A forum that will force them to pay?

49 replies
Automation, I need..

Basically I would like my forum to allow people to register and post for 14 days without paying anything, then after the 14 days the forum to automatically force them to pay from a selection of 2 subscription services.

Is there a forum that does this?

Cheers.
#force #forum #pay
  • Profile picture of the author Zacman
    I agree with the others.

    Hey, there are numerous ways to monetize once you have the traffic to your forum.

    That should be your priority, (getting traffic). The more members you have to your forums the easier it will be to monetize.

    Add something of value to your forum, make it unique in some way. (not by charging LOL)

    Once you have thousands of members, then make some money from the traffic.

    eg. adsense, banner ads, promoting affiliate links, your own programs etc etc etc.

    Cheers,
    Zac
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  • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
    Basically you are asking people to create content for you, and after a fortnight you are going to charge them for the privilege. Would you jump at this 'opportunity'? I can't see this taking off, somehow, unless you are offering something pretty fantastic in exchange.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lightlysalted
    Yes this is possible but you would need a complex e-commerce system to do it. You would need to consult with a proper web design company. Personally I know of very few online forums that charge membership fees and of those that do few appear to be successful.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
    I'm not sure if there's a forum that has this
    specific functionality.

    However, you could put your forum within
    a membership script and set it up with a free
    14 day trial and then a paid subscription
    through PayPal.

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author Tyrus Antas
    Usually people are more interested in getting info out of the forum than actually participating. That said, if you're talking about a forum where people can ask for help(I'm thinking about your product) it could work.

    The thing is, are people really that desperate to solve some problem, and is the problem recurring enough that they need to pay month after month?

    Tyrus
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  • Profile picture of the author ltdraper
    I'll answer the question without passing judgment on your business plan.

    Joomla will handle your needs quite well. You can install the Community Builder and Fireboard extensions. AEC (Account Expiration Control) will handle the subscriptions. You can limit access to various places in your site according to the type of subscription, and you can set up all sorts of different plans.
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  • Profile picture of the author CBSnooper
    I help run a forum specifically for a particular make of classic car. We have a contributor mod that allows them to pay £12 per year for membership. For the £12 they get access to a members only room, discount on car insurance, priority tickets for shows, discounts on products etc. It's well worth the money.

    Offer them what they want and they will pay!
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrian Cooper
    It is crucial to give users and potential users exceptional value.

    I send out a newsletter every week since 2005 of up to 20 pages in length - all my own writing and always unique - and most weeks never offer anything.

    When I do offer products I offer incredible value - way over deliver.

    This way people trust you and are loyal. They know if you do offer something it will be wholly exceptional and will buy.

    None of this is in the Internet Marketing sector I should add.

    If you look at IM from the perspective of "how can I best screw people out of money", you will fail - big time - and deserve to.
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  • Profile picture of the author traian29
    I also think it may be done, I mean a forum where you pay, but it has to be a good niche and you have to offer valuable information. The "easiest" way would be creating a product and then offering consultancy through the paid forum.
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  • Profile picture of the author reikidad1961
    Bad idea, no one will pay unless your forum is something special and has been around for years even then you'd have offer something of value to the customer, not just a place to post.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
    A paid membership with a members only forum is a good bet.

    It's this model that 'broke' Lee McIntyre a couple of years back, when he started Standing Start Profits

    Although Lee delivered great content, the community (and friendships forged) within the forum alone made it well worth the cover charge.

    John Taylor had the right idea on how you can set this model up.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author abo28
      There is a forum out there that charges $10 a year. I won't tell its name, because I don't want to make this post a promotional one.
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      Originally Posted by Steven Fullman View Post

      A paid membership with a members only forum is a good bet.

      It's this model that 'broke' Lee McIntyre a couple of years back, when he started Standing Start Profits

      Although Lee delivered great content, the community (and friendships forged) within the forum alone made it well worth the cover charge.

      John Taylor had the right idea on how you can set this model up.

      Steve
      Yes, a forum membership is guaranteed to work, unlike what some people have said, you'd have to be crazy to think it won't work.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    If you are going to charge people to post in your forum then forget it man. No one is going to do that. It would be insane for someone to pay anyone to post at their forum.

    Any forum online is free to use.

    Tal
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      If you are going to charge people to post in your forum then forget it man. No one is going to do that. It would be insane for someone to pay anyone to post at their forum.

