Making ICMag self-sufficient.....

[Gypsy Nirvana]

For the last 28 months ICMAG (online) has been here free for all to use.......and I wish for that to continue naturally........

Although it is free for you all to use.......it is certainly not free for me to keep it up and running with server/bandwidth bills nudging up to the 2500 euros a month mark right now I really need to find someone that can help on the marketing/advertising area to off-set these costs by making the site self sufficient finally, and not dependant upon the business of selling seeds.....

We do have a couple of sponsors at the moment but the little revenue we get from these businesses does not really ammount to much......So I am humbly asking for your help here.......and I ask all members to think about it and perhaps suggest ways that we can bring in enough to cover the costs of running this website into the future without me having to supplement it every month from my own pocket........which is looking increasingly emptier these days due to many other costs (solicitors/lawyers e.t.c.)
....

.......Possibly there is a marketing genius out there that could step up to the plate and really make a difference concerning the fortunes of the site?......

If so then please share your ideas with us here. ....and maybe this will help make all the difference.....

Yours Sincerily......Gypsy Nirvana

....

 

[Farmer John]

I dont have money yet man only seeds but hell, we can find a way to make everything work, just takes some thinking...need someone with more brains than me, hard disk failure you know.

 

[sttb]

how about memberships gypsy

how about memberships gypsy

what would the cost per person to run a server all year if you had say 100 members we have to keep ic mag alive some how gypsy this is a great place to hang out an get info plus your like a good friend, i would loose.if this site is gone.i've been around since 2000 i've known you since overgrow. had chatroom and sure would hate to see you go gypsy. your a true friend to alot of stoners dude and you would truely be missed my friend so lets put our potheads together and solve this problem without loosing ic mag and the gypsy

 

[Guest]

how about our ICmag subscription money that we sent you, but never got our 4 magazines of.... just use that extra cash you have sitting around.


PR

 

[Marco Renda]

Hey Gypsy

I believe that if you offer a VIP Membership similiar to what OG had that will generate some income.

You can also sell banner ad space to raise funds.

It will take time but it is possible.

I have the same problem with my website also.

Take Care and Peace
Marco Renda
Publisher & Editor TREATING YOURSELF MAGAZINE
weedmaster@treatingyourself.com

 

[The Bastard Brewer]

More advertising space and banners would seem obvious but what about running an auction site(weed bay)? People could sell books, comics, videos, grow equipement , T-shirts ,paraphanalia etc. and take a small percentage handling charge like an auction room.
Also maybe put up the IC mag's DVD's in seperate files for download at a reasonable price.

 

[Grat3fulh3ad]

what would the cost per person to run a server all year if you had say 100 members we have to keep ic mag alive some how gypsy this is a great place to hang out an get info plus your like a good friend, i would loose.if this site is gone.i've been around since 2000 i've known you since overgrow. had chatroom and sure would hate to see you go gypsy. your a true friend to alot of stoners dude and you would truely be missed my friend so lets put our potheads together and solve this problem without loosing ic mag and the gypsy

I'd pay for a subscription to ICmag.com....

 

[Babbabud]

yup count me in and it sure would keep the trolls out

 

[Guest]

yup count me in and it sure would keep the trolls out

I 2nd that oops I mean 3rd that lol

 

[Sleepy]

if its the seeds you must distance yourself from, sell everything else...bubblebags, lighters, pipes, papers...anything...tye-dye shirts/hats, incense, etc...

The Gypsy Nirvana Head Shop...

you are already shipping worldwide...

there are no headshops around here anymore, thanks to the crackheads.

push the goods...don't ask for help from your customer base, sell to your customer base!!

don't be ashamed of being called a 'salesman', just be the best salesman...

we are behind you.

create your own line of clothing...chav wear...hehehe



seriously, if you were able to get this far, this hurdle will be a piece of cake.

 

[Latitude18]

Thank You GN

Thank You GN

... I , personally , didn't know it cost so much to run this site. At The moment , there are 10,254 members , I say $1 a month (euro or US ) per person would'nt be much to ask for to keep your pocket full and keep the trolls and flame'rs out . I for one would pay dbl that to stay with all these fine peeps here. VIP would also work , with certain access to forums depending if you subscribe or not. I , Funny as it is , was a member of IC ( Interstellar Coalilition ), a game'n club that played online RPG's like WOW EVE E&B and Starwars. It was a bunch of Nice ,like minded people, mostly disabled , around the world .....Anyway , we had it set so anyone could come in and see only certain threads. And differant lvl's for those who want to pay. IMO , thats the answer , you still have a free site that all can come to , with a twist. Thats , at half, 5k to the site /yr , twice as much as need , to be used for the site as well as the mag and your legal issues ... 12 bucks a yr aint squat , and I'd pay twice that to help this site and anyone that needs legal help from running the site.

