I also want to thank Lee and Keith for all the work they do to keep this site going.
I have flipped between a gold and silver member over the years. For the last 3 to 4 years I’ve stuck with gold as I wanted to support the site. I have not been too worried about the Prize Draw in making the decision and would be happy for it to be bi annual or just at Christmas. I have had a win and that was really exciting.
I have to admit, I nearly gave up when the forums changed. I am used to it and happy now that it has become more familiar to me. On the old forums, I’d pop in for a look just about every day. When the new one came along, things were slow to begin with and I went on once or twice a week. Now I’m back almost every day as there is usually something new to see. I try to pass on anything I can to to help members although it is usually with the older Masterlink Products. I have noticed that it seems to take longer for someone to try to help than it used to, and that is probably due to a drop in members.
It is hard to say what is the best way forward because those who are happy to pay, usually do, and those who aren’t, won’t. It is the big proportion in the middle who are on the fence, that you need to encourage and I really don’t know how you do that.
You could try something like every 20th gold member that signs up gets an extra year’s membership and have that as a regular/permanent promotion (if the figures would add up for you). It would need to be somewhere prominent and also on the sign up page.
I wish you the best of luck.
Stoobie