X-Message-Number: 9406 From: "Scott Badger" <> Subject: Growth Issues Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 05:07:22 -0500 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BC55ED.8D1672C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I've been listening to this discussion and have to admit to being drawn to the idea of a Cryonics Community. This sounds like the Intentional = Community concept I've heard a little about (there's plenty on the net about how they are structured). I was wondering if any of the cryonics = firms had considered investing in nursing homes for members (as well as non-members). Cryonic services could be provided in a very timely = manner for optimal preservation in many if not most cases. Additionally, I assume nursing homes can generate profits for the investing firm. The other question that occurred to me involved marketing. If aggressive growth is required to insure the survival of those who have = entrusted their futures to the promise of cryonic preservation, then aggressive marketing strategies would seem to be called for. Do any of = the firms engage in the "direct" marketing of these services. Funeral homes certainly market their services aggressively using commissioned = sales representatives, telephone marketing, mailers, etc. I would never suggest phone sales, I admit, but tasteful direct sales strategies could = probably be developed. Perhaps what is needed to generate members are sales-minded individuals who can be offered a lucrative marketing = opportunity. An example might be a commission structure providing up-front monies for a completed membership (say, $600) and back-end = income provided upon the death of the individual (say, another $1,000). Where would the up-front money come from? Charge an up-front membership = fee that would cover commissions, application processing and maybe one year's worth of dues. One sale/week (not so much to expect) would = generate $30K up front and $50K residual income for then salesperson. Just thinking off the top of my head here, of course. Still, it does = seem to me that having a warm human in the room pitching the many potential benefits of cryonics beats a telephone when it comes to = persuasion. This is a very human business, after all. How about giving members an incentive? How many new members would one have to enroll in order to get a free suspension? Are any of the firms going to take advantage of the televising of The First Immortal to advertise cryonic services? Considering how intelligent the discourse is on Cryonet, I imagine you have probably already considered these ideas. If so, what are the major = objections to more aggressive marketing? BTW, I sure wish I was in Scottsdale this weekend. Hope everyone has a great time. Hope I can get some tapes of it or something. Scott Badger Lewisville, Texas ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BC55ED.8D1672C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I've been listening to this discussion and have to admit to being drawn to the idea of a Cryonics Community. This sounds like the Intentional Community concept I've heard a little about (there's plenty on the net about how they are structured). I was wondering if any of the cryonics firms had considered investing in nursing homes for members (as well as non-members). Cryonic services could be provided in a very timely manner for optimal preservation in many if not most cases. Additionally, I assume nursing homes can generate profits for the investing firm.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The other question that occurred to me involved marketing. If aggressive growth is required to insure the survival of those who have entrusted their futures to the promise of cryonic preservation, then aggressive marketing strategies would seem to be called for. Do any of the firms engage in the "direct" marketing of these services. Funeral homes certainly market their services aggressively using commissioned sales representatives, telephone marketing, mailers, etc. I would never suggest phone sales, I admit, but tasteful direct sales strategies could probably be developed. Perhaps what is needed to generate members are sales-minded individuals who can be offered a lucrative marketing opportunity. An example might be a commission structure providing up-front monies for a completed membership (say, $600) and back-end income provided upon the death of the individual (say, another $1,000). Where would the up-front money come from? Charge an up-front membership fee that would cover commissions, application processing and maybe one year's worth of dues. One sale/week (not so much to expect) would generate $30K up front and $50K residual income for then salesperson. Just thinking off the top of my head here, of course. Still, it does seem to me that having a warm human in the room pitching the many potential benefits of cryonics beats a telephone when it comes to persuasion. This is a very human business, after all.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>How about giving members an incentive? How many new members would one have to enroll in order to get a free suspension?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Are any of the firms going to take advantage of the televising of The First Immortal to advertise cryonic services?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Considering how intelligent the discourse is on Cryonet, I imagine you have probably already considered these ideas. If so, what are the major objections to more aggressive marketing?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>BTW, I sure wish I was in Scottsdale this weekend. Hope everyone has a great time. Hope I can get some tapes of it or something.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Scott </FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Badger</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Lewisville, Texas</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BC55ED.8D1672C0-- Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=9406