PernWebGoddess
8th July 2005, 06:39 PM
Here and elsewhere, I've been watching people advertise, and noticing lots of things that would certainly turn me off. There's an art to advertising your weyr, and advertising is what makes the difference between a truly successful weyr, and one that fails or doesn't do as well.
So, what do you DO to make advertising work for you, and not against you? There's a few things you can do to make your ads jump out.
1) Don't beg. If you're desperate for members, and use that as your pull, no one will come. Why would they bother? If even the advertisers can't come up with a better reason than "We need members!", players aren't going to bother. On the same note, don't whine or ask why people don't like your weyr. Yes, I've seen this! Real inviting, that!
2) Don't say how bad things are! You wouldn't advertise for a gas station by saying how faulty the pipes are, and how likely an explosion is, would you? Why would you try to get people to come on the basis of how things are dying at your weyr? People want active weyrs, not weyrs that are dying!
3) Ask yourself what sets your weyr apart. There's hundreds of clubs out there. What makes yours special? Why should I go to your Weyr instead of that one? If you can't answer this question, you need to rethink things. Your weyr needs a pick-me-up. Something has to make it pop, or it won't stick around. It might not be theme; Some clubs have a very basic theme, and still do well. It can be commitment of the leadership, activity of the players, progressiveness of the ruleset... the possibilities are endless, but you've got to think to make it work! Once you know what makes your club special, PUSH IT!
4) Be creative. "Hi, we're X Weyr, and we have 10 members, and lots of activity. Come join us!" *YAWN* Whoopee doo. You're trying to coax people with lots of options to join you. You need to be descriptive, and give reasons why they should come. Vital statistics are well and good, but if that was all it took, we'd all have successfully active clubs!
5) Take your time! If you rush it, it shows. Just because you don't pay for your advertising doesn't mean you shouldn't put effort into it. The lack of effort shows. If you don't have at least a good, long paragraph, it's too short. Take the time to read it over, spellcheck it, and read it out loud. If it's sloppily written with poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation, you're going to turn off the best writers... the ones you want to attract the most!
6) One isn't enough. You can't write one stellar advertisement and expect it to do the trick, and your weyr become a legend in fandom. Arolos didn't get where it is today by sending one advertisement, or posting in one place! Post everywhere you can, frequently. (But not too frequently). It shows your weyr is still alive, and its leadership still cares enough to advertise. And don't just repeat the old one. Make a new one each time! It shows effort, and initiative. Besides, if this ad doesn't get Jane Superwriter, maybe the next one will!
7) Use all your resources. There's tons of different ways to advertise... look for them! There are several yahoogroups lists, message boards, and more out there. Get a link exchange with a more well established club. Join webrings. Some are more effective than others, but don't neglect any of them. Even one member from a given place is worth the effort. Be a proactive advertiser. When someone asks what a good club is, don't hesitate to speak up. If someone asks a question about something, find a way to work your club in your response. "At X Weyr, we do it this way..."
8) Use your members. If they're happy, they'll advertise for you! Ask them if they'd mind putting links in their signatures, or help you post. Ask for advertising ideas. Get them involved! If they get involved in the advertising, they'll benefit by having more people to play with. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertisement there is.
9) Last but not least, don't get discouraged. It takes time and effort to build a club up. You're not going to be getting hundreds of emails per day on the first week. And if you do manage that, you've got to keep it up. Don't get complacent, either, because weyr turnover rate can be high, and you always need fresh blood to bring new perspectives and new ideas.
When in doubt, never be afraid to ask more experienced club owners and administrators for help. You'll find that as a whole, big, well established clubs love to see smaller ones grow, and love to offer advice. That's what we're here for. ;) Trust me, those of us who run big clubs wouldn't be able to manage without the support and advice of our fellow club owners.
One resource I highly recommend for all club owners is Pern Alliance. http://www.pernalliance.com is the URL. It's a great place to ask questions, deal with problems, and get advice from old hands. Stuck on an idea for a plot? They're good at answering that. Odds are good that you're not the first to deal with a given problem, and someone else can help you find the right solution.
