# Membership Drive - Support the Web's Premiere Martial Arts Discussion Forum!



## shesulsa (Mar 19, 2005)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 MartialTalk is one of the three most visited martial arts discussion sites on the web.  We want to make it number two.  

 In order to grow, we need support.  There are several ways to support MartialTalk such as Supporting Membership, Advertising and Donations.

 Supporting Memberships are not much - $12 per year (that's only $1 per month) and with all the views we get, this is a good site to advertise your school on!  Donations help immensely as well.

 So if you enjoy this site, please make any effort you can to send some support the way of Bob Hubbard, the owner.  PayPal is available for your convenience.

 Thanks for your support!

 Georgia Ketchmark


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## glad2bhere (Mar 21, 2005)

Dear Georgia: 

I understand what you are asking about membership and I am wondering if you could provide a little more information about how this website works? For instance, I know that you are a moderator and I could probably get the names of other moderators by looking. What I don't know is what sorts of plans people have for this website for the future, how you shape those plans and what the decision process is like. For instance, is there an advisory board that provides guidance?  Is there a kind of "suggestion box" for members? How does management make a decision for adding (or deleting) a category?  Most of this I can probably guess at. But I think it is undeniable that younger folks are effectively being taught about how to express themselves appropriately concerning their MA activities. What I am thinking now is that there may be an opportunity for younger MA practitioners to learn not only about expressing their thoughts on a Net like this, but also begin to think about how they can be more active in the venue itself. Thoughts? Comments? 

Best Wishes, 

Bruce


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## shesulsa (Mar 21, 2005)

Dear Mr. Sims,

 I think when one spends a good deal of time on the site and makes the effort to look around a bit, one can find the answers to most of your questions rather easily.  I encourage everyone when they sign on to "have a look around."

 Most professional websites have their own method of steering business, a chain of command, a policy for managing threads, a policy for managing conduct, choosing Moderators, etcetera.  

 One of the things I love about this site is that it's all right there for you.  You can scroll to the bottom of the page and read the Terms and Conditions to membership, Everyone has access to the help forum, FAQ forum ... gosh, as soon as one signs on, all categories except staff forums, private forums and premium club forum are displayed for perusal.  So are threads on how Moderators are chosen and how they are not chosen. 

 So, yes, it is a great opportunity for all to learn something ... all one must do is go there and read.

 Have a nice day and please support MartialTalk.

 :asian: GK


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## glad2bhere (Mar 21, 2005)

Thanks, Georgia: 

Let me word this a little different way. Apart from participating in the Forums, how would you encourage younger MA practitioners to make being involved in these Net a more integral part of their lives? For instance, you are encouraging people not just to particiapte in the forums but to actually become dues-paying members of MARTIAL TALK. Have there been thoughts about what other ways these forums and the younger practitioners might be able to connect? Thoughts? 

Best Wishes, 

Bruce


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 21, 2005)

Hi Bruce,
   Let me chime in here a second. I'll see if I can go through this for ya. 

 (Bruces comments below in black, mine are in blue)

 For instance, I know that you are a moderator and I could probably get the names of other moderators by looking. 

*There is a (needs to be updated) link at the top called "Staff" with some info on our people, and on the main forum page near the bottom is a link called "View Forum Leaders" that will give a run down of staff, advisors, mentors and more.*

 What I don't know is what sorts of plans people have for this website for the future, how you shape those plans and what the decision process is like. 

*"Always in motion the future is."  Our basic plan is to continue to grow as a premier resource for both active and aspiring martial artists.  We are a living historical repository of history, fact, and fiction. I have jokingly stated that I want to be the AOL of martial arts. (Less buggy and better supported of course). 

 The basic process is that an idea is born (by me, our staff, or our members).  I discuss it with our moderator staff, and sometimes with our Advisory Board.  If it is decided to use the idea, we start the process of putting it into action.  If not, we shelve it.  Some ideas don't work today, but work tomorow because our membership mix has evolved.*

 For instance, is there an advisory board that provides guidance? 

