New Membership Exclusivity

Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have an idea that might help increase the number of paid memberships on the Forum which would be a good thing.

What if the Forum started a new section called "AZ Gold Club". Only paid members would have access privileges and they could post items for sale, exchange messages, etc. It would be an exclusive club and if you wanted to access it, then all you have to do is join. Naturally, items for sale can also be listed on the For Sale/WTB Section as well for maximum exposure.

Ultimately people will initially become curious. As news starts to spread, and AZers discuss something that happened via the Gold Club, curiosity will morph into interest and interest is a pre-requisite for more paid memberships. And more paid members is in the overall best interest of the AZ community.

Gold members would be able to post special offers, as would case-makers & cue-makers that wanted to access a more serious-minded group of Azers. If you wanted to sell something special, wouldn't you want to present the offer to a community of paid members......people that put their money where their pens are.......oops, I meant mouths but we don't actually chat on the Forum, ergo, pens. But personal messages and ideas can also be tossed around.

Think about it........when something is limited and not available to just the browsing public, it has added interest & appeal.
And since the point is to increase paid members, why not introduce some marketing enticements to help drive the campaign.
And after this new section was started, momentum will build and maybe some of the Forum's rules could be lessened for this
new section.......in case a couple of members wanted to duke it out but it wouldn't be on a public forum.

I think the Mods should take the time to kick this idea around. I think that it would be draw more special sales offers from the billiard industry firms. I foresee a lot more paid memberships will happen because of a having an exclusive section that only Gold Members can access. The rest of the Forum will remain the same with the exception of a section that free memberships cannot access.

Matt B.
 
Last edited:
This is a great idea. It's worked well for the other three forums that I frequent.
 
If I were looking to move merchandise, or higher priced pool cues, I'd want to focus my solicitation efforts
to a more serious-minded pool players, then I'd start with this new section.

The best part is there wouldn't be endless bumps and your new thread wouldn't wind up on page 4 or 5 of
the For Sale/WTB Section within 3-4 hours of being posted either. It would also be a smaller group of users
so people would get to know each other better than on the public forum.

I think the Mods could turn this into a breadwinner and it could actually become a powerful informational and
marketing tool. This new "Gold Members Only Section" could really become very popular if it's handled well.
 
Last edited:
a interesting idea, however I think you might loose people. and it becomes a "special people" section. a wonderful thing about pool is we are all equals. just a thought.
 
I look at it this way....you can't lose what you don't have.......paid memberships.

The Forum would continue as is....no change......but Gold Members have a private section others can't access.
This could be photos, messages, items for sale or looking to buy. The same thread could be a duplicate post on
the public forum but the Gold Members Only Section allows for a separate method of communicating that others
cannot see.......the non-paid memberships are not affected in any way whatsoever.

If people want to have privileges for this new section, then get off your ass and invest 10 cents/day and become a
Gold Member. Otherwise, just enjoy the Forum and wonder about what happens on this new Forum section available
only to paid Gold Members. I just don't see how you can lose anyone because all they have to do is pony up the cash.

I realize some may not be able to afford a Gold Membership which is the same as things are right now. Adding a new
section that these same people cannot access is hardly losing them since their membership is free. Let's allow some
vestiges of capitalism to remain in place. If you're willing to donate to the Forum and pay for your membership, you are
entitled to receive more and that's not excluding anyone or omitting anyone. The truth is paid members deserve extra benefits.

I agree with the sentiment that we all are people but let's be candid....all of us cannot afford the same pool cues or cue cases.
So while pool can be played by anyone using any pool cue, when it comes to pool, we are not all equals.....are we?
 
Last edited:
Bavafongoul said:
I look at it this way....you can't lose what you don't have.......paid memberships.

The Forum would continue as is....no change......but Gold Members have a private section others can't access.
This could be photos, messages, items for sale or looking to buy. The same thread could be a duplicate post on
the public forum but the Gold Members Only Section allows for a separate method of communicating that others
cannot see.......the non-paid memberships are not affected in any way whatsoever.