      Any forum online is free to use.

      Tal
      Not necessarily dude especially not when I've got something they want...

      And it being inside a membership site, that is one pay entry, the forum entry is optional, they also get a taste for what it's like to be in the forum, via giving a free period.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      If you are going to charge people to post in your forum then forget it man. No one is going to do that. It would be insane for someone to pay anyone to post at their forum.

      Any forum online is free to use.

      Tal
      Erm...wasn't a little-known forum called The Warrior Something-Or-Other
      once a paid-for forum?

      :confused:

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author George Wright
        Hi Steven,

        As you know...

        Yes and No.

        I for one paid $49.95 to "join the Warriors," Way back in the 1900s (seems so long ago now.)

        However, for that price you got access to the "Warrior Secret Site," which is still alive and well from the standpoint that it is password protected and still online. I visit there often.

        The Goodies in the Warrior Secret Site were/are amazing. You learned how to put information on a floppy disk and make money with it. You learned how to write articles and make money. You learned how to password protect any file and sell the password. You learned how to make "doorway pages" courtesy of Mr. Willie C. and so many other goodies I can't mention them all. LOL. Fact of the matter is, ALL the latest and greatest products online today have an early counterpart in the old Warrior Vault.

        The Warrior Forum was the bonus. It was supposedly part of the paid package but there were always free members, those who found the unprotected forum through a search engine or who were "let in" by paid members.

        Originally Posted by Steven Fullman View Post

        Erm...wasn't a little-known forum called The Warrior Something-Or-Other
        once a paid-for forum?

        :confused:

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
          Thanks for clearing that up, George.

          I wasn't around back in the day, so my 'clever' answer doesn't seem quite so now

          Steve

          P.S. Pssst...about that secret site....nudge nudge


          Originally Posted by George Wright View Post

          Hi Steven,

          As you know...

          Yes and No.

          I for one paid $49.95 to "join the Warriors," Way back in the 1900s (seems so long ago now.)

          However, for that price you got access to the "Warrior Secret Site," which is still alive and well from the standpoint that it is password protected and still online. I visit there often.

          The Goodies in the Warrior Secret Site were/are amazing. You learned how to put information on a floppy disk and make money with it. You learned how to write articles and make money. You learned how to password protect any file and sell the password. You learned how to make "doorway pages" courtesy of Mr. Willie C. and so many other goodies I can't mention them all. LOL. Fact of the matter is, ALL the latest and greatest products online today have an early counterpart in the old Warrior Vault.

          The Warrior Forum was the bonus. It was supposedly part of the paid package but there were always free members, those who found the unprotected forum through a search engine or who were "let in" by paid members.
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  • Profile picture of the author workingmamma
    Way too many free sites to charge people to be on your forum unless again you have some great service that you can offer that will be a major benefit.
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  • Profile picture of the author tinstar
    Please don't hang all your hopes on a forum. I've done that in the past and even though I had people emailing me constantly with questions, once I put up a forum so people could get immediate help, even though everyone said "That's a great idea!", people seem to lose their voices when they can't contact you directly.

    I'm not saying don't try a forum, but IMHO you shouldn't even think about creating a "Members Only" section (which is the right idea as people have said, as opposed to making the whole forum paid) and charging for it until you have about 500 or so ACTIVE participants, not 500 or so members.

    You need to know without a doubt what THEY want in the forum and not what you want as well, and the only way to find that out is to wait and see where they participate frequently. Otherwise, you'll have a lot of sections that you thought would be cool with no posts in them and your forum will look like it sucks. (Then you'll want to create alternate identities and start talking to yourself just to make it look like something is going on...)

    On top of all that, forums can be a pain to manage.

    I hate to seem like I'm advertising for someone, but you can find a lot of information at a site if you Google "Admin Zone".
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  • Profile picture of the author Igor Kheifets
    Paying for posting in forums?
    Really? I wouldn't even consider
    purchasing the package. Perhaps,
    do something like the CYN did.

    Offer premium membership of somekind.

    Igor
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  • Profile picture of the author workingmamma
    One suggestion is ask for donations. I have some of the forums I use that ask for donations and then people are not obligated to buy but I have seen many that if you run a great forum will send donations.
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  • Profile picture of the author virtuallywork
    I would never do it. There are too many free forums and forums are not about making money--right? They are to help one another. Sharing ideas and support. I think I would feel betrayed somehow.

