News from the SCM front

[LMS]

Hey guys! Just wanted to keep everyone updated. Right now we have 56 members....
28 of these members have EVER posted to the boards.

When I moved to Sonoma County, I noticed that there wasn't really an all emcompasing group of moms for Sonoma County. There are always smaller groups like the Mothers Clubs for various "areas" (ie. RP, SR, Pet, etc) but I wanted something that really included everyone (and didn't set limits on childrens ages) which is why I started this site. I truely believe that once we get a larger member base, it'll be THE place for new Mom's to go online. That's my goal.

Recently I've become a little nervous that my goal will never come to life.

This september we are up for resubscription to our vBulletin software - as well as our internet hosting. This will cost the site almost $300. With our membership status the way it is, I know that we can't afford this. I'm more than willing to pay the majority of this out of pocket with no questions asked, but i have a few favors to ask of our members.

To our active members: Please spread the word. Tell your friends, talk to moms you meet when you're out places, and if you need some referral cards to pass out, Let me know. Also, help us keep the board active. See something interesting on the news? Post it. Have a funny joke? Post it. Question about a orange diaper? (LOL, ana!) ask it! Anything goes here.

To our inactive or new members: SCM could become an invaluable resource for moms in our area but in order for that to happen, we need active members on the board who can help us keep it going strong and help spread the word. Take 10 minutes a week and stop in to the site. Don't forget us. We'd love for you to join in on the conversations and to come hang out with us at our playdates. We have a lot of fun when we get together :)

I hope yall understand where I'm coming from on this. I just know how big this could become with the proper support. And as always, thank you SO much to all of our current members. I always enjoy your conversation and LOVE getting to see you all at our get togethers! I hope we can keep the site going past it's first year and onto many more!

[dacotahsgirl]

I still have some cards, and I'll be passing them out!!! :D

[jellybeanmichelle]

Can I have some cards please Jackie?

[Lynette]

May I ask why the group is in a bulletin board format rather than a group email list like Yahoo? Is it to keep things a little more organized when it is a big group? The only reason I ask is because I am so used to just seeing my email bx full of emails that I forget to go to the site to read from the forums but then maybe I don't have my settings right?

Just wondering :)

Lynette

[LMS]

Lynette: You can choose to have emails sent to you however it has been my experience that most people prefer not to do that so it's not automatically set up like that. We have it set up as a forum b/c that's what the purpose of the site is, first and foremost. As I said before, This site is modelled off another one that a friend of mine set up for Mom's in Texas which currently has over 500 members and averages about 1000 posts per day. It just makes more sense to have it set up as a forum ;)

[JeriAnne]

I'm not knocking how this site is set up...I actually like it very much here...even though I'm not a SCm...but one at heart (*sigh*, I miss my SC roots).

Anyway, have you thought about having an MSN board, it can be set up bulletin style as well....at least until this site picks up and there are more members, then once it is worth it start this site back up again.

Just throwing this out there 'cause it would suck to have you fork out the remaining $$ to keep this site running.

[LMS]

I knwo you're not knocking the site, etc. I respect everyones suggestions, opinions and comments, and i try to implement as many suggestions as possible without compromising the quality of the board, if you know what i mean.

an MSN board would be a good start, but unfortunatly, it would cost me more in the long run to do that. I already have my initial license and it would cost me less to simply reinstate my current license than to discontinue it, then reregister. if that makes any sense. lol.
Also, then I'd have to spend another month and a half uploading the new programs, reprogramming the site etc... and now that i have a mobile child, unfortunatly, it isn't an option to do that all over again. When I first did all that, I had a child who napped what seemed like 20 hours a day, and I had more time than I knew what to do with ;) Plus I had a whole team of people who were helping me get it set up... all of which have graduated technology school this year and are tied up with real jobs instead of my little projects for them ;)

[JeriAnne]

*sigh*

Thats a bummer...

[LMS]

lol, your'e telling me. I'd rather keep 300$ IN my pocket. LOL. J/K. It's worth it ;)

[JeriAnne]

Would it be possible to send out a monthly newletter type thing with little blurbs on what has happened in the past month or new features that you plan to implement...maybe that will catch the eyes of non-active members and draw them back.

I know that it's difficult to catch up on sites sometimes and usually a reminder draws me back in to a place that I might have forgotten about otherwise.

[LMS]

I can deffinatly give it a shot! I'll start that on May 1st and we'll try for a few months and see how everyone likes it. Sound good to everybody?

Do yall think 1 per month or 1 every two weeks would be best?

[JeriAnne]

Maybe start out with once and month and see how that goes...I know now that Brendan is getting older, time isn't what it used to be.

[daisydoc]

I think Jeri Anne's idea of the newsletters is a good one. We have tons of non-active members (at least it seems like it from the member list). Maybe they just need a reminder that we're here. After all... we all know how mommy brains can be forgetful at times! ;) And I think starting them out once a month to see if it works would be the best and least time consuming for you Jackie.

As another thought... I hate to hear that you would have to fork out $300 to keep things going. Maybe pitch it to all those who are "regulars" of the site that to keep it going we could pitch in what we can so you don't have to absorb the whole cost. How does everyone else feel about that???

[LMS]

nah, i don't want everyone else to have to pitch in. Seriously, it's fine. The plan is to get lots of new members before September who will purchase Senior Memberships (only 10 new members would absorb 100$ of the cost of restarting the site) and get some advertising on the site. Now that we are doing newsletters, I can get an advertiser for the newsletters also.

Just so you all know, I sent out a mass email about 4 days ago to all inactive accounts reminding them of the site and informing them that their accounts have gone inactive.

[dacotahsgirl]

A newsletter is a great idea!! ;)

[daisydoc]

sounds good Jackie!

[jellybeanmichelle]

I've been thinking about a newsletter for this site for a long time.
I was thinking that this newsletter be sent to the home.
Would this newsletter be sent by e-mail?

[JeriAnne]

Mail is $$$$
E-mail is free
So I'd guess it would be sent by e-mail.

[mommytoMakayla]

A newsletter is a great idea.

[LMS]

I'd deffinatly do email for the time being. Once we have more members, more advertisers and we are able to get constant playdates/MNO's running, I'd LOVE to do a mail newsletter.. That way we can keep people updated in birthdays, anniversaries, and playdates coming up. If anyone wants to help with some of this or be involved, please PM me as I'd love someone to bounce ideas with. ;)

[daisydoc]

you can bounce ideas off me anytime! i would love to help as much as i can:)

[shawmich]

Just an idea:

But what about contacting the Mother's groups and see about doing a article in their monthly newsletter?