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

[Mark Atwood]

While I don¹t dispute anything of what Troy had to say, I for one do enjoy
the paper magazine version, and I would be willing to pay a premium in
addition to my dues to get it.  I realize that enough people would also have
to sign up for the printed version to even keep the costs the same, but I
would HATE for us to no longer have a printed version to distribute or to
keep for posterity.

Just my .02.  

-Mark


On 1/24/09 9:35 PM, "Troy Newman" <troy at troynewman.net> wrote:

> Hey guys,
>  
>  
> This is a little long. Please read it¹s 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 don¹t 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 jobŠ.but we already owe our check to the
> company store.
>  
>  
>  
> We are bringing in advertising money that is short of that number, Let¹s 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 evenŠ..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 firstŠbut 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 monthsŠ.take the counter numbers to the advertisers and say
> lookŠwe were producing 800 copies a month. Now it¹s 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. Let¹s do this. We want you to stay with us advertising and since it¹s 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 moneyŠ..would you like to double your ad space
> for the same $$ you were paying? This makes the online only magazine
> largerŠmore prestige, more info for the public to see and like. Today we are
> limited on contentŠwe can only afford so many pages. Online there is no limit
> essentially. At least not the budgetary limit we currently have.
>  
>  
>  
> Now let¹s look at what this will do. John Konneker is selling $2000 a month in
> ads for just round numbers. It¹s 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. That¹s 24K a year guys!
>  
> Now let¹s go to online and ½ the ratesŠ.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 exposureŠso 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 informationŠ..when they like what they see they will join the
> organization. If you hold it as a sacred cow then they don¹t want to play in
> that environment. Elitism: remember the stereo type we all know it¹s not true
> or is itŠ.You have to pay to play: is this elite? Just a question there not
> slamming the argumentŠjust pointing out what we have been doing in the past. I
> think it¹s time for a change.
>  
> Oh and by the way back to John Konnecker¹s job on those months when
> advertising is low meaning not breaking even on the printing costs we
> currently haveŠGuess 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 it¹s still profit mostly profitŠToday 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 membersŠ.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 guysŠrun this like a business and it can grow and expand.
> Live pay check to pay check like we areŠ.. 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 versionŠso Online doesn¹t
> mean free setupŠjust free printing and distribution.
>  
> Look Al Gore invented the internetŠlets 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
> 
> 
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