This forum shouldn't be free

[bateati]

This forum is attracting many new members who share amazing insights and knowledge on top of what already is here.

As we read this information, I feel a good portion of us do not truly appreciate it all for what it is because it's "free".
If it's "free" it can't be that great right?

Sometimes I feel like I'm reading from the holy grail on this forum.

I would very much like to see, Thefastlaneforum.com become a fastlane website itself.

Maybe you can start putting codes in the book, which give 3 months free access to the site.

If this forum cost 9.95$ or so a month ( or some sort of model) the book essentially pays for itself.

The members of this site would become a unique blend of student/customers.

Even though we all might be out 10 bucks a month, we would all be apart of the process and able to see how the success formula really works. We would see how we were persuaded to sign up for a membership. We would see what sort of value we really need to provide.

I learned from Tony Robbins that you need to mix emotion to thoughts. The more emotion invested into a thought, the more you are likely to keep that thought.

I find this to be true in ambitions as well.
The more time * energy you invest into a goal, the more real it becomes.

I sincerely feel, the people of this forum and ideology would be more likely to find success. If we were had more dipped into the thought because it would be more real.

(I'm having trouble finding words to describe this last thought, but I'm sure you get the idea)


So what do you all think about this?

[bateati]

You could leave this forum up for 300 hundred years, and most of this information would still be relevant.

[LightHouse]

Making this website for-fee is probably one of the worst things that MJ could do.

[bateati]

Lighthouse I normally like hearing your opinions about things.

You make such a claim, but you back it up with no evidence.

How do you come to that conclusion?

[Nicola]

If MJ decides that he has had enough of this forum and wants to find the most painful (but fast) way possible of killing it - then charging a fee would be the way to go!

[LightHouse]

Would you pay to be a part of a random forum you came across on the web? Especially if it was fairly new? Have you ever paid for a forum period, especially at the rate of $10 a month?

What would happen when half the user base here does not pay, how will new content be generated? How will questions get answered? This forum isn't a priority to most folks (no offence MJ) we all mutaully meet here to give advice and learn from each other but that does not mean that we would pay to do so.

If this went for-fee, in less than a week a new forum would be up that was free and guess what, everyone would migrate. Not to mention the position of this forum is to have folks that read the book discuss the ideas. What do you think readers would think if they bought a book then had to pay to discuss it, would anyone ever pay for that? Would the goodwill and word of mouth spread as fast as it has with a smaller user base because only a few folks are paying? I doubt it.

etc etc etc

Not meant to be an assholish response, it's just not in any way a good idea for something like that to happen. At maximum you could get away with a freemium model. where users can pay for no ads or whatever but it would make MJ look like he is trying to get money at every turn rather than spread his message and educate the world.

[bateati]

To me this forum is more about the threads that are already posted than the conversations.
You can spend days or even weeks just reading the old threads.
This forum holds more great information than any book I've read, yet some books sell for 99$+ and this is "free".

Maybe 9.95$ a month is a bit to much, as I just pulled a random number out of my head.

If in the book came a code to access the forum as a one time payment sort of deal.
I think most of us would be okay with that, as just about everybody has already bought the book.

A forum free trial, which ends and only can be continued with a purchase of the book. I mean why not?

I do not consider that a dirty tactic or look at it as MJ is just trying to get money out of us.

There are so many lessons new members can learn from going through those motions.

It is possible to smack someone on the wrist a bit with their best intentions considered.

[bateati]

Here is what the fastlane forum + book have taught me.

Raise the price of the book to 49.95$

Start an affiliate program, 20.00$ commission per book sold.

Affiliates can advertise the book directly OR the forum.
If a user clicks through an affiliate link to join the forum, and ends up buying the book.
20$ commission.
If a user buys the book, 20$ commission.

youtube videos do not get 3 million views in a week by awesome SEO rankings.
They do it by word of mouth.

There is so much more to learn from this forum & the book than just money.

I don't know about you guys, but I am not one to take and take without giving back.

I guarantee I could sell 100 of these books to my friends if I was getting 20 dollars a pop. It would become a hobbie of mine as it
would be a win win situation for everybody and I enjoy showing others the book as it is.

[Rickson9]

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't pay. This isn't really representative of anything of course.

Best regards.

[biophase]

I wouldn't pay to access this forum. You would lose alot of members real quick.

[bateati]

Interesting responses.
I suppose it's a lot easier to say you wouldn't pay after you've read most of the juicy stuff already.
As it's hard to imagine paying for something you were already getting for free.

I just find it hard to look away from the contradiction that some of us would pay thousands of dollars for business school but not a penny
for this forum.

[Kung Fu Steve]

Bat, my buddy, I think you're missing the point here.

This is a forum. A place where individuals can come to share wisdom and learn. It is a give and take community. If MJ were offering a "membership" program, we would be paying for just his advice. Where as it is now, people from all walks of life can share their wisdom.

