Frag Swap Barkers

[ocd_mariner]

I need some people to help spread the frag swap word throughout the interwebs, forums, etc.

Please use my avatar also :)

I'm not sure what the best way to coordinate the onslaught would be, so Im open to ideas.

Here is our flyer image. I've also included the flyer print out incase anyone wants to distribute flyers in their area (http://imgur.com/raKQF.jpg). Was anyone involved distributing flyers last year?

http://imgur.com/RXqo0.jpg

[DgenR8]

Something tells me that I can avoid issues down the road by linking my announcement here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/announcement.php?f=286

If you guys were all already aware of that recent development, carry on.

[ocd_mariner]

Yep. Somebody has to talk to them though. Thanks :)

[MVlk]

Is there any way we can help link people to the frag swap page without violating RC rules. I assume putting the link in my signature would be a no no?

[gflat65]

The new rule shouldn't cause too many problems for you. I used to post in every forum within 5 hours of the swap location. I also have been posting in every other forum I can find, though some of them have sent nasty grams (none official, but one or two users of the site would complain endlessly, but the admins must have realized that those people complain about everything and most sent me messages telling me I was fine in my posting. Checking other club's actual websites for forums might be a way to get the word out without too much trouble. Despite official numbers from last years swap, I think it was by far the largest in the South to date.

Can't wait for January:).

[DgenR8]

Just post a thread in neighboring club forums here at RC asking who their President is. Once you know, contact them, forward a copy of what you would have posted and ask if they'd post it in their forum for you. This way, it's up to that club's leadership, and it's not a problem for RC to deal with. :thumbsup:

[NeveSSL]

I believe Brian was distributing flyers last year. We mainly just put some at each LFS.

I love the way the avatar and flyers look, Chuck! Did you do them? If so, great job! If not, great job to whoever did! :)

Brandon

[DMBillies]

I hung a large-ish poster at each of the LFS's and gave each of them a short stack of flyers to hang elsewhere around the store. I also tried to organize people putting them in high traffic areas around town, but I'm not overly sure how successful I was with that. I'll have to print out a stack of them and paper them around Vanderbilt the next time I do a flyer run for my study (which should be soon). We definitely should try to hit up the major chain pet stores in the area. Might I suggest some flyers with cut-away tabs that have the frag swap website on it?

Speaking of the frag swap website... we need that before we do too much advertising if it isn't already in the works. The one thing I would like to see make a return is the ability to sign up for a frag swap mailing list when people visit the site. I got a lot of sign-ups through that and I think it would be a good thing to keep doing.

We do have a huge e-mail list of everyone that registered at the last frag swap/signed up through the website. I think/hope that will be a boon in helping to get return visitors who don't really stay in touch with the club. It might not be a horrible idea to hit up that list with the posters now to let people know it is coming (save the date) and just ask for a little help in spreading the word while you are at it. I'm not sure non-club members will do much, and we should contact the other clubs presidents on a more personal level to get into forums and everything, but it can't hurt to let as many people know about this as possible and as early as possible.

I feel like advertising is something we need to keep thinking about in order to grow the swap, both in getting as many Nashville/Murfreesboro people as possible but also pulling in people across the region.

I would not have called the google advertising from last year an overly huge pull, but I did get some really good input on making advertisements get more hits for less money (from a friend of a friend that works at google) and part of the problem we had last year was figuring out how much money is worth dropping into advertisements. Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition through google which makes it expensive, but it is highly targeted advertising. In my experience you have to be willing to pay $.30 for a click-through though and who knows what the actual conversion rate is. Last year we spent about $70 on it, got 270 clicks, and got a handful of additional people that specifically mentioned google on their registration forms (there were a lot of people who wrote "internet" which was not helpful in figuring out how effective it was really, so if we want to do a similar thing for registration this year, it should be a multiple choice of the different kinds of places we advertised).

