What is an active forum member?

[GunsAmerica Fan]

Hi Everyone. I am doing a promotion for SHOT show where we are going to give gun writers "free" accounts, which amounts to a large account credit on optional posting upgrade fees and after sale fees (posting guns for sale is always free to everyone). We are sponsoring the lunch at the media range day on monday before SHOT and my sales guy came up with this idea. I'd like to open it up to gun bloggers and active people on the few popular online forums, because I feel that they put more effort into educating the next generation than the print writers do. But where do you draw the line? For bloggers, I think I want to go with that their blog is in the top 1,000,000 for US traffic on Alexa. Michael Bane (who is a friend) is just under 500k so I figure that is fair. But for the forum active guy, what is fair? Do they have to be a moderator? I was thinking like 3,000 posts, judging from this forum and the few others I have been checking out over the past few weeks. What do you think?

 

[Claude Clay]

observation---

you have 54 posts--i guess you have voted yourself out of the
game you want to play

2000 posts rewards those who have been in a forum a longish time or
have a lot to say

seems to rewards quantity rather than or in place of quality.

many people post on more than one forum--how would you count their posts?
is any one forum worth more than another? how much? who decides?

---------------------

many forums have it such that you post and after a certain number of posts your privileges
are increased--avatar, sig line, ability to post wanted or for sale items.

seems a fair system.

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

Yea I'm new to the gun forums. I never took the time to get involved because I don't keep up so good with news and stuff. I build guitar amps as a hobby and I have used the amp building boards, but mostly as a newbie begging for help, not someone who knows stuff. But I decided that it was time to do guns because these days I do know more than most people because of my involvement with the industry. And now that I'm giving it a chance I find that I love it. It has also brought me a new respect for the mods and I think I'm even going to put forums on GA soon. Heck I got banned here my first day, but they let me back.

I like the progressive system and that was what I was thinking for this as well. This is just the first idea really. I can do giveaways that only active forum members can enter and what not. I already spoke to one of the mods on a board about possibly writing some articles for our new magazine too. The online community is the future of gun freedom I think, and the people who are in the trenches should be rewarded.

2000 might be the right number. I don't know. 3000 had in mind more than one board, so it could be split. idk.

 

[Mags]

I think you should search the word "review" in this forum and see who has wrote the best and most firearm/product reviews recently. Maybe these guys would be more likely to review your products.

 

[wvshooter]

But I decided it was time to do guns...

God bless you my friend. We all love guns and we all love gun people. Enjoy the ride.

 

[tank mechanic]

I wouldn't go on post count alone. I have seen quite a few posters that have had about a thousand posts start a thread like " Turning 18 tomorrow, what should I get for my first gun".

 

[danbrew]

Post count simply means one talks a lot. Moderator status also doesn't mean much in terms of quality writing. I'm a moderator at one of the longest running gun boards out there - but am a relative newcomer here. Moderator status simply means you know the guy hosting the board or were at the right time at the right place, imho.

What is your end objective? Giving discounts for a fee-based board? You're trying to attract well written/spoken folks - how come? What do you want to do with this new cadre of members that you have solicited? Use their writing/name/brand to market to your customers? To offer something new to your group?

You say above:

because I feel that they put more effort into educating the next generation than the print writers do

I guess the question I have is how you would quantify this? It's easier to quantify the success of a print author - how many magazines did you sell? How many new (or canceled) subscriptions? How much feedback from subscribers? It's harder to quantify the success of a verbose internet author. I can't tell you how many times I've clicked through to an interesting discussion only to find in the first two seconds, the author either had poor writing style, couldn't convey simple facts, had his facts incorrect, etc. So how then do you discern whether my click through was a "sale"?

Complicated stuff.

I guess

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

I guess I just assume everyone on this board knows what GunsAmerica is, sorry. GunsAmerica is classified ads for guns. You post your guns for free and if GA sells them you pay 1-2% in after sale fees. The promotion is to give gun writers the ability to sell their own guns or review guns they buy at a discount for free on GA.

The forums, if I decide to do it, would be free and much like these and the firing line, Ar15 et al. The objective of the boards is to give my visitors (about 2.5 unique visitors a month) a forum to ask questions and discuss important events in the industry. It's just another place to provide information, to people who land at GunsAmerica.

I'm not trying to attract people with it. I think everyone who is active with guns not only knows about GA, but probably already has an account. It is to open a line of communication between GA and the people who are talking to people online, in hopes of learning enough about what people want to be able to take our application to the next generation as the internet matures. I wrote a book for a major publisher about website automation in 1997, so I've seen internet .9, 1.0, 2.0, and now what many are calling 3.0, and I feel the next generation of it is going to require a discussion with people who are passionate about your specialty. 3,000 posts in various discussion boards is pretty passionate.

Which also answers the question of quality writing. I don't feel that it is part of the equation. Good writers are good writers and I am hiring them now for articles. You can be smart, passionate about firearms and shooting, and have what to say without being a good writer.

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

thanks btw mvshooter. Likewise, and happy new year.

 

[tank mechanic]

Another way is to ask around on the boards for people to recommend. I would recommend that you ask rcmodel if he would like a spot. That man knows everything about firearms and has a very clear, succinct way of answering questions on the thehighroad.

 

[wishin]

I like a variation of tank mechanic's suggestion. Post the THR handle of those you've selected as a poll on THR. After a short while on this forum, we all get a sense of who is more constructive in criticism or advice, knowledgeable, has good communications skills and has a sense of humor. And whatever else is important to you that can be learned from the writtten word.

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

Yea, that's a great idea, the poll. I have to figure out the details first, but it sounds like I'm on the right track with the idea at least. With me that is never a guarantee, or even a strong probably sometimes.

