Pay it Forward: Support your Favorite 5

[Insomnia Radio]

Earlier today I placed a "tipjar" on my website, after much deliberation. As with the voting system here, I'm very hesitant to suggest things like this. But I thought, hey, if someone wants to throw $1 my way, great. If they just keep listening, great!

However, I am compelled to publicly thank Sam Gulino from Tampa, Florida. He contributed something well outside the realm of a "tip" and his generousity almost brought me to tears. Sam, thank you. It means a great deal to me.

This inspired me to tell you all about my small little plan to support the podcasters who entertain me every week, and I can only hope you'll consider adopting the same idea.

Beginning immediately, I will be sending $1 to each of my 5 favorite podcasts. I will repeat this process every month, and that list of 5 may change. It may stay the same. These will be shows that I eagerly look forward to. Shows that are instantly in my ears the second they've finished downloading. Shows I cannot live without.

If you feel the same way I urge you to join me in supporting YOUR favorite 5 shows every month. Five bucks out of your pocket, no sweat. And if enough people adopt this method, hell, it may even help the hosts pay the bills....

What do you say?

Perhaps it sounds sappy. Perhaps it could make a difference...

Here's my Favorite Five for the month of June: (gentlemen, please open a paypal account!)

1. DeFi Radio
2. Bob & AJ
3. The Tartan Podcast
4. The Roadhouse
5. The Bitterest Pill

[Adam Weeks]

I think this is a good idea. It should be set up though that the receiver for the pay it forward $1 would agree to send it to their favorite podcasts. Of course, for the really popular ones, what would we do if they received a couple hundred dollars in pay it forward funds?

[Insomnia Radio]

Of course, for the really popular ones, what would we do if they received a couple hundred dollars in pay it forward funds?

Oy! Ouch even!

I think the general idea should be that if you are given 5 bucks from your listeners, pass on that 5 bucks. keep the "5" thing as a template.

In other words, if you get a buck, pass it on to your favorite show. Top it off @ 5 ...

I dunno...it's something we could definitely build and improve on here.

[ferg]

I guess that's the point...if you are in a lot of people's top 5, you'll get much more than $5 and be able to pay out $5 and keep some cash to cover your costs.

I'm totally cool with that. That said, I don't want your money. So in the unlikely event that anyone is planning on sending me $1, please just forward it to one of my favorite shows instead....surely I've mentioned them around here, somewhere.

[Adam Weeks]

So you're saying anything over $5 you get is simply yours to keep for people liking it. I see. Sounds good. I'm down!

[Insomnia Radio]

I guess that's the point...if you are in a lot of people's top 5, you'll get much more than $5 and be able to pay out $5 and keep some cash to cover your costs.

That's very true. Granted, this is just a suggestion, but I see your point.
The idea of micropayments has rattled around Podcastalley before. If done correctly, it could really benefit all involved...

How to DO it correctly?
I dunno...

[Insomnia Radio]

So you're saying anything over $5 you get is simply yours to keep for people liking it. I see. Sounds good. I'm down!

Sure, but consider this an open source movement. Change it to your liking ;-)

If just a few people can move forward on it, and post their 5 shows on their blogs/sites/podcast, it may start to catch on.

[Adam Weeks]

I'm totally cool with that. That said, I don't want your money. So in the unlikely event that anyone is planning on sending me $1, please just forward it to one of my favorite shows instead....surely I've mentioned them around here, somewhere.

ferg, if I want to send you money you'll **** well take it! lol
that being said, as long as you send it to your fav podcasts its no big deal

[jeffoest]

Sounds like more hassle that it's worth. (but a nice 'loving' idea!!)

Vote for us, send us comments, send us love by talking about us on your show - but please don't burden us with $5. We don't need it. We don't value monetary compensation as we both have very nice full-time gigs plus, I don't want to feel 'obligated' by paying it forward. We talk about podcasts we like on our show. With our listenership as it stands, that's not bad love. ;-)

(party pooper) Jeff

[Insomnia Radio]

Sounds like more hassle that it's worth. (but a nice 'loving' idea!!)

