Promoting Portobello On Line-Sign up here PLEASE

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Oct 2004, 23:12

I came up with an idea how we can promote Portobello-On-Line with a view to broaden our membershipi, increase readership and profile . I have discussed the idea in detail with the Mods and they have given it their full support. Here is the scoop:

A couple of years ago I organised a school reunion, which was successful. To get in touch with lots of former pupils I joined Friends Reunited, prepared a standard email with information about the event. I then emailed everyone on Friends Reunited that left PHS in 1977 there was about 130 ex pupils registered at that time. The emailing was easy, just cut and paste and a few clicks. As I said, it was effective, if just a little time consuming for one individual. However, it was also totally FREE

I thought we could try the same approach here. I have carried out a little research and there are currently 5600 ex PHS pupils registered on FR. Believe it or not there are members dating back to 1918.

The plan is to contact all of these people by email. In terms of a target audience they could hardly be more suited; all have a connection to Portobello and all have access to the Internet. We will prepare a short message, including the web address (several times) and invite people to visit, see some of the great photos, keep up to date and even drop into the Forum to chat, perhaps meet old friends.

Naturally we will have to adopt a methodical approach to the email campaign and we will organize this if and when we get some volunteers. YOU! What we would like is for any of you that would like to help? To step forward and volunteer to post a number of emails even as few as 100 will help. In other words donate some of your time to promoting POL. We hope that whether you have zero posts or are in the top ten? You pitch in. If we get a good response from fellow forum users, then, we have been offered the Free use of an office in Portobello that has 7 Broadband connected PCÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s and we could have a fun training evening/ weekend day. Of course you can also assist from the comfort of your own home.

You need not be an ex pupil of PHS, everyone can help, the email message will come from Portobello On Line not an individual. You do not have to be a member of Friends Reunited, as you will be provided with a members name and Password that will allow you to Email other FR members.

We think this is a great opportunity to raise awareness about Portobello On Line and the Community. We would greatly appreciate if you could give us a 2 or 3 hours of your time. We are hoping to complete the task by the end of November.

Porty's in for 200 emails, just 5400 to go....... Are you in?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 13 Oct 2004, 07:04

I think this is an absolutely brilliant idea, so good in fact that I'm rather ashamed that I didn't think of it first!

Porty estimates that we can send out around 100 messages an hour, so if we get a few volunteers it shouldn't take that long to contact everyone and I'm sure it will pay dividends in attracting new registered members and raising the awareness of the website generally.

I'm in for 200 as well and looking fwd to our training course. Do we get coffee and biscuits?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Oct 2004, 08:50

Coffee and Biscuits, perhaps vino too. Thanks for the 200 donation Bob. We need another 5200.....

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 13 Oct 2004, 10:53

perhaps vino too

That'll get ecm interested!!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 13 Oct 2004, 10:57

I'll do 200 too and I'll do it without the assistance of alcohol!!!

Unless everyone else were to have a glass - I wouldn't want to appear unsociable.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » 13 Oct 2004, 11:20

Wish I could help, but as you know, I'm not on-line at home. (And I'm not allowed coffee or wine in the library

) Hope you get enough volunteers, and it goes well.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Oct 2004, 12:42

Jay wrote:Wish I could help, but as you know, I'm not on-line at home. (And I'm not allowed coffee or wine in the library ) Hope you get enough volunteers, and it goes well.

Did you read the bit about the office get together>

Well done ecm only 5000 to go....

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 13 Oct 2004, 12:47

Did someone mention wine?
Then count me in!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 13 Oct 2004, 12:51

Me too, Porty!

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 13 Oct 2004, 15:02

As long as the wine has not been smuggled out of Scotmid up a stuffed jumper - you can count me in too.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 13 Oct 2004, 15:14

Count me in ...until I get repetitive stress injury or the wine is finished

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Oct 2004, 15:38

Thanks... so far we have

ECM
Poppy
Bob
Porty
Bellybabe
Marya
Pal of Porty

Thats a lot of wine!!

And at least 1400 posts too. Leaving a challenging 4200 to go... c'mon

Jay · Post by **Jay** » 13 Oct 2004, 16:24

If it's a mail-in at the office, me too. But not a week evening ...

I'm also a member of Friends Reunited - or, I was - I'll check that .....

