The Marketplace is under renovation. Thank you for your patience.
		Behind The Firm List Blog The End of Free The Firm List is no longer giving away everything for free. I've been doing everything for nothing for 4+ years now and I just cannot continue doing that. I have decided to create two types of membership: Basic & Full. One will be free, the other has a one-time fee. Those firms who choose not to pay (or can't) can remain Basic members with just the listing. Those who pay the fee will get to include a profile as well as other features. This applies to all current & future firms listed on The Firm List. Included below is the text of the email I will be sending all firms currently listed on The Firm List. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at: matte@firmlist.com Hello, This is a quick note to let you know that The Firm List is changing. Now more than 4 years old, The Firm List is quite an immense project, one I never expected it to become when I started it. It's grown to include more than 10,000 firm listings in over 140 countries. Some of you have been listed on site for several years, some have just been listed. Everyone has found The Firm List in their own way and have seen their own form of value in being a part of the site. The changes that are coming to The Firm List are all tied to just that: Value. Of the 10,000 firm listings, I know that most have seen plenty of traffic come their way from being listed. Many firms have received leads & business from clients using The Firm List. Many professionals have found this site a great resource for finding employment or contract work. Whatever the value the site has had for you & your firm, I ask you to keep that in mind as I ask you to take a moment and "give back" to The Firm List. Those of you who have corresponded with me know how much time & effort I put into this site, which is a "spare-time" project. You may or may not also know that this site has brought in very little money. While this site is something I have created for the benefit of the web design/development community, that doesn't mean I can continue to run it at a loss. So, in the name of progress, I have decided to make some dramatic changes in the way I approach this site. These changes are essential to my ability to continue to manage & enhance The Firm List. There are now two types of listings, Full Members and Basic Members. Basic membership is free. Basic membership includes: - A simple listing in the city/town where your firm has it's office(s). A simple listing consists of your firm's name which is a hyperlink to your firm's website. - The option to submit a splash page or inset design to the site, providing additional, free exposure for your firm. http://splash.firmlist.com/submit.phtml http://www.firmlist.com/submitdesign.phtml Full membership is available for a one-time fee of $50 US. Full membership includes: - All the benefits of basic membership (see above) - The option to include a detailed profile with your firm's listing (ex: http://profiles.firmlist.com/1/elsbernd.phtml ) - The ability to include your firm's press releases in the PR section of The Firm List. - Eligibility for occasional promotions & offers exclusive to full members. These changes apply to all current & future members of The Firm List. So this means that if you are currently a basic member and do not choose to upgrade to full member status, your profile and/or press releases will be removed from the site, but your firm will still be listed. After August 15th, any firm which has not upgraded will have their profiles & press releases removed. (All profiles & press releases will be archived and available if you upgrade at a later date.) To upgrade your listing, please use the form at: http://update.firmlist.com/upgrade.phtml As always, I am very hesitant to make these changes. I know that many people will be unhappy with the changes and will not wish to pay the fee to upgrade their listing. That is why I will continue to provide the basic member option for free. For those who feel like they have benefited from being a part of this site, I know that $50 US is not a large hardship. If you feel that this fee is a hardship and you wish to take advantage of full member status, feel free to email me and present your case. Some exceptions can be made, but no guarantees. Thank you for your time. Matte Elsbernd http://www.firmlist.com posted by Matte Elsbernd on July 28, 2002 All Entries July 23, 2008 July 18, 2008 July 17, 2008 February 13, 2008 November 25, 2007 November 18, 2007 August 4, 2007 February 14, 2007 January 5, 2007 January 4, 2007 January 1, 2007 December 1, 2006 October 25, 2006 October 15, 2006 September 19, 2006 September 9, 2006 July 30, 2006 June 18, 2006 June 17, 2006 May 13, 2006 April 19, 2006 March 14, 2006 January 2, 2006 January 1, 2006 October 10, 2005 September 21, 2005 August 14, 2005 August 12, 2005 July 12, 2005 May 24, 2005 April 1, 2005 March 24, 2005 March 18, 2005 March 8, 2005 March 6, 2005 March 2, 2005 March 1, 2005 February 28, 2005 January 1, 2005 December 31, 2004 November 13, 2004 October 15, 2004 October 13, 2004 October 12, 2004 October 5, 2004 October 3, 2004 September 27, 2004 September 9, 2004 September 3, 2004 August 31, 2004 August 12, 2004 August 11, 2004 August 9, 2004 August 8, 2004 August 5, 2004 August 3, 2004 July 21, 2004 July 16, 2004 June 30, 2004 May 24, 2004 May 17, 2004 May 16, 2004 May 13, 2004 May 8, 2004 May 6, 2004 April 27, 2004 April 25, 2004 April 24, 2004 April 1, 2004 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2004 March 19, 2004 March 18, 2004 March 15, 2004 March 8, 2004 February 29, 2004 February 3, 2004 February 2, 2004 January 28, 2004 January 9, 2004 January 8, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 31, 2003 December 29, 2003 December 28, 2003 December 5, 2003 December 3, 2003 December 2, 2003 December 1, 2003 November 25, 2003 November 13, 2003 November 12, 2003 November 4, 2003 September 18, 2003 September 2, 2003 August 28, 2003 July 9, 2003 July 2, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 26, 2003 June 2, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 9, 2003 May 8, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 29, 2003 April 28, 2003 April 8, 2003 March 28, 2003 March 3, 2003 February 28, 2003 February 24, 2003 February 13, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 31, 2002 December 29, 2002 November 8, 2002 September 4, 2002 August 19, 2002 August 15, 2002 July 29, 2002 July 28, 2002 July 10, 2002 June 26, 2002 June 16, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 31, 2002 May 26, 2002 May 24, 2002 May 22, 2002 May 20, 2002 May 19, 2002 May 18, 2002 May 17, 2002 May 16, 2002 May 11, 2002 May 2, 2002 April 25, 2002 April 12, 2002 April 10, 2002 March 25, 2002 February 16, 2002 January 16, 2002 January 15, 2002 January 14, 2002 December 30, 2001 November 16, 2001 November 9, 2001 November 2, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 12, 2001 October 11, 2001 October 3, 2001 September 28, 2001 September 17, 2001 September 11, 2001 September 7, 2001 August 23, 2001 August 20, 2001 August 16, 2001 August 12, 2001 August 8, 2001 August 6, 2001 August 4, 2001 July 28, 2001 July 27, 2001 July 26, 2001 July 7, 2001 July 3, 2001 July 2, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 28, 2001 June 21, 2001 June 20, 2001 June 19, 2001 June 17, 2001 June 12, 2001 June 11, 2001 June 6, 2001 June 3, 2001 May 28, 2001 May 27, 2001 May 26, 2001 May 25, 2001 May 17, 2001 May 14, 2001 May 9, 2001 May 7, 2001 May 6, 2001 May 2, 2001 April 23, 2001 April 22, 2001 April 20, 2001 April 19, 2001 April 16, 2001 April 15, 2001 April 8, 2001 March 24, 2001 March 19, 2001 March 18, 2001 March 17, 2001 March 6, 2001 March 2, 2001 February 23, 2001 February 22, 2001 February 21, 2001 February 17, 2001 February 15, 2001 February 11, 2001 December 7, 2000 December 6, 2000 December 5, 2000