Then take all the money and RUN! Haha...

Not everyone will dig the idea, that's cool.

[Adam Weeks]

(party pooper) Jeff

You got that right! :lol:

[jeffoest]

(party pooper) Jeff

You got that right! :lol:

hehehe, hey - but I WILL bring the gin!

[Adam Weeks]

hehehe, hey - but I WILL bring the gin!

If you change that to Maker's Mark I'll forgive you!

[kickasspodcast]

Its a good idea man, but I'd spend more time going to the post office for stamps per week than I currently do podcasting!

I think that there are other non-cash ways to help your fellow podcaster.

Playing their promo
Giving props to their show on your show
Offering to help give advice or chat with them about tech/pod issues
Send them endless supplies of podsafe music
Send them some Makers Mark like Patrick suggested(Ol' Grandad for me)
Give them your 1st born podbaby.
Offer to help make them a promo, intro, guest segment anything.

Paypal takes a healthy chunk of any monies that go through their system.
Paypal and Ebay are the same company and we all know Ebay doesn't need anymore capital. I'd suggest mailing them the dollar bill or any of the suggestions I put, even tho I think its a great idea to support your fellow podcaster. I will play ANYONES promo just send to submit@kickasspodcast.com OR kickasspodcast@gmail.com

Thanks

jack

[Insomnia Radio]

Jack, those are all awesome ideas...

I'm also opening up Insomnia Radio for promos. Yes, any promos, not just AMP or music shows ;-)

Email them to: insomniaradio@gmail.com

[Adam Weeks]

Send them some Makers Mark like Patrick suggested(Ol' Grandad for me)


Patrick??? This is Adam, the other half of NLO!

[jeffoest]

Send them some Makers Mark like Patrick suggested(Ol' Grandad for me)


Patrick??? This is Adam, the other half of NLO!

You guys really need to get different avators!

[Adam Weeks]

Send them some Makers Mark like Patrick suggested(Ol' Grandad for me)


Patrick??? This is Adam, the other half of NLO!

You guys really need to get different avators!

Fixed Now!

[Patrick]

People impersonating me up in this biotch.

[Adam Weeks]

People impersonating me up in this biotch.

Shut up.

[radioclash]

Yeah micropayment is the right term - some parts of the world a US dollar is worth a *lot* less.... :D

[Patrick]

Yeah micropayment is the right term - some parts of the world a US dollar is worth a *lot* less.... :D

Nothing funnier that when Brits bash the U.S.

:roll:

Maybe someone from Canada can go next. Anyone?

[docsnavely]

How about Japan? I love the COLA....... :D

[radioclash]

Yeah micropayment is the right term - some parts of the world a US dollar is worth a *lot* less.... :D

Nothing funnier that when Brits bash the U.S.

:roll:

Hey I still remember "Freedom Fries" :lol:

Anyway not a bash - just reminding people that in some countries 1 US Dollar isn't worth much - partly because of exchange rates, commisions on such small amounts etc...it would remain a token gesture, not a financial one. Which might be a good thing but it's not like I can spend it... :roll:

[Patrick]

Nothing funnier that when Brits bash the U.S.



It's never the other way around? :lol: I still remember "Freedom Fries" LOL


How is "Freedom Fries" a bash on the U.K. again?

[radioclash]

Nothing funnier that when Brits bash the U.S.



It's never the other way around? :lol: I still remember "Freedom Fries" LOL


How is "Freedom Fries" a bash on the U.K. again?

Just making the point that it's a two-way process. Anyway this is seriously off topic?

[SFEley]

Hey guys,

I hate to be the spoiler here, but somebody needs to point out that if you send just one dollar to your favorite podcast via PayPal, PayPal itself will take $0.33 of that dollar in fees. So you're only rewarding your favorite podcasters two-thirds as much as you think you are.

