here's my card

[Ten]

For serious, folks. Even though I have tons of fun here, it would be nice if Starless were a little bigger. We already have ads on a lot of other sites, and that's not bringing in much, so I figure it wouldn't hurt to try some real life "advertising", so to speak. I could print out a bunch of business cards and leave a few wherever I go. The thing is, most people irl don't have any idea what role playing is, or if they do, they think it's all like Dungeons and Dragons. So I need a concise way to both introduce the idea of role play and Starless' unique take on it. My current idea for defining role play is something like "where reading meets writing" but I don't know how to incorporate that into a description of Starless. Thoughts? How should I design the cards?

[Thistle]

I like Starless as a small, tight-knit community, since it's so much more, um, cozier? than other sites I've been on. But more members definitely wouldn't hurt.

As for the cards, unfortunately, my mind's blank right now. Maybe 'Starless; where reading meets writing. Weave a tale of different beliefs, a perilous lifestyle, and ancient betrayal in a -cool adjective here- desert.' ... that's horrible, I know. >> But something like that, maybe?

[Darky [Megan]]

I'll have to say that the cards don't seem like a very good idea to me. Real-life advertising probably wouldn't work much better than advertising on the internet, unless you know a few good clubs or societies or groups or what-have-you that you think might actually be interested in roleplaying (and even then I doubt we'd attract many members at all).

I'd much rather keep on advertising on the internet and target hotspots like Neopets (maybe that made you cringe, but there are a few gems we might find there - most of us hopped on over from that very site, after all) and other large roleplaying sites. The traffic will come eventually as our reputation builds up.

It might be a good idea to perhaps do a quick redo of our buttons. I don't know about the rest of you, but most of the time I click on buttons only because they're really pretty. Our homepage could also do with a slight makeover. That is to say, not that I don't love the homepage (because Spot really did do a lovely job on it) but it doesn't show off a lot of community activity and that usually plays a huge part in whether or not a forum seems welcoming. I find that side-columns detailing current news often work, and a little section where we can put up other forums' buttons lets people know that we've been around.

[Thistle]

Extra two cents: maybe we could have a few buttons, one of them our original one and the rest new. I like the one we have now, but some variety wouldn't hurt either. :3

[Gosh]

I also believe that, unless you know some groups that already do some form of roleplay, real life is not where we should advertise. Thinking of the people I know in real life, only a few really have any concept of the kind of roleplaying we do here. (I actually advertised Starless to two of my real-life friends who roleplay Warriors a lot, but they're kinda in the semi-lit range, so...) I agree with Darky in that advertising on internet hotspots like Neopets is probably our best bet; a lot of us came from there, after all. And there are some others, too.. perhaps Subeta or Wajas, although I'm not sure if y'all have heard of those places.

[Ten]

May 6, 2010 2:44:54 GMT -5 Thistle said:

I like Starless as a small, tight-knit community, since it's so much more, um, cozier? than other sites I've been on. But more members definitely wouldn't hurt.

I concur. I wouldn't ever try to make this place as huge as WC RPG -- but then, since Starless has such a... niche market, what with the unusual plot, unusual setting (how many warrior fora are set in a generic forest?), and unusual requirements, I doubt Starless ever could be big.

Yeah, we're special. :3

May 6, 2010 4:19:07 GMT -5 Darky [Megan] said:

I'll have to say that the cards don't seem like a very good idea to me. Real-life advertising probably wouldn't work much better than advertising on the internet, unless you know a few good clubs or societies or groups or what-have-you that you think might actually be interested in roleplaying (and even then I doubt we'd attract many members at all).

The lit. mag. club, creative writing classes, bookstores, libraries... But you're right that it'd be a long shot.


"I'd much rather keep on advertising on the internet and target hotspots like Neopets (maybe that made you cringe, but there are a few gems we might find there - most of us hopped on over from that very site, after all) and other large roleplaying sites."
--
I used to advertise a lot on Neo. Waiting around for people to respond, redirecting folks, and "no, this board is an ad; don't try to role play with me here" were a bit of a pain. Still, I should try advertising there again.


"It might be a good idea to perhaps do a quick redo of our buttons. I don't know about the rest of you, but most of the time I click on buttons only because they're really pretty."
--
mm, I tend to assume lame graphics come with lame writers. >< Or at least people who don't know what they're doing. Anyway -- Darky, are you volunteering to make a pretty button? I have photoshop, but that doesn't mean I could make anything nice.


"I find that side-columns detailing current news often work, and a little section where we can put up other forums' buttons lets people know that we've been around."
--
You mean like the affiliates table that shows up below the chatbox on the homepage?

I've been wanting to add an updates table under the banner, but I've been putting that off for whenever we get a new skin... Not that adding one table is difficult. It would only take a few minutes.

May 6, 2010 7:21:26 GMT -5 Thistle said:

Extra two cents: maybe we could have a few buttons, one of them our original one and the rest new. I like the one we have now, but some variety wouldn't hurt either. :3

mmhm, I like it when a forum offers several to choose from. I can't think of any rational reason for that, but it's nice. x)

May 6, 2010 21:05:56 GMT -5 Gosh said:

I also believe that, unless you know some groups that already do some form of roleplay, real life is not where we should advertise.

I was hoping to introduce the idea of role play to some new folks, but then, it sounds weird to anyone who isn't familiar with it... Even though it couldn't hurt, you and Darky are right; I shouldn't expect anything to come of it. =P


"(I actually advertised Starless to two of my real-life friends who roleplay Warriors a lot, but they're kinda in the semi-lit range, so...)"
--
You did? Gosh!
And ya lahwy, I don't mind what "range" they're in. I still consider myself semi-lit.


"I agree with Darky in that advertising on internet hotspots like Neopets is probably our best bet; a lot of us came from there, after all. And there are some others, too.. perhaps Subeta or Wajas, although I'm not sure if y'all have heard of those places."
--
Ah, Subeta...

I've heard of Wajas too, but I don't have an account there. I didn't even know there was a way to advertise there. They have boards?

[Gosh]

May 8, 2010 9:28:15 GMT -5 Ten said:

"(I actually advertised Starless to two of my real-life friends who roleplay Warriors a lot, but they're kinda in the semi-lit range, so...)"
--
You did? Gosh!
And ya lahwy, I don't mind what "range" they're in. I still consider myself semi-lit.


"I agree with Darky in that advertising on internet hotspots like Neopets is probably our best bet; a lot of us came from there, after all. And there are some others, too.. perhaps Subeta or Wajas, although I'm not sure if y'all have heard of those places."
--
Ah, Subeta...

I've heard of Wajas too, but I don't have an account there. I didn't even know there was a way to advertise there. They have boards?

Well, the two friends in question tried to make cats, I think, but they found the processing too strict or something. I know Wajas has boards (I've been in one really cool roleplay there) but now that I think about it, I can't remember what their advertising rules are. I haven't been on Subeta or Wajas in a while, come to think of it...