What you get for supporting The Earful Tower

Hi guys,

Some of you may have noticed I’ve been using the P word lately. No, not Paris. I mean Patreon. And it’s quite a new concept for me (and probably for you too).

So I’d like to walk you through it and answer some of the questions you may have, in the hopes to convince you to support this project and secure its future.

What the heck is Patreon?

Patreon is a crowdfunding platform where instead of donating once, you subscribe with a monthly payment. In return, you get bonus content and go from being just any old listener to an interactive member of a growing community.

Why Patreon?

Big podcasts make money through adverts. Smaller ones like The Earful Tower often rely on crowdfunding.

Why now?

Well, I’ve been doing the Earful since December 2016 and it has come to a point where I can’t justify doing it for free anymore. It’s a full time job and I love it – but it doesn’t even nearly come near the salary of a full time job.

Why should I pay for a podcast that will remain free?

Good question. The answers are: 1) You want to support the project and see it grow. 2) You want a better show. 3) You want access to all the secret, hidden, bonus content.

OK, so what’s the bonus content?

The bonus content is full access to the weekly Walk Show videos from around Paris and the replays of them. There’s a bunch more bonus stuff, but the Walk Shows are my main focus right now.

What the heck is a weekly Walk Show?

Well, I’m not surprised you don’t know – a year ago I didn’t know either. You see, that’s when I invented them. Essentially, they’re 30-minute Talk Shows with a guest while Walking in Paris.

Recent episodes include author John Baxter, crime writer Cara Black, Lost in Cheeseland’s Lindsey Tramuta, reality TV realtor Adrian Leeds, YouTuber Geraldine Lepere from Comme Une Francaise, and tour guide April Pett on Rue Montorgueil.

Here’s a preview of all these walks. When one video finishes, the next one plays 🙂 These videos are trailers for the full 30-minute versions that subscribers can see on Facebook or YouTube.

So, the big question… How much is membership?

My recommended membership is US$10 a month. For that, you get:

• Entry to the closed Flaneur Facebook group for the live videos
• Access to the full videos after on YouTube
• Free entry to all live shows in Paris
• Bonus podcast episodes
• Weekly emails
• The warm and fuzzy feeling of helping a struggling creator in Paris

There are other tiers to join from as little as $1 a month but I recommend the $10 “Flaneurs” group mentioned above, as that’s where I’m focusing my main attention.

What does my money go towards?

It goes towards making the show better. The more Patrons, the less I need my freelance job, and the closer I am to living my dream of working full time on The Earful Tower. I would be beyond excited to make this dream a reality.

What if I regret signing up? Can I get out of it easily?

Yes, it’s very easy to cancel your pledge and you can do it at any time.

What if I sign up at the wrong level?

It’s very easy to upgrade or downgrade your pledge, and you can do it at any time with just a few clicks.

Can I make a one-off payment?

There are no one-off payments on Patreon. But if you just want to make a donation, here’s a link that you can edit to give however much you want.

If you donate $50, you can get six month’s access to the Flaneur Walk Show group.

I don’t want to pay. Is there anything I can do instead?

Of course. If you like the show and want it to grow, tell your friends about it. Tell anyone who loves Paris, especially if they also love podcasts and videos. And perhaps leave an iTunes review.

But – if $10 a month isn’t a lot for you and you love The Earful Tower, it would mean an awful lot to me if you considered subscribing, even if only for a month.

Hoping to see you on the other side.

Oliver