To start off, keep this in mind:

Rennlist has been from the get-go, and always will be, a Porsche enthusiast's site - first and foremost.

We love our Sponsors - they are a big part of what keeps the Rennlist engine cranking - but it is the owners and enthusiasts that are the heart and soul of Rennlist.

Some say they want to know about everything a Sponsor has to offer - often and immediately.

Think about this: If every one of the 120 + Rennlist Sponsors (that's 60 Major Sponsors, plus a whole bunch of Associates) were to post just one topic to each forum a couple times a week - well, you do the math.

Most of our Sponsors recognize the spirit of Rennlist, and respect the grassroots nature of what John D. has created for us. Others may see Rennlist as their only avenue for reaching their target demographic. To those I suggest a re-evaluation of their business model and marketing plan.

To those that must know about every aspect of every business associated with a discussion forum, I suggest you go out there and see what that results in. We've all seen 'enthusiast' sites that are nothing more than in-your-face pop-ups, banner ads stacked like cord wood, relentless self-aggrandizing by businesses that want to sell you something.

Here at Rennlist, you know who sells what. You know how to contact them, you have their website saved to your Favorites list. They helped you with resolving that problem you posted about last week. You drop by their site once in awhile to see what's new, or when a fellow enthusiast mentions something they got there - whether it be a new part that improves our cars, or just great service.

So, here's the thing - we appreciate our Sponsors and respect them for the world-class services they provide us. We, as enthusiasts, request that they in turn, respect the nature of these forums.

What say you?

 

I think Rennlist handles the "sponsor" issue better than any other site. I appreciate the "ad control" and the fact that I believe I get NO spam originating from or through Rennlist. As to Sponsor's claims, this is the place to discuss products. It can be done w/o trashing anyone. Product evaluation is important b/c we often don't have a comparison available and I know when I'm at a shark gathering, there is information overload, big time. I can't get enough information and I always walk away having forgotten some picky little question or to look for some item I needed.

 

Randy,

I saw the thread that sparked this discussion, and I understand the intent of the rule. 928'ers would like to see more new products and no limits perhaps -- but to be fair, you might have to allow the same in other forums where the result might be a flood of product announcements. Here's a couple suggestions:

1) Have a sticky in each forum where sponsors may post info explaining how to get on their mailing lists for product announcements

2) Add a "New Products" forum where only sponsors may create topics, but others may respond with questions; require applicable model numbers at the beginning of each topic name, e.g. "928 - Twin disc clutch" or "944, 951 - Carbon fiber sunroof" etc.

I like #2 better, because it allows for much more interaction on the part of us "enthusiasts" -- I have seen many product announcements where the discussion was just as informative as the announcement.

 

Persoanlly I don't mind a new product announcement now and then. It's good to be informed of what's out there. But I can see where things could get out of hand.

I like SharkSkin's suggestions, but I would offer a hybrid of these two. Make a sticky for "New Product Announcements from Rennlist Sponsors" Let them post their new-products or specials there and let people contact the sponsors off-line. Hopefully it would decrease the overall administration, and would clean up the board. Just a suggestion.

 

I regularly visit a mustang site to glean the latest and greatest from their boosted applications, and have to say that all the adverts and banners there suck! There are so many that the moderators there crack down on the "Members" for posting stuff for sale, stating one needs to be a sponsor to do that. Ouch!

But here we don't have that problem, and I don't think here in the 928 forum it will likely be abused in the long term. Maybe a little in the short term here and there as new products are developed for the 928 which might be 5 new products when applied across the entre 928 production run. I have no problem with this. If something is posted that I'm not entirely interested in, I skip it and move on to what I am.

 

Being a paid sponsor, what does paying for a sponsorship get us in return? I believe we paid for sponsorship to be able to do just that, announce our new products to an interested crowd. It's not like pop-ups and spam, I would not be here myself if it was for them. I am also a firm believer in helping as many people as I have time to do, is that what I'm paying for?

Being a new business, we do not have the same "word of mouth" connection as longer established business's. How else are we going to let people on this forum know what we are creating and providing? We do not base our whole business on Rennlist sales in fact I have to find time to keep up with them with everything else we have going.

You tell me if we should keep posting our new products like the upcoming one. I believe it will generate a lot of interest.

P.S. We still don't have "Sponsor" on our taglines...

 

That is a good point. It would seem that currently the only exposure that a sponsor gets (with the exception of the one forum sponsor at the top of the 928 page), is on the signature of topic posts where it indates Rennlist Sponsor. I do not see any other recognition.

I also think that Randy is making some assumptions that do not hold true for everyone.

 

I see no reason in limiting the 'announcements' from our sponsors...so long as they are REAL announcements, and not just something to remind us as to who they are. As Shane said: "If something is posted that I'm not entirely interested in, I skip it and move on to what I am". The same goes for many of the regular "non-sponsor" posts.
Carl posted about his new clutch - even tho I drive an auto, I read it with interest, as I try to remain as knowledgeable as possible. DR's SC work is VERY interesting to MANY on the list....(we won't talk about header 'deals'... ) Obviously - if it starts getting excessive - then we may need to re-evaluate. But, so far - I don't see it as a problem.

 

Well said. I agree with Mark.

 

What Shane said.

 

I too do not mind when a sponsor posts regarding a new product, so long as this type of posting is not abused

 

I like the new product announcements. It strikes me that the reason this has come up as an issue is the very encouraging fact that several of the vendors have become extremely prolific of late, with all kinds of innovative new things to offer us. That's great and should be further encouraged. I would feel different if we were getting inundated with announcements of 6MM water pump bolts and oil filters going on deal price, but that hasn't happened. So, 928 vendors - KEEP IT COMING!!

 

Randy,
Your 120 Sponsors are not going to all announce a new product each every week ! There have been quite a stream of new product announcements in the last few months, but this is not typical.

As long as there is only one thread started by a Sponsor for his new product announcement, then that's fine. If people don't want to read it, it drops automatically down top the back pages.

Pesonally, the feedback I get from announcements is very useful. And it is my main form of advertising. for the US market. That's why I pay my Sponsorship fee !

Regards

 

I like the new product announcements. As long as the "My price is better." Banter isn't part of it. Maybe the Sponsors shouldn't be able to post into anothers new products post, unless it is to praise the product. Let them post their own new product, be it the same or not.

Like Political ads, bashing each other is stupid. Tell me how good yours is, not how bad theirs is.