I am continuing to try to figure this out behind the scenes. Some people are offering suggestions and other insights, others have sent donations and I am trying to parse the information and brainstorm a solution.
My preference as I said it to continue to publish this blog but I have two real problems. One is that I have literally lost interest in working for nothing and two, I can’t continue anyway for practical reasons. The universe is like that I guess. Eventually things show themselves and the things are abundantly clear.
The only way this blog can survive in it’s current form is if it is supported by donation and most (virtually everyone) is telling me this is not a viable option. They say (most) people just will not pay(willingly). They say I should sell subscriptions, that this is the only way. They may be right.
If they are not right, I am going to have to figure this out which means I have to come up with some sort of metric to measure. Because some people are willing to support by donation but how much is enough?
I’ve not figured this out but I see that I am going to have to because to ignore this element is to be disrespectful of the people donating. They are clearly trying to support this blog but have no idea if their donations combine to create something adequate or not.
I can see how this be a deterrent to offering support because it is an investment without a guarantee. Makes much more sense to send me $30 for a class when you know the class is going to be taught then it does to send me $30 for a blog I may not write. It makes more sense to subscribe to a blog that has been maintained consistently for 8 years…
As much as I loathe the idea, this situation argues strongly for subscription and I while it is still not my preference, I am warming to the idea because frankly when people pay me and I perform in closed system (like a class or a consult) I am able to communicate more freely.
The reason is because my thoughts are shared with just a few, or with one and consequently I don’t have to worry about trolls or various other sundries and internet yahoos.
This allows me to be a lot more edgy and creative. Basically there are things I would say to 1 person or to 10 that I would never say at large so if it does go in this direction it won’t be the end of the world.
I still favor the open system though and while I am clearly still mulling what makes sense to me at the moment is to do what I want to do which is, “work for pay” the same way you guys get to.
In other words if I get $100 a week from this blog via donations, Amazon commission and google ads, I will produce content that is line with that level of compensation. If I get $300 a week from this blog, I will produce $300 worth of content and if I get a living wage, I will focus exclusively on publishing this blog… double the content even which I believe I could do.
I will also continue to teach various classes and do consulting work. Basically I figure people do pay for what they value and if I just focus on doing whatever I am paid to do things will begin to sort themselves and make more sense.
Last, I am also going to raise my rates for consulting although not by much. The new rates will be $120 for an hour, $60 for half hour and $40 for 15 minutes. These new rates will go into effect, June 1st.
I feel good as they are still extremely competitive and I am such a potent astrologer. Thanks to everyone who has offered ideas and/or encouragement in any form and for for letting me work this out in public. I do think things will clarify when Saturn turns direct and meantime I am just going to keep wrestling this, I am fighting it as if it were a bear.
37 Responses to “Regarding My Failed Business Model…”
Also, I, personally was going to ask for a consultation when I got my next paycheck. I’m really excited about it. I was hoping for an hour, and I’m glad to see that the rates won’t go up before then.
After the new rates, I really can’t afford more than a half hour. 
Gotcha Luci, but I am in the economy too.
And I do realize that people pay for what they value which is exactly why I am going in the direction I am going.
That is, I am going to offer service that people want and value enough to pay for and I am going to stop wasting time providing services people do not value, reason being I have to feed my family.
This is not a philosophical thing. It is a practical matter / coming to terms with reality, seeing the writing on the wall and so forth.
Basically, I have energy / effort and I have to sell it to make money. I a, going to do whatever job I am offered and do it to the best of my ability.
See, this is a failed business model. I just can’t go on and on and on down the wrong track. 9 years is a long time to wait for something to pay, yes?
I am a bit of a fool actually. 
A happy fool but whatever. Saturn is on deck, my ass is the sling.
I wonder if this comes down to the quality over quantity thing?
You certainly deserve every penny you can get for what you do. You do an awesome job and you’ve got a huge gift.
So, do you charge more money because you’re the best there is and your time and effort are WORTH more, or do you try to get along charging less and hoping the value of the deal reels MORE people in?
I don’t envy the position you’re in, Elsa. I certainly hope that I can offer whatever I can out of my pocket, because I value your input.
I’m super excited and thinking of questions I want to ask for my own consult. Be on the look out for that this week – I get paid on Thursday.
I think a subscription would be the way to go. I have noticed in my line of work that when I give someone a discount or reduced rate my work, those are the folks that give me the most shit,lol. They come back and say well it isn’t blond enough, or it isn’t short enough etc. It pisses me off when I feel I am doing them a favor, for whatever reason (mostly they are going through hard times $$ wise) and then I get raked over the coals for it. I notice this EVERY time I do this. I too haven’t raised my rates since 1999,lol. I would rather have my day book up then sit around. When my schedule becomes soo slammed up I can’t move, well they will go up.
