[NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

Sat Jan 24 19:39:38 AKST 2009

While Troy makes some good points, there is alot of research to be done. Troy is incorrect IMO on that we are limited on pages. I haven't ran into this problem in 2 years of editing. We are limited on people submitting info to me. I put everything I can get into the Kfactor.

As for advertisers staying with us, I'm not so sure they would stay with an online only magazine. Look at Imac.. They have two ad's on theirs and they are bigger than us. 

I don't feel people will join the Nsrca because they like what they read. I think most of us pay because we support pattern. Heck, the only reason I feel I pay my AMA dues are for the magazine. I don't want that online.. 

Sacred cow eh? lol.. 

Troy, yes, this is a business. But we're not selling products here. We are a group of individuals that fly planes. Online is good, yes. I agree. Paper is good too. How much in paper and ink will it take to print out your copy of the Kfactor so you can take it to the bathroom? My ink gets me probably 300 pages tops. At $60 per ink set. 30 pages per Kfactor x 12 months, 360 pages. Probably about $70 worth of ink. Hmmmm. I'll support a dues increase first.. 

I like paper first and online, but I would like to propose that we make our online magazine downloadable for a small fee to non members, and also make all our advertisers ads clickable in the online version. And also offer them a pay per click advertising spot on the website. 

Don't get me wrong folks. I think this discussion is great, as it was at the AMA show a few weeks back. I will be more than happy to support whatever. But it's hard enough to get any articles or pics as it is to make the Kfactor enjoyable. How many articles and pics will you submit when its only online? I think this will kill the KFactor. 
Chris          

--- On Sat, 1/24/09, Troy Newman <troy at troynewman.net> wrote:
From: Troy Newman <troy at troynewman.net>
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll
To: "General pattern discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Date: Saturday, January 24, 2009, 6:35 PM

Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

Hey guys, 

This is a little long. Please read it’s important to the
NSRCA. 

I would like to say something regarding the printed KF vs. a
online only KF 

Today the KF is costing the organization a ton of money every
month. I spoke to Derek about this at the AMA show a few weeks ago. Today the
KF is running us about $2100 a month for just round numbers. Most folks don’t
know this or understand the huge cost involved every month. We are funding it from
dues and NATS money when advertising comes up short. John Konneker is
struggling to sell advertising and doing a great job….but we already owe
our check to the company store. 

We are bringing in advertising money that is short of that
number, Let’s call it 1700 or 1800 a month typical for the last few years.
Now I know John K has been working very hard to increase advertising money. The
problem is even its breaking even…..is it really worth it to you to have
it in your mail box? AT $2100 a month to the group? 

Look at it this way. Re-structure the KF to a new layout. An
online magazine. The advertisers are not going to like the idea at first…but
here is the what I think would work. 

#1 tell all the advertisers. Today is a new day.  We are going
to give you free ads for 2 months at your current ad level. And we are going
online only. 

#2 make all KF downloads free to the public. Absolutely free in
every respect. But put a counter on the downloads. Get the modeling public
looking at what we have to offer. 

#3 at the end of 2 months….take the counter numbers to the
advertisers and say look…we were producing 800 copies a month. Now it’s
downloaded 2000copies a month. You just doubled your exposure. 

#4 Oh by the way Mr. Advertiser, we understand the economy is
tough on you too. Let’s do this. We want you to stay with us advertising
and since it’s a web only magazine, we are going to cut your ad rates in ½.
You get the same number of pages for the ½ the money…..would you like to
double your ad space for the same $$ you were paying? This makes the online
only magazine larger…more prestige, more info for the public to see and
like. Today we are limited on content…we can only afford so many pages.
Online there is no limit essentially. At least not the budgetary limit we
currently have. 

Now let’s look at what this will do. John Konneker is selling
$2000 a month in ads for just round numbers. It’s close to this from the
info I have been told.  

$2000 a month is $24,000 a year. We are using that to pay the US
mail, and printer company. That’s 24K a year guys! 

Now let’s go to online and ½ the rates….more
circulation as its free to all that want to get it.  We get to take $12,000 a
year and put in our pockets to support and grow pattern.  What can you do to
grow pattern if you have money in the bank? Can we give more to the USA Team.
Can we hold invitational contests like the Tucson shootout and give cash prizes
 in all classes or buy products to give away to pilots. Could we completely
fund the NATS banquet? 

The advertiser people want more exposure…so we give it
away for free after all the more that download it the better it is to sell ads
right?   Then we get new members by showing them we are friendly and open folks
that want them to come play with us. We get them to join our organization because
we support pattern not because we make a magazine.  Telling them to join to get
the news letter is like saying we have a club but you gotta pay to play. They
will be helping to pay by downloading it. Oh and download often they will. 
People want this information…..when they like what they see they will
join the organization. If you hold it as a sacred cow then they don’t
want to play in that environment. Elitism: remember the stereo type we all know
it’s not true or is it….You have to pay to play: is this elite?
Just a question there not slamming the argument…just pointing out what we
have been doing in the past. I think it’s time for a change. 

Oh and by the way back to John Konnecker’s job on those
months when advertising is low meaning not breaking even on the printing costs
we currently have…Guess what we are using MEMBERS DUES and NATS funds to
pay the printer company and the US mail.  On the new system low month for ads
is just that, a low month and it’s still profit mostly profit…Today
we go in the hole on the KF and make up the difference. Would it be neat to say
well we only made $5K in advertising last year but we put 4K of that in our
pockets.  Instead it we brought in 24K in ads, and spent all of it plus another
2-3-4K out of the NSRCA treasury to pay for a printed KF. 

This new idea allows us to have money to advertise ourselves
hold events and promote pattern and get new members. The idea of paying to get
the KF is not attracting new members….the members we have are footing the
bill to pay the printer on those months that the KF advertising comes up short. 

This is common sense guys…run this like a business and it
can grow and expand. Live pay check to pay check like we are….. and we
are always struggling to stay afloat. 

Is the KF in its current form worth $2100 a month to you? Yes a
small setup fee would need to be charged to layout the Online version…so
Online doesn’t mean free setup…just free printing and distribution. 

Look Al Gore invented the internet…lets think like
business people and use it to spread the word. The US mail is not going to go
belly up, the price of stamps will just increase and so will our costs to print
and mail each and every member a copy. 

Please keep this information in mind when you vote in the poll 

My two cents on the subject.  

Troy Newman 

_______________________________________________
NSRCA-discussion mailing list
NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.nsrca.org/pipermail/nsrca-discussion/attachments/20090125/cb89ee4d/attachment.html>