THE METHODS
1. Searching for individual email addresses - Yahoo. One way to search
for email addresses is utilizing Yahoo.
- If you go to the Yahoo member directory (http://members.yahoo.com/) and
search by interest, you can easily find people on Yahoo that are
interested in Star Trek. One tip I have received is to narrow your
search by including another random interest (Star Trek and Football).
- Another method is also found using Yahoo
profiles. Instead of the ‘searching for Trek’ method, try this one: Go
to Entertainment & Arts – Humanities – Books & Writing.
Afterward, you can refine the search by adding “Trek” to the search
results.
2. Searching for individuals by AOL Instant Messenger. If you go to
your buddy list and click on people, then find buddies by interest, you
can look for folks interested in Star Trek. Perhaps by IMing people you
can illicit interest in the simm.
3. Reaching people through pre-existing groups. If you go to Yahoo
groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/)
and type in Star Trek, you can find pre-existing Yahoo groups that have
100+ members and reach all those people with a single email. Not all
moderators will allow you on their group to advertise, but some will.
4. Searching for Independent Simms. There are probably dozens if not
hundreds of simms out there that are independant, meaning they don't
belong to a fleet. Usually it's not by choice, because independent
simms as a rule generally don't last very long without a much needed
support net. In any case, offering the benefits of a fully democratic
fleet to them could be a good way to increase our numbers. Try
targeting these guys ;-)
5. Chat Rooms - I have never tried it, but I understand that one place
to find fellow trekkies is to visit subject-oriented chatrooms and
mentioning the simm.
AFTER THE INITIAL
CONTACT
1. Always make yourself available for people you're recruiting. By
giving them several ways to contact you and checking your email often,
you can stay on top of recruits. Not doing so will cause them to grow
despondent and give up. I like AOL instant messenger or email as my
contacts.
2. Know when to take no for an answer. If I haven't heard from someone
I've made contact with, I will send them a single follow up email to
try to illicit interest again, but beyond that your are
pestering/harassing. Know when to move on.
3. Email Titles - If you title your email to potential recruits thusly:
***Star Trek Simm*** it's likely your email will wind up in the trash
bin as possible spam. Choosing a more benign title may get you in.
(Writing Group?)
4. If you are recruiting for the fleet instead of your own ship, direct
all new recruits to the Far Point Fleet Application at http://www.angelfire.com/trek/horationelson/fleet/application.html.
Mac will follow up with these folks and either assign them to a ship
who needs them or will invite them to join her on the Horatio Nelson
training ship.
If you have any other tips or recommendations to add, please email me
at [email protected].
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