Ending the $25k Contest?

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Jon

Jon

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Jun 21, 2006
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I am seriously considering ending the $25k contest..

The reason for it is because as I get more and more in-depth into the new resource section for WickedFire that is launching by next month, I keep wanting to give more and more shit away for free.

When I first started my blog, I figured I'd charge for consulting, but I just got lazy and irritated by it, and even though nearly $15k in pre-orders streamed in, I lost interested and decided "fuck it, I'll give it away for free".

Then came the idea of making a premium section on this forum for paid members. Again, hounded by loads of emails and people willing to pay $50+ per month to get into it. Granted I had a shitload of great ideas well worth it, but then as it drew nearer I thought "fuck it, I'll give it away for free", again!

I feel like this is a sales pitch for an ebook, but really, it's just going back to the whole "keep shit for free for once" plan. And that's what I want WickedFire to be, the experience of it at least. I want it to be free for everyone to use whenever they please. I mean seriously, when you think about ebooks, and the false promises they make, it always costs something like $30-$150, and then when you crack it open, you see shit in there that you either already knew, or that wasn't what it was all advertised to be, so you feel gipped. Well, that's how I feel in some ways now..

I have so many ideas for the resource section. I'm purposely hiring members from here as contractors for the job too, so that it's built by WF members for the WF members. There are so many fucking cool sections that are going to be added, and so much goddamn free content and tools that I really believe it will change the industry and how data and content is passed onto webmasters.

So why do I want to get rid of the $25k contest? Because, as cool as it would be to mentor a few people here and there on what to do to make some cash, truth be told, everyone will be able to learn it with the stuff I have in store for the new sections. In fact, it would free up a ton of my time so that I can put more sweat and work into the new section, rather than trying to figure out how to mentor some people and deliver on my promise within that time period. Also, as awesome as giving away consulting to someone who really needs it, I'm still going to be doing that whole teaching format, but with a new style in the free premium section.

The resource premium section is going to be fucking huge. No joke about that. And overall, I just want to be able to keep it free for everyone to use. Let the advertisers foot the bill to keep everything running so that this community can grow as a whole with everyone learning and giving back to the community rather than just a few people here and there learning to make some money and then disappearing into the void.

What do you guys think? Be honest as always too...

I would love to get rid of the contest and focus on getting WF to the top of the food chain as far as being one of the big boys in the media/press/news/education of the affiliate/webmaster/seo/traffic guy industry. I'm going to need everyone's help in the long run too, but this is OUR industry, so let's think longterm instead of selfish short term.

Whaddaya say?
 


Great stuff Jon!
I can't wait to see your new resource section...
Since I joined your forum, I didn't visit other forums much.
THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE
Cheers mate! :drinkup:
 
I would also like to see a resource section with the things you described, especially that its going to be free, this will benefit everyone instead of 2 guys, and you'll probably spend the same time on both, so why not spend it on something that will benefit everyone.
 
Great idea Jon!
This forum is really an awesome place to seriously learn about internet marketing.

Thank you.
 
I think it's a great idea. It would benifit everyone from vets to newbies, in which the 25k contest would have been really hard for a newbie to win. :p
 
i guess the particepents of the contest should respond, since they the ones who are prolly gonna be pissed....buttt i say scratch that contest anyways:action-smiley-052:

....ya and i agree w/mz - i don't visit other forums anymore...
 
Scrap that shit. Just make the new resource section the most kick-ass thing to hit internet marketing world.
 
DruSam said:
Scrap that shit. Just make the new resource section the most kick-ass thing to hit the internet marketing world.
Click to expand...

Well that's the idea.. We are working on completely original concepts for content delivery, and as I've said before, I have to copyright some of them because no one else has it. I really just want to blurt out and tell everyone what we are working on, but that would spoil the surprise, plus if competitors found out before it launched, they may jack my ideas. But waiting until late Sept/early Oct isn't too bad.
 
I want my 25k!! Arrrg!! You pense!! hahaha j/k

Although, I didn't sign it, I agreed. I would like you to spend more time on a resource section, helping everyone in the long run, then selfish short term. But who am I to decide.
 
