I just hung up the phone with Verizon in a daze. I called to upgrade my plan to the next level since I’d gone over in minutes for the second consecutive month. Instead of just saying, “Okay, let’s get you upgraded,” he said, get this, “Why don’t we just give you 250 promotional minutes and get you a 10% discount on your bill for the next 6 months. That way, you can gauge your usage and make a decision then.”

Really Verizon? You think I’m falling for it? Who do you think you are just giving shit away like that? On top of having a really good signal? Some nerve. And come on, guys you honestly want me to believe that the call center guy (the same one who answered the call) has the authority to pull the trigger on that sort of deal? Without talking to a manager? Or consulting a script? Bullshit. And that tone of voice. It was perfect. Too perfect. It had that sincere, understanding quality that sickens you because no matter how hard you try, you could never pull it off even with your dearest loved ones. Damn you, Verizon. Damn you and your generously generous generosity.

This is the kind of call that makes me wish I’d stayed with AT&T and my iPhone.

Heh.

It’s quite a predicament not making any money. Many of us have been there, scrambling to see where our next check will be coming from. Unfortunately, it’s the worst place from which to make big decisions.

On Wednesday, the Tallahassee Democrat announced a new pay-to-read model, no matter where their content lives. They call it a new revenue model, but really, charging for stuff isn’t anything new. The only thing that’s new is the price tag.

Although I can sit back at my desk and take pot shots all day long, I’m going to offer a few ideas that could help. Maybe they’re silly, maybe not — but what ideas has the Democrat explored prior to the price tag? Maybe the Tallahassee Democrat has considered them all in some form or fashion — days and nights of frantic white boarding. The world may ever know. However, one thing I do know is the tone of the Bill Cotterell’s article isn’t going to win over any potential subscribers.

Don’t build a wall around the paper. It’s a community paper. Involve the community in determining its future.

Since there is no other local general paper, you can certainly choose to sit there and jam anything down your local community’s throats like big ol’ corporations have done for decades, or you can sit down and listen to your audience and your local community.

• Formal Customer Focus groups: Considering the direction of the economy’s slope over the last two years, the Democrat should have started focus grouping a year ago, foreseeing the likelihood of a pay-to-read model.
• Informal Focus Groups: Have a feedback party. Invite people to a bitch and moan session. And don’t get defensive. Listen, learn, and then see if some of those ideas would be useful to you.
• Educate citizen journalists: Get into teaching mode. Involve the community of people with good opinions and good ideas and teach them how to structure a story.
• Create a citizen paper: Maybe it’s just an online version people get for free.
• Creative Brainstorming with Community Pros: Invite local creatives to an idea-generating roundtables to come up with even more ideas on how to push the Democrat into the future.
• Advertisers get a free all-encompassing subscription for every employee in the company.
• Create tiered small business pricing that allows companies to purchase subscriptions at a discount for all employees.
• Start smaller: Instead of starting at your ceiling price, why not offer 90 days to “lock in” at a discount?
• Offer an advertising-free subscription for $24.95 where you won’t get hammered with advertising online.

Anyway, you get the point. It hasn’t taken me that long to generate these ideas. So, imagine what we could do if we all worked together to figure this out.

What do you think of the new model? Will you be a subscriber?

It’s crowded out there, and it’s only getting worse: Join us at to this event, join this group, like this thing, donate here, friend this person — you might know them. Egads! (Yea I wrote, “Egads!”)

The more people jump into and become versed on Facebook and twitter, the worse the epidemic will get, and the more invisible everyone will become, creating a phenomenon only a little more appealing than static.

So, how are you feeling about your growing numbers of requests? How are you coping?

Would love to hear about what you’re doing or not doing. Heck, maybe it’s not even affecting you at all. Would love to know if that’s the case too.

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

Choose One

General $10.00 Student $5.00

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, June 18, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5 PARKING:
Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot adjacent to our building off Eliza Rd.

This week, I want to try something different. Bring $5 and your lunch (or not) and we’ll talk about whatever’s on our collective Social Media mind.

We won’t be serving pizza and we won’t be offering up a formal topic. Hopefully, you’ll have enough faith in the forum and the people — and the fact that we’re never short on passionate conversation — to show up and give it a shot.

Love it? Hate it? Tell me here or tell me Friday, 12-1 at the Conversation Factory.

(Please note: We will not be holding Conversation Friday on June 12, 2010, as I will be out of town.)