Brainstorming Increased RHP Membership

Brainstorming Increased RHP Membership



Would guess that the annual RHP revenue stream depends largely upon billings to site advertisers, with subscriptions providing a lesser

portion of floor revenue. Since eyeball exposure (consistent with compatible demographics) is the unit of measure which forms the

basis of advertiser purchasing decisions as well as host site pricing, financial health depends on a steady global flow of new members.

Friendly referrals play a role (Son involved me a year ago. I invited one of my brothers this past April). Anybody know if Russ & Chris

place advertising in any of the major Chess Publications? What are your thoughts? What spectacular, creative ideas can you identify?

Remember the whole idea in brainstorming is to go for volume. Its dynamic is all about collectvely cross fertilizing each individual's

thinking. So the more blue sky/off the wall the better. Plus it's fun to do, as long as everyone observes the cardinal rule: Zero criticism!




-gb

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I think that RHP is still not Russ's and Chris's "day job." Thus, they probably don't see RHP as their ticket to long term fiscal security and wealth deep in to retirement. The hints that I get from this come from their own comments, and by the speed (rate, slowness) by which they implement some relatively simple and straightforward improvements (note: i am not a code monkey, so i don't have a clue about how complicated some seemingly simple things can be.)

Anyway, I think that RHP will expand and grow with some simple improvements:

1. improved "sexier" graphics, or graphical interfaces, or whatever they call that stuff

2. reductions in cheaters (if that is ever possible)

3. "real" rewards, e.g., physical "trophies" for major tournaments and things like that

Suggestions:

1. implement positive recommendations faster
2. boot obvious cheaters faster
3. pump up the graphics and displays per suggestions that members say they'd like to see
4. offer tournament and clan championship and league trophies, even if they are only small certificates or little plastic toy type things

Just some off the top of my head suggestions. I don't mean any of these to be either critical or terribly serious. I'm just doing what GB asks us to do, and that is toss out our ideas.

Originally posted by coquette
I think that RHP is still not Russ's and Chris's "day job." Thus, they probably don't see RHP as their ticket to long term fiscal security and wealth deep in to retirement. The hints that I get from this come from their own comments, and by the speed (rate, slowness) by which they implement some relatively simple and straightforward improvements (note: i am ly serious. I'm just doing what GB asks us to do, and that is toss out our ideas.

Great way to kick off the brainstorming session, Coquette. Now how about a second pass.

Little more, please. More? Sound like Oliver... *porridge bowl held out in two hands*



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I think that this site is the main job 🙂 because i dont think you can leave an active site for 8 hours while they go work their day job somewhere...

I agree i think if the cheats got removed faster then more people would stay on the site longer but as it is i know alot of people play 1 year here then leave for that reason...

I like the other reply trophies even though id never win 1 in a major would be a good idea.

Originally posted by Smiffy
I think that this site is the main job 🙂 because i dont think you can leave an active site for 8 hours while they go work their day job somewhere...

I agree i think if the cheats got removed faster then more people would stay on the site longer but as it is i know alot of people play 1 year here then leave for that reason...

I like the other reply trophies even though id never win 1 in a major would be a good idea.

How about an "RHP Chess Hall of Fame Room"... with all the event names, dates, winners and trophy

graphic prominently displayed (for all to see, for all time) and easily accessible, right here at the site.

You are all wrong on at least one point in your posts.

Originally posted by Crowley
You are all wrong on at least one point in your posts.

Reminder of the cardinal rule of brainstorming: ZERO criticism during phase one, so as not to inhibit the free flow of creative ideas. Soon

as we're able to generate a desirable outcome of, say, 40-50 ideas of all kinds we move into phase two... critique and identification of the

most promising 10-12. Then conclude with further discussion and refinement in phase three. Please save all negative comments for later.

Thanks.



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How about each of us posting flyers at chess club meeting locations in our local areas.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
How about an "RHP Chess Hall of Fame Room"... with all the event names, dates, winners and trophy

graphic prominently displayed (for all to see, for all time) and easily accessible, right here at the site.

This is an example of what I meant by recommendations not being implemented. If I went back to my early days of my membership, I recommended a "Hall of Fame" type of space. It was discussed but never implemented. It's not big deal, but I think that it would be a nice "showcase" for the site and might increase the membership. I also don't see why it isn't already done. Still, I think that RHP is really about chess and it's a great place to play. I came here from YAHOO (a total joke for chess), and the USCF page (a great place to play for members of the USCF), but RHP is THE WORLD!

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby

Would guess that the annual RHP revenue stream depends largely upon billings to site advertisers, with subscriptions providing a lesser

portion of floor revenue.)

Nearly all the adverts I've seen on the site are through bog-standard pay-per-click systems. A generous estimate would be that they generate $0.05 to $0.10 per click, so in order to match the revenue from a subscription that would mean a non-sub would need to average around 300 - 600 clicks per year. On average I'd guess that realistically that the average non-sub makes around 20 clicks per year.

I'd say that the subscriptions make up around 80% of the revenue from the site which probably only just covers the web-hosting and domains.

That's how it's done is it? Interesting. I'd always assumed they paid for the space and the number of times the advert appeared.

Originally posted by Lukerik
That's how it's done is it? Interesting. I'd always assumed they paid for the space and the number of times the advert appeared.

You can get that style of advertising as well, but the pay-per-click style is more common these days.

Originally posted by Daemon Sin
You can get that style of advertising as well, but the pay-per-click style is more common these days.

During my time of non-sub, I hardly even looked at the ads. Much less did I click of any of them. I was just blind of them.

A company (I know of) offered me a deal: I had a link to their book-store, and I got 10% of the sales of all new orders (once) from any client coming via my home page. Didn't generate much to me, however.

Please let's try to get the thread back on track. We're brainstorming increased membership ideas. How about the military personnel segment

on active deployment, including veterans hospitals. Many have access to computers. Fair assumption that a certain percentage of these noble

warriors play, have played or would enjoy learning to play chess. Just imagine what an extraordinary and pleasant diversion this civilian contact

might represent for them, as well as the enrichment their in-game comments and forum postings might represent to RHP. How do we do it?



-gb