    Just an opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author tinstar
    What if you did this instead...

    Sell a front-end product.
    Offer a 30 day free trial to your members only website as a bonus (set up a Wordpress members only site for this.)
    After 30 days you start charging if they want to stick around.
    Since it's a blog, you can still "talk" back and forth via comments.
    There are good plug-ins that will handle the whole system easily.

    Continuity plain and simple.

    Otherwise, good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author ecoverartist
    The War Room (here at the WF) actually pulls this off quite nicely - although it's a one time fee, the information in there is invaluable.

    So there's nothing saying it can't be done - you just have to have the community first or something that no one else has to the point where people will pay you to get it.
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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    Hi Again,

    I would never attempt to publicly itreprepet "The Works of Allen Says," it would be far too presumptious on my part and I'd get it wrong in most peoples eyes anyway.

    However, having said that, anyone serious about running a monetized forum should spend a few weeks/months researching how Allen does it. This would require searching for posts he made in the past on this and his older forum version and buying his ebooks.

    George Wright
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  • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
    Why are so many people being so negative
    about someone wanting to set up a paid
    forum?

    All you people who say it won't work please
    just answer one question..

    Have you actually tried it and, therefore, you
    are speaking from experience?


    Let me tell you, I ran a very successful paid
    forum a few years ago and I sold it to make
    way for a new project.

    Paid forums work, especially when you offer
    a free trial period. Which is exactly what the
    OP is trying to do.


    John
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    • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
      Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

      Why are so many people being so negative
      about someone wanting to set up a paid
      forum?
      I actually regretted answering as I did the moment I pushed the 'post' button. As someone else said, 'passing judgement on the plan without answering the question'. The reason I did so was because I have read several threads started by the OP in recent days, mostly over in the SEO forum, in which he presented a couple of his ideas as facts when they weren't, including one which was the results of a 'test' which turned out to be the observations he'd made from just six of his pages.

      Really I just wanted to be sure that he had thought the idea through before incurring any potential costs involved with it. Not just him, either, but all the newcomers that pass this way and are influenced by all that we say on here.

      I'd be the last person to pour ice-cold water on anyone's dreams, but I do feel that in order for those dreams to flourish we have a bit of a responsibility to help people feed those dreams with the kind of well-rotted compost that's taken a while to mature, rather the kind of raw, unprocessed horse-dung that will kill them off tomorrow.

      I apologise if my response came off as irrelevant negativity (as I said, it did to me too, once I'd said it), and wish the OP well his plans.
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      • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
        Thanks John it took someone with a bit of sense to come and inform them of their mistakes..

        I just think some people really do not know what they are analysing half time.. themselves or what's in front of them.
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      • Profile picture of the author Killer Joe
        Originally Posted by Diana Lane View Post

        The reason I did so was because I have read several threads started by the OP in recent days, mostly over in the SEO forum, in which he presented a couple of his ideas as facts when they weren't, including one which was the results of a 'test' which turned out to be the observations he'd made from just six of his pages.
        Diana,

        Don't feel bad about getting sucked into the morass here..

        This poster is nothing more than a poser who keeps starting threads to make it appear as if he really doing something. He's not really doing much of the things he talks about or *debates* doing.

        He's a 'fake it till you make it' persona that is looking to position himself as someone in the know. In essence, an uber phony.

        He's had hundreds of posts and other forum names deleted or banned for this activity.

        It's too bad the forum has to be subjected to this kind of crap. It really makes a mockery out such an incredible resource as the WF.

        Hopefully, one day this kind of cheapening of the Warrior Forum will be recognized for what it is and eraticated.

        I'm sure this response will get deleted, but hopefully not before a few good Warriors get the chance to read it.

        My apologies to Allen and the good mods.

        KJ
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        • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
          Originally Posted by Killer Joe View Post


          He's a 'fake it till you make it' persona that is looking to position himself as someone in the know. In essence, an uber phony.

          He's had hundreds of posts and other forum names deleted or banned for this activity.

          It's too bad the forum has to be subjected to this kind of crap. It really makes a mockery out such an incredible resource as the WF.

          Hopefully, one day this kind of cheapening of the Warrior Forum will be recognized for what it is and eraticated.
          A fake, if I were a fake, I'd make a better job of it, and come in here reahsing materials, selling them as WSO's putting links in my sig to them.. etc etc..

