[ Wing Tips Home | Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Byron Bush / ByronBush@RedWingNet.com / Houston / TX
Date: 19 Dec 1998
Time: 11:31:36
It's with great interest that I watch the recent discussions on Wing Talk regarding the RWCS newsletter and web site. It seems the importance of this issue has risen in the eyes of membership since this whole endeavor began!
Nearly 3 years ago I created and presented a 40 page web site proposal to the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Red Wing Collectors Society that encompasses nearly every topic discussed here lately. There we 2 other proposals made to the Board that day. The first proposal consisted of a 1 page, glossy print out of a sample web page (which was highly impractical) accompanied by a verbal presentation. The second proposal was a 1 pager from someone that no one had ever heard of. Without getting into details, the team with the "Glossy" was ultimately selected as the RWCS web master and charges (to this day) $30/hour for their services. Yes, I've left some details out here.
In my proposal I offered to provide web design and consulting services at NO COST to the Society in exchange for any revenue taken in by placing For Sale and Wanted ads on the site. I fully expect that this revenue would have been less than $100/month since, as I've found on Wing Tips, you cannot sell an ad on the internet; there are far too many sites offering the same services for $0. Based on what I've seen with local news paper publishers, the only model that works is to sell a paper-based ad and, as a value-added service, supplement the paper ad with a listing on the internet at no extra cost.
At the time, very few members of the Board were internet savvy, many didn't have a computer or e-mail. Despite the complexity of the decision the Board was nearly won over to my proposal; except for one (non-Board member) person that had extreme problems with my proposal. The RWCS Newsletter editor perceived a conflict of interest with his contract by allowing me income from ad placement on the proposed RWCS site and probably perceived me as a threat based on the media I represented. Little did he realize that I'd never have made more than a few dollars and had no chance of profit and would probably enhance his sales by working together to post ads on the web AND the newsletter . A decision on the RWCS web site was tabled for more review by a newly appointed committee.
As you can imagine, I was upset with the lack of decision as I had actually created Wing Tips as a prototype for the Board presentation. Wing Tips was actually running on the web the day I made my pitch. After a lot of soul searching I determined that I would continue with the development of Wing Tips with the hope that, some day, the RWCS BOD would openly embrace a cooperative relationship in some form. I honestly feel that the conflicts between RWCS web site proponents and contractual obligations to the Newsletter Editor have meant 3 years of delay and slighting to a web site worthy of representing our organization.
As someone has already eluded to here on Wing Talk, I too honestly believe that it's time that RWCS leadership begin to remove all road blocks that hinder their web site development. I feel the best way for the BOD to make the Newsletter and their web site complement each other is to place both responsibilities under the same leadership (that would be the VP now) and recognize that web-based communication with membership will soon become more important for disseminating information about Society activities than the newsletter. There will always be a place for the newsletter but it’s role is changing. The BOD must remove the road blocks and provide the resources (money, expertise, VISION) to more adequately service the CHANGING needs of membership!
A well designed (and maintained) web site will do more to retain/inform current membership and attract new membership than the newsletter will ever have hopes of. Wing Tips has been a testament to the impact that 1 man and 4-5 volunteers can do with their own time/talent/energy/money to promote Red Wing. Why can't the RWCS BOD and it's 7,000 members of do just as well... if not better?
BBBush