If you have ever bought smething because of Speedtalk, let me know

[CamKing]

Whats the reasoning behind the question?

I have. Bought plenty of stuff 'because of' things I read here. What exactly are you trying to learn from this?

I'm trying to get a feel for how to make SpeedTalk pay for itself, if I'm able to buy it.
I want to keep it like it is. I don't want to fill it full of ads. I don't want to make people pay a membership fee.

I have a few ideas, and everyone's input on this thread, has really backed up my assumptions.

Bottom line: Speedtalk members(and lurkers) find items and services on Speedtalk, without any ads.
They trust the Speedtalk community's reviews of said products and services, more then any Banner ad.

[ClassAct]

Whats the reasoning behind the question?

I have. Bought plenty of stuff 'because of' things I read here. What exactly are you trying to learn from this?

I'm trying to get a feel for how to make SpeedTalk pay for itself, if I'm able to buy it.
I want to keep it like it is. I don't want to fill it full of ads. I don't want to make people pay a membership fee.

I have a few ideas, and everyone's input on this thread, has really backed up my assumptions.

Bottom line: Speedtalk members(and lurkers) find items and services on Speedtalk, without any ads.
They trust the Speedtalk community's reviews of said products and services, more then any Banner ad.

I absolutely ignore ads of virtually every type. I didn't realize what you were asking in totality when I first posted. I have purchased 3 cams from you for myself. More significantly, I've told countless people about you on other forums, but there is no way to measure any sales from that.

Anyone can make an ad and get it posted. It's another thing to follow someone and their thought processes and logic over time on a forum. To me, that's what drives how I purchase most things. Not based on some advertising. In fact, if the ad becomes irritating I just won't buy that product no matter what. There are some TV commercials that are so idiotic I'd never buy their product even if it's better or saved money, which when you factor in the cost of advertising it's usually unlikely that you actually can't find something better. I hate advertising.

[tt 383]

Bought a cam from Jones Cams and the software package last year. Was going to buy a cam from Harold on advice from TeamChevelle and searching lifter intensity, .842 vs .875 vs .904 lifters brought me here. Also was looking at bbc headers for a C3 Vette that led me to Jere Stahl website and here.

[CamKing]

Anyone can make an ad and get it posted. It's another thing to follow someone and their thought processes and logic over time on a forum. To me, that's what drives how I purchase most things.

I doubt you're the only one who thinks that way.

I see that the real value of Speedtalk, is it's community. If one of the big companies, came in and bought it, filled it full of ads, and restricted posts from people who compete against their advertisers, the community would be gone in a short amount of time. That's what normally happens, when a forum is bought.

My thought is to actually bring in more knowledgeable members, who own or work for companies in the performance/racing arena.

[needforspeed66gt]

It's impossible to assign a value to the invaluable information that I've gained over the last 15 or so years on speedtalk....I maybe got a job or two because of just word of mouth on here, and I became friends with Mike Lewis who has done CNC and Dyno work for us more than a few times over the years. I met Pete at CP Motors and while I've never bought anything from him, I have referred a half dozen people his way for bridgeport fixtures.

[ClassAct]

It's impossible to assign a value to the invaluable information that I've gained over the last 15 or so years on speedtalk....I maybe got a job or two because of just word of mouth on here, and I became friends with Mike Lewis who has done CNC and Dyno work for us more than a few times over the years. I met Pete at CP Motors and while I've never bought anything from him, I have referred a half dozen people his way for bridgeport fixtures.

This is the stuff that's hard to quantify. I'd bet this is more the rule than the exception^^^^^^^^^

[Ron E]

4 customer referrals that purchased Calvin Elston headers. "Met" Calvin here. Those types of things are hard to quantify.
Personally, Mike's cams, Rick's software, Pipemax. EA Pro,

[CamKing]

This is the stuff that's hard to quantify. I'd bet this is more the rule than the exception^^^^^^^^^

Yet, all these posts, are helping to quantify it.
Lots of people with very similar experiences. That's no fluke. It's a trend.
I sell cams to people who had never heard of me, until they googled their application, and read a Speedtalk post i wrote years ago.
The amount of advertising money it would take to get that person to buy my cams, would be astronomical.
The value of having a customer recommend a product or service, to their fellow forum members, is worth more then a full page add in any magazine.

[chimpvalet]

Engine Analyzer software, PipeMax software.

Cheers

[n2xlr8n]

Bottom line: Speedtalk members(and lurkers) find items and services on Speedtalk, without any ads.
They trust the Speedtalk community's reviews of said products and services, more then any Banner ad.

My intention was to respond after I read through the threads, but this ^^

The thread a while back about the gurus on here should be made a sticky.

[dfarr67]

Not on point- but I use discount codes at RockAuto from Thirdgen.

[FC-Pilot]

This is the stuff that's hard to quantify. I'd bet this is more the rule than the exception^^^^^^^^^

Yet, all these posts, are helping to quantify it.
Lots of people with very similar experiences. That's no fluke. It's a trend.
I sell cams to people who had never heard of me, until they googled their application, and read a Speedtalk post i wrote years ago.
The amount of advertising money it would take to get that person to buy my cams, would be astronomical.
The value of having a customer recommend a product or service, to their fellow forum members, is worth more then a full page add in any magazine.

I have not been building engines near as often as I was ten years ago, so have not had the chance to play with cams, but if you buy this site to keep it alive Mike then I know where my next cam purchase will be from. I figure I would get a great cam and it would say thinks for keeping this place alive.

Paul

[CamKing]

Not on point- but I use discount codes at RockAuto from Thirdgen.

RockAuto spends 10's of millions of dollars on Advertising. If they only thing they ran, was that ad on Thirdgen, would you buy from them ?

[Joe-71]

Bought three cams from you. Followed your posts as a lurker for some time. When I first joined this forum on encouragement from fellow racer, I made a couple of entries, and was jumped on by a couple of folks who called my entry stupid. It turned me away from posting anything for a couple of years, but followed as a reader. I quietly watched most posts from those who castigated me, and they really have an attitude. At my age, and my education level, and racing experience building engines and porting cylinder heads, etc., it really was a turn off. If you (Mike) had not been gracious and helped me when I called you with my orders, I would not be here today.

[xr4x4ti]

Cam from Mike
Pipemax
Book from Don
I am sure other products talked about here, but not represented by a member.