| Author | Message | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Intermediate Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 1078 Registered: 6-2001 |
I wouldnt mind pop-up ads as i close them without looking at them anyway, as long as there arent like 10. Im sure other people here who will mind them. | ||
| Robert McNair (Rrm)
Junior Member Username: Rrm Post Number: 58 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have seen that site Rob but was thinking maybe a rental place for those of us in the east. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1720 Registered: 12-2000 |
already have that... www.exoticcarworld.com | ||
| Robert McNair (Rrm)
Junior Member Username: Rrm Post Number: 56 Registered: 5-2002 |
Rob, definately exotic car rentals. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1716 Registered: 12-2000 |
PlasmaTV's! | ||
| Ron Thomas (Ronsupercar)
Junior Member Username: Ronsupercar Post Number: 118 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have to agree with Tyler, most of us have a taste for the finer things in life and maybe if you get sponsors, high end appliences, high end car rentals (for those getting married) and watches, men love watches.. I think you would be heading in the right directions | ||
| Jack (Gilles27)
Member Username: Gilles27 Post Number: 384 Registered: 3-2002 |
Rob, I think you've got plenty of room for dedicated banners. Do a couple if the sponsors don't mind. | ||
| Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Member Username: Wsawyer Post Number: 259 Registered: 2-2002 |
Go for it! | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 480 Registered: 7-2001 |
Do the banner between the bars, avoid pop ups. | ||
| Harlan Mott (Hmott3)
Junior Member Username: Hmott3 Post Number: 134 Registered: 12-2001 |
sounds perfect! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1671 Registered: 12-2000 |
How about this new idea, a potential sponsor just contacted me about placing a dedicated (non rotating) banner of their business in between the two yellow bars on all message pages. It would be a skinny, but long banner. I thought it was a great idea, it wouldn't clutter up the main page any more, but all message pages would have their banner. It of course would have to cost and I think a dedicated banner like that would have to have a rate similar to what the rotating banner generates in total. What do you think about that idea? If we landed a sponsor for that on top of the rotating one, I would be back to even overnight and still have extra to visit users at CI, Cavallino, FCA, and Indy each year. | ||
| Jack (Gilles27)
Member Username: Gilles27 Post Number: 352 Registered: 3-2002 |
Rob, definitely don't go with pop-up ads. Those drive people nuts. I personally wouldn't mind a few extra emails a day--God knows I get enough already. Especially since these would at least be Ferrari related. Also, thinking back on some of the threads, maybe you can talk to someone like Griot's Garage to run a banner. You could show them the interest and confusion surrounding car care that has been brought up more than once in the last few months. | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
New member Username: Tillman Post Number: 26 Registered: 11-2001 |
I will. I want [email protected] Email me and we can do the paypal thing or snail mail or something. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1669 Registered: 12-2000 |
I can do this, who would pay $5 a month for this? | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
New member Username: Tillman Post Number: 25 Registered: 11-2001 |
Hmmm. Not quite a sponsor idea, but how about selling @ferrarichat.com email addresses and having them forward to the chatter's normal email? Maybe just $5/mo. or so, but it should take almost no time to edit a .redirect file. | ||
| Stanley DiGuiseppi (Standig)
New member Username: Standig Post Number: 14 Registered: 5-2002 |
You might try getting in touch with an insurance agent or company that might like to insure our cars. I know I would have called for a quote if you had one as a sponsor. It is something all of us f-car owners need. Just a thought. Mike Smith from Classic Insurance in Connecticut wrote most of my cars thru the years. You might emai him. [email protected] | ||
| Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Junior Member Username: Wsawyer Post Number: 246 Registered: 2-2002 |
You might also consider a presenting sponsor. For a higher fee, of course. FerrariChat.com presented by XXXX | ||
| Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Junior Member Username: Wsawyer Post Number: 245 Registered: 2-2002 |
Fila might be interested in advertising. They have a huge budget and a new relationship with Ferrari. | ||
| Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member Username: Bahiaau Post Number: 283 Registered: 12-2001 |
Rob, I'm in support of either a user fee or a place for voluntary donations. I'm sure as this site gains popularity and exposure the operating costs to make it reliable and fast get expensive rapidly. I love this site and find it a very valuable resource, however I don't think it should be provided at your expense. The evolution of this site will certainly be interesting. | ||
| Terry Springer (Tspringer)
Junior Member Username: Tspringer Post Number: 80 Registered: 4-2002 |
I would do everything to avoid a user subscription fee. Do everything you can to add new advertisers and sponsors. I really think you could add quite a few with some sales effort. You have good numbers and demographics here. Another thought: How about trying to merge with some other sportscar / racing related message boards? Then the advertisers would have a broader audience and perhaps the overhead could be shared? | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1665 Registered: 12-2000 |