Lizzie · Post by **Lizzie** » 13 Oct 2004, 18:45

Great idea Porty

The wine does it for me too

- count me in

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 13 Oct 2004, 18:52

Pal of Porty wrote:As long as the wine has not been smuggled out of Scotmid up a stuffed jumper - you can count me in too.

Goody two-shoes!!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 13 Oct 2004, 19:34

Porty what a fabby idea

Count me in

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 14 Oct 2004, 00:38

Very pleased to announce the addition of both Beach Babe and Dadaist.

cornerboy · Post by **cornerboy** » 14 Oct 2004, 10:32

Happy to pitch in.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 14 Oct 2004, 22:06

ECM
Poppy
Bob
Porty
Bellybabe
Marya
Pal of Porty
Jay
Sandra
Lizzie
Cornerboy
Dada
Beachbabe

13 volunteers so far, what an outstanding effort!! We still require a few more and personally I would like to hear from the young un's.

If there are some of you who would rather retain their privacy and don't fancy a get together then we could allocate you a couple of Years and you can email from home.

I will leave the volunteering open until a week on Monday (25th) (How pompous, anyone can come forward anytime) as I am away on holiday for a few days. We will get cracking on my return. Meanwhile, thanks again POL has great expectations from this campaign.

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 14 Oct 2004, 23:33

Ok, count me in too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 15 Oct 2004, 06:46

A quick bit of mental arithmetic tells me that 14 times 200 = 2800, so we're half-way towards the 5600 total. Now we just need another 14 volunteers.

Porty, I reckon that if there were some members who were keen to help out but didn't really want to come along to the training night, we could post instructions on the forum that would enable them to participate from the comfort of their own home.

It's easy to see how effective this project could be. Even if we only get a 1% success rate that's 56 new members - and it could be much higher. Even better, it will have been achieved through cooperation and at virually no expense.

Hell's Cat · Post by **Hell's Cat** » 15 Oct 2004, 12:35

Go on then, I'm in

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 15 Oct 2004, 17:32

like the new avatar Hell's Cat!

Hell's Cat · Post by **Hell's Cat** » 15 Oct 2004, 18:23

Ta Moochly. Hugs for the bear cub

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 19 Oct 2004, 08:01

Im not a member of friends Reunited (I let it lapse) but I have a broadband connection and are willing to help if you give instructions

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 27 Oct 2004, 19:56

Right, Flearoy is in too so that makes 17.

I am aiming for an evening in mid-november for the group session and I would like, if possible, to make it the finale. In other words we will have achieved quite a lot of emails prior to getting together and the evening will essentially be a celebration after a bit of grafting.

Will post more on strategy and be in touch with people individually prior to this weekend.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 27 Oct 2004, 20:03

Poppy
Bob
Porty
Bellybabe
Marya
Pal of Porty
Jay
Sandra
Lizzie
Cornerboy
Dada
Beachbabe
Bearcub
Hells Cat
Catvizp
Flearoy
ECM

Do we have any more? Have I forgotten anyone?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 27 Oct 2004, 20:54

Seventeen volunteers is impressive. Can't help feeling that 20 would make a nice round figure though. Do we have 3 more wonderful people out there I wonder?

DG · Post by DG » 28 Oct 2004, 15:34

Oh, go on then - seeing as you asked so nicely

. Only if I can do this at home and with the aid of clear instructions...please?

DG

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 30 Oct 2004, 08:59

Any news on how many more people are needed and when its happening??

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 30 Oct 2004, 12:15

We've twisted a few more arms CatzVP to get the numbers needed and instructions will be posted soon by Porty........

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 30 Oct 2004, 13:43

We need to get the web site working again properly first though. There won't be much point in contacting all these people if they find that nothing on the site works! Remember, we are promoting Portobello Online and not just the forum.

I'm raring to go, but we need to be patient for a few more days until the current problems are resolved.

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 30 Oct 2004, 19:37

Very good point Bob....

Whats the point of inviting people to a house party if you dont have a house!!

Post by **wangi** » 01 Nov 2004, 22:56

Bob wrote:We need to get the web site working again properly first though. There won't be much point in contacting all these people if they find that nothing on the site works! Remember, we are promoting Portobello Online and not just the forum.

I'm raring to go, but we need to be patient for a few more days until the current problems are resolved.

That's it now! Finally... Like pulling teeth!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 01 Nov 2004, 23:28

Brilliant Wangi. Lets get on with it.

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Promoting Portobello On Line-Sign up here PLEASE

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