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ed4copies

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,752
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
About 350 members have now listed their ZIP codes in the "field" that Jeff built a couple weeks ago.

We believe that about 2000 members view the IAP at least once a month.

I am thoroughly convinced there is a way to move the "participation quota" to at least HALF!!! (50%)

So, what do you think I should do to persuade more members to
ZipIt???
​


(Jeff is working on finding a mapping program and that will come, in due course)

Any ideas??

Thanks,
Ed
IAP Chapter Steering Committee
 
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I pm'ed ya an idea, but here is another one.

Any contests being held (bash included) zip code must be entered. If you want to participate in a group buy, zip code required. If you want to sell or do trades/wants zip it.

But there should be a feature of "Not make my zip code visible"
 
Front page tab directly under the featured photo. A lot of folks probably start at the front page and/or the forum page. Put a big colorful tab about it on those two pages and leave it up for at least a month.

Jeff could send a PM to everyone who has logged in in the past three months. I know he probably does not want to do this but this one time might be worthy of breaking a rule. Non profits send their junk mail to everyone directly. They don't send it to the first person on the block and ask them to pass it on! :o)
 
JohnGreco said:
2000 Unique visitors??
Click to expand...

Well, yes and no.

The software can only count unique IP addresses, so if YOU log on at home and at work on your computer, then also on your IPhone, your IPad, your shoe phone (Maxwell Smart), etc, you could be ONE person identified by 5 or 6 IP's.

I should add that this is MY interpretation of the data!!! Jeff can certainly correct this if I am "guessing" wrong!!
 
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Mack,

The postal code field is there. ANY information put into it registers. Some Canadians have put in their codes. Our hope is that this will allow us to find population centers for the IAP.

In sorting the 350 entries, the Canadians "pop out" due to the unique nature of your codes, alphanumeric. So, if a Canadian wanted to know how many are near him, to start a chapter---someday we hope we can tell him.

PERHAPS!!!(Subject to Jeff's approval) the IAP could send PM's to those who are geographically close and make them aware of an effort underway to start a chapter and whom they could contact if the WISH to participate in said chapter.
 
A lot of members really focus on a just a few of the forums and miss stuff in other forums so more in your face visibility on certain announcements like Edman2's front page suggestion should help get more participation. Subscription driven visits would also miss out on lots of content.
 
Is there a way at login to make users that have not supplied their zip code either enter a zip code or opt out? It would be a one time thing, unless you already supplied your zip code.
 
One thing you have to remember not everyone is interested in joing a group so they choose to not place a zip code. There really isn't need for one unless it is for something like this. Just some thoughts. :smile:
 
Go with what you have. When the members see what a good thing this can be ...... they will be flooding in with their zip codes. And if they don't, it is their choice.
 
MarkD said:
Is there a way at login to make users that have not supplied their zip code either enter a zip code or opt out? It would be a one time thing, unless you already supplied your zip code.
Click to expand...

This is a pretty good idea. I know it would take some web coding but having a "gentle" reminder at the top of every page wouldn't be too difficult. You could put it right under the PayPay donation link all the way across the top. Visibility.
 
jyreene said:
MarkD said:
Is there a way at login to make users that have not supplied their zip code either enter a zip code or opt out? It would be a one time thing, unless you already supplied your zip code.
Click to expand...

This is a pretty good idea. I know it would take some web coding but having a "gentle" reminder at the top of every page wouldn't be too difficult. You could put it right under the PayPay donation link all the way across the top. Visibility.
Click to expand...

Jeff tries not to "shove stuff in your face"!! But he MAY be open to this if the members are suggesting it!!! Thank-you!!!!!!!!!
 
If someone doesn't want to join the group they can just populate the blank space with"00000" or "99999" unless those are real zip codes.
 
A different thought on it is, why "force" people to do the zip code. You use the number of visitors/members as a foot note, but so what if the casual drop in does not register.

It has been stated that some are a member on here and go to the meetings, but don't post. That is fine. And I doubt most of those people will not put in zip code anyways.

There are over 14,500 members (according to the site), does that really matter? How many of those have not logged in this year? Maybe a hundred or two are in the military and can not, but that is a small exception to the norm.

If you have 300 or so that are behind it, you have a better chance of getting successful clubs up and running than 1000 where 700 are doing it, because they have to or might win something. The 700 will just bring down some of the 300.

