posted 03-17-2011 09:38 AM            

I know nothing first hand about Facebook or any other "social networking" sites. I personally don’t intend to join Facebook.

There is a method for a business put up a Facebook page. I have got something started but don’t really know or understand Facebook and could use some advice and guidance.

I could use members help, advice, guidance so I have booked the Silver Caucus Room #2 so we can discus whether Facebook will help the Silver Salon Forums. Members who would like to join the facebook discussion in Silver Caucus Room #2 please email me at info@SMPub.com . Please make the subject Facebook or you message might be lost as SPAM.

Our SSF Facebook page is here.

At this time, we have six participants in the Facebook Silver Caucus Room #2.
Since none of us really uses Facebook, all of us don’t know much.

We really could use some participants in the discussion who are more familiar with Facebook.

posted 03-19-2011 03:01 PM            

We have no intention of using Facebook in the same way individuals do.

And we all seem to be the same page when it comes to privacy. And social networking sites are not about privacy or confidentiality.

What started this was the suggestion:

quote:

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...to lure more traffic and/or younger members, have you ever thought of creating a facebook page for the ssf? ...

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Luring more new members, especially younger new members is all that is desired.

Facebook provides a way for businesses to have a promotional facebook page. And this is what we seemed to have started; the SSF Facebook page is here. (since it went up, no one has "like"d the page.)

There is a way to make the SSF facebook page more interesting and interactive but it requires learning the facebook tools and API. And until there is a clear majority of SSF Members who support developing a facebook presence to lure more SSF members and if someone steps up who knows the tools, we don't expect much more to happen.

There maybe something better than a facebook business page and that is a facebook group. But because of privacy/confidentially concerns with a facebook group page it seems like it would not be something we would want.

If not facebook what else can we do to:

quote:

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...to lure more traffic and/or younger members, have you ever thought of ?????/? ...

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posted 03-19-2011 11:42 PM            

...to lure more traffic and/or younger members, have you ever thought of ?????/? ...

1. Do not be so harsh and unfriendly to newcomers and insist not too stictly on too much rules, photosizes and what the purpose of their visit is.
   
2. Do not try to prevent other than personal interests in the recherches - it is anyway impossible. Not only they learn - we learn too - so it is 50/50.
   
3. All members should participate, not only read and forget. The poster expects some feedback or opinion. Sometimes I think this board consists only of 3 members.
   Show what you have - it is legit to collect silver! So others will follow and the lurkers will want to participate.
   New, future members will see and feel that this is a nice, attractive site without arrogant or fed up behavior of the old timers. There are no stupid questions but mostly no answers.
   4)On this site is so much international wisdom - why not take advantage of it?

American silver is nice - but there is so much more and the internet makes so much possible - in minutes.

Take the chance and expand - be the bourse of knowledge exchange - not a reformatory!

It is a site for silver lovers!!

Let the people in!!

I will support you as best I can...

posted 03-20-2011 08:41 AM            

Museums have tried all sorts of gimmicks to get younger people in, and in many cases I find this embarrassing and a bit downgrading with not much end result.

posted 03-20-2011 10:39 AM            

if you want I can name you silver fora with tremendous traffic - the youngest member is 16 years old!

In a forum with no traffic,no animating stories, no photos to "drool" over and mostly not one response - not to mention the cross-examination at the beginning...where is the kick?

We need no pizza - but a little more enthusiasm!

How can you expect to draw large crowds when you have nothing to offer?

This mini-discussion is a good example: Scott asks for help, ideas etc. - what is happening? A turbulent discussion,interesting suggestions?

I put my flak jacket on - you can flame me!

posted 03-20-2011 05:57 PM            

To lure new members, you should think in terms of other companies/groups - advertise! And by that I mean, having other sites that sell or promote silver/antiques/collectibles include a link to the SSF. I don't think that the big auction site prohibits links to sites that don't compete with them, so for anyone on here who is selling on that site, mentioning the SSF would be a start. They also have guides that are written by members and those could also include links.

The 925-1000 website has a links page but there is no link to the SSF.

There are probably SSF members who have blogs and websites and they could link to here as well.

