Foo - A serious Question for Foosters (and normal people too)

Here is the question.

I like Bike Forums, it is interesting, it is fun - and you all are pretty good people if strange. :rolleyes: I of course am completely normal. :D

Anyway, our company advertises. Our business is selling trees to people so that they make money off the hardwoods produces and we get to reforest more of the tropics. Good for everyone.

Here is the question: (and I put it to Brian) - How would the advertising be received here on Bike Forums? We are not selling anything to do with bikes - but many of those who ride bikes are concerned about the world and obviously some do have disposable income. I figure we could be rich just selling to the roadies. :lol:

What do you think? How would you react if you saw a Finca Leola banner on the side of the forum?

It would be especially cool if the link the ad connected to had a pic or two of you commuting on your mountain bike... :)

It would be especially cool if the link the ad connected to had a pic or two of you commuting on your mountain bike... :)

"Please support CRTreeDude's riding habit?!"

I kind of like the idea......

Environmental concerns are relevant to cycling, by default!

You can make bike stuff out of wood.

I'd be ok with it

You can make bike stuff out of wood.

You think PCad would buy them. :rolleyes:

So far the voting is going the way I thought it would. Partly I think because I am a well known character. :lol:

This time of year I watch the pennies for cash flow, but once it opens up again - I am seriously considering a banner - I think it might actually be worth it.

What do you think? How would you react if you saw a Finca Leola banner on the side of the forum?


Every once in a while I log out, just so I can see the ads (yes, really :p ). I think I would be quite intrigued by an ad here which was not for bicycles, so I would certainly click on it just so I could see what is was about.

Once I got to that point, I'm not sure how I would react--does your company sell direct, or is it wholesale?

East Hill

I voted No. I'll try to explain why.
You are in business to make more money and then part of your business model is to use some of that money to restablish forest growth for future harvest. Thus you need to make as much money as you can so that you can do as much good as you can. Advertising $'s reduce the amount of money you can reinvest in planting for the future. Does this mean you should do no advertising? Certainly not. You should target your advertising $ at the audience that is most likely to increase demand for your product.

Furniture makers, Deck builders, gunsmiths, and other users of "Exotic woods". This would allow you the most return on your dollars allowing you to do the most good. Just my 2 cents.

Every once in a while I log out, just so I can see the ads (yes, really :p ). I think I would be quite intrigued by an ad here which was not for bicycles, so I would certainly click on it just so I could see what is was about.

Once I got to that point, I'm not sure how I would react--does your company sell direct, or is it wholesale?

East Hill

We have distributors - but we do sell direct. There are people who sell our trees under other names, I guess you could say we are manufactors in that sense - but I like dealing with people personally as well. For example, today I had visitors and spent the morning talking about trees, nature, financial markets, and wood. Very enjoyable for me and they enjoyed it as well.

Of course I am partial to what we do - but I truly think it is a great investment for people and of course does a wonderful thing for people and the planet. Not much not to like.

In case anyone is interested - you can use an IRA for this.

By the way - I received approval from Brian to be a Shill like this - hmmm, if it is my business, am I a shill? :rolleyes:

This is market research...not shilling, as I see it ;)

This is market research...not shilling, as I see it ;)

Market research is important! Thank you crtreedude for answering my question :) .

East Hill

I voted No. I'll try to explain why.
You are in business to make more money and then part of your business model is to use some of that money to restablish forest growth for future harvest. Thus you need to make as much money as you can so that you can do as much good as you can. Advertising $'s reduce the amount of money you can reinvest in planting for the future. Does this mean you should do no advertising? Certainly not. You should target your advertising $ at the audience that is most likely to increase demand for your product.

Furniture makers, Deck builders, gunsmiths, and other users of "Exotic woods". This would allow you the most return on your dollars allowing you to do the most good. Just my 2 cents.

I appreciate your comments ModoVincere. I shall respond. Our biggest demographic is not what you listed. Those are consumers for the end product. Our tree owners tend to be people who are either roughly 35 to 45 years old and trying to prepare for retirement, or couples who just had a baby and are thinking "how in the world are we going to pay for college and have a decent world for our child"

The other thing you might not realize is that linkage to a megaforum like BF pulls us up in the rankings. I pay (very little) for a linkage are forestryforum - not because they will buy, but because if you search on many things about wood, you will find us very high in the rankings. We also advertise with Ecoworld for the same reason.

My question isn't so much will it be profitable, but will it cause a bad reaction.

Just so you know, what we would pay BF would be about 1% of our monthly outgo. Not exactly a major investment.

No...I do not think it would cause a bad reaction. I do think you would be using a shotgun approach to your advertising dollars. I still say you could do better by "targeting" the advertising dollars.

No...I do not think it would cause a bad reaction. I do think you would be using a shotgun approach to your advertising dollars. I still say you could do better by "targeting" the advertising dollars.

I would target if I could figure out where to. We have such a wide range of clients it is incredible. We have people who buy trees because they know the value of wood, we have people who buy trees because they want a green investment. Honestly, this is the first year I have been willing to advertise much at all - and we have grown 50% every year. I have been a little worried of going to big too soon. Now we are ready so I am willing to open the flood gates.

In reality, this is not an investment in wood, it is merely an investment. We are more than willing to buy the wood from the trees when it is ready since we have a large wood shop that needs wood all the time. It is merely an investment in a resource that is getting scarcer by the day.

I want to do a shotgun approach - advertising with BF is cheap, relatively speaking, but it perhaps will result in interesting results. But, in business, I always go with this - "First, do no harm"

Here is the question.

I like Bike Forums, it is interesting, it is fun - and you all are pretty good people if strange. :rolleyes: I of course am completely normal. :D

Anyway, our company advertises. Our business is selling trees to people so that they make money off the hardwoods produces and we get to reforest more of the tropics. Good for everyone.

