[Alpacasite] Re: FRG S&H

--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, "Erin McCarthy" <mccarthys@b...>
wrote:
>

>
> We will charge $9.95 shipping and handling to prospects. This money
will go
> back into further marketing, so we have increased our ad budget for
2006.
> We expect some leads to opt out of the S&H, so there will be a drop
for that
> reason, but likewise, with more ad dollars being spent, there should
be
> increased traffic to Alpacainfo.com (the FRG program website). We
are not
> sure exactly where this balance will settle, but we should know in
the first
> quarter. On the website and the phone, we will collect contact
information
> before notification of the S&H fee. We will have captured the leads
in just
> the same manner as before. If the prospect then drops out, we will
send
> them a cheaper marketing piece and direct them to the online farm
locator.
> The FRG members will be able to purchase both types of leads, so the
number
> of leads available to program participants will definitely go up -
and
> participants can decide if they want to purchase the leads that drop
out
> without S&H or not. Many of our FRG participants don't realize that
the
> most powerful part of FRG participation is purchasing the leads and
making
> contact with our inquiries.

So, Erin. In the end less people will get the F&RG that folks have
advertised in, with the expectation that their information will
receive significant exposure.

Meanwhile, those with larger advertising budgets, and the ability to
produce and send out their own glossy print advertising will be able
to leverage the system to their further advantage by purchasing leads
and sending out their own proprietary materials.

This advantage will be magnified by the fact that third page
advertisers have earlier access to the leads, while mainstram AOBA
members have a significantly later access to the leads - correct?

And. while all this is going on, the mainstram AOBA members (who's
dues maintain the infrastructure and day to day operations necessary
to even have a marketing program) will be getting what for their
annual dues?

It would appear to me (and from the tone of others posting on the
subject) that the advantages of AOBA membership are shrinking rapidly.
Further, it would appear that the benefits of AOBA marketing efforts
will in fact be experienced by a much smaller group of breeders.

How is this in anyone's best interests?

A significant number of members have voiced very lucid concerns about
the inequity of the AOBA marketing program for a number of years. Will
the most recent changes help to quell those concerns?

Will the current strategies meet your needs over time?

John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
http://www.gateway-alpacas.com
Alpaca, a natural elegance...

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Put more honey in your pocket. (money matters made easy).
http://us.click.yahoo.com/F9LvrA/dlQLAA/cosFAA/jO1qlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Opinions and postings on this list are the sole responsibility of the person posting the message. The accuracy and content of each message in no way reflect the opinions of the administrator or Yahoo.

List administrator - Rick Horn - All American Alpacas alpacas@alpacaweb.com
http://aaalpacas.com

TO CHANGE OPTIONS visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alpacasite/join
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alpacasite/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Alpacasite-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/