Why become a patron and support the Nantucket Owner’s Manual?
1. Your support allows us to do more.
As you can imagine, a start-up like this requires a lot of sweat equity. At the beginning of NOM, the work is being done by me — one person with the help of a panel of volunteer peer-reviewers, but as we grow support, we will be free to do more. Hire another writer/researcher. Bring on subject-matter experts. Create more videos and pdfs and animations. Post more on social media. The more support we get, the more we can give back to you.
2. No ads means no bias.
Most media on Nantucket is ad-supported. And it shows in the ways they cover the issues that matter to us all. Take, for example, the real estate industry. Real estate companies spend millions and millions of dollars to promote themselves. They run massive full-page ads in the newspapers and glossy magazines. And you can’t deny the fact that these media outlets are not going out of their way to ring any alarm bells about the impact runaway real-estate deals are having on year-round housing. It’s not the media’s fault. They are held hostage by big organizations spending massive amounts of money. And it’s as if many of them are experiencing a media-related version of Stockholm syndrome. The solution is to not enter into that particular vicious cycle in the first place.
3. Less clutter.
The other downside of relying on advertising revenue is the impact it has on the reader’s experience. And let’s be clear. I am an ad industry veteran. I have created thousands and thousands of ads. I love ads. But I also recognize that they can take over a publication and dramatically impact the reader’s ability to access important info. It’s a problem of too much noise, not enough signal. (The Nantucket Owner’s Manual is all signal!)
4. When users support the media, the media serves its users.
The flip side of having a non-ad-supported publication is that the work we do can directly benefit the people for whom we do it. Our readers. Our patrons. In many ways, it’s all about you. And if we stop creating things our readers value, our readers will stop supporting us each month. Which is the way it should be, right?
5. Maybe you have kids and grandkids?
The whole idea of the Nantucket Owner’s Manual is to find ways to leave the island better than we found it. So that future generations who aren’t the kids and grandkids of billionaires can afford to live here and put down roots. So there’s actually a clean harbor and scallops to catch and eat. So we continue to have a thriving arts scene and community. If those things matter to you, your support will go a long way to achieving those goals.
6. Do it for the merch.
Despite the noble aspirations that the Nantucket Owner’s Manual has set down for itself, we are also not above the idea of providing cool swag and extras to our supporters. Stickers. T-shirts. Tote bags. (Yes, tote bags. Heck, it works for PBS…) Just think of the jealousy you will inspire among your peer group when they see you in your stylish Nantucket Owner’s Manual hoodie.
7. Do it to become a part of a movement.
Yes, it’s true, The Nantucket Owner’s Manual is more than a nifty publication about our favorite place on earth. It’s a grassroots movement that you can support. Armed with great ideas and information, the island can take steps to protect itself from forces that have, until now, been difficult to counteract. Take a stand. Support the movement. Be a part of something good. Click that Patreon button now.
8. Do it for the love.
If you love Nantucket and hope to leave it better than you found it, supporting the Nantucket Owner’s Manual is a good first step. Let’s take it together.