New Donating Member

**trekkingnut** · 08-07-2010, 09:23

might request that the mods change the poll to "not yet" rather than non donating... negative connotations!

**Bradley** · 08-07-2010, 10:03

Originally Posted by trekkingnut

might request that the mods change the poll to "not yet" rather than non donating... negative connotations!

. . . Ditto . . .

**Just Jeff** · 08-07-2010, 13:27

You'll probably get a selection bias in your poll...the donating members are more likely to vote than the members who choose not to donate, regardless of what label we put in the poll.

Right now we have 381 Donating Members out of 7924 Members...just under 5%. But most of the 7924 members don't post or visit regularly.

**trekkingnut** · 08-07-2010, 13:56

Originally Posted by Just Jeff

You'll probably get a selection bias in your poll...the donating members are more likely to vote than the members who choose not to donate, regardless of what label we put in the poll.

Right now we have 381 Donating Members out of 7924 Members...just under 5%. But most of the 7924 members don't post or visit regularly.

poll is now obsolete. interesting stats though!!!

**beep** · 08-07-2010, 15:48

Originally Posted by Just Jeff

You'll probably get a selection bias in your poll...the donating members are more likely to vote than the members who choose not to donate, regardless of what label we put in the poll.

Right now we have 381 Donating Members out of 7924 Members...just under 5%. But most of the 7924 members don't post or visit regularly.

I'm still "boggled"

that we're getting around 15 new forum members a day!!! It's fun to share our knowledge and enthusiasm for hammock camping , and the moderators of this forum do a superb job of keeping it a family-friendly, noob-friendly and overall pleasant oasis of respect and good will in an internet desert of flames and cliqueishness.

**miboso** · 08-07-2010, 22:06

Well, you know, I've been meaning to donate, thinking each time that I noticed a "Donating Member" label, I really need to do that...sometime.
Thanks to trekkingnut for the kick in the can, now I done did dood it.

**trekkingnut** · 08-08-2010, 10:50

Originally Posted by miboso

Well, you know, I've been meaning to donate, thinking each time that I noticed a "Donating Member" label, I really need to do that...sometime.
Thanks to trekkingnut for the kick in the can, now I done did dood it.

congratulations mate!!!! welcome to the club!!!!

**Land** · 08-08-2010, 17:09

Chris

**Old River Rat** · 08-08-2010, 19:04

The information and fellowship is definitely worth being a donating member!

**coolkayaker1** · 08-09-2010, 04:42

That just boggles my mind, JJ. Really an unexpected number.

I thought it'd be under 1% donating.

Just kidding! Donation is very easy, by Paypal or mail, and as Tnut states, so truly inexpensive. Once I knew I'd be on this site for more than a month, and knowing the donation was less than the cost of a magazine subscription or two, it became a no-brainer. Very shocking that the number is so very low; those who take the time and a few dollars to help the site.

I'm sure people sit around with visions of the site moderators/owners puffing Cuban cigars from brand new Warbonnets, stoking their titanium wood stoves and cashing yet another member's check to get some Grizz Beaks, but I would wager in reality, it's not that way.

The real question is how to increase the number of donators to this great site. On the most visible and trafficked paddling (kayak and canoes, not S&M) website, they have a higher donation rate by giving away some items (kayak tie-down straps, a t-shirt with the logo of the website, discounts on retailers items) for $35 yearly. Sure, they have to mail out a couple things, but they get people wearing their t-shirts.

HF could have similar donation "gifts", even forgetting the t-shirt and kayak straps--simply work a discount with the cottage retailers on here, each of whom is really getting some premium online space on HF--for instance, donating members and only donating members get 10% off everything from Warbonnet. The neat thing is, each retailer could work out their own discount and you could post it in a PDF file sent to donating members. The retailer would know who is donating (since we all have that icon under our names), so that part is easy. For instance, Paul Gibson might say he'd give a free box of those nutty fruity bars for every donating member's order over $200, whereas 2QZQ might say they'd give free return shipping on any paid HH mods for donating members. Something like that. Let them compete for our attention and dollars with those member's only discounts.

The cottage industries gain overall sales, the website gains cash, and the the donators get back their annual donation in spades, and no one loses. Something to consider.

Thank you, from new member and donator.