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

Tue Jan 27 16:40:02 AKST 2009

Thank you for the information Ron

This speaks to the heart of the matter in my mind. From the February numbers the KF cost the NSRCA $2976.21  On our best month of advertising from Derek's post was November last year and we had $2100 in ads.

That means the KF costs us about $800 a month out of the treasury. Treasury money comes from NATS, members' dues and so on.

So we are paying approaching  10K a year (800+ a month for 12months) from the NSRCA general funds to subsidize the KF in its printed form.

Or to put it in other terms we can all understand 250 members at $40 a person dues to subsidize the KF

What is our total membership now aprox 500-600? ½ our membership funds are to fund the KF. This is in addition to the needed advertising dollars. If those ad dollars fall off the KF costs us that much more.

I would consider this a major financial concern for the organization. We all enjoy our printed copy. However is it really worth this level of cost. As an individual it's easy to say well I paid my $40 I want my printed copy. As a group I don't think this a financially responsible answer.

The economy is in relatively poor shape. All model suppliers (read our advertisers) are suffering the effects of this crunch. We are so concerned about keeping a printed copy in place to keep these companies spending their advertising $ with us. ..yet when a advertiser doesn't renew his ad  due to the economy we go further into the membership general funds to keep the KF floating. How many ads do we need?

An online only KF would still make a profit with little to no advertising money. Today we are spending $2976 for this month.  My personal feeling is going all online would be a benefit to our advertising partners. Making the KF free to all would increase distribution. Increase NSRCA visibility, and give our advertising partners more exposure for their dollar spent with us. To me this is a very win-win situation for all involved.

Personally I can't see it getting much better. Even if the KF was 100% covered by the ads which it is not. 

People fear change. The reality is do we need to lose 1/3 of our current advertising income before we really see the writing on the wall. Or do we proactively change the way we are doing things in order to make this system better for members, better for advertising, and better for the exposure of pattern to the modeling world.

Better for the members we will have more money in the bank. Even with zero advertising we will be 10K ahead each year. That's if we lost all advertising.

Better for any advertisers we do have. The main supporters are going to stay with us. They will have a larger exposure at a lower cost to them.

Better for pattern as anybody and everybody can get the KF for free from the Nsrca download site.

I'm not beating a dead horse here. I just see the possibilities of thinking ahead, and developing a better and more current method of communication. Other SIGS are already doing this.

They got the same complaints when they started it, now they would not do it any other way. My local clubs have done the same thing and have managed to provide better funding for events, field improvements, and even fun fly events where the club buys products for prizes instead of donations. I mean they had an event that spent $2000-3000 on prizes and the entry fee for club members was ZERO for the fun fly. This was a direct result of saving the postage on the club news letter. 

By the way the club news letter is now double the size, all in color and has numerous ads from local Hobby shop owners. It has been a huge success over the last 2 years.

Troy Newman

________________________________

From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org on behalf of Ron Davies
Sent: Tue 1/27/2009 10:23 AM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

Jim and any interested parties:

There is not a contract in place for printing the K-Factor.

Postage and printing is paid separately.  

Postage for the February 2009 K-Factor is $602.41.  The January 2009 cost of the K-Factor not including postage is $2,373.80.  

I will provide you a cost break out of the K-Factor.  Please give me a few days as my main computer with all the information is in the repair shop.  

Ron Davies

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Woodward, Jim (US SSA) <mailto:jim.woodward at baesystems.com>  

	To: General pattern discussion <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>  

	Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:19 AM

	Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

	Hi Guys,

	Can someone please repost the K-Factor cost break out?  Here are some questions I have about the publication:

	1.       Is there a contract in place for printing the K-Factor (if so, who is the contract with)?

	2.       Are the postage and printing paid for separately, or lumped together?

	10,000 words were sent to the list regarding whether to go digital or keep the hard copy, but I didn't see the information discussing the current cost structure.

	Thanks,

	Jim

	From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Woodward, Jim (US SSA)
	Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 8:10 AM
	To: General pattern discussion
	Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

	It costs $2100/month to print and mail out the K-Factor the way we do it now?   What is the primary cost driver, format or postage?