          There's nothing fake about me..

          I just have far too many questions but I can guarantee a lot out there would benefit from my knowledge too, so don't come here calling me a fake.

          Lets just say your whole post, is worthless and it doesn't even make sense.

          As for what reason would I want to fake my posts.. really what have I got to gain from it?

          Maybe it's you on your high horse and think you're just too cool for me.. if that's so then you're the fake.. along with a lot of others.
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          • Profile picture of the author Kay King
            I don't agree that forum success is "guaranteed" - I've seen too many vacant forums with only a couple dozen posts after months of promotion.

            However, I do know there are some very active paid forums online. They offer "insider information" or advance techniques for members only. If you have info or a "hook" that can catch people's interest and keep them active in your forum, you'll have a winner.

            Instead of arguing with those who don't believe you - take John's advice and build your forum. It's easy to argue with ideas of what might work - hard to argue with results you've achieved.

            kay
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
      Phew...

      I was hoping you'd say that, John.

      Especially since I've paid my way in many a forum.

      It's not so much paying to post (which seems to be the biggest objection here)...

      ...it's paying to learn. Or be taught. Or teach.

      Any which way, it's good.

      Steve



      Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

      Why are so many people being so negative
      about someone wanting to set up a paid
      forum?

      All you people who say it won't work please
      just answer one question..

      Have you actually tried it and, therefore, you
      are speaking from experience?

      Let me tell you, I ran a very successful paid
      forum a few years ago and I sold it to make
      way for a new project.

      Paid forums work, especially when you offer
      a free trial period. Which is exactly what the
      OP is trying to do.


      John
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeff Henshaw
        The OP was asking whether a specific script was available for a specific project. He was not asking for comments on his proposed initiative.

        Some Warriors have answered objectively. It seems that most are expressing opinions that were not asked for.

        These posts could be of assistance, if more detail was given:

        I help run a forum specifically for a particular make of classic car. We have a contributor mod that allows them to pay £12 per year for membership. For the £12 they get access to a members only room, discount on car insurance, priority tickets for shows, discounts on products etc. It's well worth the money.
        If you feel that this is relevant, then why not mention the script used, or PM the OP - if you have not done so?

        There is a forum out there that charges $10 a year. I won't tell its name, because I don't want to make this post a promotional one.
        So PM the OP with details - if you have not already done that.

        I would suggest that Warriors bear in mind what was being asked for in the original post.

        Just my thoughts,

        Jeff.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lee McIntyre
    Hi all

    My old Standing Start Profits Forum had over 1,000 paid members and put more than $18,000 in my bank each month.

    I eventually closed the site down and replaced it with my GOLD coaching program, and we now have 1,000+ members paying us $97 per month ($100,000+ a month).

    Having read the thread here's a couple of random points:

    1) Value isn't just determined by the "method of delivery", and therefore it's bonkers to suggest that any information packaged in a forum will always be worthless.

    2) Don't base your decisions on what others will pay for a solution based on what YOU will pay (usually you're not your audience).

    3) What one person calls a "forum" another calls a "learning and mentoring community" or "insider club", or "priority coaching program" or the "VIP training club". Just because something looks and feels like a forum doesn't mean it needs to be positioned as such.

    4) If you limit your beliefs to the extent that you believe it's impossible to get people to pay to access a forum (and be happy to do so) then you'll need to seriously adjust your mindset if you want to build a million dollar online business.

    Anyway... this is just my 2 pence

    Cheers!

    Lee McIntyre
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    • Profile picture of the author Adrian Cooper
      Originally Posted by Lee McIntyre View Post

      Hi all

      My old Standing Start Profits Forum had over 1,000 paid members and put more than $18,000 in my bank each month.

      I eventually closed the site down and replaced it with my GOLD coaching program, and we now have 1,000+ members paying us $97 per month ($100,000+ a month).

      Having read the thread here's a couple of random points:

      1) Value isn't just determined by the "method of delivery", and therefore it's bonkers to suggest that any information packaged in a forum will always be worthless.

      2) Don't base your decisions on what others will pay for a solution based on what YOU will pay (usually you're not your audience).

      3) What one person calls a "forum" another calls a "learning and mentoring community" or "insider club", or "priority coaching program" or the "VIP training club". Just because something looks and feels like a forum doesn't mean it needs to be positioned as such.