Here is the question: (and I put it to Brian) - How would the advertising be received here on Bike Forums? We are not selling anything to do with bikes - but many of those who ride bikes are concerned about the world and obviously some do have disposable income. I figure we could be rich just selling to the roadies. :lol:

What do you think? How would you react if you saw a Finca Leola banner on the side of the forum?


I think your biggest and most immediate question should not be how they would react - but would anybody of your potential customers be there.
Remember with advertising, if you'r target customers are not viewing than the advertising is worthless.
Again, if you don't know who your target clientele is than sometimes you have to try and play around with advertising for a few months. But generally I think that your question, while thoughtful is the wrong question(s) to be worrying about in marketing especially since no matter whether you advertise or not - an advertisement is going to be shown.

Your main concern should be are the people you want to target going to be viewing that ad and what type of ROI can you get.

just my 2 cents.

I think your biggest and most immediate question should not be how they would react - but would anybody of your potential customers be there.
Remember with advertising, if you'r target customers are not viewing than the advertising is worthless.
Again, if you don't know who your target clientele is than sometimes you have to try and play around with advertising for a few months. But generally I think that your question, while thoughtful is the wrong question(s) to be worrying about in marketing especially since no matter whether you advertise or not - an advertisement is going to be shown.

Your main concern should be are the people you want to target going to be viewing that ad and what type of ROI can you get.

just my 2 cents.

I went through those questions first - I don't have to much doubt about that. There are many potential tree owners here. The question primarily is - would people take offense to see an ad for something other than bike stuff in a bike forum.

there are ads?

Can I design the ads? I'm thinking of a slogan like:

WANNA SEE SOME HARD WOOD?

Dauphin brings up a rather amusing point.

crteedude and Doolally are the only ones posting in this thread who can actually see ads.;)

Can I design the ads? I'm thinking of a slogan like:

WANNA SEE SOME HARD WOOD?

In your dreams... <need head shaking smiley>

Don't you see ads when you are a lurker, without a login?

If you don't have auto sign in.

"Please support CRTreeDude's riding habit?!"
I like to be able to support businesses when I know the owner or employees ride bikes. Kind of silly, but true.

I like to be able to support businesses when I know the owner or employees ride bikes. Kind of silly, but true.

Well, when I was working for other companies, I always looked for companies who's owners or upper management were in very good shape. Self-control goes a long way in a successful company.

With a red star and using auto log in I don't see ads. So your advert dollars would be wasted on me. But. I doubt I'm your target buyer either. :)

Where I see this having the greatest impact is with the casual 'google visitor', someone looking for info on google and been brought here that way. Tho' the cynic in me stays away from clicking on banner ads. Are others of a like mind?

Just adding some bubbles to the froth. :)

Stacey - that is a good point. On our other areas of advertising, I write articles. These articles really are what brings in the revenue. After all, if I am going to grow trees for you it would be good to know that I know what I am doing - right?

One would hope so. :)

Agreed, I'd be more inclined to buy something by somone sharing a real life experience with me rather than looking at an ad that says "Buy me". It's that old saw, "Word of mouth is the best advertising."

Dauphin brings up a rather amusing point.

crteedude and Doolally are the only ones posting in this thread who can actually see ads.;)

And I can assure you there are no tropical hardwoods in my purchasing future. Maybe some #2 pine if I'm lucky, particle board if not.

But, consider other folks here. The popular threads in Foo are for expensive cars, fine single-malts, fast motorcycles etc etc. A few people here have yachts, some have expensive looking houses, big offices, not too mention a lot of bling bicycles. At the same time I suspect many BF people, as bicyclists, see themselves as acting in environmentally friendly ways. Some would be willing to pay considerable cash to be considered "environmentalists," a label that seems to be becoming just another pricey consumer product. If the wealthier folk are buying tropical hardwoods, it's likely they'd rather buy from a sustainable harvest operation.

But, you'd need to be able to advertise to the people with stars. Maybe BF could have an opt-in type of advertising.

You are already advertising here at no extra charge. You are an interesting poster and others can check on your profile where they find a web site to click on and Ta Da: Finca Leola Sierra Club might be more in your line if you want to cough up the $$$.

What are these ads you speak of.

But seriously for me even if I saw the ads, I usually don't click on them. But that's me. I'm probably not the majority. But if I had to say if it was a good or bad idea I'd say it's definitely not a bad one. So that's my opinion. For what it's worth.

I use ad-block, so i don't see much, i block all distracting or ugly ads, and images. And i don't click ads, because normally if i am looking for something to purchase, or other wise, i google it. But... I found a battery charger which i could purchase localy by clicking on an 'ads by google' link to a local retailer.

Brian has told me I should beef up my signiture - and I might at that - who knows it might do better than a banner. But, just from a ethical point of view, if I did get a significant amount of business from the signiture, I would feel that it would be important to help the forum in some way.

Brian has told me I should beef up my signiture - and I might at that - who knows it might do better than a banner. But, just from a ethical point of view, if I did get a significant amount of business from the signiture, I would feel that it would be important to help the forum in some way.
One step at a time, Fred. I still think your site needs bike commuting pics. :)

One step at a time, Fred. I still think your site needs bike commuting pics. :)

Donna - that is a very good idea. Stories about suicidal chickens and the need to bunny hop them as well as running the cow guantlet. (do you know that when cows are waiting to be milked in the middle of the road they think it is a bathroom break?)

The stories I could tell about commuting in Costa Rica (and have in the past)

I imagine it would be less controversial than Bikes Direct advertisements. ;)

I imagine it would be less controversial than Bikes Direct advertisements. ;)
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: