You get free rainmaker status at 500,000 pts.  At 400,000 it's $9/month; at 300,000 it's $19/month.  If you are below those levels, you should look into paying for the year rather than by month as it's often less expensive.

Ambassador has nothing to do w/ points (although there was and may still be a min requirement of 100,000 pts).  This is more about people volunteering to help others.

I would ignore the outside blog until if/when they fix it.  It's not mobile friendly and it's very dated (I don't think they've updated it in over 6 years.  It's included w/ whatever you are paying.

Your account will be free when you reach 500,000 points. You're well on your way (but your account should only be $9 per month now that you're over 400k points).

You are a Rainmaker when you pay the monthly fee and your posts go out to the world (which is what you are).

You are a Rainer when you use the free membership and your posts only go to other Members.

Ambassador is an 'invited' status. 

Lots of precise answers ; I'm waiting for AR to offer a 'Chief of Staff' Status

What Debbie Gartner said... nothing to add because she said it all!

ditto to what Mimi Foster and Debbie Gartner said....

JM Padron, CCIM Debbie Gartner and Mimi Foster summed it up nicely.

I believe that when you get to 500,000 points you no longer pay the $29 a month and poof...become a rainmaker !

1. 500,000 points

2. You don't - that came and went - they aren't making them anymore as far as I know.

3. No clue

I was grandfathered in and as best as I can tell ambassador status is very special and awarded to a deserving few 

I'll run counter on some of the other opinions on the Outside Blogs.  While they may be aesthecially unappealing (there's a tendency for what looks good on the main blog to transfer over into multiple font sizes), I find it to still an Outside Blog to be an effective tool if you focus what you post there.  We have one outside blog that is strictly for our patio home niche.  It ranks and generates us business thanks to the focused content.

I see Debbie Gartner and Mimi Foster answered your questions clearly and succinctly!

To be a Rainmaker, you need to pay the fee or earn 500000 points.

To be an Ambassador is something they will invite you to do when they are ready, or when they think you are ready.

I just started washing Jeff Dowler CRS 's car every week and my status went up and fees dropped.  But now I have dish pan hands.

You have great responses here...

Ditto under Mimi Foster and Debbie Gartner and a few others.

@JM . . . the gals have schooled you properly. I can only add that once you get to where all your posts can be public, use them to direct traffic to your own websites/blogs. This is a place to be present - the ROI putting all your eggs in this basket is negligible.

Mimi answered your ?.

The outside blogs have been pretty much ignored for the last few years since T was around. I know it's there but I don't think we can even access them anymore.

Debbie Gartner & Mimi Foster gave you great answers! Good luck in the Rain!

keep blogging daily

Looks like Debbie has answered your questions.  Rainmaker status is when you pay a monthly fee up to 500,000 points.    This allows you to write Public posts and share them with the public.   I deleted my outside blog years ago.

Hurry and get to 500,000 for FREE!

Debbie Gartner  answered as well as did others. Good luck! 

I agree with Mimi Foster & Debbie Gartner 

Great question and thanks to all for the answers.  It's fun to know that a bill is going down and well on it's way to being eliminated...!!  Now if only the cable company would use this philosophy!

Debbie and Mimi have provided excellent answers.

that's a bunch of question.  rainmaker status for free is 500k points.  I was invited to be an ambassador and it came with the requirement to be helpful in the community and write a "how to" post monthly. I try to do one weekly.

My outside blog is 19.99 (I think) a month and yes it's worth it.

I am an Ambassador JM. My job is to help you. If you (or anyone else) have any questions about the Active Rain platform. please let us know.

You have gotten good answers to your questions. You can reach a free account by being very involved in all facets of ActiveRain. With all the point accumulation available, you can reach free in less than a year's time if you put your mind to it.

Pay to play until you hit 500K points.

 Ambassadors are chosen by AR Staff. 

  See  Liz and Bill Spear answer on this page for a positive take on the Outside Blog.

Parked and reading.

Mimi Foster has given you the correct answer.

Rainmaker: Either pay $$ or get 500k points, at which point you have rainmaker status for free for ever.

Ambassador: You are chosen by the Active Rain Gods to help run the show.

Monthly fee may have gone up since then, not sure what I paid.  You get discounts at the 200k point level and every 100k gets you a deeper discount.

After 500k, your status is free, so the sooner you get there, the better for your budget. Being an AR ambassador is optional and it does mean you are expected to contribute more time to this community. 

500,000 Points

I don't know.  When I joined in 2007 they did not have that system in place.

All good questions to ask and many have traveled before you wanting to know...Lets hear from the AR veterans

You have the answers above or below.