Using your members to promote your forum

Do you have any successful methods of encouraging your members to help promote your forum? I've always wondered if setting up "link to us page" with text, banners and graphics for users to use to promote the forum would work.

On another forum I frequent, the administrator will mail you 250 business cards to help promote the forum; I thought that was a neat idea because in that niche, there are many fairs, expos, etc. where you could easily spread the word.

 

I would like to know also. I've been looking into this, actually. Nick, could you link us the forum you're talking about? That actually sounds pretty cool.

 

I've done the Link To Us page, and I know of a few designers that did a few things regarding business cards for their communities (Most of those are gone now).

 

Sure thing, Boss: The forum is ThePerch.net Message Boards - The Friendliest Pet Bird / Parrot Forum on the Net !. Evidently, the site is down for maintenance. I haven't visited in a while (months), so I don't know how long it's been down. Shouldn't be long, as I've never seen the forum down in all the years I've been a member of it.

Once it's back up, I'll link 'ya to the thread announcing the opportunity to request business cards.

 

i didnt know u were on the perch.net..lol...i've always trolled around in there, never regisitered. Im only a member at talkparrots and the african grey forum.

but yea...im workin on cards, and i have decals, that my members get when they donate. Im also working on t-shirts.

 

We have spotter cards that we send to members on request. One side has the forum logo and address the other the user can write their username in a provided block. They then slip these under the wiper when they see another MINI.

Works well for a car based site.

 

i allow members to advertise their own forum/website in a section, in exchange for a link on their forum back to us also i did create a little picture that members can put in their signatures on other forums, with our forums name on

 

I am going to be offering private forums to umpire associations. Many associations don't have their own website muchless a forum where they can discuss their inside business items free from the rest of the forum. I'm hoping they will promote my site in their associations and people will come for that and stay for the rest.

 

For a couple of forums I've been giving out personalized buttons. The members love getting something with their name on it, and happily wear them to conventions. I've even been making holiday buttons.

 

Are you referring to geographical based associations? Town1 Town2?

Have you considered a social group for each? That might cut down on the amount of usergroups you would need to maintain.

Or even a publicly joinable usergroup, which is different than a social group.

Of course private forums for each would work too, but much overhead for more than a few forums.

 

I've thought about that and am going to play with it a bit. I'm still in the planning phases.

 

wasn't this already discussed in this thread?

 

but that is old news.... why go back that far when we have this? hehe

(should have just waited for bananaz to post to it) HAHAHAH (kind joke)

 

lol, but ive already posted in this thread

 

well you do what you want, but if it was my site I would want related content in one spot

 

I see your point.

But in fairness, David's post was more specific about the method of promotion.

This thread is more general in the methods.


@Banana, but you did't in the thread that Brandon was talking about. hehehe

 

yes i agree. Im working on sum toyota cards that will do the same thing. tho theres not that many in my area, my members in the bigger citys will have much better luck with them..

 

I thought about doing bumper stickers. They are like 4 bucks a piece unless you order bulk, which is cheaper.

How to advertise with bumper stickers:

1) Place a few bumper stickers on your back bumper.
2) Locate the busiest intersection in town.
3) Start out about 300 feet before the intersection.
4) Annoy the drivers in anyway possible honk, roll down the window and scream, give the finger, cut in front of as many cars as possible, yell stuff like "read my bumper"
5) Make sure you get to that intersection first and make sure to be there on a red light.
6) Drivers behind you will eventually see the bumper sticker.
7) When the light turns green, wait another 10 seconds.
8) Repeat steps 1-7 untill the police remove your car from the road.
9) If you try this, please make sure to get a video.

So... Anyone want some bumper stickers???

Bumper stickers are a good way to advertise if you have an easy site name to remember. I also have some other ideas, but those are top secret and for my forum only...:p

 

#1 sounds good, not sure about the rest.

I recommend finding a local 'advertising and promotional products' company local to you, yellow pages. You can get stickers *way* cheaper, then hand them out or mail them to people that may want them, like bait and tackle shops, or charter boats, dock boxes.

 

Hehe. I just couldn't resist posting the rest...

These "cheaper" stickers you are talking about, are they vynyl or another words, waterproof?