Replacements would be an excellent choice to see if they would link here.

The downside is that the SSF would have to reciprocate with a links page as well. Another downside would be an influx of persons who just want to know the value of their parents/grandparents "stuff" and "stuff" they picked up at yard sales so they can sell it.

As far as younger collectors, there just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of younger collectors (20yos and 30yos) who are into collecting in general (if anyone know any coin/stamp collectors they will tell you the same thing), and silver in particular. The auctions I attend are full of older people but very few younger ones. So I don't really have a good suggestion for that problem.

Today's "collectors" seem to be driven but what they see in magazines or web articles that tell them the latest "hot" collectible is XXXX and then the flock out to buy whatever they can get their hands on but their enthusiasm dies out after awhile. Just look back 10-20 years, and you will see the same thing with depression glass, jadite (thanks to Martha Stewart), carnival glass, Mission furniture, Mid-Century designs, Roseville (that market was killed by the influx of fakes when it become a hot collectible) and so on.

Facebook could be a part of this strategy but I doubt it is the solution by itself.

BTW, is SSF losing members? Or is this a pre-emptive strike, so to speak?

posted 03-25-2011 02:13 PM            

In 11+ years, we have done very few mailings to the membership. After an email blast there are always returns. Most of the returns are from members who have never posted. For returns who have never posted, we delete them from the membership list.

Everyday there are new registrations. Some of the new registrations are SPAMmers and are promptly blocked and deleted from the membership list. Most of the others never post or post once and then go silent.

When we are at an antique show, many people want to talk about something in the forums. When we ask what their SSF ID is, most identify themselves as unregistered lurkers.

Based on the large number of hits we get every day; and the fact that the hits are up over this time last year, we are NOT losing members/lurkers. What seems to be down is active posters.

The push for new members is try to simulate some new interest in discussion/posts and to find some new silverphiles to share with.

Thanks for the suggestions. Often good a suggestion is great all by itself. But when the suggestion is measured against a larger set of SSF considerations then often the implementation is not easy or possible.

Our face book page now has 3 "like"s.

posted 03-25-2011 07:11 PM            

I suggest that the SSF post some images and a sampling of the discussions of the more interesting pieces. It would be a good place to expose folks books on silver collecting.

posted 03-27-2011 10:51 AM            

1st of all, I think facebook is a good idea. As someone who still has teenagers in the house, I can tell you that facebook and social networking in general is not going away. It continues to grow by leaps and bounds and is definitely a good way for us to communicate with the younger audience, or with anyone for that matter, and a way to promote our love of silver.

I have the same concern as everyone about my silver being a target, and yet our home was on our local "tour of homes" few years ago and my silver was there for all to see. They also saw my shotguns and my surveilance cameras. But I digress.

When we collect expensive items you always run some risk, with facebook, you just don't become a member, or hide your personal information to everyone or just a few you choose, so that you can participate. Individuals belonging or not doesn't mean the SMP can't have a site showing off for all the reason we exist in the first place.

My children and their friends are constantly in touch with one another by facebook or some other means and it is just the way it is nowadays. Why not exploit it?

As far as making the forum more accessible and friendly. I lurked for so long to learn some things and get an idea of what the forum was all about. I spent many hours going through old posts and just reading. There were many times I wanted to post thoughts but it is weird posting a response to a coin silver thread in the new members forum. And then as already mentioned by others, you get the third degree just to say something, it did keep me from posting many times.

As far as 925-1000, it is so much easier to use and you can post to any forum whenever you want. Yes, when you read through posts thet get a HUGE amount of asking what this is that is and blah blah blah, but they don't seem to mind and their traffic shows it. I come back to this site because there seems to be a large number of very intelligent people who are extremely well versed, experts if I must say, in silver, and draws me back for good information.

posted 03-27-2011 12:43 PM            

Your entry to the SSF, first as a lurker, then as a new member, and now as a full member is not far from the mark. I am sorry if process seemed a bit intimidating and took longer than it had to. It is not the intent. It shouldn't take long for full membership. For some, all it takes is a clear introduction, a few posts with photos in the new members forum and through read of the guidelines.... We have had new members become full members with access to all public forums in just a few days. We want new members like you, who are sensitive to what Silver Salon Forum is and to learn how things are done at the Silver Salon Forums. Thank you for persevering.

