Some years ago, it was really fashionable to “nickel and dime” people at every turn, in hopes of generating a support base. Organizations charged for webinars, booklets, DVD’s, and more. For some reason, over the past few years, we’ve started seeing a new wave of momentum to give away as much as possible. For example, this past week, Magazine Training International
http://www.magazineTraining.com
shared that, “about 18 months ago, we began to offer freely downloadable ebooks on publishing and free Web-based training videos. Since then we’ve offered 21 eBooks and 18 training videos. We started to offer free Webinars on publishing topics last year and are now offering about six a year. We will begin our first four-week online Instructor led course later this month. We send out a notice to our emailing list every time a new eBook or video become available, but anyone who is interested can simply check the home page of our Web site for the current free offer or for information about upcoming Webinars and online courses.”
Of course, I realize that the leaders of every org have to figure out a financial model that works for them. But I also have noticed that orgs like Magazine Training seem to be doing well with a “give them the farm,” while hoping that current and future partners will come to love them, and undergird their futures.
What about you and your org? Do you buy into these principles? Are they working for you? Please share by clicking “comment” in one of the box following the web version of this item. We look forward to your feedback on how it has or hasn’t worked for you.
Thanks for mentioning or free resources, Doug. Our goal is that as many magazine publishers (in the Developing World especially) as possible take advantage of the rich resources we have available. We also offer for free download the foreign language versions of our course manuals. We do charge for the English versions, but give them at half price to people in the Developing World. We also have over 100 pages of freely downloadable resources on our Web site. And our core constituency is taking advantage of the resources. Last year, visitors from 178 countries came to our Web site.
I forgot to mention, by the way, that we are offering our full-length DVD courses at half price until the end of February. That is the seven-disk Magazine Management course and the six-disk Design for Magazines course.
I am all for this idea of giving. Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” And we know that God loves the cheerful giver and blesses those who give. Obviously we all need money to live, but far too often I think we “nickle and dime” everybody instead of giving. I find this a struggle on the mission field. We are all here together, serving the Lord together, and it seems strange to pay for services from other missionaries when I am giving my life away for the same task they are involved in.