Other ideas we didn't do last year that I've thought of since:
Do any of the LFS's maintain mailing lists that we might want to ask if we can send out a message on? Obviously there are competing places that reefers hang out at that we need to target aside from just RC posting. As we are getting sponsors we ought to ask if they would be willing to place a link/banner for the swap on their website or if they maintain e-mail lists they could send an announcement for (especially if they are attending... like a "hey, come meet the XXXXXX crew at MTRC's Reef Expo"). I know we have a few SCUBA divers around here. It might seem like a stretch, but if there is a way to get the word out to SCUBA folks in the region it might not be a bad idea. They are probably the most likely group to be interested in the swap or to have tanks but not really know about reef clubs/frag swaps. I know there are a few tank maintenance companies in the area. I'm sure they have client lists and might be willing to mention the swap to customers if we take the time to get in touch with some of them.

Anyway... there I've gone and written a book.

[sandalscout]

Chuck, I'll gladly post on up in the NTRC forum. I'm the Vice President and our President is currently very limited in her time online. DgenR8, how will RC Mods determine who club officers are, or will simply stating that I am an officer suffice?

Thanks

[gflat65]

If you know someone that works at the Tennessean, that was a great method of getting the word out. I had my fifteen minutes of fame from our inside contact (I don't think she works there any more, though). They sent someone out and took pictures of corals for the paper and did an article that brought in at least a few good members;). You can also try radio PSA's. Jenn works for a radio station selling ads and said that in theory, PSA's exist, but getting them played is another story (so many requests). She said most stations will have a website that you can post community item on a calendar. It may not be mentioned on air, but you never know. With the right wording, you might catch the attention of some of the on air talent, making them mention it, even in jest (Reefer's Unite, or something actually witty and more cross functionally punny;)). You might be able to post on the Tennessean's website, too, in similar fashion. Craigslist is another way to get the word out. I think I posted some fliers on the community boards at Super Pets and the other pet stores in Rivergate one year (though don't know if they did any good, or if the fliers were even left up for very long). Having the pull off tabs with contact info on the fliers like Brian mentioned is a good idea, too. Just throwing out anything that comes to mind...

[allgoodsystems]

I can get this in the DNJ easily. If someone will give me the copy I will hand it over to my contact.

If you know someone that works at the Tennessean, that was a great method of getting the word out. I had my fifteen minutes of fame from our inside contact (I don't think she works there any more, though). They sent someone out and took pictures of corals for the paper and did an article that brought in at least a few good members;). You can also try radio PSA's. Jenn works for a radio station selling ads and said that in theory, PSA's exist, but getting them played is another story (so many requests). She said most stations will have a website that you can post community item on a calendar. It may not be mentioned on air, but you never know. With the right wording, you might catch the attention of some of the on air talent, making them mention it, even in jest (Reefer's Unite, or something actually witty and more cross functionally punny;)). You might be able to post on the Tennessean's website, too, in similar fashion. Craigslist is another way to get the word out. I think I posted some fliers on the community boards at Super Pets and the other pet stores in Rivergate one year (though don't know if they did any good, or if the fliers were even left up for very long). Having the pull off tabs with contact info on the fliers like Brian mentioned is a good idea, too. Just throwing out anything that comes to mind...

[cee]

Sorry, premature.

[ducklabdad]

In Keeping with the intent of the RC Moderators, If you will send me what you would like for us to put on our forum The West Tennessee Marine and Reef Aquarium club will be glad to post on our site.

I am the president elect of that organization, and the current president would approve as well without a problem.. We wish you all luck and hope I can attend.

[DMBillies]

Chris told me on Wednesday at the Critter that they were out of fliers. I am printing some right now and am going to drop about 30 1/2-page flyers off at the store on my way to run some other errands tonight.

I figured I would post to say that we might need to check in on other stores or get flyers there. I can say from the past that a lot of our outside attenders were from our stores... and this thread needed a bump now that the Christmas craziness is officially over.