Predator Masters may be closing it's doors....

Robert Cobb

New member
If we can't generate traffic to our advertisers... It would be senseless to hear "that due to the lack of traffic generated by our banners there on Predator Masters... We may consider other alternatives." While we have been somewhat lucky in this perspective, so far. But still, there is no need to ever hear it. At least not with as many hits as we receive.

No, We are not running so low on funds that we will have to stop operating!!! But, could we be in danger of losing advertisers because of the lack of traffic generated from advertising here? I hope not...

Getting advertisers to purchase space is a hard, long and drawn out process. One reason for this is because we try to stay within at least the outdoors sports to gain advertisers. Not to mention that money is hard to come by, and even harder to spend.

Please don't take this in the wrong way... I am not drumming up donations from you folks. All I'm asking is that you please consider clicking on our advertisers banners when you are contemplating a purchase. I know for some of the companies that advertise with us, that just typing in the name is as easy as clicking on a banner.

I'm sure nearly every person here has remembered www.allpredatorcalls.com or www.gamecalls.net for their calling needs. But what about www.dogbegone.com for a cool P-dog redmist variety video tape?? Or www.inheatscents.net for some smell good purdy coyote pee???

Would you think about coming here and checking out our advertising links to see if there is someone that has what your looking for? It's real easy, probably easier than using a search engine... It is the very first post when you open the bulletin boards, titled "Quick links to Predator Masters advertisers..." Every advertiser that spends their money on Predator Masters is listed in that post.

One of our selling points to advertisers is the number of hits Predator Masters receives... In recent months we have seen record numbers on the amount of traffic we receive. 10 MILLION hits!!!! That's a LOT of traffic!! There is no need for us to lose advertisers for lack of traffic they receive from here... Out of 10 million hits, they should get something, you'd think...

We are a free membership board, and will probably remain free. But the costs for running the site have increased every year with the increase of traffic we get. And with those costs come the need for income. We have been getting this income from advertisers for the most part, up until recently when we decided to accept donations...

And I want to give a very special thanks to those of you who care enough about Predator Masters to have donated. It is YOUR board, and all we do is keep it running like a fine oiled machine... We may have our up's and down's, but for the most part I think it is the best site on the net... I may be a bit biased, but I do feel this way!! And it's because of the members, moderators and staff that keep it this way.

So, please do us all a favor and click an advertisers banner, or at the very least, let them know you heard about them from Predator Masters. You might be surprised how much something so small can help us... And yes, we do need the help!!!

Advertisers base their renewals on traffic tracing status reports that show where their traffic is coming from and who is buying what when they get to their place of business... These are the tools that potential and present advertisers use to understand where their customers are coming from.

These companies believe in us enough to spend their money here and help us stay on the net. It seems small that we can return that investment by just clicking on their banner or telling them you heard about them from us or saw them mentioned here... It's really not that hard to keep advertisers if we all do our small part...

So please, drop a word, click a banner or something so they know their money isn't being wasted on Predator Masters....

OK, I'm finished rambling and ranting... So as Gunny Sgt. Ermey would say... Carry on!! Ooh-rah!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I think this Board is a very good one~!

I believe you wrote that with good intentions and NOT trying to drum money out of memebers pockets.

However I will say this, I for one don't seldom go to but one or two spots on the sight. I hate to hear things at the last minute.

So maybe some of your other moderators can chime in a bit on their particular section and keep ALL us members informed OK. As far as buying things from the advertisers......Hey, I am up for that idea in a Jack Rabbit minute OK. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Your right Tonk.... I'm not trying to drum up money from our members... That is the last thing I want anyone to think...

As stated above... This is the only reason I made the post...
So please, drop a word, click a banner or something so they know their money isn't being wasted on Predator Masters....
So, please do us all a favor and click an advertisers banner, or at the very least, let them know you heard about them from Predator Masters. You might be surprised how much something so small can help us... And yes, we do need the help!!!
No hidden agenda here at all...
 
PredatorMasters is really the best predator/varmint hunting forum on the web and I am proud to be a part of it. I always appreciate the effort that the moderators put into this site.

I have been thinking about purchasing a couple of new videos for quite a while now and I think that now is the time. A little bit of business is not too much to ask for in return for sponsorship of my favorite board.
 
Now's as good a time as any to buy those scents and calls I've been meaning to buy.
Please keep us informed on things like this. Don't want to see such a fine site go down due to lack of funding.
 
Hmm. Stretch, you know I didn't even know that was there. But at the same time, the way it's laid out it wouldn't matter either. Just isn't handy enough for me to use. I have no idea what most all of these companies do, and don't enjoy waiting for pages to load to find out. A page with banners telling about the product(s) or such that link to the companies website would make it. Guess I'm just too lazy for the way it's laid out now. I'll try to go through it a bit and check it out. Loren.
 
Why doesn’t PM have an annual fund drive? If I were you guys I would have hunt auctions in the same manner that Bruce ran his “buddy hunts” to drum up money for the Predator callers and Houndsmen hall of fame. Just the coyote hunts generated over $3000!! With over 8000 registered members and how many lurkers? The predator master’s bulletin board would easily make enough money to stay above water. It is something that everyone could be involved in and NO one would be out any money. Just something to think about.

Good hunting.

Q,
 
doggitter...