Think of it like one of those hippy communes. You can stay as long as you contribute. Whether that be food, shelter, or drugs! Whatever.

Or - think of this like a library. You don't pay to go to the library, but there is more information there then any of us can abosorb.

These are just dudes and dudetts talking about business. More often than not, you learn more from a conversation then you can learn from being taught or when you're given a "system" for success.

If you want to pay me to have a conversation, you sure can!

[Bozigian]

If we add a fee, that may kill the forum

[RichKid]

I wouldn't pay.

I can find all the information I need, on any topic imaginable for free over the internet.

'Take and take without giving back'

Really? I know of no member who hasn't contributed something of value to this forum. Need proof? The speed scale is proof enough!

This forum is a community, not a sales page. There isn't only one person supplying the information, it is instead a collective wealth of information shared by many people from all demographics and walks of life.

There is another forum I'm a member of that has a free section and a paid section. I have not nor would ever pay for the restricted section.

Edit: haha, after I posted this Steve's post showed up.

[bateati]

I do agree Steve.

I am just very enthusiastic about people learning, thinking, and taking action with those thoughts.

Teaching how to do something by example really ensures the methods stick and resonate in the mind.
I feel like this is less likely to happen when the value is handed out for free.

To me, this forum is more about the new members learning the fastlane than the already successful members discussing whatever the thought
of the day is. (which is not worth paying a membership fee for)

This forum represents an ideology which has to do with making money for real 'freedom'.

There is no better way to teach that, than to put people through a real example of what a business really is. (providing value)

ex.

I want to make money. This information is really helpful, I suppose it's worth paying (x amount $) for.
Wow, I guess that's what value really is.
Maybe I should stop writing my crappy e-book that was going to make me rich, and
figure out a way to provide 'real' value.

[bflbob]

I would pay for a book written by MJ on business (I did.)
I would pay for a book written by Russ on building a B&B.
I would pay for a book written by Biophase on e-Commerce sites.

And so on.

Heck, I'd probably even pay for a book of the legendary threads (cleaned up) found on this forum.

But I have to agree. I don't think I'd pay for this site, unless it was some very low one time access fee ($5??) to keep the spammers out.

[bflbob]

Maybe I should stop writing my crappy e-book that was going to make me rich, and
figure out a way to provide 'real' value.

They don't need to be mutually exclusive.

[bateati]

Really? I know of no member who hasn't contributed something of value to this forum. Need proof? The speed scale is proof enough!

Great point.

All that give and take of thought has made the forum what it is.

During the beginning this place is better left free.
But this forum has accumulated so much value it has become something extremely powerful.

I am convinced without unreasonable doubt you can arm yourself with everything you need to be successful by reading all of the threads here.
All there is left to do after you've absorbed it all is to act.

I suppose I value knowledge to much.

Information is the greatest energy in our universe.

Information is the only type of energy that can be destroyed, which is a thread within itself.

I guess I may be a little out of the loop though. I can completely justify my actions in talking to a tree and think
anybody who disagrees to be the crazy one O_o.

[bateati]

I would pay for a book written by MJ on business (I did.)
I would pay for a book written by Russ on building a B&B.
I would pay for a book written by Biophase on e-Commerce sites.

I tend to see things that other people do not see.
I can't always say I'm right
I can't always say I'm wrong

But to make my point. . .

I see this forum as all those things you mentioned.

It is just silly for me to think it's only worth paying for if it comes in the form of a book.

A book holds knowledge and so does this forum.

One we have paid for in the past.
The other has always been free.

I think that is why we find it so easy to jump on the 'would not pay' bandwagon.

[oddball]

I wouldn't pay to access this forum. You would lose alot of members real quick.

Agreed.

Being I am a member of a forum that I pay for I thought I would share my experience. The forum I pay for is $30 a year, not too bad. This is what you basically get.
-a badge that says how many years you have been a "supporting member," its pretty
-you dont have to wait 30sec to post like free members, same with searching
-they have a large BST section, you get 2 free gold ups which puts your thread at the top for 3 days
-larger avatar size, larger signature size
-private section
-more i cant remember

i think that is it. there are 2 reasons i do it, the BST gold ups because they really help and each usually cost like $15? also the 30sec wait time. no offense but something like that wouldnt work, people dont post fast enough. on the other forum, people will keep posting and you reply and it says "please wait 20 sec to post," gets annoying fast.

its great if it works for your forum, you can really get a lot of money. but it takes a big forum, this is a growing forum and its great! imo, never make a forum pay only, have an option to pay for more. this way you still get the people who join because its free but then you get people who want more.

my 2 cents.

edit: it also helps him sell books. people come on here and see people make mention to the book, then they decide to pick it up. thats why i bought it. you cant always charge for things, sometimes free helps you.