Recruiting Drive?


grande man

Bonafied Grande Nut
So far, I've been able to bring a few members here from trains.com. Since this is, by far, the coolest MR forum on the web, does anyone care to post some links at other forums you frequent to build the membership base? Just a thought...
 
That would be nice. Word of mouth is the best way to promote the forum.

I'm hoping that as winter approaches, which is the modeling season, things will continue to get more active. I'm hoping I can re-activate the photo contests then, which tend to get folks interested.
 
I have links posted on my "About Me" page in my eBay Store, and during auction coorespondence I've also sent a couple buyers here. You think a $25 ad in the Model Railroader magazine website directory (back of the magazine) would be worthwhile? I've been considering it for my Store as well...
 
sushob said:
You think a $25 ad in the Model Railroader magazine website directory (back of the magazine) would be worthwhile?

OK, now there's an idea... :) I bet that'd draw a few members in.
 
sushob said:
You think a $25 ad in the Model Railroader magazine website directory (back of the magazine) would be worthwhile?


Do any of you actually read those ads? I never look at them...
 
does anyone care to post some links at other forums you frequent
Great idea, I did that on some of mine and got moderated :D LOL no problem as I don't have the time to go back to them. Be sure that it is allowed, some forums don't, and they get upset to the point of banishment. It's a very good idea but thread carefully on your favorite sites.
Now pertaining to a membership base, we have 689 members and by far the majority never post a message let alone join in on a discussion. Why they join at all is a mystery to me as they can readily access the forum as a guest. At times it's frustrating after posting welcome messages when they are rarely acknowleged, except for those few who say thanks and continue to post and take part in the forum.
Do any of you actually read those ads? I never look at them...
I have to agree with Bob on this one, besides there is lots of free advertising on the net. For awhile my website wasn't in a google search, but for an advertising example Type CB&CNS for a google search. You will find my name and username splattered all over your search with links to photos on the forums they are posted in. LOL you'll even find my site last or second from last but it's there, it even got up to second place once. It's had 2130 hits from posting links all over the place and on the links page are my forums which loop back again. Keeps the Google bots busy. Posting lot's of photos is certainly an effective way to do it, and like me it's cheap :D Lots of photos and captions will do it.

13.gif
Willis

Curmudgeon's opinion :D
 
> Be sure that it is allowed, some forums don't,
> and they get upset to the point of banishment.

Yes, please follow the forum rules. A good way to do it is to place a link in you signature, many places allow that. Also, posting a promo for something specific like a photo or article is usually a better way. Simply posting "Hey, visit this place" is generally considered spam.

Telling your modeling friends is a good idea, and if done in moderation they probably won't mind. Send them an e-mail saying "Hey, I found this cool place" and see if they show up.

> we have 689 members and by far the majority never post a message

That's quite typical. If you get 10 percent participation, you're doing good. Model Railroader's forum says they have 190,000 members. They get about 1,000 posts per day. At that ratio, 1,000 members would get you about 5 posts a day, and that's about what we get, so it's right in line.

> Why they join at all is a mystery to me as they can
> readily access the forum as a guest.

Many of them join so that the forum software will keep track of new messages for them. (i.e. Messages posted since the last time they visited, no matter how long ago that was.) That's a handy feature, and won't work unless you're a member.
 
You'll also find that there are a lot of us, that are members of mutiple forums. I'm currently active on 8 (at last count). I check for "new posts" every morning. I don't read them all, only the ones that peak my curiosity.

Dan
 
Bob, I remember back when this forum started, didn't you copy and paste all the members from RRF? That would explain so many quiet posters...:confused:

I remember at a certain forum, we wanted to send a PM to every member with 0 posts asking them if they don't want to be deleted. So many "quiet members" immeadetly started posting that they still read stuff, and since they now have 1 post, shouldn't even be targeted!:D

I think the idea was cancelled after that.
 
> didn't you copy and paste all the members from RRF?

Yes, and then after 90 days, if they hadn't logged in, I deleted them.

> every member with 0 posts asking them if they don't want to be deleted.

I go through every once in a while and delete anyone who hasn't logged in for at least a year. I figure if they haven't logged in by then, they probably forgot they have the account. They don't have to post, simply visit the forum, since most folks automatically log in.
 
I found this place from a link that someone else posted on a firearms and hunting website that I frequent often.
I have been to other modeling forums, but this place feels like "home" to me.
 
I just added a link to our "virtual tour" to my sig line on trains.com. That's a small thing, but maybe it'll help a little.
 
Well I just added my first post to Trains also and added a signature link. A bit flashy and shall we say deceptive but if it works well it's worth a try. I probably won't be doing much posting on Trains so anyone who wants to use it just copy it or I'll email it to you and you can put your own username in instead of his nibs. :D

Clickhere2.gif
For Virtual Tours - All's Well That Ends Well! his nibs
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cool graphics, Willis!

I just posted a permanent link to our Virtual Tour over at the Yahoo DRGW group. There's some hardcore Grande fans over there that can point out all of our instances of "modelers license"... :D Hopefully, traffic there will pick up and maybe some of the visitors will stay around and talk to us.
 
DanRaitz said:
You'll also find that there are a lot of us, that are members of mutiple forums. I'm currently active on 8 (at last count). I check for "new posts" every morning. I don't read them all, only the ones that peak my curiosity.

Dan

Holy Cow, Dan! Whatever you do, DON'T tell me where all the forums are! I'm registered on at least five, and I spend FAR too much time online as it is! Look at me, it's almost 4 am and here I am posting! I gotta stop beating myself like this! LOL

Darrell, thinking about being quiet...for now
 
I'll try sending emails to all my friends on the "Old Forum" later today, after I get back from my kids' soccer games. (Of course many of them may have already found this place by then...)
 
I'll try sending emails to all my friends on the "Old Forum" later today
Sounds good to me. tell them they're welcome and they can find an internet modeling home right here. Thanks for your help and interest.

I'll try sending emails to all my friends on the "Old Forum" later today
 
CBCNSfan said:
Sounds good to me. tell them they're welcome and they can find an internet modeling home right here. Thanks for your help and interest.
Glad to be of service, I know a few people from your region (you probably know them too)! BTW, in your signature slogan - are you making a veiled reference to the good ol' days when every train had a caboose? :D
 
Hi guys. I only frequesnt the Atlas N scale forum, Trainboard and Railwire as a regular besides the MR forum. I think that MR had a good thing going, they "are" the name in MR'ing for many new to the hobby, so their presence is large. I do want to say, I have read some old posts here, and you folks seem very open, no cliques of folks that ignore you if you are new. That in my book is great. I think even when MR comes back up I will still hang around. I do have quite a few of the MR members personal email addresses as I was one to exchange ideas that didn't belong on the forum, but haven't had a chance to contact them. What I worry about is all the younger kids, and new comers to the hobby that are now left without a place to learn. The MR forums are loaded with a wealth of modeling information.

Thanks and hey Ken, glad you made it. Art Hill said he would be coming too, he feels a little bad that the forums are down, he thought maybe he started the down fall, which we all know isn't the case.

Thanks again...
 
dthurman said:
I do have quite a few of the MR members personal email addresses as I was one to exchange ideas that didn't belong on the forum, but haven't had a chance to contact them.


I just emailed Randy Rinker and Joe Fugate. We need specialists here... :D I hope they'll come over for a visit. I always enjoyed and learned from their posts!
 



Back
Top