What about a limited blog with old blog posts for free and a subscription for the full blog which includes the new posts? I’m sure you’ve thought of that. Kind of like Facebook.
I agree that the general public is not ready to value good astrology enough to pay for it. Your clients are those who are trying to evolve from the herd mentality that will always dominate. Here’s hoping you are able to land more clients who value your services. You are a very creative person who will figure out something that will work for you.
That is a good idea liz.
Yeah, that is a good idea Liz. Keeps the traffic flowing with the old blogs but maybe weekly subscriptions too so that if you feel flush one week you can sign up without the committment of a month.
I think you have to have a combination of free content vs subscriber only content. There has to be a hook for people who haven’t read you before to become interested.
I think you’re on the right track and I’ll do what I can to continue to support your efforts.
shawn – thanks and you are probably right. However I don’t really sell astrology here. This blog improves a person’s life and it’s method goes way beyond astrology.
“Astrology” is all over the internet. This blog is something else and it always has been.
Not that I am talking myself up. Spy Magazine was something else too. Do you know they used to pull pranks on celebs and dignitaries? They would call them up with a line of shit and get them to fall all over their egos and then publish it. It was hysterical.
One time they mailed checks to the ultra rich for $1.11 and then published a list of the people who cashed them.
They kept sending checks to the people who cashed them, each time a smaller amount. 67 cents. 11 cents.
People like Donald Trump and Cher were actually endorsing these checks and cashing them, only to get exposed by Spy. It was HYSTERICAL. It was outrageous. I would DIIIIIIIIIIE reading that magazine it was so fuckin’ funny but whoops! Out of business they went.
There has not been a magazine like it since nor could there be.
Is another astrologer / personality going to come along and write 10,000 posts? Maybe but I wouldn’t count on it.
I am the person who does this. It is not an astrology thing, it is an Elsa P thing.
Don’t know if this has been brought up, but you could also make the astrology daily stuff into a newsletter that requires subscription. Like save half the posts you do for paid people so that you still attract newbies? Or what about sign horoscopes also in a newsletter? Like monthly ones?
I am so glad that you’re figuring out a system that is going to work for you. I will go along and do whatever it takes to support you. I start my new job in two weeks, so expect some donations coming your way! I would definitely pay to subscribe, or match whatever recommended donation you suggest. The thing is, I’ve been reading this blog almost religiously for three years now, and my life is measurably better because of it. And I am a measurably better person, partner, astrologer, and everything else because of your energy and service. I am so enormously grateful and indebted to you, and whatever you need, I will do my best to provide.
Dear Elsa,
Your business model hasn’t failed, it’s been extremely successful. Now it just needs updating – you’ve moved on and so must it, in order to survive. Seems pretty plutonic capricornish to me.
The problem as I see it with blogs and bloggers, is that they are not really a business model. I only know of one blogger who is able to make a living off her website (Heather from dooce.com).
I’ve done two of your classes, and they are excellent, I’d do more in a heartbeat. I’ve also had an astrology consult with you that has been wonderful and am looking forward to booking more some happy day when time and money permit.
However, blog as business model gives me some thoughts that sound critical but are meant to be facilitative and supportive in a Saturnian way, so I hope they come across in the spirit that they are meant.
I subscribe to a few things : The Daily Coyote, and Ayun Halliday’s zine etc – both of which are fairly cheap, well put together and entertaining. My favourite bloggers all have features in common: they are entertaining, their posts are very well crafted and they are not too long. I love to read, but I’m a human being with a busy life so I only get a lunchbreak or so each day in order to peruse the net so into that space I fit things which grip me or make me laugh, but which are not so voluminous that I start to fall behind.
This is why I only really come to your blog once a month, or once every couple of weeks because the volume of posts is far, far, far too much for me to keep up with. If you made your blog subscribable and kept up or increased the present volume what it means is that I’d be subscribing to things I’d never really get a chance to read, watch them piling up in my inbox until my pleasure in them is diminished and then get frustrated and axe the whole thing.
Now I may be in a minority here, but I figure I’m not going to be the only one who thinks this way and that if you want to market things to my demographic it might be worth taking a few things into consideration.
1.Reduce the volume. One well crafted post, even with several small components (e.g. daily stars, daily soldier, etc) is going to be much easier for a person like me to parse and enjoy than 5 different posts. (This is the reason why I love your classes and consults – you are creative and offer really good ideas but you offer 8, not 80, so I can process).
2. Edit. I really enjoy your stories but they often ramble on and on and I rarely finish them because I’ve lost interest or time or attention halfway through. I think the way you tell stories is ideal for the spoken word (perhaps you could offer video subscriptions?) but in the written format they can really do my head in.
