FAOL ? What?s It Worth To You?

Running a business where you give away your product makes it difficult to determine if what you are doing is really valuable. Fly Anglers On Line is just such a business. Our product is information and we give it away free to anyone that wants to take it. We fund this endeavor by convincing advertisers; we call them sponsors, to pay us to advertise their products on our site. Over time we have been relatively successful at convincing enough sponsors that we were worthy of their advertising dollars to allow us to pay the bills each month, but the question is always raised about our readership. A person that pays a yearly subscription fee indicates the value of the service when they renew their subscription. Unlike hard copy magazines we don?t sell subscriptions and our only way of determining our 'readership' is by looking at how many 'hits' the web site gets, how long they stay, and where the hits are coming from.

My question to FAOL readers is what is this web site worth to you? You can do us a huge favor if you could post an answer to that question. You can do this by placing a dollar value on our services, an emotional value, or whatever but we would really like to know.



LadyFisher

Deanna,
I've been with the Birkholms on fbn and then on FAOL and now with the Travis contingent also on FAOL. The reason for my enduring "membership" is the personality of the hosts ( those mentioned). I still work half a day every day ( roughly 8 to 8) so I have not a lot of time to participate as much as I would like to. Whenever I can, I use sponsors of FAOL to make any purchases fishing related and sometimes in consideration of their sponsorship rather than price.
FAOL is a nice place to visit. Keep up the GREAT work.

Mark

My dear Deanna,

How does one put a price on what you have created? It's "priceless".

Not only does the site provide information to new and old fly fishers, fly tyers, and those just thinking about it, but it provides a group of like minded people, genuinely concerned for the well being of many other, and their advancement in a life choice. There's not a community of learning and sharing similar to this one available anywhere else.

Fly fishing whether fresh water, salt water, or warm water is so much more than a physical endeavor. There's a real Spirit in the waters; a healing that can take place, like none other on Earth. There's Life tyed into each fly; built into each rod; turned around each thread. There's hope placed every time a line is cast. There's tremendous joy in each fish retrieved. There's a marvel in every fish; their colors, their locations, the waters they live in.

This site ... OUR FAOL ... has provided a kinship, learning, and a sharing unlike any thing else. It has enabled me to go far beyond my once limited expectations of and to fly fishing. I have a pride in my abilities. I have the joy of friendships worldwide. I have an abiding love for and about something so beyond myself, which words just cannot describe.

So, to put a price on FAOL? It's PRICELESS.
Betty

Deanna,

I'm not sure how long I've been associated with FAOL, as either a member or Admin. I do know that I visit the site at least twice a day, usually more than that, and did so long before I got the Admin spot. I have developed a nice circle of friends, many that I have never met in person, thanks to FAOL.

The information contained within this site is astounding. The welcoming attitude of the members and their willingness to steer newcomers to places around the site is wonderful.

The best thing about this site is the family friendly atmosphere that has been created. Having a place that I feel good about suggesting to people that have kids is worthy of a pat on the back to all concerned.

Whats FAOL worth? can't put a number on it, but I'd be lost without it at.

REE

Deanna,

I had been lurking here long before I became a member. I don't think I could state it better than the previous poster, Betty.

This is a resource that far out paces ALL the others in the ether. No dollar figure on FAOL's inherent worthiness could be attached.

PT/TB

FOAL has helped me more than anything in the growth of my fly fishing. I started tying flies with the info here before I became a member. If it turned into a site or was a site that had annual fees would i still be here.... YES! FOAL is "priceless''. I do look to by from sponsors on here and have for more than 90% of my purchases. The people on here are always willing to help and are so very generous, it is hard to find that.

I owe FAOL most of what I know about fly fishing if not all, I don't even want to imagine what it would be like without y'all. I will agree with everybody when they say that FAOL is priceless.
Thanks a lot Deanna.

I'm very new to this forum, so I haven't developed a sense of it's value to me yet. Possibly I'm too new to even comment,
but,
I have run a similar site ( not fishing related) in the past and I know how expensive bandwidth can be and how little real money online advertising produces. I also know of several " (specific interest) community minded" sites that have taken to posting those costs and asking for donations. It seems to be working for those sites. How much gets donated would also provide more specific, measurable, answers to your "What's It Worth" question.

Just a thought.

To be honest with you, I don't know what I'd do without FAOL. I've been here 10 or 11 years now, and to ask me "What's It Worth" is like asking me to put a dollar amount on my family. FAOL is family to me. I'd probably still post even if I had to give up fly fishing. (heaven forbid) When I talk to people about FAOL I tell them that it isn't the best fly fishing website, it's the best website on the net.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE! NEVER GO AWAY.
I should also mention that every time I need some supplies for tying or rod building or whatever, I always look to our sponsors first. And, yes, I've bought from several of them.
Also, some of my best friends were met here at FAOL. They started out as fishing partners and now they are friends forever.

i have fun here. what more needs said?