IMO hypster.com needs to differentiate itself by mining its most-loyal users by offering them 'advanced Web site features with with an annual membership fee. 'Hypsterelite' if you will...versus hypster.com which is effectively 'a free service.'
Some high-profile social networking sites are dying on the vine because they can't get dollars out of their sheer numbers or can't justify rates they want to charge advertisers.
Suppose that 50,000 core users were willing to shell out $ 20.00 (annually) we would be looking at $ 1,000,000 revenue stream and this would be an attractive feature to a buyout entity and short of buyout would afford greater monies toward direct marketing campaigns. It would differentiate hypster by demonstrating that our users are more loyal and put real money where there mouth is.
I think the hypster.com brand is a real winner but whether current management can or wants to take it to the next level seems to be in doubt. Rather than a focus on roll-outs of further cost-incurring entities IME co. should focus exclusively on developing multiple streams of income out of the hypster brand.
I hope I am wrong about this but what are they demonstrating by not inspiring/informing their shareholders on a regular basis? Does this give us confidence as shareholders that co. is good at selling itself to the marketplace? I have emailed one of their entities via IR and received no response.
What this issue needs is some real excitement and communicating key developments in a timely manner. It's not about fluff-bomb PRs but exuding confidence that you have a vision as a co. and are not relegated to defeatist thinking.
Yes 500,000 will be a great milestone but actually represents 'the tip of the iceberg.' I would welcome a buyout from a player with an aggressive vision and with the business-savvy to mine user-base to the hilt.
With some aggressive cash infusion and re-tooling of the marketing I see the potential for hypster.com to be a premier Web site with millions or even tens of millions of users. The equivalent of Facebook/MySpace in the digital music arena.
This doesn't need to happen with in your face gimmicks but rather calling the most-loyal part of the user base to action. 20,000 very loyal users beats 2,000,000 who are 'only names on the books' especially if the revenue stream from the 20,000 is consistent. 300K in revenues beats 0
The co. needs to identify its most loyal/active users and build more out of this key group. Let them invite their closest friends and relatives to join the site and viral networking will really explode.
Excitement is needed and hopefully a spark or two ignite us here to greater heights soon. Viral networking is not going to be too effective with users who are not passionate about product or service. IMO Co. needs to mine and retain its most ardent supporters by 'thinking outside the box' this type of action will attract greater buyout interest by demonstrating a growing and loyal customer base.
The same applies to its core shareholders--why should we recommend to friends and relatives that BUNM is a rare gem rather than run-of-the-mill property? You can't teach volume demand or take for granted that the market buying or not buying shares is a statement in itself.
AI
