NEW: Use These Forums To Sell Your Services

[Clinton]

Clinton, I originally signed up to promote my site and you had a word with me and I left.

You did the right thing then.

Now I'm back because this forum is actually useful.

You've done the right thing now.

And I hope tomw, like others, will join us in the right spirit. The last thing I need are spammers pretending to be members (yes, if your main purpose here is to promote your business you meet this forum's definition of spammer).

Maybe reward good users... for example, those who post over X amount of posts are allowed to put a link in their signature

It's already the case that members have to meet a certain number of posts to gain privileges like signature access. And lots of fairly new members didn't like me writing to them to point out that their initial posts can't be one-liners, that we have a different definition for fluff if you're new. Those who haven't demonstrated in their early posts, and within a certain time, that they are capable of interacting on the level we do here ... are now all ex-members.

Every day we have spammer idiots open accounts here and head straight to edit their signatures and profiles (despite the clear instructions in the welcome mail). It gives me great pleasure watching in the logs how they hit one error message after another

[Andy]

. It gives me great pleasure watching in the logs how they hit one error message after another

We need to find you a hobby, Clinton.

Peter, I don't know too many people who are expert at buying and running, much less monetizing forums. Granted I'm not sure how much demand there is for this particular expertise but it's just something obvious to me.

I know at times I've wondered (JUST wondered for now guys :-) about hiring folks like Thomas or Christopher for a new site. Those two came off the top of my head (whew!) but I know there are others.

It's an idea worth considering. I'm sure if it turns into something ugly we can count on Clinton to shut it down.

Andy

[petertdavis]

Peter, I don't know too many people who are expert at buying and running, much less monetizing forums. Granted I'm not sure how much demand there is for this particular expertise but it's just something obvious to me.

I don't know if it's so much of a lack of demand, as a lack of appropriate opportunity. I've been offered a number of "positions" that I've turned down and tried out a few things that haven't worked out. I am working on one big forum project with a partner right now, and that's doing well.

Nine times out of ten when someone asks me to help them with their forum, what they're really asking is that they want me to do 90% of the work, and they're willing to split the profits 50/50 with me. Some aren't as generous, though, and some would be hard-pressed to keep up with doing their 10%. But, if I'm going to do all the work, I may as well just keep all the profits.

OTOH, I do understand very well that partnering with someone who has complimentary skills with me and is equally as motivated, I can accomplish more than just going it alone. I tried to talk Ajeet into something last week, but it didn't pan out. I may try again with him, who knows. I'm open to working with people, it just has to make sense to me.

I'd really rather get into a situation where I'm more of a partner than an employee or consultant. Money is not a big motivator to me, but working with someone who is more successful than I is a big motivator. I want to work on projects with successful people like Ajeet and Clinton, because even if the project flops I know I'm going to be better for the experience. I'm not afraid of failing, but I am afraid of wasting my time.

[Ajeet]

I tried to talk Ajeet into something last week, but it didn't pan out. I may try again with him, who knows.

I hope that we will try again. It is my lack of understanding for the space you operate in that causes hesitation, but I am getting there. Thanks for thinking of me

I want to work on projects with successful people like Ajeet and Clinton, because even if the project flops I know I'm going to be better for the experience.

Whoa. Thanks Peter

[Clinton]

OTOH, I do understand very well that partnering with someone who has complimentary skills with me and is equally as motivated,

OK, given the nature of this forum then, should I take a leaf from LinkedIn and have a "interested in..." summary?

Example entry:
[[Member Name]] - member since Jan 2010 - [[check this member out]]
Claimed Skills: Javascript, moving websites, forums, due diligence, creating websites to demand, CSS
Interested In: JVs on ebook launching, CSS design, Domain portfolios to purchase

Such a post could become huge over time so I could limit the number of entries in there based on forum activity i.e. set a post threshold because users are still going to be judging partners/service providers based on how knowledgable they seem in that field.

Any othe ideas for how I could assist to increase the natural partnerships that are forming on here (and get members business from the rising number of non-members coming to these forums and browsing around?

[Clinton]

Help me to help you ... and all that