Ways to generate money for Zilvia.net

[rancid240]

Ive visited starquestclub.com forums and noticed that they generate forum support by raffling off sponsors products. They sell raffles at about $5 a pop. Just throwing out an idea, I think zilvia.net patrons would be excited....

[KA24DESOneThree]

I like that idea. I'm sure there are plenty of guys who want parts...

Do a poll to find out which part is most sought-after (I'm guessing exhaust or clutch-type LSD), and work from there.

[West]

Im sure smaller items would be best. I love the idea though! Kevin had the idea to do the Premium memberships, but in a dif way.

I will contact some of the vendors to see if they would be interested. Thanks!

[MakotoS13]

i second this idea. it does well even on smaller forums. ya can't really go wrong with it.

[Phlip]

Charge members who can't prove ownership of a 240SX or Z-car $5.00, $10.00 if they are 18 years of age or under... I will volunteer to validate these members personally.

[crioten]

Charge members who can't prove ownership of a 240SX or Z-car $5.00, $10.00 if they are 18 years of age or under... I will volunteer to validate these members personally.

just curious as to why?

[Phlip]

To weed out the ones whose intentions are pure from the annoying "internet driftas"

[zero.counter]

Well, I have a total of (4) 240s. One has a title which is yet to be transferred (over a year now), so I guess that counts. Sounds kind of cool, but would become an exclusive club of sorts right?

Anyway, the raffle idea is good.

[mrmephistopheles]

the problem with a raffle is
a.) finding an item that will appeal to a large number of people and
b.) figuring out what a fair buy-in amount is so that you don't drive away potential entrants, and also manage to pay off (and some more) the item being raffled.

dont' get me wrong.. I'm all for it and think it'd be the best course of action.. I'm just more worried about user participation here.

[crioten]

a simple poll could help determine how many would do it...

but some people are stupid and say crap they dont mean, so there is still that problem of user participation...

what you could do is get the people to buy in on it (set a certain % that goes to west, and a certain % that goes to the product)...once you determine how much money you have to put towards a product, then list the options in a poll...whatever items wins...well you get the picture

[mrmephistopheles]

not a terrible idea.
looking at it from a particpant's point of view, it doesn't seem very appealing... i.e. if i vote on some JDM air freshener, and a nardi steering wheel is the ultimate choice, I might not enter the contest now.

[crioten]

true...

maybe the winner could get a choice between a few products that fit in that price range?

[Jeff240sx]

true...

maybe the winner could get a choice between a few products that fit in that price range?

Now.. who will buy these products that are showcased and chosen by the winners. And what happens with you have the JDM air freshener, the Nardi wheel, and the censored JDM porn. And winners choose the air freshener and the wheel. The censored porn isn't wanted. So now someone spent like $300 out of their pocket, sold 2 items, and has $100 worth of crappy porn that nobody wanted. So the choice of items is expensive and not effective, in my opinion.
-Jeff

[MadScientist]

First option - West contacts Dealers to see what parts dealers would like to offer for support, in return Dealers get Sponsor time.

Second option - West contacts Dealers to see what parts dealers would like to offer for support. Dealers stock of the item would secure the item so the winner of the Drawing will recieve the part via Drop Ship from Dealer.
West collects $5 ballots, and pays for the part.

I would also suggest the Poll Ballot Total be blind.

I will gladly help support this.

[Jeff240sx]

I would also suggest the Poll Ballot Total be blind.

I will gladly help support this.

I don't know what the first sentence means. But it's awesome you'd support this.
My thing is that I don't want 5 people to participate in a big-ticket item, like an exhaust.
I've also volunteered to make a visual random number generator and host it, so it would be a "live" drawing to take place on a busy day/time. Like Friday at 9 or 10pm est. This would determine who wins the drawing.
-Jeff

[007jpang]

i could use an lsd

[01SaturnL200]

id by a few raffle tickets i could use some parts :)

[HaLo]

What about a "moitié-moitié" (half-half).

Ticket are 1 or 2$ each, you can buy as many as you want. Half the proceeds go to Zilvia.net, rest is drawn within the people that bought the tickets.

[AlligatorBling]

^50 50 ticket sales are good, i wonder if you could do that though pay pal lol...

[weirdstyles.net]

yo yo....im in the house!

So im on Mark's side of the fence running a community and I can understand how this can get difficult...

Id be all over a ballot deal, matter of fact ill be pympin preimum membership next week cause I love this site. Been here too long and it still rocks...

kinda like the wife...

Some manufactures/retailers may even offer free goods (like the free $300 some odd dollar DC Sports headers I got for my box from a retailer) The worst thing you can do is ask. The biggest deal will be deciding what car its for or too offer something universal. Remember, this isnt only a 240 board, this is a S and Z chassis site, so it might make things even MORE difficult if you/i/we/they include the Z chassis...

*end mindless ramble*

cliff notes: Im down, gonna be tough, end ramble...

[Jeff240sx]

Remember, this isnt only a 240 board, this is a S and Z chassis site, so it might make things even MORE difficult if you/i/we/they include the Z chassis...

I think we killed the Z-chassis owners and ate their babies. I haven't seen/heard of a Z thread on Zilvia in a long, long time.
-Jeff

[weirdstyles.net]

I think we killed the Z-chassis owners and ate their babies. I haven't seen/heard of a Z thread on Zilvia in a long, long time.
-Jeff
I figured you would have just raped their souls....

hmmm...