Jon said:
Well that's the idea.. We are working on completely original concepts for content delivery, and as I've said before, I have to copyright some of them because no one else has it. I really just want to blurt out and tell everyone what we are working on, but that would spoil the surprise, plus if competitors found out before it launched, they may jack my ideas. But waiting until late Sept/early Oct isn't too bad.
Click to expand...

how bout we all just blurt out those deep secrets all at the same time :xomunch:...

Ill go first....
....
..anddd go....
.
umm...
..
................................hmmmmm
...
ya i got nothing....
....
ah well....YOUR ALL WORSELESS AND WEAK! :spawn:....thats why im here...
 
Well, you asked for honest so here it is...

Jon, you definitely seem to know what you're doing with affiliate marketing and with generating hype for yourself and your ventures, however, you've shown yourself to be incredibly unreliable as a "host". You've offered up various contests that you haven't delivered on, you hype everybody up for various projects and don't follow through (podcast, private "guaranteed" section, etc).

All things things look really bad IMO. I, personally, know now not to ever invest much time into this place for contests and know not to count on anything you promise until you actually deliver it. This is harsh, I know, but it's honest.
 
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I was thinking about joining the 25k contest but decided not to because of the past contest. I'm VERY glad I did not.

Jon, honestly this is just confirming what others have been accusing you of: being a total blowhard.

Some people hear really put their heart into writing some very good article threads. Not to mention giving up their best secrets and inviting competition (something most, including me and you, are not doing).
 
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I didn't participate in the contest, but the contest is what made me hear about WickedFire.

I think cancelling the contest would really be bad for WickedFire as a community. After all, there's already been one contest cancelled. I would be very hesitant to get involved in anything knowing it could disappear at the drop of a hat.

Not to mention, it's kind of lame to do that when a bunch of people have spent a lot of time writing articles, etc.
 
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Not to take any sides or rub any one wrong (serious, I don't like doing that) but I can see both sides of this issue.

Jon is passionate and enthusiastic about creating solutions, offerings, avenues and wanting to help people by sharing the knowledge he has, and seems to have so many ideas they just roll from mind to fingertips and get posted here without thinking of the potential end result and how popular his contests may be. Luckily I don't have the $$ Jon does or may be in the same situation! I find myself having so many ideas that it's hard to keep track and figure how to do everything in my head, it's literally overwhelming and I am always trying to think of cool ways to promote my sites, build them up, etc.

On the flip side, I do see everyone's concern about the contests issue Jon. While some of the people who competed in the contests to date may have had the extra time to put into them so there was no real "investment", I am sure quite a few did not but decided to "invest" the time in order to win and benefit from the prize. While people should make worthwhile posts ANY how around here, quite a few of the people shooting for the 25k prize may have went above and beyond what they could afford to spend time on posting here and helping others.

Now with ALL THAT said, I think you are quite the awesome and generous individual to be doing what you do here, especially working on the differnet WF stuff you are right now. I know I am excited to see it come to fruition. I do agree that you'll probably find yourself with less headaches going the route you are, you won't find your day eaten up with contest winner time committment duties either.

Maybe the solution is to keep going down the route you are going with your plans, scratch all contests (and don't start any more damn it! :) ) and maybe take whoever is ranking near the top of this 25k contest and offer some private messaging /instant messaging "extra" assistance on an as needed basis, using the materials that get released here this/next month. Just some extra helpful Q&A here and there on an as needed basis.

Just a thought.
 
CreationNation said:
Maybe the solution is to keep going down the route you are going with your plans, scratch all contests (and don't start any more damn it! :) ) and maybe take whoever is ranking near the top of this 25k contest and offer some private messaging /instant messaging "extra" assistance on an as needed basis, using the materials that get released here this/next month. Just some extra helpful Q&A here and there on an as needed basis.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I agree, I think the people that have put in work to date deserve to be rewarded for their efforts.
 
Oh I totally agree with you guys about me being a bad contest runner. I have the ideas, but no real follow through, which is why I want to scrap the $25k contest so that there are no more major contests being run solely by me. Instead, all of the future major contests will be run with a partner site/network who provides the prizes instead, so that everything won will be delivered.

