CAG toolbar - very disappointing

[BankFodder]

The take-up of the CAG toolbar is very disappointing - and we really do need some help.

 

If you haven't downloaded it then please have a look. The most important thing for us is that you use the search function because it will generate some revenue for us if you click the sponsored ads.

 

It doesn't cost you anything at all. The money comes from the sponsors of the ads.

You can download the toolbar from here

 

We have bills to pay and it is very tight at the moment.

No one gets paid except one person who does admin for us.

 

Donations are very down. Book sales have become a trickle and the couple of advertising links that we have don't produce anything much at all.

 

At the moment, any revenue of any use is produced by our search boxes at the top and the bottom of the forum.

 

We think that we can increase this if you use our toolbar on your browser and get into the habit of using it for your normal searches.

 

The revenue problem is a problem for the CAG and it is a problem for all of the people who come to us for help because it means that our existence becomes precarious.

 

You would imagine that with over quarter million registered users and 700,000 unique visitors per month that donations would be flooding in and that everything would be hunky-dory.

Well it's not like that at all. Hardly anyone donates. Some people donate £10 but most people who donate are now donating £1 or £2. I appreciate that for many people even these small sums are a sacrifice but after Paypal takes its cut, there isn't much left. And of course, the vast majority of people just don't contribute anything at all.

 

 

How can you help us?

 

Of course, if you can donate then that would be great. But if you can't afford it, then don't worry. Don't get yourselves back into debt on our account - but what you can do, at no cost to yourself, is to download our toolbar and use it to make your web searches. If enough people did that it would make a big difference.

 

How else can you help? Refer to our toolbar in your forum signatures and let your friends know.

You could even include a link to our toolbar page in your emails.

 

Whatever you can do to help.

[bustthematrix]

1. How can I add the CAG toolbar to my signature?

2. In relation to the search box in the CAG Toolbar (which I have), who powers the search? Is this essentially a substitute for Google?

3. May I suggest that CAG implements a scheme to keep prompting all it's users and visitors to install the toolbar and use the search engine? Not sure how this can be done (maybe by weekly email or the first time the site is accessed each week). I only came to this thread because a link to it was at the foot of a post I read!!!

[BankFodder]

The search engine is Yahoo.

 

I think that you will have to experiment with the sig. There is a way to include links. Maybe one of the mods will be able to tell you. I'll flag it to them.

 

Yes, we are trying to push the issue of the toolbar and revenue generally.

 

Thanks very much for taking an interest. It is very important to us.

[phoenix11]

BF - I would suspect that most people either are not reading the posts about this or have their toolbar in place and are unwilling to install another one.

 

Is it allowed to send out a more simplified version of your post by email to ask for donations?

 

If all the recently visiting new members realised how dire things are and contributed just £2 each, that would be one heck of a boost to the funds.

 

I think people genuinely have no idea of the costs of hosting and running a site such as this. Would it be a good idea to give an idea so that they can understand?

 

If we lost this site, frankly, one heck of a load of consumers would be stuffed - permanently - as there is nothing quite like it for help and support and it's not something that can be replaced at the drop of a hat.

 

Maybe you need a fund raising forum or group of members? Get some brainstorming on the go?

[BankFodder]

Sorry, but this is going to sound negative, negative negative.

 

I wish we could send out lots of emails but we don't have the money.

 

To send a bulk email to our entire userbase would probably cost £3000 or more.

 

Also, we don't have the personal resources to start organising fundrasing. I'm afraid that it needs other people with the ideas and the energy to decide to set it up and to do the job.

A fund-rasing forum is a great idea - but it wouldn't produce the individuals with the drive to get on and do it. And that's what's needed.

 

Also, I can tell you that if we had charged even only £1 for membership of this forum, we would still be very small and we wouldn't have the information resource that we do have here.

 

People get very suspicious or very tight about giving their money away - unless, it is to bank charges or payday loan companies. Then they don't seem to care very much!!!

[bustthematrix]

BF

 

Something has to be done. How about just adding some text to EVERYONE'S signatures or to the top of each reminder email we get whenever our subscribe forums are updated?

 

Phoenix is right most people have not a clue that the finances are in dire shape. I say urgent action is needed lest things get worse.

 

Part of it of course is the general economic malaise people find themselves in. Yet, in my view and that of many, CAG is worth every penny!

 

The masses of users and visitors need to know how easy it is to help and they'll be downloading the toolbar and clicking away at those sponsored links!!!!

 

For example, how many links do I have to click on to donate a pound (£1)?. If there was a way to make this an automatic weekly or monthly activity for say 20% of CAGGERS, would it be enough BF?

