How can we lure new members

[Bluebowtie]

I have noticed there is always a huge amount of guests and not so many members logged on. Some of this could be due to the season. How can we lure all these guests into joining?

Many auto forums have ride/scoot of the month contests with the winners winning their ride/scoot as the pic at the top of the home page of the forum. Some also have vendor gift certificates.

Anyone else have any ideas?




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[wildchld]

No ideas but seeing the same. Your 2 ideas are a great start!

 

[TomA]

There will always be lurkers and the ones that joint share their information willingly some of the others won't. That's just life.

Understand what your saying and everybody is welcome to joint this site even if you don't contribute. Tried to talk a friend into joining and he refuses because he doesn't have anything to contribute as he has everything on his bike done at the dealership and of course they are the only ones that are right. Makes me happy every time I see a post from Hulkss as he knows what he's talking about and if not goes to the source for an answer to share with us. Wondering if Harley knows about the number 1 plug wire like Spazz posted about that one will save us all heart ache in the future Thanks again Spazz

I'll get off the soap box just my 2 cents

 

[Bluebowtie]

You are correct there will always be lurkers there is on every forum. With that being said I've never see the amount of lurkers on any of the other forums I'm a member of so great vs logged in members. At any given time there is 5-10 members and 150-160 guests. That's a huge difference.


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[Mojo]

TomA is right, many just want to pick off the info and tips but not join any forums. Many don't actually own a SG but can benefit from the ideas and comments we post for their particular model; some will eventually join. I'd rather have it the way we are not than to have "everything but the kitchen sink" threads started by people who wish to push personal agendas about everything except Harleys. I especially like the camaraderie fostered here. Its clean, polite and spot on for our scoots!!!

 

[Spazz]

Here ( SG forums ) I noticed that guests and lurkers can still access posts and threads WITHOUT being a member.

There are some forums that REQUIRE you to login to view threads and posts.

That being said... I am not saying go that route. I like the fact that this forum is 'free' of the BS that many have fallen to. Being that the shared info we post can be seen by all doesn't bother me and those lurkers who do see it should realize that if they find useful info here, they should at least become a member and say THANKS... if not... no biggie.

The forum will grow over time... they all do... I was #72 on a forum just after it got away from the mailing list style... was asked to moderate as the forum grew larger....well over 50,000 members now in a little over 10 years.

 

[BillyBob]

Many of the guest are bots
From the search engines. We are listed very high in google and yahoo if you search for streeglide or streetglide forums.

Also only a few topics on this forum are open to the public. Most are restricted to our members. That being said any promotional ideas are always welcome .

We should hit 3000 members soon!

 

[somtron]

Maybe I should know this Bill, but what the heck is a bots?

 

[Bluebowtie]

Maybe I should know this Bill, but what the heck is a bots?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_bot


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[somtron]

Thanks Blue learned something new today.

 

[MrG]

Create a Pin, patch or T-shirt
If you go the route of paid members, they get a tshirt/pin
purchase the pin get a membership etc...

Places for Patches
IronHead
Custom Patches

Pins
Custom Motorcycle Pins
Specialty Pins

Another HD forum that my partner is a member of has a flag that travels the country, they take pics of it in various places then it's passed off between members...
They have a map, you let the owners know via mail that you'd like to participate
the flag travels with a rider, and they look to see who's close by, and passes it off...the flag transfer is photographed, and flag is signed, and it's on it's way again,
It's something they do every year, and they map out the route where it is, who's had it and who wants it...and members can view it...
it's really very slick

 

[Mojo]

Perhaps some of our members can get Bills Streetglide.com business cards and distribute them. Thats what I do, I put them on cork boards at each HD dealer I visit and hand them out to SG owners when I meet them.

 

[Bluebowtie]

Wonder if the dealer would let me drop a card in each of scoots on the sales floor.


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[TomA]

You don't know if you don't ask Bowtie?? Will have to PM Bill and get some cards I'm thinking thanks Mojo

 

[BillyBob]

Thanks guys, I'll look into getting some pins and patches made. Don't ever plan on taking to a paid membership though. We are getting about 10 new members a day which isn't bad

 

[BillyBob]

Maybe I should know this Bill, but what the heck is a bots?

For some reason we are getting a lot of attention from the Chinese search engine www.baidu.com
not sure why?

 

[Bluebowtie]

Not sure I want to click that ^^^^^^^^


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[sprnt96]

I wonder if people just don't sign in every time? I have to sign in every time I come on, the site doesn't recognize me so I have to hit the screen name and password each time. I don't have to do that on some of the other sites

 

[wallyjar]

Yes, I cannot understand why there is a remember me box and I check it every time and still have to log in if I am away for 5 minutes.

If I am going to take a quick look it is easier not to sign in. I am a brand new member and do not post much cause I have a lot more to learn than to give.

 

[wildchld]

Strange doesn't happen to me. What browser are you using or maybe you have cookies turned off.