We discussed the user subscription thing a few months ago and there were a few, very vocal users opposed. They happened to be the old guard from the board and actually, most of them don't use the board as much anymore. They remember when things were small and grassroots and that's what they still want. I can understand their point. I also believe the site should do whatever it takes to add the most value back to the Ferrari Online Community and not meet the needs of a few. The hard part is determining what to do and what not. | ||
| Patrick Pasqualini (Enzo)
New member Username: Enzo Post Number: 13 Registered: 2-2002 |
Just a thought maybe you could have a set of different levels for users Silver, Gold & Platinum with the Silver level free but not able to post ads or post topics just read. Gold level could post ads and topics. Platinum level could be Gold plus a donation. Just a thought. By the way good job Rob on a great site and a terrific bunch of guys to chat with. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1664 Registered: 12-2000 |
For awhile I was going to charge for classified ads, but at only 80-90 it's not as popular yet as it needs to be. I can't believe how much Rousch gets for FerrariMarketLetter.com | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Junior Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 80 Registered: 1-2002 |
How about charging a little fee for the classifieds? With all the owners on this site it is a good place to sell a car, parts, ect. I would still be willing to donate. | ||
| Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member Username: Bahiaau Post Number: 282 Registered: 12-2001 |
I wouldn't mind weekly emails either, as long as it doesn't get out of hand. Not sure if he would advertise or not, but I'm trying to talk my New York Life rep into checking Ferrarichat out. He just got black 360 spyder(I'm beginning to think maybe my premiums are a little high..LOL). I think most of us here appreciate all kinds of nice things and would be very receptive to advertisers of non-car related items. | ||
| Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member Username: Bahiaau Post Number: 281 Registered: 12-2001 |
Anthing but pop-ups, please. I think your potential client list for advertisers is endless. It's been said and I agree that non-car related advertising might work well also. Clothes, sunglasses, cigars, briefcases, any retailers of these things could do well here I think. | ||
| Bob Campen (Bob308gts)
Junior Member Username: Bob308gts Post Number: 211 Registered: 9-2001 |
A few months back funding ideas were discussed, at that point Rob had asked if we would mind an Email sent 3/4 times a year with a link to donate. I still like that plan | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Junior Member Username: Doody Post Number: 227 Registered: 11-2001 |
dude, no pop-up ads. that's the kind of thing that fuels the growth of adsubtract.com, which will could kill you eventually if the site remains sponsor supported. be careful about what you wish for ;-) i could deal with an email a week from ferrarichat sponsors. doody! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1663 Registered: 12-2000 |
Yes, I have considered basically anyone that advertises in Forza and Cavallino. However, I wanted to spend this summer really getting the site to an A+ level. To this point I have never solicited sponsors. Most start out as users and then inquire through my sponsor info request form. Once I get the site to the level I want, then I will professionally solicit some of the big dogs. | ||
| Dave L (Davel)
Junior Member Username: Davel Post Number: 146 Registered: 7-2001 |
How about getting Ferrari itself on board with this site. Can you solicit dealers to advert here like they do in Forza? How about adding some magazine ads. Like calling Autoweek or the SportsCar Market to place an ad or even Forza? How about the F1 tours/racing tours folks to advert their services for travel to races etc? Seems like this site would be a good outlet for them....Just my 2 centavos  | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1662 Registered: 12-2000 |
I'm a little more motivated to get some new sponsors with my additional costs of a dedicated server. Like I said in my other post, this is really my only way to bring funds in. I wouldn't charge a users fee until I either have to do this full time or the number of users got out of control. The only other revenue potential is the online store and the response with selling the prints hasn't been good. If I was selling more prints, I would consider adding even more products. However, sponsors have really been successful because I think they realize the value of the site. For a fee less than Ferrari rag print ads they get dozens of more exposures than a typical magazine read once or twice. FerrariChat.com changes every minute with each new post and that draws users back often many times a day. Also, the good natured club feeling of FerrariChat.com really supports our sponsors as all the users realize how valuable they are to this community. I love it each time when someone is looking for something and right away someone points out one of our sponsors that can provide it. Besides current rotating banner ads and mention in the monthly newsletter, please give me your opinion of some other packages we could offer to sponsors. Here's a couple to get it started... 1) Would you mind up to 2 e-mails a month besides the newsletter with more detailed info on a specific sponsor? 2) How about the dreaded pop up ads? Any other ideas? Thanks, rob |