 

[danbrew]

I guess I just assume everyone on this board knows what GunsAmerica is, sorry. GunsAmerica is classified ads for guns. You post your guns for free and if GA sells them you pay 1-2% in after sale fees. The promotion is to give gun writers the ability to sell their own guns or review guns they buy at a discount for free on GA.

Ah... well, not a dig on GA, but prices there are generally > than on other sources on the net.

The forums, if I decide to do it, would be free and much like these and the firing line, Ar15 et al. The objective of the boards is to give my visitors (about 2.5 unique visitors a month) a forum to ask questions and discuss important events in the industry. It's just another place to provide information, to people who land at GunsAmerica.

Cool. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

I'm not trying to attract people with it. I think everyone who is active with guns not only knows about GA, but probably already has an account.

Pretty sure you're over-estimating that one...

It is to open a line of communication between GA and the people who are talking to people online, in hopes of learning enough about what people want to be able to take our application to the next generation as the internet matures. I wrote a book for a major publisher about website automation in 1997, so I've seen internet .9, 1.0, 2.0, and now what many are calling 3.0, and I feel the next generation of it is going to require a discussion with people who are passionate about your specialty. 3,000 posts in various discussion boards is pretty passionate.

Yeah, unless they're morons.

Which also answers the question of quality writing. I don't feel that it is part of the equation. Good writers are good writers and I am hiring them now for articles. You can be smart, passionate about firearms and shooting, and have what to say without being a good writer.

Maybe... time will tell. The challenge, imho, is for you to get the right guys - folks people will want to read, will want to listen to, who will have smart things to say. The really good ones will want something more than some free ad space - and those guys probably aren't really the ones that are selling lots of guns anyway. Man, I'm negative. Sorry, good luck with the venture.

 

[iiibdsiil]

It's hard to come up with "Active." A lot of people are here every day, me included, but don't necessarily have a lot to contribute like others feel they do. Sometimes what you would have said was covered already because you didn't catch the thread right when it started also.

I'd look for the guys that are continually being said "Maybe xxx will chime in." 1911Tuner comes to mind, but there are a bunch of others also.

 

[searcher451]

The number of posts a person makes isn't nearly as important, to me at least, as the quality of those posts. But how you can judge that, given your requirements, is something akin to an ammo debate.

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

I guess that is the answer then, that it is more of a hand pick than anything else. It would be an application process in that case. But I'll tell you what the problem is. Sorry I'm not known for brevity lol.

The problem is that the web is full of bull***t. No matter what I do, I have to compete with a noise floor of offers and promotion that are either simply not true, or have a catch, or just aren't what they claim to be.

I gave away 5 guns at the NRA show last year and we emailed our database of probably half a million active shooters to enter it (you had to be an NRA member to enter). Only about 1500 people entered.

So I went back and asked people why they didn't enter. They said that they don't bother with those things because they never give the guns away, or the drawing is in two years, or you have to buy something to really register or what not. So I went out and looked around, and sure enough, everyone says they are giving away guns, but go back and try to find the winners afterwords. Granted, some of my guys didn't get their guns for six months because they were Beretta subcompacts and there were none available, but they got their guns and are still in touch with us today.

There are only a dozen or so relevant boards so we aren't talking about a thousand people. But if I advertise that active gun bboard members sell free on GA, nobody is going to believe it, and if I create hoops for them to jump through, omg forget it. They are just going to say that this is bull***t and not bother. It is really frustrating.

To answer Danbrew (I have only successfully quoted another message on this once), I am glad GA has higher prices than what you find at the undercutter sites. I don't feel that people who undercut real gun dealers should be on our website. Eventually the real gun dealers are going to wake up and see that they are cutting their own throats taking transfers from guys selling on a 5% margin and they will cut them off. One brave dealer on this board already has. I believe in my gun freedom and the only people who as invested in the future of gun freedom as I am are brick and mortar stocking gun dealers and gun manufacturers. I would rather fail than sell my freedom short of 100% commitment, and putting my money where my mouth is. For now, enjoy the 5% margins online. It isn't going to last through this administration's run. I'll even bet you a big mac if you like.

 

[danbrew]

I am glad GA has higher prices than what you find at the undercutter sites. I don't feel that people who undercut real gun dealers should be on our website.

well... that's one marketing strategy, i guess. should come as no surprise then that some folks aren't going to shop at GA. there are plenty of folks that will purchase at the local big box or the local gun store. they're paying the higher price because of the convenience, because of gotta have it now itis, or because they don't know any better. one would think the internet savvy amongst your customers would figure out sooner or later that they can buy elsewhere for less - or buy from your dealers that aren't pricing brick & mortar prices online.

i'll take that bet, btw.

 

[Walkalong]

I like used guns, and GunsAmerica almost always is much higher priced in that area, to the point I don't check there much anymore. Just my 2 cents. I wish you well in your endeavor. AC

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

Your on Dan! All it is going to take is one cannon ball over the bow from the administration and all the basement guys are going to give up their FFLs. We'll see if it's in Obama 1 or 2. I guess 2. Slick Willy waited until 2.

 

[taliv]

another challenge is some people don't sell guns they just buy


still, it's a good idea i think

 

[GunsAmerica Fan]

Omg ur telling me. I have to break down and sell off some stuff myself. Problem is I regret every gun I get rid of.

Got an xdm subcompact coming in monday. Officially on loan for an article but I can buy it if I want. Good thing I managed to score some 9 at walmart.

Oh, Walkalong, um, I got an 03 springfield in brand new condition that had been rearmoried and sent through CMP to someone for $450... para p-14 w/LDA trigger on GA for $500, another para p-14, one of the old frame guns with a commander slide for ... oops, $350, that works perfect. And I am not a hardcore deal snooper. I don't even get my own wishlist anymore. I had to unsubscribe.