If people want to have privileges for this new section, then get off your ass and invest 10 cents/day and become a
Gold Member. Otherwise, just enjoy the Forum and wonder about what happens on this new Forum section available
only to paid Gold Members. I just don't see how you can lose anyone because all they have to do is pony up the cash.

I realize some may not be able to afford a Gold Membership which is the same as things are right now. Adding a new
section that these same people cannot access is hardly losing them since their membership is free. Let's allow some
vestiges of capitalism to remain in place. If you're willing to donate to the Forum and pay for your membership, you are
entitled to receive more and that's not excluding anyone or omitting anyone and the facts are paid members deserve extra benefits.
Click to expand...

Current Gold Member benefits: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=86523

I have no doubt that some people would flock to your proposed "club".

Speaking for myself, the only thing I see you offering is "exclusivity" and that has no value.
 
I think you may be missing the point and there actually is real value to this.....to increase the number of Gold Memberships.
And so I would hope people would flock to join.......and then the Forum derives more operating cash......that's a good thing.

This new section will evolve into what it will be allowed to become.....but in the meantime, there'd still more paid members.
I mean isn't that a good thing for the welfare and future of the Forum?

Last month when Jerry had a push going for gold memberships from AZers that sold a lot of merchandise, that was a good
thing and more people became Gold Members. Personally speaking, anyone with "any" itrader rating should be a gold member.
That's why I became a Gold Member......I've benefited from the Forum.

The whole purpose of this new thread is to see what could be done to increase the number of paid memberships......I really
don't see how that would be harmful or deleterious to the future of the Forum. I actually think it would be beneficial and helpful
but that's just my opinion which is why I created this thread......to see how others felt.
 
Last edited:
I think it would be a nice bonus if gold members got something as simple as a patch or a bumper sticker... I joined the club to help the cause, but having something tangible to show for it would be nice...
 
nineballsafety8 said:
I think it would be a nice bonus if gold members got something as simple as a patch or a bumper sticker... I joined the club to help the cause, but having something tangible to show for it would be nice...
Click to expand...

I have one of those :)

I held a giveaway with one of the patches, too. I'll be sending it out tomorrow to the winner. I hear if you ask nicely, anyone can get one.
 
DAVE_M said:
I have one of those :)

I held a giveaway with one of the patches, too. I'll be sending it out tomorrow to the winner. I hear if you ask nicely, anyone can get one.
Click to expand...

pbpbpbpbpbpbleeeease (channeling Roger Rabbit)
I really would love one!
lol
 
I understand that you're brainstorming ideas to get more paid memberships and I also understand how more money helps the site.


Bavafongoul said:
I have an idea that might help increase the number of paid memberships on the Forum which would be a good thing.

What if the Forum started a new section called "AZ Gold Club". Only paid members would have access privileges and they could post items for sale, exchange messages, etc. It would be an exclusive club and if you wanted to access it, then all you have to do is join. Naturally, items for sale can also be listed on the For Sale/WTB Section as well for maximum exposure.

Ultimately people will initially become curious. As news starts to spread, and AZers discuss something that happened via the Gold Club, curiosity will morph into interest and interest is a pre-requisite for more paid memberships. And more paid members is in the overall best interest of the AZ community.

Gold members would be able to post special offers, as would case-makers & cue-makers that wanted to access a more serious-minded group of Azers. If you wanted to sell something special, wouldn't you want to present the offer to a community of paid members......people that put their money where their pens are.......oops, I meant mouths but we don't actually chat on the Forum, ergo, pens. But personal messages and ideas can also be tossed around.

Think about it........when something is limited and not available to just the browsing public, it has added interest & appeal.
And since the point is to increase paid members, why not introduce some marketing enticements to help drive the campaign.
And after this new section was started, momentum will build and maybe some of the Forum's rules could be lessened for this
new section.......in case a couple of members wanted to duke it out but it wouldn't be on a public forum.

I think the Mods should take the time to kick this idea around. I think that it would be draw more special sales offers from the billiard industry firms. I foresee a lot more paid memberships will happen because of a having an exclusive section that only Gold Members can access. The rest of the Forum will remain the same with the exception of a section that free memberships cannot access.