[SharpmanTF1]

I don't use Firefox or Explorer, Is there a Toolbar for Opera?

[BankFodder]

BF

 

Something has to be done. How about just adding some text to EVERYONE'S signatures or to the top of each reminder email we get whenever our subscribe forums are updated?

 

Phoenix is right most people have not a clue that the finances are in dire shape. I say urgent action is needed lest things get worse.

 

Part of it of course is the general economic malaise people find themselves in. Yet, in my view and that of many, CAG is worth every penny!

 

The masses of users and visitors need to know how easy it is to help and they'll be downloading the toolbar and clicking away at those sponsored links!!!!

 

For example, how many links do I have to click on to donate a pound (£1)?. If there was a way to make this an automatic weekly or monthly activity for say 20% of CAGGERS, would it be enough BF?

 

If 20% donated regularly, that would make us very secure and allow us to do some interesting things.

 

However, donating a £1 at a time doesn't make sense because Paypal takes their fee as well as their %.

 

It is better that donations come in as large sums as possible.

£10 makes much more sense than 10 x £1.

 

Of course, in addition to the toolbar, people could just donate.

It just seemed that the toolbar is a good way for people to help without actually having to put their hands in their own pockets.

 

If people want something to show for their money - in addition to what they get on-site, then buying our materials would help too - but it seems that at the moment, people don't even want to do that very much.

[BankFodder]

I don't use Firefox or Explorer, Is there a Toolbar for Opera?

 

I've flagged this to Webmaster

[elsinore]

Hi BF.

 

I’ve added the toolbar and will use it at every opportunity.

 

I have also added a link to my signature but two points arise from this:

 

• Because I don’t post that often and my posts are frequently short, my signature rarely appears. Is it possible to restore the signatures of members on request?
  
• It’s better to link to your Global Announcement, rather than the plug-in page, because the advantages of using the toolbar are explained. However, the link will presumably become invalid after 8th July so perhaps your announcement could be made a sticky in the General Forum.
  

Els

[BankFodder]

Thanks.

I'll look into signatures.

 

Announcement expiry is very easily changed - but what you say about the explanatory page is very true. We'll add an explanation to the download page too.

Ta

[phoenix11]

Just to add a bit about Paypal.......

 

Whilst it's obviously very costly to send £1 to the actual site, if a small group of people who know or trust each other sent a small donation of £1 or £2 to one person who has a Paypal account, by using the 'Send Money' option, selecting the Personal tab/ Gift, using existing funds within their own Paypal account, that is free for both parties.

 

That person could then send the total donation to the website as normal.

 

The 'free' option for sending money cannot be used to donate to the website because that would raise flags with Paypal and they'd sanction the website account.

 

But it would mean that small groups could band together to raise a more feasible sum to then donate to the website.

[bustthematrix]

If 20% donated regularly, that would make us very secure and allow us to do some interesting things.

 

However, donating a £1 at a time doesn't make sense because Paypal takes their fee as well as their %.

 

It is better that donations come in as large sums as possible.

£10 makes much more sense than 10 x £1

BF

 

My point here was not to donate £1 via PayPal. I wanted to know what it would take in number of clicks on sponsored links via the toolbar for CAG to receive £1 from the clicks.

 

This way if enough people, say 20% of 250,000 = 50,000, simply did enough toolbar search clicks each month to each generate £1 for the site(£50K), it hasn't really cost them anything but will have done the site a world of good.

 

If this practice could then be encouraged as a monthly habit (e.g. with competitions/rewards etc), it could take off as perpetual funding source:). In addition to the usual donations of course:D.

 

BF, please bear in mind that the downturn in funding that CAG is experiencing is reflective of the economic times and not only a lack of interest from Caggers. It makes sense to look at any viable funding sources that don't compromise CAG.

Edited May 17, 2010 by bustthematrix

[bustthematrix]

BF

Can u give an idea of the minimum income CAG needs per month/annum?

[BankFodder]

BF

 

 

 

If this practice could then be encouraged as a monthly habit (e.g. with competitions/rewards etc), it could take off as perpetual funding source:). In addition to the usual donations of course:D.

 

.

 

Yes, that would ba an ideal situation. However, we can't encourage people to make revenue-generating searches just to help us. Advertisers would soon realise and there would be trouble.

 

That's why the toolbar is so useful because if people can get into the culture of using that for their searches then I expect that it would make a heafty difference.

 

We are going to be looking and taking on more affiliate links.

 

How much do we need each month?

