How to make TuDiabetes.com sustainable for a very long time
As time passes and there's more and more members joining, the site is starting to require more and more time and effort.
As a result, I've been thinking of ways in which the community can be made sustainable, so it can generate revenue to pay for the costs that maintaining it will entail.
So I have thought of many things and I wanted to run these ideas by you guys, to see what you thought...
1) We all shop for things: besides living with diabetes, like someone told me, we're people first. So we shop for regular stuff. At the same time, we CHOOSE to buy certain things, so I have been looking at what products/services, if you could buy them not here, but THROUGH TuDiabetes, would you do it?
Here's a list of some products and services that could be sold through us that I've compiled. I'd like your opinion about them:
-Diabetes-related: American Diabetic Supply, American Diabetes Services, diabetes books (fulfilled through Amazon.com).
-Magazines: Entrepreneur Magazine.
-Music/Entertainment: eMusic, TicketsNow (live events)
-Children/parenting: CafeMom, Hooked on Phonics, SitterCity
-College Students: FastWeb
-Technology: 1&1 Hosting, Apple, GoDaddy, Verizon Broadband Services
-Gay/Lesbian: Love and Pride
-Shoes: Happy Feet Plus
This list is by no means complete, but these are companies that offer commissions to web sites that link to them, if people click on those links and complete purchases, etc. there. Any other products/services that you would just like to be able to purchase through us?
2) TuDiabetes Merchandise: We will be soon offering some more affordably-priced t-shirts, etc. that you would be able to purchase through the site directly. We opened a TuDiabetes store a while back, but I found their prices to be a little excessive, so we feel we can offer you guys with cool-looking merchandise at a reasonable price.
3) Sponsorships: I constantly struggle with the idea of how we could get others to sponsor us without compromising our integrity as a community. I would love to hear your thoughts about this.
-Which companies are complete NO-NO's for you?
-Which companies do you think we should be involving here with us?
-How would you like to see that happen?
Would you like to see us inviting drug companies, pump companies, meter companies, etc. perhaps in a role of conducting online versions of focus groups for a fee that they would pay, a percent of which could go to the members that participate in them?
Any other thoughts you could share about this matter would mean a lot to us. We want to be able to see TuDiabetes.com live a very long life so it can reach out to many, many, many people with diabetes worldwide, so your input about this is crucial.
As a result, I've been thinking of ways in which the community can be made sustainable, so it can generate revenue to pay for the costs that maintaining it will entail.
So I have thought of many things and I wanted to run these ideas by you guys, to see what you thought...
1) We all shop for things: besides living with diabetes, like someone told me, we're people first. So we shop for regular stuff. At the same time, we CHOOSE to buy certain things, so I have been looking at what products/services, if you could buy them not here, but THROUGH TuDiabetes, would you do it?
Here's a list of some products and services that could be sold through us that I've compiled. I'd like your opinion about them:
-Diabetes-related: American Diabetic Supply, American Diabetes Services, diabetes books (fulfilled through Amazon.com).
-Magazines: Entrepreneur Magazine.
-Music/Entertainment: eMusic, TicketsNow (live events)
-Children/parenting: CafeMom, Hooked on Phonics, SitterCity
-College Students: FastWeb
-Technology: 1&1 Hosting, Apple, GoDaddy, Verizon Broadband Services
-Gay/Lesbian: Love and Pride
-Shoes: Happy Feet Plus
This list is by no means complete, but these are companies that offer commissions to web sites that link to them, if people click on those links and complete purchases, etc. there. Any other products/services that you would just like to be able to purchase through us?
2) TuDiabetes Merchandise: We will be soon offering some more affordably-priced t-shirts, etc. that you would be able to purchase through the site directly. We opened a TuDiabetes store a while back, but I found their prices to be a little excessive, so we feel we can offer you guys with cool-looking merchandise at a reasonable price.
3) Sponsorships: I constantly struggle with the idea of how we could get others to sponsor us without compromising our integrity as a community. I would love to hear your thoughts about this.
-Which companies are complete NO-NO's for you?
-Which companies do you think we should be involving here with us?
-How would you like to see that happen?
Would you like to see us inviting drug companies, pump companies, meter companies, etc. perhaps in a role of conducting online versions of focus groups for a fee that they would pay, a percent of which could go to the members that participate in them?
Any other thoughts you could share about this matter would mean a lot to us. We want to be able to see TuDiabetes.com live a very long life so it can reach out to many, many, many people with diabetes worldwide, so your input about this is crucial.
Tags: sustainable
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ashley on
-
I like the TuDiabetes merchandise idea...I actually have great ideas for cute and fun t-shirts, let me know if you want to collaborate Manny!
ash~
-
Permalink Reply by Bernard on -
Manny
If you add a number of things that can be bought through TuDiabetes, then we'd need to encourage people to remember to do this. And if these are not items we purchase often (web hosting, magazine subscriptions) then I'm not sure the income would be sufficient.
At the very least why not get an Amazon Associate membership for TuDiabetes? Then you could have something like a diabetes book review section where proceeds from Amazon purchases would benefit TuDiabetes.
It may also make sense to organize a number of volunteers to help with the maintenance and upkeep. That way you spread the effort out among folks.
I don't envy you. If the number of members grows to 5,000 I could see the maintenance and hosting as a big cost and effort.
