[AccessD] Moderator Message

The Cobb Group's site was not generalized, Susan.  A journal is a
completely different proposition from EE.  I subscribed to any number of
online journals over the years and was fine with it.  EE is just an
amorphous bunch of "answers" that aren't searchable so you don't know
whether they're worth paying for or not.

Charlotte Foust
 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Susan Harkins
Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 8:44 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Moderator Message

>
>  I guess I just don't understand why everyone seems to have this 
> fundamental belief that because it's on the Internet, it should be 
> free to them. Someone somewhere needs to foot the bill for services
provided.
> TANSTAAFL.

=======The Cobb Group had a marketing site, but no freebies or anything
like that. I remember a woman fussing at me over the phone -- "Where's
the free stuff???" She actually said those words. I had to be
diplomatic, but I finally said, "If the journal was online for free,
would you pay a subscription fee?" She couldn't answer that one...

The amount of free content is astonding and if you know how to search
right, you can get good information -- it takes time and effort though.
There's no magic button, as yet, for getting the right set of links at
the top of the search results.

If EE makes a profit, or even if it doesn't make a profit, but manages
to pay its bills and its employees, then it's a viable business -- it's
value is based solely in the hearts of those who use it. If you don't
value it, don't use it -- while I hate shopping, I prefer Wal-mart to
K-mart.

>
>  But from my viewpoint, the history lesson seems clear; like any 
> business, you need to make money at it or it withers and possibly 
> dies.  Face book, unless they decided to start charging folks (which 
> they have been considering), will be another major player to go that 
> route just like a lot of other sites that disappeared during the .com 
> bust.

=========Had to completely rebuild my client base after the .com bust.
I'm rebuilding again.
>
>  Sites can't survive on advertising alone.  They need to charge, and 
> charge enough, or they won't be around.

=========They can and many do, but it isn't easy. You have to provide
the right product at the right time, have a huge and regularly-visiting
audience, and find the right advertisers. No small feat.

Susan H.