Incentives???

I just saw a posting for the Filter Forge 'Colors of Life' Contest....and read that the prize is a basic version of Filter Forge....

http://fineartamerica.com/contests/co...b=overview

When I saw this, the first thing I thought was "Why is FF being so damn cheap about offering incentives???".... I hate to be negative towards FF because I love this program....but for the love of God, just offering $149.00 basic version of FF as the prize for a contest is as cheap as you could possibly get!!! FF can't afford to offer at least a Pro copy with lifetime updates??? FF can't make any expenditure or approach affiliates for prizes that would drum-up some serious contest entries....which would promote at least a 100-fold sales return??? How about offering prizes like a high-res digital camera, PhotoShop CS5, 3Ds Max, etc....things that are affiliated, used, and go hand-in-hand with FF??? Everyone who already owns FF and who has dust collecting on reward points won't find this contest worthwhile to enter, IMO....

I think the "Cheapness" and "lack of incentives" for this contest clearly denotes an even larger problem with FF not stepping up author incentives to get quality filter submissions that explore the potential of this program....and customers are starting to notice it....

I would suggest that FF stop sitting on their hands in regard to the incentive issue, stop being complacent about it just because there are 8000 filters in the library (majority of which are intro, variant, and clone sub-ops)....and start putting some attention into providing further incentives (beyond the program rewards which are now exhausted) to focus on obtaining quality submissions that explore the potential of this program.....in filters, contest entries, etc....

Maybe FF (as = the financial entity) is still just hanging on by a thread, and can't afford any real prizes. *shrug* If anything, I'm 1/2 surprised they're still around, but they seem to have found a way to make some consistent quantity of sales (probably with all the 40% off-ers), so good on them I guess. And no offense Stevie, but yer the one main-if-not-only who (still) cares, which is kinda odd unless you own stock in the company or something ha-ha.

jffe

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ronjonnie wrote: I have to agree. Remindes me of what was on my mind here: http://www.filterforge.com/forum/read...ssage89809 4th down from the top.

Yeah, do something more to remedy the problem....

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Betis wrote: I saw the contest too and I actually got excited until I saw the reward...

Same here....I was thinking of submitting something until I saw the prize....then I started this topic instead....

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jffe wrote: And no offense Stevie, but yer the one main-if-not-only who (still) cares, which is kinda odd unless you own stock in the company or something ha-ha.

No offense taken.... I do have a "self-interest" in this program being successful and getting new cutting-edge works....because it's helping me be successful and remain on the cutting-edge....which I'm assuming how most customers feel about it if they are using the program to make $$$.....

Agreed, there is a big problem with the incentives.

Filter Forge, if you are listening; I will give you a list of incentives that would work to boost filter submissions, and I won't even charge any consulting fees.

i wasnt put off by the prize being a basic version. i was put off by not knowing what 'the colors of life' are and if one could submit images that used more than just FF.

there seems to be an impression that FF, inc. shld be giving away the farm or something. that they were willing to give away another freebie is a good thing and somehow it's now been turned into a bad thing. i work on retouchpro where we give away various prizes in our monthly art contest. doug, the owner, has to contact the various companies where the prizes come from and hold out his hand in the hopes they'll get a little promo from giving out these freebies. nobody has to give these. out contestants would most likely still participate without these prizes. they're good folks and highly talented. the prizes are cream! nobody complains that the prizes shld be bigger or more frequent. that would just be silly.

FF inc. has been very innovative in its incentives program and frankly, i'm a bit tired of hearing about how stingy they are in not offering more. sure, as an artist, i'd love to get more, but the idea that FF, inc. somehow owes me this is absurd. and that's not to say FF, inc. couldnt improve on their program. they could. but let's get off this kick of making them the bad guys because they arent giving away the farm!

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StevieJ wrote: I think the long-run success of this program lies with fostering author involvement for quality filter submissions and cutting-edge works that explore the potential of this program

----Yer welcome to say/think that, but if FF is still selling well, then the reality is that your premise is flawed. Personally, I get the feeling they built the library up to an impressive # and got enough eye catching filters to sell it. Until some competing product comes out that they need to 'beat' with more/better filters, then the status quo seems to be fine for them and they have no "incentives" to provide you or anyone else, with any incentive to make filters. *shrug* Or we could argue the semantics/meaning of "long term" in regards to software and/or business practices, I'm down for that too.

jffe

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StevieJ wrote: FF has become complacent.....customers are starting to notice it....

----1) FF hasn't changed or 'become' anything per se (filter-wise), 2) *you* notice it ha-ha. Yer just beating a long dead horse man, grab a towel, clean yer boots off, and find something to kick that still has a pulse at least.

jffe