 

About £1100 average allows us to tread water - keeping all our expenses paid which includes one admin support, accountancy, server fees, domain fees, software updates, tech maintenance some telephone, ISP and tech expenses.

[bustthematrix]

Yes, that would ba an ideal situation. However, we can't encourage people to make revenue-generating searches just to help us. Advertisers would soon realise and there would be trouble.

Hi BF

 

This is why I said as long as 'CAG is not compromised'. My thinking is that simply by encouraging people to use the toolbar there would be natural traffic to these links. I think it's helpful for people to know how CAG gets revenue from their activity in order for it to work. i.e.

 

- by using the toolbar in itself or

- by using it for searches (alternative to Google)

- only when a sponsored link is clicked or

- whenever any link is clicked, sponsored or not

 

That way they can be more purposeful.

 

If CAG can get 50,000 searching each month, I doubt any advertisers would be too bothered as they are more interested in the visibility they get. Caggers conducting specific searches would only see relevant sponsored links in their results and they are likely to click these anyway.

 

In my view it's not necessarily a subversive strategy unless it's promoted in that manner, which I'm sure will not happen.

[Buster78]

Installed and using every day.

[Banish]

BF

 

My point here was not to donate £1 via PayPal. I wanted to know what it would take in number of clicks on sponsored links via the toolbar for CAG to receive £1 from the clicks.

 

This way if enough people, say 20% of 250,000 = 50,000, simply did enough toolbar search clicks each month to each generate £1 for the site(£50K), it hasn't really cost them anything but will have done the site a world of good.

 

If this practice could then be encouraged as a monthly habit (e.g. with competitions/rewards etc), it could take off as perpetual funding source:). In addition to the usual donations of course:D.

 

BF, please bear in mind that the downturn in funding that CAG is experiencing is reflective of the economic times and not only a lack of interest from Caggers. It makes sense to look at any viable funding sources that don't compromise CAG.

 

50k a month?

 

why would you need so much if you actually need around £1,100 a month to tread water? as you state above.

 

BF, you have to be careful here, people will always be sceptical of money raising as money lining pockets, especially if you need 1100 quid a month but make plans to make over 50 grand a month.

 

Not sure you done yourself many favours with the last few posts.

 

Mayeb i have the wrong end of the stick, if so, apologies.

[Buster78]

Hey Banish,

BF didn’t say anything about the 50k it was bustthematrix. I don’t see anything wrong with BF’s posts personally; maybe you got the usernames mixed-up?

best regards.

[Banish]

Hey Banish,

 

BF didn’t say anything about the 50k it was bustthematrix. I don’t see anything wrong with BF’s posts personally; maybe you got the usernames mixed-up?

 

best regards.

 

yes you are correct, i did get them mixed up.

 

but upon reflection, BF did say securing donation from 20% of the client base, 50,000 people, would secure them.

 

so in essence, what buster has said in monetary terms does relate to the 20% of readership/signees/client base that BF mentioned.

[Buster78]

Ah yes indeed he did, sorry. It could be argued that once the paypal fees have been deducted, the total would be much less than 50k.

In any case I doubt BF needs me defending him/her, so I shall bid you a good night.

Best regards.

[disgruntledofcornwall]

Downloaded the toolbar and making everyone I work with do the same.

[tifo]

People shouldn't be suspicious of donating AFTER they've received good help from this site. Maybe people could be FORCED to donate after a certain number of posts so that they've had the help by then (anyone who has posted 100 times will have got many answers to their questions). Many sites do this.

 

Even a membership fee structure may work and those who pay get access to restricted areas with extra information.

 

I agree the site is a not for profit setup but that doesn't mean it can't have surplus income which can be used for future running costs.

 

There is no excuse for anyone not paying even £1 and with a membership of over 250,000 that would generate ongoing income. Don't forget that many people would not get the refunds they do if it wasn't for this site.

[Fred Bassett]

Personally, I've made small donations in the past and will do so again in the future. As for the toolbar - I used to use it, but then I switched from using Firefox to Google Chrome and there is no CAG toolbar available. I've asked this before on another thread, but is there any likelihood that there will be a Google Chrome version of the toolbar at some point in the future?

 

Fred

[johnnymitch]

by tifo : Maybe people could be FORCED to donate after a certain number of posts so that they've had the help by then (anyone who has posted 100 times will have got many answers to their questions). Many sites do this.

 

 

How about those who GIVE advice rather than receiving it TIFO ? If they were forced to donate (although I have donated in the past anyway) the advice would dry up I'm thinking .....