3. Having a clear point. Frequently on here I cannot follow what you are talking about (perhaps because I am dense, or because I do not know enough backstory) but if I was subscribing to that it would drive me batty.
4.Consider using videos more. I really loved them – to me they represented The Best Of Elsa – informative, entertaining, food for thought – but they didn’t overwhelm me with information or with rambliness. Somehow I can absorb what you say better when you’re speaking it than when I’m reading it, it’s just less laborious for me.
Best of luck, if you make it subscribable I’ll happily subscribe.
I’m torn on this, for two reasons.
One, some of us simply don’t have the cash to send, or a website to link to (in fact, for myself, the only reason I have internet is due to a very deep discount from my school because of my online classes), but love your site because you have great stories and …darn it…we like you. Reading your posts is often like having someone talk to you about their life as it unfolds, because much of what you discuss is not just astrology…it’s you and Vid, and you and the soldier, and the soldier and Vid, and your daughter, and all the other things that happen in a person’s life beyond the nuts and bolts of astrology. There’s something in me that doesn’t feel comfortable with seeing all of that conversation as just part of your business, if that makes any sense. But I understand that you do what you have to do to make a living. I just tended to think of your “business” as the astrology consultations and now the classes, with the blog being somewhere that you talk about what’s on your mind, rather than the blog itself being your business and the rest being additional “products and services,” so to speak.
One thing I’ve seen done successfully on another blog is a free site with ads, and a subscription option that allows subscribers access to the content without ads. The material is the same, but people have the option of setting up a recurring subscription to not see the related ads. From what you’ve been saying on the past several blog entries though, it doesn’t sound like you’re looking for something to gradually build income as much as current readers to come up with a way now to show their monetary support. And I can understand that too, I just don’t have monetary support to send.
My question as a reader who doesn’t have a website to link you and doesn’t have cash to send is this — should I not be here anymore? I enjoy your site, and think you have a great community here, but I can’t be a paying customer at this time in my life (and unfortunately, “this time” has lasted a long time, and promises to last at least a couple more years, as far as I can see, unless I fall into a lottery winning…but since I don’t play, that’s unlikely).
Carielle, of course you should be here. As long as I publish a blog at large it is here for the taking and people are invited to help themselves.
I really like Sonah’s idea of making things like the daily forecast into a subscription service. Back when I had a job, I used to subscribe to the daily extended forecast from astro.com.
It really does seem like making the blog (in whole or parts) into a subscription service is probably the way to go. You’ve gotta make a living like everyone else, but I hope that you at least know that there are people who wish they could tip but can’t (Me for example, unemployed for hmmm 7 months so far, no unemployment coming in, have had to resort to selling my things to come up with $$$) One of the things I really want to do when I am employed again is get another consult with you. (The two that I’ve previously done were such godsends!)
I hate to suggest this because you pick up our blogs and we appreciate the PR and the hits, charge folks to pick up their blogs. Count your list of subscribers, charge a penny each or a half penny and then ask those folks who write the blogs to pay for the exposure. You have a good newsletter and evidently a good mail list of subscribers. Just an idea from a business astrologer. However I suggest that you start a new idea for a new way to charge for your work after July.
Kaye, thanks for that.
I will mind that timing.
on the other, I can’t see charging astrologers who are also struggling – this biz is hard but it’s so kind of you to acknowledge what I do. Thank you.
Well, I understand your concerns, and your brainstorming on what to do next, as I am in a similar situation. As an intuitive artist, I think our times are evolving as we speak. It is everywhere! The souls of us have emerged onto another plane if you will, and it shows. Don’t you feel it? I found you through another intuitive visual artist. She had your link on her site. I am an Aries. Born April 4th, 1958, at 6pm in Laural Maryland, USA. I think I have a Scorpio rising? Not sure. But anyhow, (just so you get sorta something about me) I see you as doubting yourself right now, and your abilities to succeed. Please do not. The energy is going forward, but the ego wants to stump us for sure.
I have had so many blogs, free websites, and all that. Wheeling and dealing in my head with how can I get famous really quick, or even alittle bit. I was on HGTV’s, “Thats Clever”, national exposure, I win ribbons for first place at shows,
People love my artwork, but I dont make any freekin money!! Yes, the economy has made folks stop looking past their necessary needs, and artsy stuff gets put on the back burner. But it takes at least 10 years for anything artistically designed or developed to be fruitful. I am right where you are for time in my visual arts career. And I feel a HUGE awakening just around the corner. I feel a very good, positive amount of success for you as well. Its a strange thing sometimes, and my intuition is usually not wrong.
