Need a couple of favours from you guys. I'm hoping as an Arms member, you can help out a bit.
THE PROBLEM
As you probably know, the forum is pretty much under constant DDoS attacks. We are managing to stay online nearly all the time. We're using experts, along with quite specialist software at various levels (on the forum, on the server, on the routers and switchers etc) and various types of hardware, along with hosting and specialists who deal with DDoS on a daily basis. Usually for banks and large firms though, not little old me. The one-man-band with a couple of forums.
I used to have cheap hosting space, which was fine, with dozens of forums, only a couple made money though. But that was cool. I wasn't after loads of money. That's not the case now. I've had to shut down everything that doesn't make money, and risk switching back a couple that might do in the future, but aren't right now.
I also used to host guys on the forums pretty much free of charge if they were regulars, and at cost price if they were not. And that's had to stop too.
I wouldn't wish this situation on any forum owner. Even competitors. And I genuinely hope they don't have to ever experience it, certainly not as consistently as we've had it over the past couple of years.
Not sure who I've annoyed so badly, or whether attacking our network is part of a much bigger thing somewhere and we're just caught up with it, or whether it's just the ex-husband of the new mrs (haha - never say never eh?!).
THE SOLUTION
Either way, we need funds. And here is how you can help, and it will never cost you a penny!!
Now this one is a tricky one. It relates to the Google Ads in the sidebar. Now I don't mind if you use ad-blocking software or whatever, if that's the case, ignore this, you wont even see the ads. (Meanies!!!) 😉 I joke. Don't worry. But for those of you that don't mind seeing the ads, and do see them, consider clicking on the ones that apply to you and you think might be of interest to you. We get about 30p a click. But you can't just click every one on every page, they'll clock that's not a natural click. Just one or two clicks once a day (or every couple of hours) from a few dozen members would really help over a month.
Obviously only if the ads are showing something you would be interested in.
I've been searching for trainers for my dads birthday coming up soon, and some ads are showing stuff related to the forum, but some are showing stuff related to trainers. So keep an eye out for something that interests you, and give it a click. You don't need to buy from them. Just have a look at their page for a few seconds, click around a bit maybe, then close their page. Simples.
On a similar note, if you share eBay and Amazon links on the forum, to tools and products and things, we get a tiny commission on anything that gets purchased by people who click on the links. Here's a cool thing though, it doesn't need to be the product you linked to. What it'll do, for the next few days, is store a 'cookie' in the browser of those who clicked to Amazon and eBay via the forum, and it'll give us a commission on anything you buy over the next few days. Wont cost you a penny more, but we get a few pence.
Want the cookies in your browser now? Just click the links below.
www.ebay.co.uk
www.amazon.co.uk
Note you could do with clicking the amazon and ebay links monthly perhaps maybe (don't want you to see this as a chore!).
It all helps!
Hope you don't mind me posting this. I just wanted to let you know that we need more funds, and I'm not willing to charge for the forum. You guys have made this place what it is, so I'd never charge you. But as I say, there are things you can do that wont cost you a penny, and will help the forum.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks lads. 🙂
THE PROBLEM
As you probably know, the forum is pretty much under constant DDoS attacks. We are managing to stay online nearly all the time. We're using experts, along with quite specialist software at various levels (on the forum, on the server, on the routers and switchers etc) and various types of hardware, along with hosting and specialists who deal with DDoS on a daily basis. Usually for banks and large firms though, not little old me. The one-man-band with a couple of forums.
I used to have cheap hosting space, which was fine, with dozens of forums, only a couple made money though. But that was cool. I wasn't after loads of money. That's not the case now. I've had to shut down everything that doesn't make money, and risk switching back a couple that might do in the future, but aren't right now.
I also used to host guys on the forums pretty much free of charge if they were regulars, and at cost price if they were not. And that's had to stop too.
I wouldn't wish this situation on any forum owner. Even competitors. And I genuinely hope they don't have to ever experience it, certainly not as consistently as we've had it over the past couple of years.
Not sure who I've annoyed so badly, or whether attacking our network is part of a much bigger thing somewhere and we're just caught up with it, or whether it's just the ex-husband of the new mrs (haha - never say never eh?!).
THE SOLUTION
Either way, we need funds. And here is how you can help, and it will never cost you a penny!!
- Sponsors are saying they're unsure how much offline business we're sending them. They can clearly track our clicks and things online, but when you're dealing with them via email or phone or whatever, please always say you found them via the forum. Then they can appreciate the amount of business the forum has in some way contributed to the business you're sending them.
- If a sponsor supplies something that you buy locally from their competitor, consider getting a price off them, and see if they can deliver it to you or on the job or whatever. Postage and companies processes and systems are well established these days. And they rarely cock up. They wont use the rubbish postage firms.
- If a sponsor appears to be more expensive than a competitor that you use, tell them, so they can see if they have any movement in their pricing for you. Clearly some firms sell things at a loss (loss-leaders) and others own some brands they sell etc etc - so it isn't always possible, but you never know until you ask.
- If you know of a potential sponsor that can deliver nationally, and has decent prices and service, send them my way and I'll sort them a good price out on a trial period.
Now this one is a tricky one. It relates to the Google Ads in the sidebar. Now I don't mind if you use ad-blocking software or whatever, if that's the case, ignore this, you wont even see the ads. (Meanies!!!) 😉 I joke. Don't worry. But for those of you that don't mind seeing the ads, and do see them, consider clicking on the ones that apply to you and you think might be of interest to you. We get about 30p a click. But you can't just click every one on every page, they'll clock that's not a natural click. Just one or two clicks once a day (or every couple of hours) from a few dozen members would really help over a month.
Obviously only if the ads are showing something you would be interested in.
I've been searching for trainers for my dads birthday coming up soon, and some ads are showing stuff related to the forum, but some are showing stuff related to trainers. So keep an eye out for something that interests you, and give it a click. You don't need to buy from them. Just have a look at their page for a few seconds, click around a bit maybe, then close their page. Simples.
On a similar note, if you share eBay and Amazon links on the forum, to tools and products and things, we get a tiny commission on anything that gets purchased by people who click on the links. Here's a cool thing though, it doesn't need to be the product you linked to. What it'll do, for the next few days, is store a 'cookie' in the browser of those who clicked to Amazon and eBay via the forum, and it'll give us a commission on anything you buy over the next few days. Wont cost you a penny more, but we get a few pence.
Want the cookies in your browser now? Just click the links below.
www.ebay.co.uk
www.amazon.co.uk
Note you could do with clicking the amazon and ebay links monthly perhaps maybe (don't want you to see this as a chore!).
It all helps!
Hope you don't mind me posting this. I just wanted to let you know that we need more funds, and I'm not willing to charge for the forum. You guys have made this place what it is, so I'd never charge you. But as I say, there are things you can do that wont cost you a penny, and will help the forum.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks lads. 🙂
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