promotion of S_E specific services - time to charge a fee?

[graeme]

Tut, there's an age at which that stops being schoolboy behaviour, and starts being an arrestable offence.

I suppose eventually you can claim senility and it becomes acceptable again, but Greg would definitely get locked up.

[thinfourth]

Another reason to say NO

imagine i started up a garage and gave the board a grand to promote my services if i turned out to be a hammer wielding knuckle dragging ex marine engineer, would they say that was the case and harm their funding

[hendeg]

[quote="GregRI've been involved (this morning) in pulling together a reception to celebrate my Spots Club's successes (Scottish Cup winers, District and Reserve plate winners) with sponsors and club members so I've been brainstorming ideas.[/quote]

GregR - Sounds very much like I was the loser in the Reserve Plate final

As you'll see I've been flouting the rules a little (as a few others do) by having a wee footer on my posts. TBH I thought I'd have been asked to take it off by now and just have something in the Offers section.

I love the whole unorganised feel of the site and meets and think that proper advertising would ruin it - aside from the whole admin of it. I like the fact that there are genuine offers amoungst the community and would encourage them though.

Gary (probably soon to be footerless).

[tut]

Come on Paul, they would just say that it was the real you.

tut

[GregR]

Another reason to say NO

imagine i started up a garage and gave the board a grand to promote my services if i turned out to be a hammer wielding knuckle dragging ex marine engineer, would they say that was the case and harm their funding

I know the issue is dead and buried, but you've got the wrong end of the stick paul - advertising isn't promotion.

If you did start up a business, say building walls, and on every topic we have where people state they're having terrible trouble with a new wall they've built, or looking for hints and tips for a new wall they're thinking about building (lets be honest, the forum is littered with these examples) and you are there in every one saying the right thing and being super keen - you've got super free promotion. Isn't it fair to ask for a little contribution to charity or something to say thanks for the free promotion you've got? Or, given discounts have been mentioned, perhaps you should offer a discount to those whose walls you build through a forum referral. Also, would it be wrong to differentiate you as an advertiser so new users knew who you were i.e. someone with an interest?

[thinfourth]

Another reason to say NO

imagine i started up a garage and gave the board a grand to promote my services if i turned out to be a hammer wielding knuckle dragging ex marine engineer, would they say that was the case and harm their funding

I know the issue is dead and buried, but you've got the wrong end of the stick paul - advertising isn't promotion.

If you did start up a business, say building walls, and on every topic we have where people state they're having terrible trouble with a new wall they've built, or looking for hints and tips for a new wall they're thinking about building (lets be honest, the forum is littered with these examples) and you are there in every one saying the right thing and being super keen - you've got super free promotion. Isn't it fair to ask for a little contribution to charity or something to say thanks for the free promotion you've got? Or, given discounts have been mentioned, perhaps you should offer a discount to those whose walls you build through a forum referral. Also, would it be wrong to differentiate you as an advertiser so new users knew who you were i.e. someone with an interest?

Yes but if i stick a grand towards the forum running then i would want the thread about my walls being sh*t pulled

As soon as money appears so do the problems

I'd far rather we promoted people who deserve to be promoted not pay to be promoted

[graeme]

...you are there in every one saying the right thing and being super keen - you've got super free promotion. Isn't it fair to ask for a little contribution to charity or something to say thanks for the free promotion you've got?

Surely giving the free advice is the payment? If you have to make a contribution to be allowed to give advice, how soon would the advice dry up? If you were obliged to pay to advertise, are you then entitled to charge for advice?

Anyhoo, it's pint o'clock.

[BiggestNizzy]

Money = problems avoid all references to money, you have no friends where money is involved, money is evil.

[mac]

I do like the SE ethos of your time and advice if offered is done so a zero cost. It's helped probably all of the members at one time or another and generally the favour is paid back, even if the route is convoluted (I know this has been covered but just wanted to reitterate it)

I do also like the idea of having corporate ties highlighted - that could be a sub banner such as the one that Tut wears under his username or one like Adams - it's fairly obvious what he does

So, that's my iron in the fire now too!



Mac

[kenny]

money is evil.

Too right mate, and in the spirit of SE feel free to give all your nasty money to me. You'll feel better.

[tut]

Often wondered where that came from mac.

Must have been the early days when I did not know how to insert an avatar, so one of the mods did the barefeet and the sub banner.

tut

[Sanjøy]

I do also like the idea of having corporate ties highlighted

I would be happy with that, Lets new ppl know that Dan is SPS, Als 3dr is SLS etc.

I think that the other forms of promotion of non Lotus specific wares works at the moment as IIRC ppls generally approach a mod first before posting. For some SE is also a sanctuary away from work so ppl might now want CEO of Blah under their name if it is only one off promotions or SE specials they are punting.
Still keen for the robots.txt to be changed to ward off bots.

2p

SP

[roadboy]

If you did start up a business, say building walls, and on every topic we have where people state they're having terrible trouble with a new wall they've built, or looking for hints and tips for a new wall they're thinking about building (lets be honest, the forum is littered with these examples) and you are there in every one saying the right thing and being super keen - you've got super free promotion.

Lol!

So you think that people being helpful and giving advice for free should be charged for giving their time and knowledge to help others?

Interesting point of view!

Dan

[Alistair]

As far as I can see from my short time here - it is a well run and fun community to belong to - why change it?

I'm a member of another forum (sport related not motoring) and it went into absolute meltdown when money got involved. Ended up in court with prosecutions etc etc. It used to be like this one - everyone chipping in and helping each other out. It has reformed in another guise now but still has the same overtones and bampots thinking some are better or worse than others.

What caused it was the jealousy and pettiness of those not on a committee, moderating, or simply wondering where cash was going etc. I'm not sure the same thing would happen with the more "mature" members here but money does strange things - especially in what is essentially a virtual community - of sorts.

To quote SP - my 2p! (but you're not getting that - it's mine -aaaaalllll mine)

[GregR]

If you did start up a business, say building walls, and on every topic we have where people state they're having terrible trouble with a new wall they've built, or looking for hints and tips for a new wall they're thinking about building (lets be honest, the forum is littered with these examples) and you are there in every one saying the right thing and being super keen - you've got super free promotion.

Lol!

So you think that people being helpful and giving advice for free should be charged for giving their time and knowledge to help others?

Interesting point of view!

Dan

I wondered how long it would take you to come along, think its all about you then cherry-pick a line that you think proves you right.

Deep breath...

Dan, if you read my posts, its not about levying a charge or some sort of penalty on yours or any other business. Its about raising money for either charity or for a S_E event (the proceeds of which normally go to charity). My point is that some businesses, yours included, probably do well out of referrals from this site. All I am suggesting is that such businesses would normally pay a fee for direct access to their customer base and tghey are not here. A good opportunity for us to .. hold on, I'm repeating myself again here. I think you should be able to get the message.