Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
We currently have 258 paid-up Premium members out of a +4,300 total membership (we've historically hovered around the 270 mark until now).
Premium members represent 6% of total membership.
It's clear from the many conversations and emails I've had from LJN members over the time since I introduced a paid-for member section that the most common reason members upgrade their membership, is not for the SEO and the exposure LJN gives but to support the vital service it provides for its members and many beyond.
The income from Premium memberships is vital to the long-term viability and health of LJN. Without your support I simply could not do what I do.
Of course it's also important to mention the equally vital support from from our friends at Progreen, Simply Business & Etesia
I would like to guage members' opinion on moving the emphasis away from Pro membership by calling those who support LJN, simmply, Supporters.
Please leave your vote below.
Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion.
Change LJN badge from Pro Member to Supporter?
Views: 719
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I feel as a Pro Member that the name loos good to the public when/if they see that label. Supporting is a result of becoming a Pro Member, it would be like calling an apple tree an apple, the Apple is the fruit of that tree, not the name of the source - does that analorgy work!? However, as a Pro Member I am possibly biased.
I think that the pro member should stay as it send a signal to the general public who do view the site that we are and the site is all about professional designers, gardeners and landscapers
Phil we had a similar debate a few years back with the gold member status's. I vote leave it as is. If you remember that debate caused a lot of bad feeling between members, don't want to see that happening again and dragging down ljn as it did have a detremental effect on the general forum page for a good while. Just my tuppence worth.
Phil Voice > Brian www.mibservices.co.ukJune 10, 2015 at 7:07am
I clearly remember the passionate debate we had Brian.
There were definitely some strong opinions expressed but I viewed the process as a positive one. I hope you'd agree, we should never shy away from discussion?
LJN is just about doubled in size since the subject of Premium membership categorisation was broached. I think it's important to let members, who weren't part of any previous discussion or development, to have a say in the future of LJN.
Just looking at the poll attached to this thread, there is clearly some division in how members feel that Premium membership should be badged.
Really interesting. As you know, I cancelled pro membership as I felt LJN was moving away from what I need, and becoming something far bigger (and better for other users).
The forum, my only interest but a vital and core part of the site for many of us, has not got better. Indeed, it's even worse if you read the thread after this one!
Phil, you say that even the pro members, the most committed 6%, don't pay up because of SEO or the exposure they get from LJN? Does that not suggest that the focus needs to be on what they do want, and less what they don't need? Maybe the question is what people actually need from LJN, and why it's different from the industry dinosaurs.
This is an amazing community: bringing together people from every part of the industry, and often our only regular dialogue with other people in our trade if we're smaller businesses. It might sound silly, but merely having a proper full-page forum, even if it's a seperate site as the platform seems as rubbish as the one I'm working on, would have me back in the pro member group tomorrow.
"you say that even the pro members, the most committed 6%, don't pay up because of SEO or the exposure they get from LJN? "
I didn't say that Paul. I said "the most common reason members upgrade their membership, is not for the SEO and the exposure LJN gives but to support the vital service it provides for its members and many beyond."
LJN can be a different tool to different people. The SEO is excellent. Equally so too is the thousands upon thousands of highly valuable topics on every aspect of running a business in our industry.
I've tested a full page forum and I feel it doesn't work. The text is spread too wide and in my opinion deteriorates the user's experience.
I also think it's essential to have the activity and hot topic feed visible to allow readers easy access to any topic they wish to read.
Supporter sounds more altruistic - whereas a Pro Member is paying for a service - when I deem myself in a better position ( nothing to do with the cost,which is a bargain ) - I will definitely upgrade.
Taking a different view on this subject myself , I DONT pay pro member subs because I particulary want anything for myself from LJN, I have truly been blessed with my company from day one, don't get me wrong I have put in a lot of hours to get my company to the point it is, but I have had a tonne of luck to help me out. I know there are a lot of companies out there that need an approachable online gardening community for advice and help in setting their companies up, and to me LJN is a superb community for them to be apart of, £40 per year is to me nothing compared to what this industry has given me over the years, if I can help something like LJN keep going for the future to help other people experience the great times I've had in gardening then bring it on , I'm more than happy to help support this community....
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Replies
Premium Supplier will essentially stay the same.
I quite like the pro member status, maybe just change the blurb on the membership joining page and give us a free bumper sticker ;)
I think that the pro member should stay as it send a signal to the general public who do view the site that we are and the site is all about professional designers, gardeners and landscapers
I clearly remember the passionate debate we had Brian.
There were definitely some strong opinions expressed but I viewed the process as a positive one. I hope you'd agree, we should never shy away from discussion?
LJN is just about doubled in size since the subject of Premium membership categorisation was broached. I think it's important to let members, who weren't part of any previous discussion or development, to have a say in the future of LJN.
Just looking at the poll attached to this thread, there is clearly some division in how members feel that Premium membership should be badged.
Really interesting. As you know, I cancelled pro membership as I felt LJN was moving away from what I need, and becoming something far bigger (and better for other users).
The forum, my only interest but a vital and core part of the site for many of us, has not got better. Indeed, it's even worse if you read the thread after this one!
Phil, you say that even the pro members, the most committed 6%, don't pay up because of SEO or the exposure they get from LJN? Does that not suggest that the focus needs to be on what they do want, and less what they don't need? Maybe the question is what people actually need from LJN, and why it's different from the industry dinosaurs.
This is an amazing community: bringing together people from every part of the industry, and often our only regular dialogue with other people in our trade if we're smaller businesses. It might sound silly, but merely having a proper full-page forum, even if it's a seperate site as the platform seems as rubbish as the one I'm working on, would have me back in the pro member group tomorrow.
"you say that even the pro members, the most committed 6%, don't pay up because of SEO or the exposure they get from LJN? "
I didn't say that Paul. I said "the most common reason members upgrade their membership, is not for the SEO and the exposure LJN gives but to support the vital service it provides for its members and many beyond."
LJN can be a different tool to different people. The SEO is excellent. Equally so too is the thousands upon thousands of highly valuable topics on every aspect of running a business in our industry.
I've tested a full page forum and I feel it doesn't work. The text is spread too wide and in my opinion deteriorates the user's experience.
I also think it's essential to have the activity and hot topic feed visible to allow readers easy access to any topic they wish to read.
Supporter sounds more altruistic - whereas a Pro Member is paying for a service - when I deem myself in a better position ( nothing to do with the cost,which is a bargain ) - I will definitely upgrade.
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