Okay.... First I'll mention that I received the soda/beer can cooler as shown below. It is high quality, made by Thermos and worth every penny - to me at least. For years members have asked for hats, T-shirts, mugs, key-chains, etc., and I think it is time to accommodate their wishes. See what it looks like at the Beemaster Members Store Page at
www.cafepress.com/beemasterHere is the photo I took. FYI it is so perfectly fitting to a 12 drink can that if you drop it from the top into the holder, it lowers down by itself slowly as if it were hydraulically controlled. Really neat looking. I forgot to mention, there is a WHITE BALANCE ISSUE with the camera (forgot to change the settings to outdoor lighting) in this photo, the non-slip grip at the top is "BLACK" not BLUE and the same material is on the bottom, this can holder won't slide any where. Also, since I'm modifying this page, I should let you know that opening multiple stores is EXTREMELY EASY, so if/when we have many t-shirt designs (or whatever products) it will be as simple as clicking on different links to see many designs.
But it starts with YOU.
In this post I want to accumulate enough slogans (as many as you are willing to come up with) over 2 weeks, then create a poll from the slogans. The tops winning slogans will take turns gracing (couldn't think of a better word) on the products. Each of the top X number of slogans (along with any artwork, if any) will have a 2 or 3 week run. That way, we can offer several products so that members have choice. At the end of this, I am going to repost a message I wrote to K9 to explain the pitfalls of trying to earn contributions to the forum and also NOT go for a Non-profit Organization status, which I will not do.
Basically put, I have all products set at a 20% markup over the cost at CafePress - and as clearly state, I will be splitting the 20% evenly with the forum (10% each) giving me a buffer to pay taxes on the sales of the products - all money after the taxes will then go to the forum. It is the only way I know to do it where I will not get stuck paying taxes on profits from the IRS. I don't think 20% markup is ridiculous and eventually about 15-16% should make it to the forum's donation fund - 10% will go there immediately, the other 10% I will keep to pay taxes on earnings and then donate the remainder to the forum.
Keeping in mind this is a fund raiser, it is a great way for you to get quality products and help defray forum costs.
Finally, let's get to it. In the replies to this post, please submit as many slogans as you wish. I hope to create a poll using them all, at which time members can vote on the ones they would like to see on forum related items. I imagine that the TOP 5 will be used over a period of weeks or I could open SEVERAL STORES and every product could be available at once. Right now, only one store exists www.cafepress.com/beemaster and I use the catch phrase "Beemaster Forums, where the buzz is always about beekeeping!" none have sold (except to me and I got the can holder, it is HIGH QUALITY stainless, 2 walled and vacuumed to keep a barrier which supposed to keep drinks cold 10 times longer or as the state 3 hours.I am looking for a few things here - the number of slogans and the amount of participation from the members. Even though Cafepress has no problem printing a SINGLE ITEM, still if members aren't buying the items, then the whole project is in vain.
PLEASE ENTER SLOGANS BELOW - you will be helping out everyone in the forum, not jst me: if you have already submitted ideas elsewhere in other posts, please do them again here. This will be the official page for ideas for Beemaster Member Store Items. Remember, these slogans will be on coffee mugs, water bottles, hats t-shirts, bumper stickers, and many other products you can choose from. Thank you all and PLEASE remember, this is a brain storming exercise, try your best but no slogan is bad, it may just be not as good as others. Next Month, we will start with calendar photos submitted. For that you need to set your camera for the highest resolution possible and every page will have credit to the photographer. I'm really hoping to see a 2012 Beemaster Calendar and I know many of you are too.
So two weeks from today, June 18th, 2011 I'll create a poll using your ideas. Then comes the fun part, voting. I just hope we have interest in all this. Similar sites offer a few items, but members don't appear to have had any input to the products - I think that is something that you will only find here. I want the members active and for the winners, they have the bragging rights to say "That was MY idea!!!"
PLEASE PARTICIPATE in slogan contest - I don't think I ask much from anyone here, and this is really something unique that you can involve yourself with. The winner for the best slogan will win a prize - I can't reveal what yet, but I know what it will be!!!Here is my own very special can holder (and I'm telling you. this thing is a cool product) but, I'm not sure WHY it is necessary to have multiple stores rather than having multiple coffee mugs (etc.) at one store, but it is how they do it. I just created my own humble "Visionary and Founder Can Holder - take a peek if you wish
www.cafepress.com/beemaster_store .