[meteorite-list] Don't Change!

[Eric Wichman]

Hi all,

This is a long one, but it's one I hope you'll read and give some 
feedback on.

With all the talk here recently about spamming, ADs, marketing, new and 
old failed meteorite sites, groups, forums, lists, advertising, flaming, 
trolling, BS, back stabbing, libelous, fraud, trash talk, bullying, and 
websites that just don't take off I'd like to chime in a bit. Normally I 
just keep quiet and read list posts quietly except for the occasional 
little meteorite for sale ad. But as someone who has started no less 
than 3 meteorite related websites, forums and more recently a blog I can 
say from experience it's not as easy as it sounds. Take this as you 
will. I mean it with no malice or disrespect to anyone whatsoever.

If someone wants to jump on building a new Meteorite Photo website 
here's some domain names that are available:

meteoritephotos.com 
meteorite-photos.com  
meteoritegallery.com
meteoritealbum.com

No, I'm not saying build another meteorite related site, what I am 
saying is stop trying to "change the world" (I'm guilty of this) to 
anyone and everyone who posts to the Met-List trying to become the next 
best thing in the meteorite world. What I mean is this...

If you're trying to change the world you're setting yourself up for 
failure and most likely you don't even realize it. The meteorite world 
is small. Very small. Meteorite collectors and dealers are rare compared 
to other industries world wide, and whether we like it or not there are 
cliques and niches within this limited group. At last count I think 
there were some 950+ members on the Met-List but I could be wrong it 
might be more now. Now I know there are lots of people in the meteorite 
biz who aren't on the Met-List and who are members of other forums and 
yahoo groups all over the web, some are members of my forum as well. 
There's the Nugget Shooter meteorite forums, Illinois meteorites Sky 
Rock Cafe, and of course my own Meteorite Watch forum. Not to mention 
IMCA members, private collectors, dealers, museums, educational 
institutions and other related groups are all part of the meteorite 
world pie. Regardless of what kind of site it is, forum, blog, dealer 
shop, encyclopedia, photo gallery, or a new group, the point is the math 
doesn't work if you're solely trying to change the meteorite world by 
starting a "better meteorite site".

If you're familiar with real world advertising and marketing you must 
look at market share to evaluate whether a new product or service idea 
is viable. You do that by figuring demographics, estimating numbers of 
current customers and prospects and use a pie graph to visually 
represent certain areas of the market share in any given industry. This 
is where we get the phrase "a piece of the pie" in marketing terms. 
Google for example enjoys an estimated 65% of market share in the search 
engine industry. This is a HUGE piece of the largest pie in the world. 
The pie consists of all people who have an internet connection and who 
uses search engines to help navigate the trillions of web pages out 
there. You can only imagine how large this industry will become. It has 
unlimited growth potential considering the great numbers of future 
internet users. As new internet users sign on each day this pie grows at 
an exponential rate which will never end unless the internet goes away. 
Google's product is knowledge and everyone wants that product!

The meteorite world is quite different in contrast. There is a very 
limited supply of meteorites. The laws of supply and demand have a 
greater effect on an industry who's product is limited in scope. 
Everything being equal, the meteorite world's pie is very small. Maybe 
at most in the number range of tens of thousands of collectors, 
scientists and dealers. To be successful in any industry one must 
provide a viable product or service at a reasonable price based on a 
need or want. The product herein is meteorites and the pieces of the pie 
are all the dealer websites, groups, forums and lists out there. The 
Met-List has the majority of the forum market share. That will probably 
not change, there's really no need to... It provides a good service that 
does what people need it to do. No more no less.


The meteorite world itself will change when someone provides something 
that the "majority" of people in this industry need or want. Not 
something that "everyone" needs. Who is anyone to dictate what people 
need though? Don't make the mistake of looking for or trying to provide 
a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. I made this mistake as did 
many others on list and off. In my excitement for meteorites I forgot 
some very basic rules in marketing.

I've only been in this biz for a little over a year. I started back in 
August of 07' after my girlfriend got me a meteorite for my birthday. In 
that time I've started many meteorite related websites including a list, 
a group a forum and most recently a blog. I know from experience it is 
not easy to change something. Especially when it really doesn't need to 
be changed. Ever since I got my first meteorite I've been hooked just 
like many new meteorite enthusiasts are when they first get into the 
field.The excitement of meteorites is universal and they become 
extremely addicting to the small percentage of people who are fascinated 
at first glance. Then you have your "that's cool" people who simply say 
"that's cool" and never get into meteorites like we do. The point being 
that the customer base is super small, the product supply is even 
smaller and trying to make a be all website just doesn't work.

The only way to really change things is to help people, not change them. 
It's about psychology, philosophy, statistics and it's cliche, but it's 
true nonetheless. As a friend of mine recently told me, the way to 
change is to "Provide a difference".

If you provide a difference people both want and need the change will be 
automatic.

Regards,
Eric Wichman
Meteorites USA