Kym

Hi Stephen,

Posting over here after commenting in support as promised!

Totally in favor of a Pro version. I’ve hoped you’d announce you were doing this… yes, I realize I should have posted here when you asked and for that I’m sorry!

I would want (need) a Developer edition like you do for your extensions. The way my business works, I am a consultant that provides website security, maintenance, and support on an annual basis. Most also have me rebuild their sites for them. They have volunteers do simple blog posts but through hourly support, I do the bulk of the configuration, forms creation, image creation/editing, etc. My niche market is pretty tight – nonprofits, most education-related, but some social organizations. All on strict budgets. So my annual fees include the functionality of the websites that they hire me for — including features provided through premium/pro plugins. Sign up sheets is for sure among the functionality all of my clients do/would opt for, so I’d want to include it by default. But with this model, I’m met with resistance anytime I suggest premium plugins that are an additional cost over my fees. Even if I could afford individual licenses and just fold the cost into annual fees, I do not want the additional task of purchasing/managing individual licenses. So, yes to Pro, and please include a developer edition 🙂

I can understand you’re hesitant to take the plunge of Pro since there aren’t a ton of people standing up saying “yes! I want to pay you!” but you have a GREAT niche plugin that doesn’t have any equivalent plugin alternative. I’ve hoped you would put a Pro reworked version out and there’s little question I’d be buying it (unless it was unreasonably priced). I have a very strong feeling that “if you build it, they will come…” — and for your existing users, “if you build it, we will happily follow you.” I can say with certainty if you reach your point of “this isn’t worth my time to continue developing” I’d be screwed 🙂 so yeah, I’m definitely in favor of Pro.

As a side note, I think renaming your plugin to drop the PTA was a great move and I hope it brings more users your way. First of all not all school orgs are PTAs, there’s PTOs, HSAs, etc. But I use your plugin on several non-school social organization sites, and I know churches use it too. It’s applicable (and I’d argue, essential functionality) across any kind of club, social organization, school org, etc.

You’ve mentioned before that marketing isn’t your strong suit, but a friendly suggestion… with a little bit of creative SEO on your website and the wordpress.org repository, you might be able to get more customers. I am shocked that the repo says you have only 2,000 active installs, I’d think you’d have waaaayy more. Nowhere do you compare yourself to Signup Genius / signup.com in your plugin description on your website or the repository. Harness that… add content on your site & plugin repo description mentioning those brands and how your plugin can bring that functionality right into their WP website — no more separate logins, sending people off their website, etc. Something to think about. 🙂

Always happy to give you feedback (here or privately) if you have questions from a longtime user.

Kym