New Members Asking for Help

[spiritbird]

I am seeing, as I am sure you are too, many new members posting one time with a bird problem and then do not follow up with us to let us know how things are going. It happens over and over again. I usually respond to these people even if my knowledge of what is going on is limited to let them know that on PP we care. Does anyone have any suggestions how we can encourage new members to stick around and be part of our family?

[Mare]

I find, with myself, that I don't respond if I have no knowledge of the question being asked. I think most of us are friendly and welcoming to new members, though. You've been very good with folks, Dianne, trying to lead them to educational sources. I suppose that's what we should be doing..?..

[Albert]

Diane i find thats pretty common on most boards online. Whether its about parrots, BMW Z3's, fiddling, or what have you. Folks tend to seek out the readily available advice on a board when they first get or have something or they have a problem. Heck, when i got my Z3 (sportscar) and found an online board, i got scared! Almost every post was OH this broke on me, and How do i fix that, etc. I thought wow these must need a lot of repairs (not true ..its a really fun car). Same with this and other parrot boards. You read about one species and say to yourself ' Well that kinda bird is not for me, look at all these folks who are having issues with these *********** parrots'.

[bill-e]

I've been frequenting message boards since before they were invented (anyone remember echomail?) and it's always been like this. There is a percentage of folks who run into an issue or have a pre sales question and they shotgun it to every place that is even remotely applicable to their issue and when they get the answer that they are looking for you never see them again. THese people most often already know what they want the answer to be and they are just looking for validation.

Then there are the zealots or non-realists who live in an ivory tower world and answer every question as if the only correct answer was their own and in order to comply one would have to be independently wealthy, have no life, spend 100% of their time with the subject etc. They are a significant force which drives people away from a board.

Hmm, then there are the haters, those who only joined because they had a problem and now feel that they were screwed. These people will join every conversation and only respond negatively.

That leaves the rest of us who are mostly just social people looking to share our experiences and learn from others.

I don't have enough experience with this board to be able to accurately characterize the population but from my limited exposure here, I would think what spiritbird is referring to is just the first thing I mentioned which is people just looking for a quick answer to their issue and one which they can live with so there's no reason to participate any further for them.

[Sucre]

I've moderated many forums, and I think the consensus is right. People are looking for a quick answer / result. If they don't hear just exactly what they want to hear, they look elsewhere. The constant posters are the ones who have a grip on things! LOL

I certainly have my share of problems with Sucre. I take every bit of advice I can get and even when it doesn't sound logical, I give it a try because I'm new to the big bird thing. But I usually only have time to get on here and browse / post on the weekends, unfortunately. Between work and my mini zoo and trying to keep Sucre in line, I don't have much spare time during the week. You guys/gals have been so great and so helpful, and I love seeing that everyone seems to have a sense of humor about the problem areas we encounter with parrots. I don't think you're doing anything wrong! I think it's just the nature of the beast.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I think the stayers are the people who lurk for a while before joining, getting a feel for the place by just reading what is going on, till one day there is a subject that they want to join in on then they join up, having already spent six months working out what their forum name is going to be. :th_smile:


At least, that's how I do it.:th_wink:

[bill-e]

Not me, when I decide I want to participate in a board I post right away on a few of them and then look for the reaction. :)

[Lady]

Well sometimes when I see a new person I look at their profile and if they have been here a few days without a post I send a quick hello and welcome message. I try to encourage them to tell us a bit about themselves and there thoughts on birds in general unless they listed a bird.

[BirdWhisperer]

I notice that too, or how about the ones who sign up on forums wanting to take in a bird for free or a little fee yet they never stick around to actually post... I've seen that happen myself.