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So, is this the end of the pro only traffic exchange? Is there any that are still online that perform for you? Or are they better off as free to join program?

I need a "maybe" category... the way I see it the traditional
pro traffic exchange is dead - But I think the model is still
viable but you would have to come up with something
substantially different than the thousands of free exchanges.

I remember joining a pro exchange when the model was still new and being sorely disappointed when I got inside and found my money had bought me nothing apart from access to the site. I was probably naive but I expected at least some 'extras' like a better surfing ratio.

Of course the main selling point was that everyone had paid and was therefore going to be more receptive to my advertising but I think time has proven that to be a load of nonsense. People joined early to make commission and then the exchange would stall as they moved onto the next. Can't blame them for 'exploiting' the exchange to make some quick cash and moving on but it did nothing to help keep the momentum going.

The 'paid' argument was made even more nonsensical by the last couple of pro exchanges I seem to remember that offered discount coupons allowing membership for something like $1. What was the point of that as it killed the main selling point (which was false to start with).

There may be an argument for a pro exchange provided it offered something extra for your joining fee. Not sure what that could be as most of the free exchanges have all the bells and whistles you can think of already.

I voted yes, the pro exchange is dead in it's current format.

I have to disagree here... That all the members have paid to be there (even if it's just $1) shows
that they have a funded Paypal account and are willing to spend money online - that is extremely
powerful information and the foundation of list and product building in many other niches. Just
look at Gary Ambrose's Nicklemania => Butterfly Marketing promotion.

The selling point is good... the problem is/was in the lack of difference. The Pro TE members are
also members of other exchanges so you can just as easily reach them there (e.g. Dragon Surf has
more paying customers than most pro TEs have members). And because pro TEs tend to lose
steam after the launch you can't reach those buyers anyway.

If you could have a pro TE that would offer something substantially different than free TEs and
keep up the steam - then the advertise to paid members only would be a valid selling point.

To me the really funning thing has been looking at the pro TE owners - They have been sitting
on a gold mine. A list of hundreds (even thousands) of buyers but none of them have turned
it into the income any other "mainstream" marketer would.

There is one Pro exchange that I rate, good rather than great maybe, and that is Raining Traffic.

Interesting concept Steve has there and it is different from the other stuff that runs out of steam after the launch funds have been cashed in.

I agree that a Pro Exchange needs more differentiation than those seen to date and I'm certain that a Pro exchange could truly succeed if it was well-managed and funds continued to be re-invested.

An off the cuff comment, to be sure....

All Logiscape TEs are pro-only.
To get any real value, you need to be a pro member or a pro surfer.

Have not joined, but also like the idea of Raining Traffic.

Stephen Carr

Well, I debated on posting to this question or not.

But seeing that I believe I am the expert on the Paid model I feel I should put in my two sense.

Is Pro Only TE's dead? Well no... I believe you can still launch one today and be successful with
it. But that's only if you have the willingness to focus very hard on that program. Coming from
experience they aren't easy to keep the momentum up on and I've seen many Pro TE owners
come and go with most going.

Why?

Well, the truth is... it's not the easiest program to keep new members coming into.. and with
TE members jumping from program to program and loosing focus fairly easily you have to
have 100s of new members coming in each month to keep them active.

With Paid TEs that's hard to do. Yes, the coupon systems do that, but we can't run those
every month or it will lose some effectiveness. There are other ways besides the coupons
that can bring in members as well.

So the another question remains why is Dan (the Pro TE guy) changing some of his TEs to free?

Simply the business model works better then is use to. My mind changed when two things
happened. First the introduction of the OneTimeOffer with the TEs... this was a milestone that
changed the free model into a higher income producing program for the owner and members
if that program offered commissions.

Simply... the more eyes that see the OTO the more members take the offer. With more eyes
from new members joining a Free TE, you have more OTO takers. Paid TE members take the
OTOs a little more often then free TE members, but there's more free TE members coming in.

Makes sense right?

Second was my curiosity into what it would be like to own a free TE and I made that jump
when Brett and I created 4x4hits at the end of 2006. What a wake up call that was and great
learning experience.

What have I learned?

From the owners point of view... owning a Free TE is easer and in the long run you can generate
as much income as a Paid TE owner if you have a successful free TE.

Owning a Paid TE does generate more income for the members and owners, but is quite the
challenge to keep 100s of new members coming in the front door after the initial launch
(about 90 days it starts to slow down)

Does a paid TE convert more viewers into buyers... yes and no. It really depends on what you
promote. Yes, they do have money and yes, they will spend it. But like most of you know you
can find those same people on a Free TE.

Does it take more traffic from a free TE to generate that sale/lead? Yes, but not that much more.

Is it worth it to join a Paid TE? Yes, depending on what you're promoting and what you're
business goals are.

Do you make more commissions from promoting a Paid TE v.s. Free? Yes, they do pay out
more commissions and if that's your thing then they work great.

I think it boils down to one thing.

Traffic flow... the free TEs generate more traffic flow because they have more members. It's
easier for free TEs to make more credit sales because they have the traffic flow. If paid TEs
can bring in the members they would have more traffic flow and make a better program.

So are pro only traffic exchanges dead?

Nope... I still have a few pro-only TEs and they are alive and well. I work hard to keep them
active and keep new members coming in the door. Overall though if you're looking for the easer
business model the Free TEs are the way to go. If you can focus on your Paid TE and work hard
you can make it work well, but again it takes some hard work and planning.

Well there you have it...

Now Soren mentioned something that was interesting... he said, "To me the really funning
thing has been looking at the pro TE owners - They have been sitting on a gold mine. A
list of hundreds (even thousands) of buyers but none of them have turned it into the income
any other "mainstream" marketer would."

I would have to disagree a bit with that statement in this way. Yes, I could do more email
marketing (or some offline marketing) to those customers, but I try to keep things more geared
toward the TEs. Second, I believe because of those customers I am one of the biggest earners
(with all of my programs combined) in our industry. I do cross promote my other programs to
them and they do join those programs and upgrade.

So having the customer list of paying customers has helped my online business thrive on all
levels. Plus it gives me a huge business asset if I ever decided to sell my online business.

Interesting points. I'm wondering if there is room for a pro members section in TEs(apart from regular upgrade benefits) that can draw free members into the paying category? Nothing like exclusivity as a selling point for people. I'm thinking training, forums, co-op advertising. A lot of these things are already being used by a lot of exchanges but maybe more definition could be used at some

My experience with pro only traffic exchanges that there were too many freebie seekers in the internet that were even reluctant to spend a mere 5 bucks to join in one. I also thought that the traffic flow in these exchanges weren't too good either.

Just my 2 cents.

See, this is the power of a poll and getting feedback from members (another great point to why the Surfer's Choice is becoming so popular so quick)

It doesn't matter what Dan thinks, what I think, what anyone thinks. The only opinion (s) that matter is the surfer's! So 90% of the people have said they are dead, meaning you have to work extra hard to impress them and chances are they wont sign up...