I know it looks bad, but honestly, I don't care about my image. If I did, I would have named this forum "Jon's Forum" and not WickedFire. Notice that the name and brand have absolutely nothing to do with being an affiliate or a webmaster. I'm a big fan of branding with names that will be noticed and remembered for sounding different or cool, rather than trying to stick keywords into it. (this is completely off topic too, lol)

But back to the point. I don't have a problem with the $25k contest, only that I will have to divide my time up and I won't be able to focus on the new resource sections. I can assure you, that if I didn't care about people stealing the ideas, I would list them out over here, and I am almost sure 99% of you would be in awe of what's to come.

Yes, I have a talent for hyping people up, but I'm not doing it with cruel intentions, nor am I using any lies or false advertising methods. I know I have great ideas, and many times those great ideas fall through because of my extremely shitty follow through. That's one of my biggest and weakest characteristics too. I'm blessed with being able to think of ways to monetize almost anything, and I have a knack for coming up with really innovative and original ideas, but when it comes to applying them, or following through, I am cursed. I've had so many great ideas for this place that I hadn't put into play because I know myself. If I could have followed through and proven to everyone that it's worth their while to participate for the end result of any given contest, I'd be a hell of a lot more popular about them than I am now, but I too have major flaws, just like everyone else. Which goes to show you, I'm just a regular guy like anyone else, even though people think I'm higher up, I'm definitely not.

By ending the $25k contest it would be the last major WickedFire contest. I'm not saying this is the end of them, because it's certainly not. But it would be the end of WickedFire having it's own big contests with no partners to sponsor prizes or to make it fun. I have plans to launch many more contests with other networks, similar to the one we are running with XY7 right now. I think contests like that would generate a hell of a lot more positive responses, plus more user activity. The other WF contests I had going, like the post or refer members was to drum up new signups, but I see now that that's not the right direction to be going in. A month or two ago, I would have rather had 10,000 new joins, but now, I'd rather have 500 new joins that are all active instead of 100,000 new joins that just sit there and read and don't participate.

This WickedFire project means a lot to me. I get asked all the time by bloggers, peers, and journalists in our field "why do you do it?". Why do I do it you ask? Because SOMEONE needs to, and since no one else out there wanted to do it, I feel as if I need to take it upon myself and bring something out here for everyone to use for free to further our careers as internet marketers. Everyone else charges for stuff like this, and I've always been a fan of letting advertisers pay the bills, rather than the users. It will also award those who actively contribute, rather than those just joining and sitting around.

I will make everyone here a promise. Give me one full year to prove that WickedFire will become one of the biggest webmaster communities and resources for our industry, and if not, I'll disappear and redirect all of the traffic here to something that is better. But if I do pull it off, all I want is an apology from anyone doubting my abilities to make this place the fucking greatest and most reliable resource for affiliates, black hatters, white hatters, seo, designers, programmers, affiliate managers, affiliate networks, merchants and bloggers.

My overall goal is to make this place become what should have been created years ago. A one stop resource for EVERYTHING in the internet marketing industry. WickedFire will be a household name amongst all of our peers within one year. So if by September 2007 if I can't pull it off, I'll let everyone else decide my fate. But I can almost guarantee you all that in a year from now, you will all look back and say "I was a member here before WF became a powerhouse", and having June 2006 and July 2006 as your join date will make you the coolest kids on the block here.

Sorry for the novel, but WickedFire is my hobby, project, and newfound passion for this industry. I honestly love this industry. The good, the bad and the ugly of it. But when it comes down to it, this is the place I want to stay in for my entire career, however many years it is down the road, I consider it my obligation to make sure the industry only grows stronger for years to come.

Enjoy the novel. :drinkup:

PS - I've never written a post like this with so much heart and feeling, so enjoy it now, because chances of me doing it again are slim to none. But I do love this place, and I'm going to make it great for everyone, and always keep it free for the users. That's a promise I will never back out on. So think what you will about me, my past contests, posts or blogs about me that bash me, but there is a change coming, and I'm going to be the one behind it. So if you don't like me or my old contests that caused controversy, leave this place and go try and find some place better, because you're regret that choice once the new sections go live.
 
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