Please help us with a decision.

[Cornellius]

What about contests between our members. Every contestant has to pay for its entrance to the contest. The contest would begin on day X with the before pics, then on day every one should show their after pics. You can use the newspaper thing to see that the pics were really taken this day. With suplements, wear, books, consultations or even money prices.
Could be....

 

[21inch_arms]

Why don't we combine the expertise of all the Guru's here and make a book about anabolics just something basic with color pictures of legit products and fake ones like Anabolics 2k. But instead of writing one book every 4 years we could make a quarterly update And include a "Greatest Posts" section in the back or Q and A. In turn we could sell selective advertising. What's even better we could sell it via the net as an e-book or CD that can be mailed to save overhead. I believe we have the raw data in front of us right before our very eyes and the resource to make something great. I'd even be willing to quit my job and work for elite. I've been thinking about this for quite some time but it just came to me. I sometimes get all pumped up over nothing though.

 

[Hanabolic Lecter]

• A George Spellwin Fitness Education Center—a “click and mortar” operation offering books, seminars, personal trainer certifications…etc. Establish your own Elite Fitness Certification, in the vein of ACE & NFPT.
  
• An Elite Fitness VISA credit card.

 

[growing painz]

I would personally be interested in something like this..It would be worth the money....I also like the idea of providing supplements.....

Well I'm not sure about this one but. Maybe

How about a Forum just for Helping people create and stay with Trainning Program I know you sell one but it is to expensive for the masses.
Maybee charge $30 and give them a diet for a month and a trainning schedule. Just an idea it would be easy to do. And if they liked it they could come back for more It would be a monthly program.

 

[BackDoc]

What about including distributors or retail stores in sales of your products?...at least if you're willing to sell discounted bulk. Although this potentially might pit elite members in the same city against each other, gyms and stores carrying your products might increase sales and rep the site...then training manuals, clothing, recipe books, etc. might promote themselves.

Not exactly the theme continued, but thought I'd throw it out anyways. I have a lot of patients who ask about supplements I recommend, and I know a lot of you others get questions all the time too...chances are many of you are in good with your local supplement shops. If members personally sold your stuff or could recommend a place locally that might increase sales of the brand.

I don't know. It was just a thought. I'll keep it to myself next time

 

[BigJay81]

I have one that intrests me.

How about you charge a FEW for people who want to peddle their own products on your board???

I would be more then happy to pay for the service I'm sure others would as well.

 

[Slopain]

How about a pay board specifically used for brainstorming on how to make the paying members money such as this thread?? j/k But there is some great ideas being tossed around here props to you fellas. There are a number of good ideas here.

The book idea I often think about doing. We read these books: War 96, Anabolics 2000, etc.. all of these are full of errors and even typos. Getting a few of the truly knowledgeable folks here together to help edit and contribute information on: Stacks, Profiles, and most importantly PRODUCTS focusing on the newer products that have made waves in the market (specifically ttokkyo, loeffler, t400) would be beneficial and put the book out of the league of any other book that I know of on AS.

The final answer of course would be profitability of the ideas - but I would love to see this idea come to fruition.


Once again - good brainstorming in this thread!

 

[velvett]

You could sell tees, sweatshirts, hats, mugs, mousepads, etc from the cafe press store


Corporate Info


Gorilla Wear's cafe press site

Just a thought.

I would be in line for a mug, hat or a babydoll tee.

*shrug*

check it out

I own a mug from a web friend of mine and I must say it's damn cool.

 

[Jeff_rys]

Or you could sell some...

roids. Now this would be a succes.....

 

[Dexter]

George, in my view this post alone is worth the price of being on the Elite Fitness Select board. I'm sorry I missed out on so much over my extended vacation.

What I've seen in the last 1 1/2 years is a web site that has just gotten better and better, and with some solid business thought behind it. And that's why you are facing this issue of maintenance expenses; it's just grown and grown and with all the attendent expenses. What you have created in my view is a "dot.com," a sort of Excite@Home or Yahoo! of the fitness supplements industry.

Yet you've kept it lean and haven't tried to do all things for all people. That's one of the reasons so many dot.coms got themselves in deep, deep trouble: They didn't stick to their knitting and didn't keep their expenses in check. (hehe - see note at the end of this message).

I consider it laudable that you are actively seeking suggestions from those who value the content you have provided; brainstorming being a key component of any problem-solving process.

I'm with Iron Game regarding the double edged sword. And the other comments and suggestions have not only been intellectually stimulating to me, but indicate just how much thought you have put into it. .

Just a few things come to mind (I'll reserve my more wacky ideas):

1. Setting up a gear sale section might seem great, but it would be a dead end street for your business. You might be able to structure it in such a way (offshore or whatever) that keeps Mass Quantities clean - for a while at least, but I think you've already dismissed that notion. It's tough enough to sell non-AS supps with the FDA changing the rules and Marshalls serving you warrants for whatnot.

2. Your offices are just blocks away from the world's financial center. Have you considered a public offering in one form or another? Perhaps even a small, limited one? Even with the legal hassles, you might make megabucks and retire in the Bahamas.

Best regards, Dex

Strength and Honor.

----------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: An interesting comment on Reflex Communications, an MDU high speed Internet access startup that tanked, in a recent Seattle Times:

In some cases, dot-coms frittered money away on expensive office furniture, even golf clubs. Reflex Communications bought more than 90 custom-made desks and a wooden coffee table with the company's "R" logo inlaid on the top to outfit offices in Pioneer Square. It left $26
million in debts when it went bust in April.

Bazillion and iStart Ventures, which was supposed to "incubate" other dot-coms, spent $98,000 buying 140 Herman Miller Aeron office chairs at $700 a pop. The chairs were sold at an auction in April for as little as $325 each.