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| Sep 19, 2005 9:37 am |
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re: Going for the Gold - or not? |
John Stephen Veitch
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This is a question that too often arises. Part of the problem is that the original thinking behind Ryze and how Ryze is turning out don't quite match.
There are three key benefits of being a Gold member as I see it.
One; to be a network leader (a doubtful benefit).
Two; to be able to see who has visited your Ryze page. (A very real benefit.)
Three; your photo is displayed in large format.
You also get the useless "Network with me" feature.
And permission to contact 25 distant people a month.
Unless your network is valuable to you I don't see huge value in Gold membership.
I want to enlarge this discussion.
I'd like to see network leadership divorced from both Gold and Platinum membership. I think Ryze Network Leadership should be open to the people best qualified to lead the networks. Since network leadership is a lot of hard work I believe the fee should be small, like $5 a month, and that those with successful networks should be "fee free". If there are 800 networks on Ryze and "100 Best Networks" were fee free each month, that would give Ryze an enormous boost of activity. If the price was right someone would pick up all those "dead networks".
I'd like the cost of Gold membership to reduce, but compared with rival networks Gold Membership on Ryze is currently well priced. My plan is for many more people to become Gold members. Here is my list of proposed services at Gold Level.
Large size photo. (as now)
3 Links to outside URL's (As now but enhanced)
Automated Contact List - Editable
Rights to recall and revise messages you've posted.
Ability to edit your friends list into two groups.
Who has visited your page (as now)
3 Testimonial Links.
Web space for 2 pages of extra material related to your homepage.
Links to "My five "Best" recent Posts.
No restriction on contact with any Ryze member who's page you have actually visited.
I think that's an irresistible package. (Actually you can do most of that now yourself, but if is came as standard it would be so much easier.)
I have a plan that includes an "associate membership" below Gold Membership, for a small annual fee. The idea here is to encourage large numbers to pay a the marginal cost of their being present.
I think 3-4% of Ryze members are Gold Members. There is at least another 12% that should be paying something.
Sadly 80% of all Ryze members are effectively permanently absent. That shouldn't have happened but that's real. Over the last two weeks I've contacted 120 NZ members of Ryze with a very useful message. I have had 13 replies. I'm picking that at least 80 of the letters I sent were never read, and that for those people nothing from Ryze will ever be read again, unless they happen by chance to get interested in Ryze again.
Someone said today that they have a network with 500 members. In reality 80% of those are permanently absent, so the actual group is about 100 and of those about 15 will keep your network alive. The rest may read occasionally but will never contribute.
Thoughts?
John
Private Reply to John Stephen Veitch (new win) |
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