[brianglawson]

all these ideas are great, what about giving people "a bonus" if they advertised for you. Life some cool feature on zilvia for putting a banner on there personal site

more advertisment, means more members, which means more chances for raffles

[RJF]

Of course everybody could buy some stickers or Premium Memberships and that would help pay the bills... :D

[MadScientist]

Ok... for West to profit the most, the Item to be Raffled off would need to be as cheep as possable, if not free.

Dealers & Advertisers, such as myself, pay to advertise, and get dealer cost on products... as nice as it would be for dealers to get some stuff free it doesn't happen.... however if a Dealer were to offer an Item to Zilvia for Free to be rafled off, the Dealer should get something in return. The Item being Raffled off has a Value/ Advertising on Zilvia has its cost as well... West can make over 100% profit off a free item and all that need be done is add advertisment time to the Advertising Dealer.... very simple and cost effective.

The main part that I feel is being questioned is how well the Raffle will work... no-one wants to loose money... also some parts that are going to offered may be Chassis specific.
For Example:
1. I have a Cusco Carbon Fiber strut Tower bar for an S13 that I can offer to West for the Rafel (Free) and get Advertising time in return.
2. The Bar is for the S13 only, therefore only brings in, say Half of the Members.
3. % of Members that have a STB already, are not going to buy Ballots.
4. Price of Ballots would have to be reasonable enough to attract the attention of members as well as be able to cover the estimated value... even though its free, the item still has value.
5. Say the Bar is worth $180-200... @ $10/ Ballot, 20 Members would cover the estimated value... naturally you want more than just 20 people to buy ballots... people are not dumb (generally) are know to do math, so a Blind Ballot would be best to continue sales of Ballots. No-one other than West need to know what is being made off the Raffle!!
6. $10 for a good Chance of winning a Cusco Carbon Fiber Strut Tower Bar... Hell, I would be in!!
7. Word of Mouth - believe it or not... its free advertising, and word does travel fast!!
8. Make a Section dedicated to the Raffle, make a banner on the front page.
9. test, calibrate, question, argue all you want... Best way to find flaws is to do a Live Run!!

Let me know...
Peace
Drew

[axiomatik]

How about this. Talk to the vendors and get multiple prizes, say, in the region of $100 value. Vendors could choose to offer one or more items. Hold the raffle, and the winner gets to choose which item he wants from the list of available prizes. That vendor sends the winner the prize, and in return gets free advertising (or a cut of the proceeds). The other vendors keep the items they offered, and could offer them again in the next raffle if they choose. This allows the raffle to not be chassis/part specific. If there are a variety of possible prizes, many more people will likely participate, as there is a much better chance that there will be a prize they want. The vendor whose prize is chosen gets free advertising, and the other vendors neither gain nor lose anything.

[scruffy63]

well my idea is to have the prize increase as the money allows it to. for example

prize 1 jdm doll($2.00 a ticket) then when you have enough money to pay for the next prize you go up.

prize 2 option drift video ($4.00 a ticket)now all the people who were already in the raffle must add $2.00 to their bid or drop out. new bidders pay $4.00

prize 3 megan short shifter($8.00 a ticket)current bidders add 4 to previous bids or drop out. new bidders pay $8.00

I think you guys get the idea now.of course the prizes and money amounts would probably be different. but I think you could build off of this idea.

[sayuki]

My friend and I own a design company called LMSport. The company is based on our cars and experience in transportation design etc.

We do custom design work for shirts and apparel for different car clubs and shops. For an example of our stuff - check out WORKS evo's site:
http://www.worksevo.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=46

http://www.worksevo.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=123

Their pictures aren't the best angles but you get the idea.

Now, don't flame me for bringing up the t-shirt thing cuz it is overdone by a LOT of car clubs - but I don't think Zilvia has any shirts or stuff other than the stickers????

We'd be willing to front the $$ for doing a zilvia shirt - the website can keep the profit off every shirt. So say we do a run of shirts - they end up costing us $6.00 each to make - for every shirt sold (say a price of $10 - $15) - then we give zilvia the rest after $6. Depending on our actual costs, if the design is simple or not, we might be able to donate everything.

We'd come up w/ a design that majority of members like, or say premiere members or the moderators, then we'd take care of all the production. We could take care of distribution too if you want. Nobody would have to put up any $$ or worry about having to make back the costs - ppl could just buy shirts if they want them.

[Var]

i would DEFINITELY sport zilvia apparel. t-shirts, hoodies, beanies...anything like that.

[Andrew Bohan]

I think we killed the Z-chassis owners and ate their babies. I haven't seen/heard of a Z thread on Zilvia in a long, long time.
-Jeff
canton (z boi) has a 280 and he posts every once in a while. he doesn't have any other z guys to play with tho so he never talks about z's

[HaLo]

What about a 50-50 ticket... the winner gets the price value (or more) of the 50-50 raffle as a gift certificate at his favorite Zilvia advertiser...

[KA24DESOneThree]

Shirt idea sounds great too. I'd definitely wear a Zilvia fitted hat, tee, or black hoodie.

[derrick]

if zilvia needs support i am definetely there, just let me know when it goes down, i can maybe help out with some universal products also