Subject: Participation
Detail: The subject of participation is a broad area of discussion encompassing subtopics inclusive of chat, maintaining member interest, and various strategies and devices that may be employed to maintain interest. Where the information can be presented as separate issues, we have done so.
The information presented on this page is subject to change with constant member input from the message board. You may wish to check it often for new posts.
Sub-topic: Chat
Question: How can we get more members to chat with us?
[AngelPie_Mouse, 003, 06/28/99; CyberRose07, 011, 06/28/99]
Answer: Well I figure if you bring together the most active people in clubs (usually the Founders) and set a chat time that the majority can agree to ... I am sure people will come to chat ... if only to share horror stories about their Yahooo Club LOL! *hugs* [ArrylT, 019, 06/28/99]
Sub-topic: Continuing Participation
Question: how do we get more [members to] participation? [adorable_tall_chick, 052, 07/02/99]
Answer: Ppl join clubs and then: Get discouraged distracted etc. Some will never come back at all but also never themselves. I would say:
- Send them some email...
- Purge the dead weight...
- Don't forget to keep inviting/Advertise
But let me ask this if you have a nice group of regulars what more do you really need? [ _11500, 053, 07/02/99]
Answer: ...In my club i found it wasnt that the members wernt logging in it was the majority of them didnt know all the options they had so i taught most of them online also what i did was introduce each to other club members then they get to know who is posting what and can relate to the ,one more thing humour is a great icebreaker if the tone is to serious then they feel intimadated. But this is my input only some may agree and some might not (oh well )take it for what it is worth, it didnt cost anything for me to type the advice lol and also im at least participating in this club right. [DGBren, 059, 07/03/99]
Answer: ... Weekly I try to post a game or a question, since we arent a really themed club I try to keep as open to possiblitys as I can. This week we are playing "you dont know jack" and I post a new question each week and the answer to the question sometime that weekend. Its an easy game to play but difficult in my club to get folks participating. We contiually post movie reviews and use our own rating system. I find the easiest games to play online are trivia with a multple choice answer. The co-founder and I post the chat events for the week along with emailing and posting it in the calendar. We have so many problems with yahoo chat booting us or getting stuck that its isnt very popular..just frustrating!
To get all members familar with each other I have had them post a small bio about themselves including email addy and stats. In the future, I'll have a birthday club including email cards and post them in the calander for others to send out greetings too. I want to create a monthly e-mail newsletter containing the events and news for the folks that are too busy to participate regularly. I also use the weather section in the news area to forcast members weather in their citys. Right now Im trying to get the members to add everyone on their yahoo pager buddy list so we can chat more often. well those are my ideas! Have any ideas to get folks to particpate more??? I am sharing a computer with my roomate and this has kept me in the past from being as consistent with the club as much as i have wanted to be. [FreedomDeep, 093, 07/09/99]
Answer: Our club rarely has chats. All of our members are remarried (or planning on it:) with children, so I don't think any one of us has any semblance of an actual schedule. The few times we have tried it never seemed to work out. Our solution was to share ICQ #'s freely with everyone in the club and let the chats happen by chance when they do. ICQ can be flaky, but almost seems flawless in comparison to Yahoo... grins [ZephyrTheLost, 025, 06/28/99]
Answer: I have a LIST of things I do:
- You want [your members] to be more interactive and show up? start a poll in your club!
You can make [a polling place or voting both] for free here: http://www.freevote.com/
- Update your picture on your founders message often! they notice that, keeps them coming back. And changing the colors to match the picture is what I do, and my group has grown by 26 members in the last week, and they all say they like the color changes.
- Check yahoo clubhouse for ideas! look around in other clubs in your category and see what they are doing.
- Write a newsletter and ask them for things to put in it. We just started that and its GREAT! I even have classifieds.
- Talk to [your members] on line when you see them! add them to your pager! once they start talking to you they show up more.
- Start doing some things differently and then invite new people, you might just need some new blood. And once the members you have start to notice the "new and improved" they'll be coming in every day! That's what my members call me, because I have been working like a dog day and night since oct 10. If you stop by my club and look for messages on oct 10, you'll see there was only ONE! The next day I changed the way I was working...and go look for yourself!! from oct 10 to today..we went from post #947 to 2279. my members went from a total of 95 to 176.
- I let THEM make websites! they are showing up all over the place. We are working on linking them all together, for when I get the main one done.
I am learning from THEM and thats the key! they say "hey can I do..." and I say SURE! Our main website(right now), our newsletter and my club is linked to my profile. All I can tell you is what I have been doing...I am sure everyone in here works in a different way. But I know I am onto something, because they made me a "fan club" for the new and improved DID.
I am very proud of my little club, and I am LEARNING more and more each day...I have even sent emails to other founders when I see something they have done and I like...everyone will share their ideas if you just keep asking! [damsel_in_de_stresss, 504, 11/29/1999]