You wouldn't even have to go to that particular post with our listed advertisers.... Even a banner click is a major help... It shows the company that traffic is definitely coming from PM... And obviously no one has to do this, it's just a request that if you plan to buy something to please check our advertisers, they may have what your looking for and I know of at least one of those advertisers that gives a discount if you mention Predator Masters.

So it could save some money for some of you as well... The banners rotate and come up a different one just about everytime you click refresh or open a new page here. If ya have a few seconds of extra time, click the banner and check them out... If Western Rivers had required this to download their sounds a lot of people would have made sure to click it to get the free sounds.

You could even right click it and select "Open in a new window" and it will while you continue as normal through the posts... It doesn't take much time to let it load in the background while your reading or typing a reply to someone... I'm just asking that you give those few seconds to the advertisers to show them we can generate traffic to their site from here... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Q...

Thats a good idea... I don't know if it has been discussed or not... I know we try to save a lot of our donations of prizes and such for the PM annual hunt. Do you have any info on how Bruce did that? Bruce are you out there and can tell? any help is appreciated...

EDIT: Q. Would you be willing to participate in offering a hunt?? I know I'd just about give my left arm to hunt with ya... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Something you might mention to these advertisers is that some people may do as I do. I have their sites in my Favorites list and usually access their sites from that when making a purchase. Some I hit from the banners the first time before adding to favorites, others I typed in direct. Once added I rarely go to their sites from the banners because I have them already.

However, from now on I will make comments on the sites that support it to thank PM for my purchase.
 
I, like Phylogenesis, access the advertisers sites from my favorites menu. I have certain items saved in a "order for me and/or my son" folder. I'm dirt poor right now due to a disabling accident and my wife was in a serious accident earlier this month and hasn't been able to work either, but as soon as we get back on our feet, I'll be ordering for myself and family.

I send links to family and friends and they go directly to the sites instead of clicking from here. The advertisers are getting much more traffic that is generated from here than they realize.
 
I have bought this year from 3 of the advertisers, but have them in my favorites as well. I will try to go thru the site in future. I like the idea of auction hunts. I think it would generate acceptable funds.
 
I buy alot from advertizwes here but I to have then in my fav's. I will start coming here and clicking there baners.

You all have alot od custom call builders here on this site. Some of the best around I think! Im sure we could donate some calls to raise some money, I know I would! Drop me a E-mail we will set it up.

Kee
 
God Bless This Board and every member /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif .
It's the greatest. I myself need more coyote piss. I'll buy a good supply and really take a look at all the advertis.
Frankie B.
 
I'm editing my favorites file by adding an "*" to every advertisers web site. When I see that, I'll know to go to their site through Predator Master's. I haven't upgraded my gear for years and I have a long list of "must haves" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif as soon as my financial situation improves. Every advertiser here gets first orders as they support the best predator/varmint site on the net.
 
Thank you all for understanding our situation.

Kee... Like I said above I'm not looking to drum up donations from anyone with this thread. Your offer is very generous and many other call makers have donated calls as well, for the Hunter of the Month contest we have, where a story is chosen once a month and is voted on and the winners receive whatever prizes have been donated by our members, or advertisers.

It is a one of kind contest that gives members a chance to win some VERY NICE custom calls or other prizes and seems to have gone over well, we are proud of everyone that has participated.

However, if you, or anyone else does want to donate for that or just to help with the upkeep of the boards, there is a post HERE that has information on how to donate cash. I'm sure other merchandise could also be donated at the same address. Again, thank you for your generosity!!!

Anyway, what seems a small thing to do by clicking on the banners or by mentioning PM on your purchase is a HUGE help in securing renewals for our current advertisers, as well as a way for them to mention to other companies the amount of traffic generated from advertising with us, thus generating more advertisers, hopefully. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

My goal as Pro-Staff for the Sales and Marketing aspect of Predator Masters is to have a completely self sufficient operation. Meaning that everything from operating costs to monthly prizes be paid for through our advertising campaign, without relying on donations or having to hit members up for membership fees.

We are still learning about all of this. And we had never before asked for donations and had many discussions in the mod forum and pro-staff forum before we asked for them. It was a hard decision to make, but in my opinion it is the only reason PM is still in operation. Our funds had hit an all time low and a few people had even paid for hosting costs from their own pockets.

I don't know about you, but there's no way I could afford to drop $300+ out of my pocket to pay for our server costs. But it has been done. I want to avoid this in the future. We don't expect to become rich from this, no one here (mods or pro-staff) gets paid in any way. And all funds generated from donations or advertising goes directly into the PM bank account and is used solely for the operation of the board.

Sorry for rambling on about this. I just wanted you to know I'm not drumming up money out here, thats River Runner's Job... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif just kidding Jim...

Also thanks for the input you guys are giving. It's your participation that dictates where we take this board, so never give up the chance to make your opinions known... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks again guys...

Robert
 
Sorry Stretch, I too dumped about $1500 in to advertisers of this board, but accessed my favorites to do it. Everytime I order I'll say I heard about it here!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oh! That doesn't include the stuff I purchased form the little $50 advertisers..lol :eek: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Todd
 
BTW...

If you hold the SHIFT key down while clicking on any web link it will automatically open it in a new IE Window. That way you can continue to surf while it is loading...

Hope this helps.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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