Take that and smoke it !!!

Flame on ! I know , no one wants to pay , but GN is

 

[glasspackedbowl]

If you offered some sort of VIP club with perks of some kind it would only take 200 users and would cost about $15 OR even 10$ with a nice monthly supplament from bannor adds and a new campain to get us free as we go. I can sure put out a little $ for a safe and happy home.

Thanks Gypsy This Motavation Dutch Had me test grow is sweet!!!

 

[Guest]

I totaly laugh when i see people bitchin cuz Gypsy doesnt do everything for free,like he shouldnt be able to eat .I would gladly do something to help out, i figure it would take alot just for me to come close to repaying all the Freebies and Testers that i recieved,and for GN to shell this money out every month for the love of MJ and so we can have a place to come together free of charge shows alot .And a donation to the site would keep the trolls out,only hardcore flamers and haters would pay money to get on this site and talk BS,imo.Hope someone figures out a way to help cuz im in .Peace and stay safe,DancesWithWeed

 

[Chamba]

the first thing the new ICmag advertising consultant could do is approach all the current advertisers on all and any companies that are out there in canna related mags, web site or trade show attendee and offer them a great deal to attract them.

btw how much is it to advertise on this site?..what's available?

how about a simple classified ads section as well for smaller businesses?

or how about the option of having ads that pop up specifically for viewers from their own country or area? ..for example the German market for canna related items and products is huge.

 

[Chamba]

I think that advertising instead of subscription is the way to go to cover running costs.......the subscription thing at OG didn't really offer value the way it was set up.....perhaps the problem was that the entry price was too high, ....with a low enough annual subscription fee it could "work" offering a solution and benefits while attracting hundreds, not dozens?

another way is to offer an online subscription with purchase of a certain value of seeds, stash boxes or magazines?

 

[Chamba]

I don’t have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard’s dream if I ever did see one...."

but let me just say the above applies only if I don't have TOO much to drink!

 

[Guest]

Let us pay like everyone else has said. The auctions are also very good ideas.
Peace to all.
MOD

 

[justforfun]

Subs and Ads

Subs and Ads

I subscribed to OG, I think it was $40.00. I can't fill my car with gas for that. A pair of jeans cost more than that.

If that looks like a high figure (lots of money) to anyone, then look at it this way.

It's ~$0.1096 per day.

With some banner ads and a thousand subscribers that would off set the site op. costs.

I learned to grow better weed on OG and now anyone can do the same using ICMAG.

If someone can not afford 10 cents a day for something, then they should stop buying soda pop and support a good cause. IMHO ICMAG probably will not make you fat like soda pop can. :smile:

One has to sell alot of seeds to cover ICMAG costs, let the users that have the use of the site cover their own useage fees.

I would not call it a subsciption, but a donation. If someone needs stroked for making a donation, then call them a supporter. No other things offered than a great site and help when needed.

Just a thought.

JFF

 

[Latitude18]

I'd rather pay and see less Ads slow'n down my PC , keep the ads to the side in a thread so i can see who supports us and buy from them ... I needed Beans ,, so I went to Seedboo , have a box but need some bags , I'll go to GN first. I for one like reward companies for good service and not hang them because they mess up once , getting off topic again .... I'll Pay a lil , $20 a yr aint too much , think about how you felt went the site went down. I fo one don't want that to happen again

Plus running ads and this site takes more money , you need someone to do all the work and pay them for their time , I'm sure. paying advertisers don't want to pay for ads that arn't carefully attended too

 

[Guest]

I would have no problem contributing money (membership) to ICMAG, but first everything would have to be cleared up once and for all. Im not going to send money to a site that ends up being run by others.

Second, your struggling with your costs...Marco is struggling with his costs....maybe partner up and ditch one of the sites and start a new one or merge into one. Marco has big balls selling any kind of seed in Canada these days anyway.

Third, seed of the month. Feature a certain strain once a month that the proceeds strictly go to help cover costs and make it be known so we can purchase it. Alot of people dont wanna seperate with money.. but if there getting something in return then they will. Maybe some of our fine members can donate a certain amount of their strain and Gypsy will bid it off every month for ICMAG.