      4) If you limit your beliefs to the extent that you believe it's impossible to get people to pay to access a forum (and be happy to do so) then you'll need to seriously adjust your mindset if you want to build a million dollar online business.

      Anyway... this is just my 2 pence

      Cheers!

      Lee McIntyre
      Lee makes some excellent points - well all excellent points actually.

      In business mindset is everything - above all else.

      If you believe and know you will succeed then you will. If you think you might succeed or you try to succeed you will fail - it is as simple as that.

      "Try" is a negative and destructive word.

      You know the Mind is far and away - and I mean by orders of magnitude - more important than any so called "Internet Marketing strategy", and is also my major niche - it is what I teach to a very large number of people around the world and have done since 2005. If you have the right approach of the Mind it is virtually impossible to fail.

      But most approach with doubt, even fear, and that will kill the business before it even starts.

      On the subject - packaging counts as Lee indicated. A forum is just a tool in the context of a membership site - albeit an important one.

      My membership sites have forums, social networking on a Facebook level, downloads manager and more.

      You objective is to build a loyal community who want to be there and remain, not to grab dollars from them each month.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Gannon
    I could see having a special paid part of the forum, like the war room..
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    • Profile picture of the author Adrian Cooper
      Originally Posted by Matt Gannon View Post

      I could see having a special paid part of the forum, like the war room..
      That would work if done right.

      A powerful strategy for membership sites is to have a free area where anyone can join, and then a "premium", "gold", "inner" or whatever area for a monthly fee.

      If you study human psychology, as I do as part of my marketing, you will find that people do not like to think they are missing out on something of value.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeGriffith
    I think that when people are used to participating in and getting forum wisdom free of charge, it's going to be awfully tough to get them to start paying. They just might have to resort to relying more heavily on Google and other internet sources--if forced to.
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      Originally Posted by MikeGriffith View Post

      I think that when people are used to participating in and getting forum wisdom free of charge, it's going to be awfully tough to get them to start paying. They just might have to resort to relying more heavily on Google and other internet sources--if forced to.
      This is exactly true, but there is more reasoning to me wanting them to pay after a period of time, so I won't be wasting time helping people who are no longer paying me enough to do so.
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  • Profile picture of the author ShellySamuel
    People may paid if you have archive of valuable information already posted on the forum or the active member which are allow free access are professional in that niche
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  • Profile picture of the author reikidad1961
    You can do the same thing as a forum with a paid membership site, have the forum in the paid site and provide other valuable info too.
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      Originally Posted by reikidad1961 View Post

      You can do the same thing as a forum with a paid membership site, have the forum in the paid site and provide other valuable info too.
      Cool thanks.. can anyone recommend me a membership script for this?

      I seen Simple Member was free just recenlty.. I'm currently scouring my PC and the web to find it, think I saw it in a giveaway.. anyone knows where to find it, give me a shout.

      Cheers.
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      • Profile picture of the author Keith_Purkiss
        There are many paid forums, the best ones are part of membership sites.

        Personally I prefer a free standard membership with paid upgrades available (I'm using this model at the moment with some colleagues and it's going very well), but it's your choice and don't take any notice of anyone who says the paid model doesnt work. Lee proved that is does work and I wish I knew how he did it

        I was in Standing Start Profits almost from the start and a lot of people were happy to pay the monthly fee, and almost two years later I am still friends with many people I met there.
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  • Profile picture of the author CarolStep
    I too was a member of Standing Start Profits from the start and there until the end. The information I received there was priceless for a beginner as were the friendships that were formed.

    This may make me unpopular but I want to encourage Warriors to approach controversy a little softer. I have not been a regular here for that very reason. I hesitate to respond even when I know I can help. There is always someone with a different opinion.

    If it is truly a debate between pros and cons that is fine and it is constructive. However, the attack mode can certainly put some people on guard. This might be more relevant with beginners or maybe because I am a 68 year old grandmother who is constantly preaching kindness and paying it forward.
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    • Profile picture of the author makemoneygirl
      As for me, I usually skipped forums that requires me to pay for the membership and just look for some other more which also offers same relevant info. WF is a goldmine of information with regards to IM and its free for everyone.

      As for the monetization of your forum, try to drive massive traffic on it first then you can try to add some banner adds space for some members who want to advertise on your site. Google adds could also be one best way to generate some online income from your site.
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