In the beginning the Silver Salons Forums were much more open and free wheeling like so many other sites. Over the years, as problems arose, our Guidelines evolved. There are plenty of places on the internet for the free wheeler to jump in and jump out. We want long time participants. Anyone who has been handling and studying silver for a long time will tell you that hardly a day goes by without our learning something new about silver.

When helping others with thier research/study we often gain new insights. The insights we get, usually don't happen until the new member progresses in their study/research. So if the new member is just using the Silver Salons Forums to jump in and then to jump out .... the shared benefit is not there.

Persons who cascade from one shallow interest to another are not the new member were are reaching out to.

Persons like yourself, who are thoughtful and make the effort to first learn from the body of knowledge available at the Silver Salon Forums are exactly the kind of members we desire.

With on3 exception, none of us who admin/moderate the SSF are (and don't intend to become) facebook participants. So from FB users like you, we could use the guidance. Thank you.

posted 03-27-2011 11:14 PM            

My first impression is that we should use something more interesting for the FB profile picture. That description can be placed elsewhere in the FB profile page, in the info section. We should use a really interesting piece of silver or jewelry. the current text-filled image isn't instantly eye catching (and it uses comic sans). After that, it would be a good idea to post more pictures. FB is also cool because you can embed videos (not sure if SSF supports this). It would be really neat, for example, to see a video of one of our silversmiths making something.

posted 03-01-2012 07:20 PM            

just go to the forum 925-1000 com. and watch how it is done. Even the most seasoned and prominent members give willingly answers to the most stupid questions - again and again. This tremendous existing knowledge is freely shared with everybody who asks - without rude restrictions and silly questions. What counts is the flux of information - everybody is always or mostly learning something new or refreshing already knowing facts. Nobody is afraid to participate or is instantly banned: knowledge is free and it does not matter if the OP is a dealer or collector! It is a forum for people with questions - not a place to get the outdated ideology of old men served...

Why posting time consuming articles, make photos etc. when there is no feedback?

As always - silence!

posted 03-02-2012 07:17 AM            

Yes, perhaps the dreaded yellow box could be better, but even the other sites asks for images. Maybe it is the first response but again Scott can't individually ask nicely, it is just too much.

And yes the regulars do pitch in but it is only hit or miss. So unless one can think of better directions to guide newcomers it seems it is either this way or totally open with EPNS questions 80% of the time?

posted 03-02-2012 12:06 PM            

Thank you for your replay! I understand that directing a forum is not an easy task but why blaming the visitors for the problems with server, spam and personal time management? How about the Mods? What is their contribution to the success? I value the efforts of Scott very much - but maybe it is time for some help and changes. Only sitting back and waiting for interesting and refined discussions is not enough. If most of the "old" members just read the threads and do not participate or comment, "new" members in spe get scared off or reprimanded - with whom will you run this forum? No visitors - no questions - no answers. Boring! Better EPNS questions than a constant discouragement to participate! By the way - I think we all started with some stupid questions....

posted 04-23-2012 01:10 PM            

Few museums offer hands-on teaching experiences -- and that probably means traveling a great distance anyway for most people.

It is hard to find and develop relationships with knowledgeable, trustworthy dealers. I've met more than a few with, frankly, difficult personalities. Others have struck me as unknowledgeable. And others just give off vibes that don't feel right. Given the fact that the universe of dealers is small, and going to shows and shops can require travel, there are barriers to entry right there.

posted 04-24-2012 12:37 PM            

I quote:

This site fills the need for certain kinds of information. But, years into collecting, I do not feel that I have been able to develop the eye for surface (condition, color, patina) that I should have. And even going to shows featuring established dealers of good reputation can't address that problem, simply because show lighting is designed for drama and sales and not for cold hard study.

You have to ask all your questions! Don´t be shy or afraid. This is the only way to learn. Ask someone who has more experience and than compare with your knowledge. It is so easy.