurred along the way, some of these things you wont have seen yet, like i have paid out to 2 graphics designers (A macromedia flash specialist and a cartoonist) for new graphics and graphical front end for the revamped campsite database that i was working on until the issues recently.

I do put a helluva lot of time and effort into the site, probably more than any of you realise, for instance over the last week alone i must have spent around 14-16 hours per day every day trying to get things back up, working on the server in the background, fixing bugs etc etc, and as wurz says i do it because its my fave site to work on, my hobby site if you like, but its grown so big and become such a resource that i need to pull some income of some description from it as my spending so much time on this site prevents me working on other more lucrative jobs sometimes Wink

I think the £15,000 is well in excess of what we will get, although i wouldnt mind Wink

my experience of this type of thing is that less than 3-4% of members will actually subscribe, at least initially until much more on offer for their funds. and that is taking into account our previous membership of 6500+, out of those 6500+ members probably only 3000 members fairly active and a core membership of <500 are very active.

I would estimate that maybe 5% of those 500 will take out subscriptions for the first 5-6 months i.e. possible income of £375 which wont even cover my costs, however once some weight is behind the scheme and with discounts negotiated etc i believe that momentum will build to the point where we have sustainable income, and maybe even some excess for my income and other enhancements to the site and yes maybe even as John suggested a FREE / heavily subsidised Rally for subscribers sometime.

Only time will tell, its a bit of a risk for me, but i am counting on the popularity of MHF to carry us through Smile

TheOggies

Merlin - your banned, only joking mate Wink

Dishmop · Account Deactivated

My forum doesnt cost anything to run.

No web site costs. No server costs.

All free.