Just keep plugging away. The energy is changing all around us, so it makes us feel like we have to do something different. We just need to keep focused on our goals of success and believeing in ourselves. To me, the more I give the more I get in returns. It is pure Love that is manifesting itself right now. We should remember to go along for that ride. The money we need will come. I know it will. You are too focused on the little things, and you are getting caught up in the changing forces instead of letting it all happen. Be still and listen to your instincts. You have all the answers already. Sugestions are good to ponder. Take what you love and disregard the rest. Anyhow, nice to meet you. I will come back again soon. Stay in the moment and dont project into the future. That is how we ride this one through to the otherside.
bye.
K
Actually, I couldn’t disagree with Nina more. The things she critiques re the things I love most! Ha, I love the variety of perspectives on this blog.
I love how prolific you are. My Gemini Moon adores the constant updating. It’s like a fox every time I check the site and see something new. I think I’d get bored without it. Checking this blog a few times a day has become a habit, and it would be too easy to forget about if I only needed to check every few days or so.
Also, the stories are my favorite part! I like that you teach people about life, and let them pick up the astrology at their own pace. And I like that there isn’t a clear, concise point. It makes it feel more like real life, plus it gets me thinking in a way that simply telling me what the point is wouldn’t. Basically, I come to this blog to learn how to be an effective human being, and the astrology I learn or absorb is almost secondary, even though that, too, is immense.
you might check with Susan at Daykeeper Journal dot com. She has kept this site going with subscriptions, even after the sudden death of her famous mother Maya del Mar about two years ago.
She has some public content and some ‘premium’ content. She charges $5 per month.
Hope you will soon find a good way to float your financial needs and keep writing, and editing, this blog. Is there is a way to offer (easily) more pages, arranged by topic, with many more ads on the perimeter? Could sound like too much work, but thought I’d share the idea.
I do sometimes agree with Nina, that I cannot sometimes follow your stories because the back story is long gone, even tho I do try. And I love the variety your chosen items, and I try to come once per day or every other. Less often, I get discouraged at what I have missed.
and yes, I have really enjoyed your videos – major teachings in succinct form.
wishing you many blessings in finding the flow to offer your gifts and receive fabulous support flowing back to you,
I’m a new blogger.
The free blog has been a gift for me. To pay for it will be to recognise how important is to feed our personal growth.
Elsa you do a big service and you should be payed for it.
Examples I’ve seen on the Internet that work:
1. http://www.3waction.com/upgrade.php. This is a message board I’ve been on for years and the owner has had all kinds of financial hell happening to her long before the current hell. The site has free members and subscriptions, and those subscribed get extra benefits. I pay mine yearly and then I don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year. I have to say that I prefer doing that a lot more than a tip jar. Much like in real life, I’m completely uncomfortable determing “how much”, feeling gulity that it’s not enough, etc. I just like being told “here’s the number I’m asking for, do what you like or not.”
2.kingdomofloathing.com is an online game that runs on donations. If you give him $10, you get a bonus thing in the game. I have…uh, a good chunk of them now.
Really, I just like flat fee for “compensation” sites, not just tip jar “Please give us money, any money will do, please please.” Saying “If you give me $5 I will put you on the special mailing list” or “There’s classes to take” or “Platinum members have more access” works a lot better for me. Also, having stuff for people who can’t pay or who want to visit before they decide if they want to invest here.
I am in the subscription camp, too. Actually – that’s not entirely accurate. I’m firmly in the you do great, consistent, copious work and should get paid for it camp. I would subscribe no question – in my case it would just shift from the tip jar to the subscription.
The some-free some-paid idea I think is a good one. I mean, you said it yourself – you’ve got TONS of stuff already published. Maybe you take a sample of them and publish one per day as a freebie article? If there’s something I can do to help – sort, read, tag, etc? – I absolutely will do so.
Either way, you deserve to earn a decent living doing what you do well!
(is Saturn retro still? I’m editing myself like a fiend lately)
For those who really can’t afford it etc. you could add newish posts in the free section say a month or two later after they are published to the subscribers.
And I agree to the year subscription as I already do that for thecosmicpath . Originally they had the daily astrology forecast for free and the rest for subscription. I became quite hooked on the daily updates – similar to here. So when they changed it to the daily being a subscription and the rest for free.. I simply had to pay to get what I value – daily insight on the planets interacting. I bounce between there and here for a fuller perspective. They are very positive while Elsa is more dour and practical lol. Gotta have both my libra says.
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I don’t think it’s so much that people don’t WANT to pay. It’s just that the economy is pretty shitty and some people simply can’t AFFORD to pay for it.
Heck, even when the economy isn’t shitty, people need to decide what’s priority for them monetarily and what they simply can’t put their money down on.
Not to worry, though. I’m sure the universe will unfold the way it’s meant to – it’s pretty good about that.