I want to share something with you that I think
you will find quite interesting. If you are reading
this you are probably at least interested in running
a pay oriented BBS. If you already run a pay BBS
then you realize that the most important, and
unfortunately most difficult, function of that BBS
is to get the user to pay. Things get a little easier
if they have already paid once or twice. However, the
real difficulty comes with getting that caller to
pay the very first time.
     If I may digress for just a moment, I would
like to share something else with you. In the last
twelve years many of the billion-dollar enterprises
have become so due to a particular group of people
and a particular strategy. The group: people between
the age of 12 and 35. The strategy: low cost, high
volume entertainment products. Think about it. What
is the most successful new product in the last 12
years? Home entertainment systems, i.e.,
Nintendo(TM) and Sega Genesis(TM), to name just a
couple. Now, what was the precursor to the home
entertainment system... arcade video games. These
alluring and quite remarkable machines draw you to
them and ask only that you pop in a quarter to see
the rest of what it has in store. Let's say that you
come across a video game with some of the most awesome
graphics around and multi-player so you and your buds
can play against one another. You've decided to play,
but in order to you must first mail in a check to
the company who own the video game and keep coming
back until you know that they've received the check
at which time you receive a limited amount of time
to play. Would you be so inclined to pay much
attention to that game? Maybe so, now think of
everyone else who would read this scenerio... would
they? Who knows? The fact of the matter is this, it
would take so long to be able to play that you could
quickly lose interest, or if you have already mailed
in checks for your favorite video game, who's to say
that you will want to go through the whole process
for yet another great new game that you have come
across?
     If you think about it, this is what your
callers face each and every time they come across a
great new BBS. They may like it, and they will
easily pay for it, but it just takes too much time
and trouble to get on-line. It may also be easier to
just stick with the one they are already paying for
even if it is a long-distance call.
     I run a BBS and think that I have solved the
problem in much the same way an arcade video game
entices you to play. I use a 900 number. This allows
the caller to quickly pay a small amount of money
for a reasonable amount of time on-line.  What
happens is when a caller connects for the first time
they get enough time to become interested. Once they
are interested in the BBS I give them my 900 number
so they can call and get instant time on-line. The
process is much like paying for an arcade video
game! The process is simple. They call the
900 number and receive a code. The caller then calls
the BBS back and enters that code. He receives
instant Membership! I know that they have paid for
the code because they could only get it by calling
the 900 number and thereby charging their phone. The
900 number makes a flat charge to their phone of
$10.00. That gives them $10.00 worth of on-line time
once that code is redeemed. The response is
phenomenal! My paid user-ship had gone up nearly
600% in just a few months.
     You may ask, "Why the heck is this guy bragging
to me about his success with this?" I can answer by
telling you this. A number of Sysops call my BBS.
Many of them ask questions like "How can you afford
a 900 number?"  Or "How can I get this for my
board?" It's no secret that 900 numbers are very
expensive. Not just for the 900 number itself, but
you also must have something to answer the phone and
give out the codes. Also, the codes must all be
unique and unbreakable, i.e., no one can figure out
a way to generate a series of codes. The hardware,
software, and maintenance of a system like this can
cost in the thousands, out of reach of most BBS
Sysops. In addition many 900 Service Bureaus (a
company who sells 900 numbers as a third party) ask
outrageous prices. Some want a monthly minimum of,
say, $1500.00, or you owe them the difference. And
most make you pay them such a high percentage of
each dollar you bring in that you don't make any
money. I have managed to not only get an incredible
rate, but have also been able to get a very low rate
for other BBS Sysops.
      I am offering BBS Sysops the opportunity to
connect a 900 number to their BBS for just $250.00.
It is called The Connect 900 Service. There are no
hidden connect fees. I ask that you call around and
ask. Most people will tell you that there is a
catch, but there is none. For only $250.00 you can
offer your callers the ease and simplicity of paying
for your BBS on the fly. You would effectively
remove the time barrier. And, you also reduce the
number of checks and credit card orders to process.
     In conversations with other BBS Sysops running
pay-for-play systems we would often get on the topic
of making more money with the system or at least
making it pay for itself. Usually, before the
Connect 900 Service was available, we would get on
the subject of instant pay. That would inevitably
lead to the discussion of credit card acceptance and
then to 900 numbers and would quickly end with sighs
and groans about the expense and complications of
each step. Credit cards offer instant pay, but, if
you are smart, not instant play. Fear of fraud and
misuse generally tend to only shorten the time
between paying and playing. It still takes awhile.
Also, some people, namely myself, are a bit wary of
leaving that valuable 12 to 14 digit number in the
hands of a stranger. That problem is no more.
     If you are interested in offering your callers
this service and also interested increasing your
sales dramatically, download the attached text file
for more details. In that text file is an offer to
purchase the Connect 900 Service at a 40% discount
until February 15.