-
Permalink Reply by James Osborne on
-
Hi Manny, I too have been thinking about this stuff for your site... I'd really like to see you form a small LLC
( Maybe a nonprofit ) and import diabetic supplies, like test strips... How hard can that be.. Since I've been on the site I've read many stories about test strip prices and availabilty. Maybe a large group like this can do something about this problem. What do you think? The members of this site can benefit by bulk buying supplies. It couldn't hurt to discuss this idea... I think we could become a importer and sell them at cost.
I've found a site called Alibaba that will work with budding importers... check out this site.
http://www.alibaba.com/
I found this link for the test strips
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?Type=SALE%2CAGENT%2CMISC&ye...
If we could get a confirmed order from most of the members we could be in business soon.
Ready for the discussion.
-
Permalink Reply by Gilberto Pagua on
-
I remember the word, bulk purchase. :-)
Sorry, English is not my mother language.
-
-
I think this is a great idea.
You can buy the strips after you have the confirm order from the members. In this way the risk is minimun.
I don't know the name in english but in spanish is "una compra en lote".
Maybe if the inicial request is not big enough for a purchase in Alibaba you can find a discounted price in a regular supplier.
The benefit for the members will be a confident supplier.
-
Permalink Reply by Ladylace on
-
Hi Manny,
I liked the Amazon idea and most of the others. You have a good head on your shoulders and I would go along with what ever you pick out.
But as we are talking about shopping. I need help. I am hiking more and more. And we are doing over nights and weekend hikes as well. The problem is keeping the insulin in a small enough container and keeping it cold. The byetta has to stay cold also. I have come up with some make shift ideas, but nothing that I really trust completely. And weight and size are a concern. Packs are suppose to be limited to a minnium. Also I am looking for a nother Diabetic Id bracelet. I lost mine. If we do tshirts, can we inculde 3x size.?
-
-
I like the idea of a donate link. Is a very simple and fast option as a first step to collect some support money.
As I don't live in US I don't know if as a incentive you can say that the donations are tax deductible for the US members.
I know something about Social Networks and IMHO the idea of sell suscriptions is a little out of the question for the philosophy of it self. Also I don't know if Ning have this kind of feature.
If Ning have it I already suggest to start with the Donate button first.
-
Permalink Reply by Garry Atkinson on
-
Manny,
Through my own company we try to get the best products at the best price for our clients. Diabetes covers quite a few products and services.
I am though unsure about buying gays and lesbians. Would one be a good feature in my garden? Could I purchase a few of them and make a mobile?
All jokes aside. Products, services and information is one thing but I am confused as to where you are going with some of the list. No I am not racist, sexist or otherwise I just can't see the relavance.
I would suggest a format which needs to cover all aspects of what it is "WE" want in a company. The pros and cons with each company. Who profits by the relationship be it individuals and or group.
Through experience I tend to look very very closely at American companies. They cannot be held responsible from Australia in most cases. It is illegal to make most of the claims for products and services here that are found on US products.
-
Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on -
I thought, perhaps offering some of the products/services I mentioned above through the different groups could be an option.
As for the pros, cons, evaluations, etc. that is why I am putting this out there, to get your inputs. How would a scheme where any new company coming into our radar becomes evaluated as meeting certain criteria, etc. dunno... I am just brainstorming.
Also, what if we had (just thought of this) ownership levels? If members could benefit from the revenue of the community somehow? Would that create incentives among the members to make the community grow? Could that have downsides to it?
-
-
Manny,
I will have something to eat and put some serious thought into it. What I do hear is presell stuff. I get twenty people who want something then but n bulk so we ALL get a discount.
Speak soon.
Garry
-
Permalink Reply by Gina Capone on -
Manny your own merchandise is a great idea. i make good money in my online store. www.cafepress.com/c2cd
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Bishop on -
I think some of those ideas have potential but I would say be careful of the membership thing. I know that many people are turned off by sites that give limited access to information unless you pay for a membership. I would hate to she this great community go downhill because of it.
Spread the word
Follow Us
Our Other Programs
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Most Popular Pages
- Topics and Videos
- Blood glucose meters
- Average Diabetic Readings
- A1C Readings
- Grams of Carbs per Meal
- Which CGM is more accurate
- Omnipod Review
- Animas Ping or Cozmore
- Famous people with diabetes
- Sugar Free Cheesecake
- iPhone Diabetes Applications
- Online Blood Glucose Tracking tools
- 62 Years Of Type 1 Diabetes
- Diabetes Categories
- Recipes for Diabetics
- Type 2 Diabetes Forum
- Type 1 Diabetes Forum
- Insulin Pumpers Forum
- LADA: Type 1.5 Diabetes Forum
- Diabetes Groups
- Insulin Pumpers Group
- Continuous Glucose Monitor - CGM Users
- Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor Users
- Byetta Users Forum
- Raw Food Diabetics
- Deltec Cozmo Insulin Pump Users
- Animas Insulin Pump Users
- Symlin Users Forum
TuDiabetes Team
 Manny Hernandez |
 Andreina Davila |
 MelissaBL |
 Kristin |
 Scott |
 Teena Swager |
Welcome Committee
Content Committee
DHF Ambassadors
© 2009 Created by Diabetes Hands Foundation, P.O. Box 9421, Berkeley, CA 94709.
Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations to DHF are eligible to be deducted.
Disclaimer
The contents of TuDiabetes is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, including without limitation diabetes. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on TuDiabetes.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. The Diabetes Hands Foundation does not endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, services, procedures, opinions, or other information that are advertised or mentioned on the web site.
TuDiabetes®, TuDiabetes.org®, Word in Your Hand™, Drawing Diabetes™, Diabetes Supplies Art™ and No-Sugar Added Poetry™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