Matt B.
Click to expand...

Your comment in bold is what I was referring to. I was speaking for myself and simply stated that for myself, exclusivity has no interest. I already support the site (though I admit that I was slow in doing so), and don't see anything to gain by joining your proposed Gold Club.

I also stated that I expect lots of people WILL join and a few will make it a point to jump in the free area to tell people how much fun their having.
 
krupa....I did not mean to imply your post was neither well intended or inappropriate for that matter.

Quite the opposite, I think you highlighted a key point of why it would work. Nonetheless, my point was
I really don't care what a mousetrap might look like as long as it works better than any others and accomplishes the mission.

Frankly, as long as someone decides to become a Gold Member and financially supports the AZ Forum,
then I don't really care what their reason or motives were........their money is a good as anyone else's that
may have become a Gold Member for more noble reasons.......I don't care.......as long as the Forum receives
their financial stipend, then the more the merrier....and ultimately that means the Forum should overall fare better.

And although having a Gold Club might not motivate you to actually have become a Gold Member, which by the way
is great on your part, if it was something you received as a fringe benefit with your membership, it might be a nice
feature that you'd subsequently come to enjoy. Again, not a reason for you'd decide to become a Gold Member but
that's really not of any consequence since you decided to become Gold for more noble reasons......and I salute you.


The other day there was a sale thread for a group buy of Cyclop pool balls. I don't care for the Cyclop set and have
posted the same. I have two sets of Centennials and one is brand new. I'm part of the 30 AZers that are getting a set
of Cyclop pool balls for $150....great deal. I am buying this new set for $150 + shipping. I am getting the traditional colors
and intend to do a detailed side by side comparison of the new Cyclop set with my new, still in the box, Brunswick Centennial
pool balls.......I have a gun powder scale and it's calibrated to 99.998% accuracy. I also have calipers to measure the Cyclop
set. Now why is this important.........find the thread and look at how many Gold Members posted and took advantage of this and
then look at the number of Free Members with itrader ratings.......and these same folks are saving a $100 on a set of Cyclop pool
balls but won't spring for 10 cents per day to become a Gold Member.

These same people derive all the benefits of the Forum and monetarily gain from being a member but won't financially support the
Forum by becoming a Gold Member......that's not right......people who buy & sell thru the Forum anytime....anything....should become
a paid member in my opinion. So whatever it takes to get them to join.......whatever lure attracts them to belly up and become a Gold
Member, I'm in all favor of adopting it.

p.s. Pay attention to the itrader ratings of people who aren't Gold Members.....there are some AZers that take advantage of the Forum
but won't financially support its continuation and development.....that's a bunch of bullshit as far as I'm concened.......I spotted one guy
has been a AZ unpaid member less than two years and he had 11 itrader ratings on items he bought & sold.....all done with a free AZ a/c.
 
Last edited:
DAVE_M said:
I have one of those :)

I held a giveaway with one of the patches, too. I'll be sending it out tomorrow to the winner. I hear if you ask nicely, anyone can get one.
Click to expand...

you suck-up!
(and i can say that, cause i'm one, too....)

do you see what you started?!?! pretty soon, we will ALL-LLLL be PAYING IT FORWARD!!!!

EDIT: DALLASHOPPS is the man to talk to....
 
Last edited:
PINKLADY said:
you suck-up!
(and i can say that, cause i'm one, too....)

do you see what you started?!?! pretty soon, we will ALL-LLLL be PAYING IT FORWARD!!!!

EDIT: DALLASHOPPS is the man to talk to....
Click to expand...

I just wish the patches could be purchased in the market place instead of all this scavenger hunt lottery pay it forward type stuff...matter of fact if AZ needs to raise funds just sell patches/ keychains or make a "member" kit of logoed merchandise that would consist of say, a patch, keychain, can coozie, t shirt etc etc and sell for a profit and put those funds toward our site for instance i would gladly pay $50 for for a package worth $25-$30 before i ll just donate to get gold status. Maybe I am the only one that feels this way.
 
Hee hee hee.....sorry.......I'm going to go hide for awhile and just let others bash my idea or promote it.

I don't benefit from this Gold Club notion in any way whatsoever. It's just something that might increase
the financial base of the Forum. I learned in business decades ago that if any organization isn't growing
profitably, then the business is merely positioning itself for stagnation and mediocrity which inevitably
are anchors that slow down progress and ultimately ruin any operation.

I mean how can the Forum having more operating funds to do things, change things, be in any way bad?
Maybe selling merchandise is an option but that gets way too complicated and there's the cost of goods,
shipping, etc. Paid memberships are all profit without any associated cost of goods and therefore, much
easier for the Forum to manage. But if merchandise is someone's hot button, raise the price of Gold
Membership and give lots of shit away to Gold Members....personally, I think the Forum would do better
with cash memberships versus selling stuff but that's only my opinion.

But anyone that buys and sells thru the Forum, like you and me, well, we should be Gold Members......we
directly benefited monetarily from the Forum with our pool related sales & purchases.....and we'll continue to
do so for as long as we continue participating on the Forum. I mean less than 10 cents per day.......Really?
 
Last edited:
Bavafongoul said:
Hee hee hee.....sorry.......I'm going to go hide for awhile and just let others bash my idea or promote it.

I don't benefit from this Gold Club notion in any way whatsoever. It's just something that might increase
the financial base of the Forum. I learned in business decades ago that if any organization isn't growing
profitably, then the business is merely positioning itself for stagnation and mediocrity which inevitably
are anchors that slow down progress and ultimately ruin any operation.

I mean how can the Forum having more operating funds to do things, change things, be in any way bad?
Maybe selling merchandise is an option but that gets way too complicated and there's the cost of goods,
shipping, etc. Paid memberships are all profit without any associated cost of goods and therefore, much
easier for the Forum to manage. But if merchandise is someone's hot button, raise the price of Gold
Membership and give lots of shit away to Gold Members....personally, I think the Forum would do better
with cash memberships versus selling stuff but that's only my opinion.

But anyone that buys and sells thru the Forum, like you and me, well, we should be Gold Members......we
directly benefited monetarily from the Forum with our pool related sales & purchases.....and we'll continue to
do so for as long as we continue participating on the Forum. I mean less than 10 cents per day.......Really?
Click to expand...

I didn't say I wanted shi*t as you put it. I am saying offer tangible items with the AZB logo on them in exchange for gold status membership and make a nice profit and attract more people to do so... similar to how I get a $5 or less trinket every year for my continued $100ish membership renewal to the NRA...
 
does AZ offer it now

I didn't know AZ had a place to pay to be a member, I just thought it was free.

I would buy a membership here.
 
Please don't simply react to my use of the term "shit" ....substitute "stuff" or "merchandise" or some other suitable word that's less offensive......my point was if that's your hot button, fine. It obviously must be or you would have become a paid member by this point in time. There are bound to be others that feel as you do but I'm hoping there are more that feel like me.

You made it clear paying for a Gold membership is something you do not concur with, and that's fine. If merchandise is what it takes, let other AZers voice agreement and post supportive replies about adding this feature as a stand alone offer, or including it with Gold Memberships. Maybe the Mods will pick up on it and bring it to management.
 
Ceodynamo.....you can get an annual membership for $34.95 per year or pay $5 on a monthly basis.
Look at the top of the opening page of the Forum Sections about joining. Free monthly drawings for
nice items too.........Come on in and join......Great to Hear...........less than 4 months membership on the
Forum....O itrader history too....Hmn..........and interested in joining....I hope you do and come back here
and proclaim your new Gold Membership.
 
Thanks Goul

EPPA, Inc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pay securely with PayPalThanks for your order


You just made a payment of$34.95 USD
Paid to
EPPA, Inc
contact@azbilliards.com.

haha Im a gold member! I mean I use this site daily and have no problem paying essentially 3.3333 $ a day to support pool and being able to interact with pool players.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top