Happy advertising, folks, and may your clubs grow strong and active!
So, what do you DO to make advertising work for you, and not against you? There's a few things you can do to make your ads jump out.
1) Don't beg. If you're desperate for members, and use that as your pull, no one will come. Why would they bother? If even the advertisers can't come up with a better reason than "We need members!", players aren't going to bother. On the same note, don't whine or ask why people don't like your weyr. Yes, I've seen this! Real inviting, that!
2) Don't say how bad things are! You wouldn't advertise for a gas station by saying how faulty the pipes are, and how likely an explosion is, would you? Why would you try to get people to come on the basis of how things are dying at your weyr? People want active weyrs, not weyrs that are dying!
3) Ask yourself what sets your weyr apart. There's hundreds of clubs out there. What makes yours special? Why should I go to your Weyr instead of that one? If you can't answer this question, you need to rethink things. Your weyr needs a pick-me-up. Something has to make it pop, or it won't stick around. It might not be theme; Some clubs have a very basic theme, and still do well. It can be commitment of the leadership, activity of the players, progressiveness of the ruleset... the possibilities are endless, but you've got to think to make it work! Once you know what makes your club special, PUSH IT!
4) Be creative. "Hi, we're X Weyr, and we have 10 members, and lots of activity. Come join us!" *YAWN* Whoopee doo. You're trying to coax people with lots of options to join you. You need to be descriptive, and give reasons why they should come. Vital statistics are well and good, but if that was all it took, we'd all have successfully active clubs!
5) Take your time! If you rush it, it shows. Just because you don't pay for your advertising doesn't mean you shouldn't put effort into it. The lack of effort shows. If you don't have at least a good, long paragraph, it's too short. Take the time to read it over, spellcheck it, and read it out loud. If it's sloppily written with poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation, you're going to turn off the best writers... the ones you want to attract the most!
6) One isn't enough. You can't write one stellar advertisement and expect it to do the trick, and your weyr become a legend in fandom. Arolos didn't get where it is today by sending one advertisement, or posting in one place! Post everywhere you can, frequently. (But not too frequently). It shows your weyr is still alive, and its leadership still cares enough to advertise. And don't just repeat the old one. Make a new one each time! It shows effort, and initiative. Besides, if this ad doesn't get Jane Superwriter, maybe the next one will!
7) Use all your resources. There's tons of different ways to advertise... look for them! There are several yahoogroups lists, message boards, and more out there. Get a link exchange with a more well established club. Join webrings. Some are more effective than others, but don't neglect any of them. Even one member from a given place is worth the effort. Be a proactive advertiser. When someone asks what a good club is, don't hesitate to speak up. If someone asks a question about something, find a way to work your club in your response. "At X Weyr, we do it this way..."
8) Use your members. If they're happy, they'll advertise for you! Ask them if they'd mind putting links in their signatures, or help you post. Ask for advertising ideas. Get them involved! If they get involved in the advertising, they'll benefit by having more people to play with. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertisement there is.
9) Last but not least, don't get discouraged. It takes time and effort to build a club up. You're not going to be getting hundreds of emails per day on the first week. And if you do manage that, you've got to keep it up. Don't get complacent, either, because weyr turnover rate can be high, and you always need fresh blood to bring new perspectives and new ideas.
When in doubt, never be afraid to ask more experienced club owners and administrators for help. You'll find that as a whole, big, well established clubs love to see smaller ones grow, and love to offer advice. That's what we're here for. ;) Trust me, those of us who run big clubs wouldn't be able to manage without the support and advice of our fellow club owners.
One resource I highly recommend for all club owners is Pern Alliance. http://www.pernalliance.com is the URL. It's a great place to ask questions, deal with problems, and get advice from old hands. Stuck on an idea for a plot? They're good at answering that. Odds are good that you're not the first to deal with a given problem, and someone else can help you find the right solution.
Happy advertising, folks, and may your clubs grow strong and active!