Send $5, and PayPal will only eat about fifty cents. So my advice is to wait a while if you have to, and then reward your favorites when you can afford to send them five dollars or more.

For real dollar-or-less micropayments, BitPass (http://www.bitpass.com) is a more efficient system than PayPal. But in practice, hardly anyone uses BitPass, and they're slightly more of a pain on initial setup.

[Patrick]

Anyway this is seriously off topic?

Is that a question?

The French are pussies and sell-outs. You guys feel the same way, so don't pretend you don't.

[radioclash]

Anyway this is seriously off topic?

Is that a question?

The French are pussies and sell-outs. You guys feel the same way, so don't pretend you don't.

you're just trolling :roll: Go away and find an interesting and intelligent argument and I might play. :twisted:

[Patrick]

Well it wasn't my original intention, until you started bashing the U.S.

Just get Olivia Newton John to come to Phoenix again and you can forget the dollar for the rest of your life. I love you Olivia!

[Insomnia Radio]

I hate to be the spoiler here, but somebody needs to point out that if you send just one dollar to your favorite podcast via PayPal, PayPal itself will take $0.33 of that dollar in fees. So you're only rewarding your favorite podcasters two-thirds as much as you think you are.

Send $5, and PayPal will only eat about fifty cents. So my advice is to wait a while if you have to, and then reward your favorites when you can afford to send them five dollars or more.

My GOD! I totally failed to realize that they're just BEGGING you to give a buck...33% huh? Ouch. Perhaps you're right. Knowing this, I may just do ONE show per month @ $5....

Thanks for sharing that.

[SFEley]

My GOD! I totally failed to realize that they're just BEGGING you to give a buck...33% huh? Ouch. Perhaps you're right. Knowing this, I may just do ONE show per month @ $5....
To be fair to PayPal, that probably is in line with their actual costs. The credit card companies have a minimum transaction fee, and there's other overhead in bank transfers. It's just a fact, there are fixed costs for any method of moving money (except maybe walking over to someone and handing them a dollar bill), so the costs will always seem higher with tiny bits of money.

So I can't really blame PayPal. It's just a pain, since your idea's a good one.

[Patrick]

Everybody just paypal me their dollars along with the name of what podcast they want it to go to. When I get 1,000,000 $1 donations for any one podcast, I'll forward that money to the podcaster in full, and I'll eat the paypal fees.

Deal?

[Adam Weeks]

Have you guys been to 43things.com? You can list your goals there. Anyways, they have a system where a user can "cheer" someone else's goals. You get a limit of cheers a day. Maybe we can set something like that up. It would have a little less emphasis than a podcastalley vote, since you can choose multiple podcasts a day, but it would still be nice.

[Patrick]

Have you guys been to 43things.com? You can list your goals there. Anyways, they have a system where a user can "cheer" someone else's goals. You get a limit of cheers a day. Maybe we can set something like that up. It would have a little less emphasis than a podcastalley vote, since you can choose multiple podcasts a day, but it would still be nice.

What's the point? You cheer a podcast by listening to it.

[Hittman]

Don't send me money. Send me cigars. The Post office has VCR sized boxes that are perfect for the job.

I've had a couple of people who liked my website send me a few cigars. Each cigar provided 30-60 minutes of pleasure.

I had one reader send me a CD of live recording of U.K. when he found I was a fan. (U.K. was an art rock band that never really made it, and should have. Not to be confused with U.K. Squeeze, another good band, but not in the same league.)

One person sent me a thick envelope of newspaper clippings. I appreciated the effort, but would have preferred cigars. Or another U.K. CD.

Or you can click on the ads on my site, which won't cost you a thing, and makes me a few cents with every click. (It's been surprisingly lucrative.)

[Insomnia Radio]

Those are **** snazzy ideas!