	Thanks,

	Jim

	From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Dennis Bodary
	Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 9:41 PM
	To: General pattern discussion
	Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

The poll did not include a 50/50 mix. I would'nt mind a bimonthly K-Factor and could live with an electronic version every other month.

Makes me wonder how much advertising might be lost on a all electronic version. 

--- On Sat, 1/24/09, Derek Koopowitz <derekkoopowitz at gmail.com> wrote:

	From: Derek Koopowitz <derekkoopowitz at gmail.com>
	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, 12:19 PM

	It's a lot easier to allow for a "pull" of the K-Factor versus a
	"push" of
	it... Pushing it means that we'd clock up the internet traffic lanes.  You
	will receive a reminder email that it is available. 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
	[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Hatton
	Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 9:01 AM
	To: General pattern discussion
	Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll

	The electronic copy to download is good, but I would prefer at least a
	reminder Email when a new one becomes available,  and the option to have it
	attached to the email would be even better.

	Jay Marshall wrote:
	> You might want to upgrade your printer Ron. I have a 8 year old HP 970 
	> that prints both sides automatically. The real issue might be cost. 
	> What would it cost in ink to print a complete K-Factor in color on my 
	> printer vs the cost to have NSRCA print it? I can't carry my desktop
	to
	the throne room.
	> 
	> Jay Marshall
	> 
	> -----Original Message-----
	> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
	> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Ron Van 
	> Putte
	> Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 11:42 AM
	> To: General pattern discussion
	> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll
	> 
	> I like a paper copy, so I'd print it out to take it out to my hobby 
	> shop or the "throne room".  It is against my Scottish background
	to 
	> just print out a file one side only.  I'd like to print both sides of 
	> the paper.  If we decide to go with an electronic K-Factor only, it 
	> would be nice to have the PDF files arranged so, if we had a 6-page K- 
	> Factor, we could print out pages 1, 3, and 5, remove the sheets from 
	> the printer, flip over the sheets, reinsert the pages in the printer
	> and print out pages 2, 4 and 6 on the back of the respective pages.   
	> I know I could do it one page at a time with what we have now, but, 
	> with a 32-page K-Factor, that's a lot of shuffling around.
	> 
	> Ron Van Putte
	> 
	> On Jan 24, 2009, at 10:14 AM, Derek Koopowitz wrote:
	> 
	>   
	>> Optional when one renews - if we can work out the pricing details on 
	>> the paper only version.
	>> 
	>> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca- 
	>> discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Joe Lachowski
	>> Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 8:11 AM
	>> To: NSRCA Discussion List
	>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll
	>> 
	>> I guess having the option to choose which way you want it when you 
	>> renew is out?
	>> 
	>> I read it as an all or nothing kind of thing.
	>> 
	>> 
	>> 
	>> From: derekkoopowitz at gmail.com
	>> To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
	>> Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:41:30 -0800
	>> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Electronic versus Paper K-Factor Poll
	>> 
	>> 
	>> On the NSRCA website - http://www.nsrca.us - there is a poll that 
	>> we'd like everyone to participate in.
	>> There are two options on the poll:
	>> 1.  NSRCA Membership with electronic K-Factor only 2.  NSRCA 
	>> Membership with paper K-Factor The board would like to find out the 
	>> level of interest of everyone (NSRCA members and others) as to 
	>> whether they would prefer to receive their K-Factor electronically or 
	>> whether they'd like to receive it as a paper copy (as it is done 
	>> currently).  Pricing on each type of membership is unknown at this 
	>> time, however, we believe that the electronic only membership would 
	>> probably result in dues that are less than the paper K-Factor 
	>> membership.
	>> Please pass this email on to others that may not be connected to this 
	>> list - you do not have to be an NSRCA member to participate in this 
	>> poll.
	>> 
	>> HotmailR goes where you go. On a PC, on the Web, on your phone. See 
	>> how.
	>> _______________________________________________
	>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
	>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
	>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
	>>     
	> 
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