How do we get new members. Ideas please!

[ColinT]

Who has some suggestions for getting us some new people? No suggestions will be turned down.

Let's get creative.

Service organizations like the Elks

Hospitals

Schools

Your local Fire, Police or ParaMedic

Family members

Stranger on the street

Bowling, softball or other adult teams

Who do YOU know? I'm hitting up my family:) Three of them just got broadband.. Put out more suggestions.

[Steve_Watkins]

Your local Fire, Police or ParaMedic

Hey I resemble that remark! :)

[jkeating]

I think mass media is a way to go. Write a short article (or press release). Talk about DC in general; making use of unused CPU cycles; doesn't interfer with normal computer use; doesn't wear out the computer; emphasize the possible humanitarian benefits from some of the ongoing projects; and of course slip in a little plug for Free-DC as a friendly, helpful site for one and all. The target audience would be the casual computer user. Then get it out to EVERYONE - magazines, newspapers, newsletters, libraries, schools, etc.

Mass media did wonders for SETI and UD. When UD first came out it seems everybody ran an article or talked about UD and finding a cure for cancer. I know I heard about it on the radio, read an article in the local newspaper (may still have a copy of it), and watched something on TV. They (UD) were hoping to get 24 million CPU hours within a year. Next thing they knew, they accumulated the 24 million CPU hours within 3-1/2 weeks!

I find it sad that all of the hospitals and medical facilities with computers all around don't participate in something like GAH, FAH or Sengent. You would think that a medical facility would be interested in helping medical research, especially if it didn't cost anything. Not to mention the thousands and thousands of boxes sitting in schools just idling along.

The answer is not more D (as [H] would say) if that means the existing DC community building more computers for their home farms. The answer is to educate the millions of individuals/corporations that already have computers and are not participating in DC.

The biggest problem is that the general population as no idea that DC even exists! They need enlightenment - and I thought that was a part of the reason for Free-DC.

The first step would be to get the article written. Spreading the word verbally is o.k., but a well written article that could be posted, emailed, or handed-out would be much better, IMHO.

I made copies of the newspaper article I mentioned above and passed it around to people I knew. I left the article with them with a comment about it being interesting. Sometime later I followed up and if they showed any interest, I told them about FAH. At one time I know I had brought over thirty new computers to the project.

Someone here more articulate than me should be able to write an article. Then make the article available to forum members - maybe in the form of a PDF. Then ask, no... encourage, forum members to help distribute to their local newspapers (maybe the editorial section that has letters from readers)/radio and TV stations/ libraries/ schools/ elk clubs/ unions/ friends/ family/ local computer shops/, etc., etc., etc., either by email or by flyer. We have a little local newspaper here that has a regular column written by readers. I would submit a copy to them.

There are members here from all over the world. I can't see where there would be much duplication of efforts even if every forum member participated spreading the word in their own neighborhood. Then maybe start a thread where forum members could talk about where/how they helped spread the word providing ideas for other members.


jkeating

[badsac]

Pillage Ars and [H]???? Oh okay. :rolleyes:

DC has been around for a while now though. Everyone who wants to do it is already doing it.

It will be a long hard road for Free-DC. :(

[dragongoddess]

tax break guys. thats the way to go. get an IRS opinion

[p3ngu1nb0y]

The best way to go is to setup a good community for DC'ers to talk, BS and shoot the perviberal sh*t with one another regardless of forum ties.... Become a good resource that people can use and enjoy etc.

Plus it also helps to use the media.

and as jkeating said "They need enlightenment" so enlighten.

[mr_mann]

threatin to beat their sisters
:D

i think that if they are scared enough of colin they will join no
problem

[The Shaman]

Threaten to date their sisters! :D

Or, just ask.

[mr_mann]

now thats scary :)

[DerekC]

DC has been around for a while now though. Everyone who wants to do it is already doing it.

badsac,

I am a member of Team Macaddict, When ever we get a mention on the Macaddict magazine's website, 4 four times now, we get over 100 new members each time, so get your word out, there are lots of people who still do not know about DC. (I wonder how meny people connect to the internet for the first time each day).

[badsac]

Well, Mac users are a special case. They fly against the norms. :p
But seriously, magazine pimps would be a good way for getting new people, however I doubt its very realistic. Not unless we want to pay for advertising space.

Hey! Do we have any memebers with a money tree growing out the back? ;)

Also, does anyone know if we got any new members from the Inq pimp?

[DerekC]

badsac,

Your right Mac users are a special case we are a close bunch, we have to be or else Mr Gates will install XP on our new G5's, and we can't let that happen. :D

What I was thinking was if you could pimp to the I.T news web site's, informing them of your new concept/team (Free DC) and see what happens.

When Macaddict mentions our team our team web site gets over 1000 hits in a few days so make sure your site is finished.

[Alpha_7]

I did some recruiting last night..
had a 20% return, but I'll keep trying.. :)

[mr_mann]

now we should all do what alpha is doing mixxed with a little
web spam :D

[ColinT]

I' ve already spammed 25 IT sites:) The Inquirer picked it up and I have another online to post it.

[mr_mann]

SHA-Ba'Am :D there ya go colinT

[ken_valyi]

Um guys, I noticed that you have no banner ads on the website. What about striking a deal with say www.about.com to place their banners if the p!mp for you.

I know you want to remain unaffiliated, which is cool, I think though you'll have to reach an agreement with an advertiser/information site to get your word out.

Best of Luck my friends! :)

[ColinT]

Hi Ken,

Check this thread:

http://www.free-dc.org/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=81



http://www.zweb.com/log/freedc_button.jpg

[ken_valyi]

Col,

I saw the Inq. article, and that was pretty darn cool! :cool:

Now try for the National Enquirer (http://www.nationalenquirer.com/) :D

Hey, that rag has got the widest US distribution, and if you add in an ad campaign w/ the Springer Show, and you'll have the wildest forum on the Intar-web! http://ibrad.mine.nu/graphics/smilies/uhoh.gif

[outlnder]

Colin. I think you just gave away a great way to get more members.

If some of us have decent but older hardware we could give away once a week or once a month to people who join and crunch "X" number of WUs in a given project, they would be entered in a drawing for the free hardware.

I understand most of the implications with this, but you said any ideas.

[guru]

How about we sponsor some games servers like Q3 and UT. Everyone knows that gamers have some of the fastest systems around. We can pimp the teams on these game servers. I'll run the UT server if someone wants to run the Q3 server.

[relic]

Free Girlfriends? ;)

[guru]

Free Girlfriends?

That's a good idea but I don't think offering you out as a girlfriend would get us much help. :p

[Dyyryath]

LOL! :D

[relic]

Originally posted by guru


That's a good idea but I don't think offering you out as a girlfriend would get us much help. :p

Well yeah, you're probably right...I just don't have the figure for it. ;)

[dragongoddess]

this is a no no .
unless there are some studs included too. and I dont mean studs in a dream the real thing. Hunks rule

[ColinT]

Dragongoddess: You ALWAYS have your pick of studs. These boy-geeks just want some love:)

[mr_mann]

you can have me dragon :D
GROWL

[Berg.the.Red]

Hooters Girls !!! ( whoo-hoo !! ) :D

... and better titles ... ;)

... and neater Smileys ... :(