Re: RC: DSS and the COSTS

["Truman Prevatt, PhD" <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

Teddy Lancaster wrote:

>
> You want sponsors?  Why not ask them what they
> would like in return? Selling advertising is like
> selling anything else.  The product has to be
> worth the price. If a product does not live up to
> expectation, then the sponsors will not continue.
> This is more than likely what happened to NSHF.
>
>

Let me throw in a bit of a perspective on what Teddy is saying here. The
expense of sending out a "newsletter" is going up. In SERA (Southeast
Endurance Riders Assoc.), we send out 12 newsletters a year. It is a
"true newsletter"  but from time to time we do have articles written by
members who are qualified in whatever field they are addressing. It was
getting to the point that to support the organization, convention,  its
awards program, the newsletter, we were looking at running out of money
or getting funding from other places. The newsletter was the biggest
expense.

We started a campaign to get advertisers. Many vendors responded and yes
thank you Teddy (Running bear) for being one of our best advertisers. We
have more which I won't mention here. This year we had a "benefit ride" -
The Hungry Buzzard. We solicited sponsorship for this ride. You can't
expect someone to donate money unless there is some payback - they are in
business to make money. What did we provide them as partial payment for
their donation - something that was of value to them - eyeballs. We
traded sponsorship for advertising in the newsletter. We had four
sponsors who made generous contributions which I want to publicly thank.
VMAX (a.k.a. Roger Rittenhouse), Southern States Coop, Reactor Panel
Saddles and Alternative Solutions Tack.

Thanks to our advertisers and our sponsors, SERA is on very firm
financial footing and the newsletter almost pays for itself.

> .
>
> Money IS a problem, for all of us. AERC BOD has
> again, IMO, made an unwise decision based on
> insufficient information.  Most of the BOD are not
> vendors or even business people.  AERC needs to be
> run like a business, so get some sound business
> advice (and get it from several sources), THEN
> make decisions.
>

Could agree more!

Truman

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