Post by Stal on Oct 21, 2007 22:51:33 GMT -5
The issue has been raised recently in both Mod Squad and amongst the membership in how new member greetings are being handled. So here's some simple tips in greeting new members. Not all of these are issues, but in general, they're good tips to keep in mind.
1) Stay calm. Yes, we as a membership base can get pretty crazy at times. But there's no need to go all out insane with welcoming a new member. This can turn quite a few people off to the forum. Remember that not everyone is crazy, and generally speaking the insanity is located in only one or two folders of the forum. Those that do stick around also have a tendency to try and overdo it in an attempt to fit in, when everyone should just be themselves.
2) Don't overwhelm the members. The forum is fairly large (especially as some forums go), and we cover a wide-range of topics and areas. Probably not the best idea to overdo your greetings, or be the fifth person to post a set of rules or links. Be kind, offer some helpful tips, and guiding, but don't overdo it.
3) Be patient and understanding. New members won't have all the rules down yet, and may be used to other ways of handling things and react on instinct. Jumping on someone for double or triple-posting, or spamming, isn't really needed or welcoming to the newer members. A kind reminder or pointing out of some of the policies will suffice, but not for each and every infraction. Give it some time and allow the person to adapt.
4) If you can, make an effort to get to know the new people. Whether you "adopt" some, or find ways to make yourself open and available to them, it's up to you. But sometimes this forum can seem a little cliqueish to outsiders, and it can be seen as extremely hard to break into things and be accepted. Even now, we have established members who still feel like outsiders (especially those who don't do the whole insanity thing). This can be easily overcome just by the right attitude towards new members. Remember what it was like when you first arrived and didn't know anyone (or only knew a few people), and try to think about what you would've liked to have happened in your case. But again, don't overwhelm them or anything.
That's about as many as I can think of right now. Hopefully this'll help in the long run and be a good reminder to everyone. Think of the newbies.
1) Stay calm. Yes, we as a membership base can get pretty crazy at times. But there's no need to go all out insane with welcoming a new member. This can turn quite a few people off to the forum. Remember that not everyone is crazy, and generally speaking the insanity is located in only one or two folders of the forum. Those that do stick around also have a tendency to try and overdo it in an attempt to fit in, when everyone should just be themselves.
2) Don't overwhelm the members. The forum is fairly large (especially as some forums go), and we cover a wide-range of topics and areas. Probably not the best idea to overdo your greetings, or be the fifth person to post a set of rules or links. Be kind, offer some helpful tips, and guiding, but don't overdo it.
3) Be patient and understanding. New members won't have all the rules down yet, and may be used to other ways of handling things and react on instinct. Jumping on someone for double or triple-posting, or spamming, isn't really needed or welcoming to the newer members. A kind reminder or pointing out of some of the policies will suffice, but not for each and every infraction. Give it some time and allow the person to adapt.
4) If you can, make an effort to get to know the new people. Whether you "adopt" some, or find ways to make yourself open and available to them, it's up to you. But sometimes this forum can seem a little cliqueish to outsiders, and it can be seen as extremely hard to break into things and be accepted. Even now, we have established members who still feel like outsiders (especially those who don't do the whole insanity thing). This can be easily overcome just by the right attitude towards new members. Remember what it was like when you first arrived and didn't know anyone (or only knew a few people), and try to think about what you would've liked to have happened in your case. But again, don't overwhelm them or anything.
That's about as many as I can think of right now. Hopefully this'll help in the long run and be a good reminder to everyone. Think of the newbies.