From Bogdan Fiedur - Owner of Adlandpro
A MUST FOR ALL MEMBERS TO READ
Posted at
http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShowPost.aspx?PostID=278339&pageindex=5
Re: Adland Changes Good or Bad?
Posted: 01-31-2006 08:02 AM
Thank you Kenneth for bringing the comparisons.
With few exceptions this is exactly what all this means.
I have read all responses in this thread and see two groups of people.
1. Those who resent the changes and believe that they should be grandfathered into the new system or the go.
2. Those who understand that business has its costs and either applaud the changes or at least understand it to a degree.
Here is my take on it.
Free members will still have access to at least 95% of the features which exist today in our system.
The ones which we are limiting are forums (only for free members).
Here are the stats on forums: We delete each day hundreds of forums because they are either empty or have had no messages entered into them for over a month. Before we delete the forum we send the notification to the owner to either place new posts for the forum or just start it with a new message. Even if the message is sent 90% of people do nothing. They don't care about this forum. Do you know why? Because nobody checked it anyway.
I own this site and I have 3 active forums. Do you realize that even with my business 3 forums are enough for me?
The other limitations to free members are not even worth mentioning. They are minor.
For all the new features which we are adding as part of new upgrade, you would be spend $50 or more dollars per month at other places. These new features will not affect your life as a free member. A free member who never used our community before, would be not able to tell the difference before the upgrade and after.
Ryze, directmatches or tribe don't even offer such features and they charge their members for one single forum to run. You get it here free.
Now look at the positive side of these changes.
1. Finally those who were saying that they can't advertise to the community, can do this for a small fee without intrusion.
2. Just by referring people to use our free services you might make a good residual income if they choose to upgrade to paid membership which I'm confident they will once they see the value. Remember that there are swarms of business people out there who will keep paying for services if they see results.
3. Finally we as a company can hire more programmers and develop new option (also free) to grow this community.
We have plans to develop more advanced features but have been slowed down by number of resources available.
4. Not announced yet, we will offer buddy system where those who choose to participate, will be able to earn paid membership. Buddy system will be a group of our members who will welcome and greet newcomers and help them finding their way around. You will have option to join our Buddy ranks and have all this for free.
5. Power Members and Advisors, will also receive free access to first paid level. Become one and enjoy all this for free.
There is more, but I have to run. Stay tuned.
Bogdan
I guarantee you will get inspired by reading this.
Let's get this information out to everyone...knowledge is power, and we all love Adlandpro enough to want it to have a long healthy future!
You guys are the best, Jill