*Yes.  Please see the "Advisors" link at the top.*

 Is there a kind of "suggestion box" for members? 

*The Support Forum functions as a suggestion box.*

 How does management make a decision for adding (or deleting) a category?

*We periodically review what is in the forums, tally it up and look at traffic patterns.  I'll do a search for certain arts on the active member database and see if there are changes.  For example, we noticed an influx of people who train under Stephen Hayes, so we added a forum for their lineage (under Ninjutsu).  Some forums have been pretty slow since we opened, but are kept open because we are trying to attract that art here.  We also listen to member requests, but balance them against a search of our forum.  If we get a request in for say, "widgit-do", we will search for it here.  If we get only a few or no hits, we tell them to build the need.  If we turn up a ton, we create the forum, move some threads around and open it for business.  The reverse is also true.  If we see a forum sitting there, inactive for long periods of time, and nothing we do can 'jump start' it, we will periodically roll those posts back into the most applicable "general" forum, and remove the 'dead' forum.*

 Most of this I can probably guess at. But I think it is undeniable that younger folks are effectively being taught about how to express themselves appropriately concerning their MA activities. What I am thinking now is that there may be an opportunity for younger MA practitioners to learn not only about expressing their thoughts on a Net like this, but also begin to think about how they can be more active in the venue itself. Thoughts? Comments?

*Very good questions. :asian: We try to guide folks towards using proper netetiquette , spell check, grammer check and how to not be "keyboard warriors". We hope that they will learn how to communicate effectively in this electronic world which is too often loaded with bravado, "net-speak", and "me-toos".  We try to offer them a buffet of ideas, an international flavor, and the chance to become leaders (by being positive active contributors to our community, possibly being asked to be a Mentor or Mod). *


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## shesulsa (Mar 21, 2005)

Mr. Sims,

 There are numerous threads in Events on upcoming seminars, we have private communication available on MT, users also have the option of listing any chat client ids if they wish to be contacted in that manner.  The opportunities to connect to one's martial arts community are abounding.  Again, all one must do is look.

 Perhaps your idea of a thread topic, that being how young people in martial arts connect, might be a good idea in a general forum.  Another great thread for this site and another good reason to support MartialTalk.


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 21, 2005)

glad2bhere said:
			
		

> Thanks, Georgia:
> 
> Let me word this a little different way. Apart from participating in the Forums, how would you encourage younger MA practitioners to make being involved in these Net a more integral part of their lives? For instance, you are encouraging people not just to particiapte in the forums but to actually become dues-paying members of MARTIAL TALK. Have there been thoughts about what other ways these forums and the younger practitioners might be able to connect? Thoughts?
> 
> ...


 Some ideas:
 - Learn how to use seach engines properly.
 - Do more than play in our arcade.
 - Use our calendar and event listings to find when events will be in their area, and go.  Many, Many people have met and train and even fallen in love after meeting on MT (or other forums).
 - Use common sense when posting so as to build a good online reputation. Just because one uses a handle, doesn't mean one is anonymous.
 - Speak out if you think we need a particular feature, in the right area.

 MartialTalk is Content.  Without Content, there is nothing worth paying for, no reason to "be".  Each post expands our archives (now close to 2GB, over 4 years data).  Each viewing expands our traffic.

 They can help MT by participating in our forums, telling their friends, teachers and classmates, and more.

 One of the things we've discussed, is regular training sessions under the MT name.  We're planning something for July, but....you've given me an idea that I've seen work elsewhere...lets see if we can't make em work here too.  (new thread in "Whats New" coming up!)


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## glad2bhere (Mar 21, 2005)

Thank you both so very much for taking the time to respond. I think there are a lot of very good bits to chew on there. 

Best Wishes, 

Bruce


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## shesulsa (Mar 31, 2005)

I'd like to thank Sa Bum Nim Bailey, a.k.a. "floweringknight" for supporting MartialTalk! :asian:


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