I would say compile and build it with the 300 (or so), and let it grow from there. Which it either will or will not.

We appreciate the effort put in, and I am supporting the local group idea.
 
There is a fine line here, Ed.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding you do NOT want to give us a zip code!!

However, taking Chicago as an example--don't you imagine that we have a couple dozen members there? (As a point of reference, our Milwaukee meetings draw 25-40, the population of the STATE of Wisconsin is LESS than Chicago metro!!)

We'd like to make a chapter there---but we have under 10 who have told us they live there!

Frustrating!!

Ed
 
Put up the map. People who want to play will enter their zip code when they see the map. HOWEVER don't be like most sites that someone updates the map "once in a blue moon".
 
How about "Freebe Yipee's all around.


Just joking ED, that would keep dawn to busy.

There are a bunch of good ideas here.

Haven't turned a pen in a year but plan on doing some this summer when the Grandkids are here, will be getting some blanks pretty soon, waiting to hear if they want to cast their own.
 
TomW said:
Put up the map. People who want to play will enter their zip code when they see the map. HOWEVER don't be like most sites that someone updates the map "once in a blue moon".
Click to expand...

That won't be a problem.. We should be able to tie into google maps API (or one of the other mapping software sets on the web) - so as soon as someone looks at the map, it will be current with the database of whoever has put it into their profile.
 
alphageek said:
DSurette said:
If someone doesn't want to join the group they can just populate the blank space with"00000" or "99999" unless those are real zip codes.
Click to expand...

not necessary... they could just leave the field blank - its completely optional.
Click to expand...


Both ways work!

If you want to acknowledge that you KNOW we are looking for zip codes, but you do NOT want to give yours, yes, fill in 0000. These will filter out when we are attempting to group the members, anyhow. At least we know you did it intentionally.
 
Just my $.02, but when I went to add my zip, I had a hard time finding the place to do it, and I'm pretty computer literate. I saw a lot of folks just plug it into a forum post, so not everyone "gets it" on how to do this.

Is there a way to make it super easy to find, like the "Donate" button at the top of the page?
 
Steve Busey said:
Just my $.02, but when I went to add my zip, I had a hard time finding the place to do it, and I'm pretty computer literate. I saw a lot of folks just plug it into a forum post, so not everyone "gets it" on how to do this.
Click to expand...

Not sure how much easier it could be, Steve. Just click on User CP, select Edit Your Details and scroll to the bottom of the page. Two clicks and a scroll (or page down, if you are so inclined).:biggrin::biggrin:
 
ed4copies said:
Mack,

The postal code field is there. ANY information put into it registers. Some Canadians have put in their codes.
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Not so, for me at least!

(You don't have permission to access /forum/profile.php on this server.)

I get the above msg. everytime I try to add my Postal Code.
 
Use what you already have. When people start seeing it on a google map or some other map they will think to themselves hey I can help my state here and they will zipit just to see the stats go up. I think if you simply do it and put it on the front page for a while you will get tons of participation.
 
Mack C. said:
ed4copies said:
Mack,

The postal code field is there. ANY information put into it registers. Some Canadians have put in their codes.
Click to expand...
Not so, for me at least!

(You don't have permission to access /forum/profile.php on this server.)

I get the above msg. everytime I try to add my Postal Code.
Click to expand...

Mack

I thought this was fixed. I'll check into it again.
 
why not put one of those pop up messages that we get from our banks and such that tell you about it when you load the page, down on the bottom there will be a little box that says.."do not show again" that way you KNOW everyone that comes on here will see it atleast once.
 
Mack C. said:
ed4copies said:
Mack,

The postal code field is there. ANY information put into it registers. Some Canadians have put in their codes.
Click to expand...
Not so, for me at least!

(You don't have permission to access /forum/profile.php on this server.)

I get the above msg. everytime I try to add my Postal Code.
Click to expand...

Mack

Try it again. Sorry about this. There was a filter rule which was blocking your access due to the parentheses you have in your location: (Whitby)

Parentheses and other special characters are used by hackers in SQL injection attacks so we filter those. We tell the filter where they are ok and where they are a risk, and we missed this particular situation of someone using them in the location field.

Thanks for your patience and give it another try!
 
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