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Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 1 05, 13:27

Hello all.

I've created a new member group, the Bronze Member which will be used for those members who have been in-active for a period of at least six months.

I will monitor those members and if they post, I will update their member group to either Silver or Gold member status.

I have restricted their ability to vote and post in polls. This should be the only difference between a Bronze Member and a Silver Member.

We hope to send out a message to those members letting them know of the change shortly....

Regards.
~Cleo  

Posted by: Jox May 1 05, 13:52

Hi Lori, et al,

This sounds a very sensible move. That way, we know who is inactive, yet keep the door open for them to return to play a full part. Seems much better than some sites which simply kick people out after a couple of months.

Well done!

James.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 1 05, 14:00

Post - note:

I've edited 39 members to this new member group as of today...

~Cleo

Posted by: Siren May 2 05, 19:37

Hey Lori,

I think this is a good move. Might give just the right kick. :)

Hugs
Dani

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 3 05, 18:55

Thanks for your feedback James and Daniah!

I was thinking of sending a PM to these members firstly - but need to type up some sort of form letter first.

Something simple like:

Hello.

You are receiving this message because you have had no activity on our forum board for a period of six months or more.

I have changed your member group to the new 'Bronze member' as a result.

.............

Now, what to say, re: do you plan on posting?

Posted by: Jox May 3 05, 19:06

Suggestion:

Hi,

Lots has been happening on Mosaic Musings in 2005. We have re-designed the poetry forums, instigated a new award, had several competitions and started working on ebooks. We have many new members and seem to have plenty of activity.

I'm writing to you because we're disappointed that you don't seem to be playing a part in our developments and on-going posting and critting. We notice that you've not posted for over six months. Under a new system, your membership has been set to "Bronze" - which means we're in danger of losing you as a member. But we don't want that. We'd like to invite you back posting, critting and competing. If you do, we'll automatically upgrade your membership to enable you to play a full part in MM again.

Please let me know if there is any reason you feel unable or unwilling to return and I'll see if we can help. We'd certainly like to see you here to be a part of our exciting developments.

All the best...

Posted by: Nina May 4 05, 01:09

Hi Lori

The bronze member group seems like a sensible move and a letter might encourage one or two members to return.

James

Your suggestion is good but I'd like to offer a few changes.

Lots has been happening on Mosaic Musings in 2005. We have re-designed the poetry forums, instigated a new award, had several competitions and started working on ebooks.

We notice that you've not posted recently. Under our new system, your membership has been set to "Bronze" - which means that you have been inactive for over six months. We don't want to lose your membership and would like to take this opportunity to invite you back posting, critting and competing. If you do, we'll automatically upgrade your membership to enable you to play a full part in MM again.

Please let me know if there is any reason you feel unable or unwilling to return and I'll see if we can help. We'd certainly like to see you here to be a part of our exciting developments.

Nina

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 4 05, 05:13

Thanks James & Nina.

I do like Nina's 'less direct' approach (null of the word 'disappointed')...

Hope to send this weekend..

Cheers!
~Cleo

Posted by: May 4 05, 05:28

Dear Lori,

Here is my version, with acks to Jox and Nina :

Hello from mosaicmusings.net.

Lots is happening here at Mosaic Musings. We have re-designed poetry forums, instigated some new awards, run several competitions, and started working on ebooks, amongst many other routine and special activities.

I've noticed that you don't seem to have posted recently. Under our new membership system, that makes you a "Bronze" - those who've been inactive for six months.

We really don't want to lose you, and would like to invite you back to active posting, critting and competing on MM again.

When you do post,  your membership will automatically be upgraded to Silver, and who knows, you could be a Gold in a very short time.

If there is a reason you feel unable/unwilling to return, please write to me in confidence, and I'll try to help. I'd certainly like to see you here again, helping to shape the ongoing developments at mosaicmusings.net.

Love
Lori Kantor
Founder (or whatever title you use)

Lori, I think it important that this is a PERSONAL letter from you, not the other, which is more like a form letter.

I don't know if you have the time, but if you managed to mention a poem or piece the person had up as something that really struck you, then that would make it really personal. Perhaps you could ask another member to do that research if you are too busy ?

Love
Alan

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 4 05, 05:31

Thank you Alan - sounds very good to me.

Would you like to help with the research?

-Lori

Posted by: Don May 4 05, 07:00

Hi Cleo,

I prefer Alan's wording based on personal, informative, notification content.  An extra personal touch to show sincere concern would be additional mention of say their last post, if any.  

The glaring absence is "how long as bronze before dropped?"  Or will that be opportunity for a followup contact?  
Scenerio:
We missed your overdue payment.
Second notice: payment due immediately.
Third notice: If payment isn't received by XX, credit agencies will be informed.
Fourth notice: Your refusal to pay is being transfered to a collection agency.
Fifth notice:  Sorry you kicked the bucket, we don't know you no more.

Don

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 4 05, 18:23

Hello Alan and Don!  :yoda:  :frenchie:

Alan writes:

Posted by: Perrorist May 5 05, 06:07

Erm...if someone hasn't posted for six months, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that they are no longer interested or able to join in the forum? In which case, why not summarily drop them? If they return in the future, they can reapply for membership (I'm assuming most of them haven't been very active anyway and so have few 'credits' to worry about).

Just a thought.

Perry

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis May 6 05, 05:32

Hi Perry.

Yes - at times I go like this:    
!

In the past, I have just deleted those members who had not posted in at least six months - however, I had wanted to keep the door open perhaps?

If I DO delete members, yes, they certainly can re-register again (using the same member names even)  :taco: , however, all their previous posts will be converted to 'guest' and the member's posts counts and status (group) begins again from scratch.

So.... I had thought, send a message at six months - wait a month and then figure out what to do next?

A PRO might be that our 'total members' grows (keeping that 33% inactive in the number as is now) OR purge those members and the Total Members count decreases.  This can also be viewed as a CON to some who are interested in joining - see the low/or high member count and decide not to join....

Interesting....  :detective:

Cheers!
Cleo  :pharoah:

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Oct 29 05, 08:54

I plan to send out the following email to our Bronze members today:

Hello from all of us at mosaicmusings.net (name/member name).

I've noticed that you haven't posted recently. Under our new membership system, that makes you a "Bronze" member - those who've been inactive for six months.

We really don't want to lose you and would like to invite you back to active posting, critiquing, interacting and competing on MM again. When you do post, we'll automatically upgrade your membership to enable you to play a full part in MM again.

If there is a reason you feel unable/unwilling to return, please write to me in confidence, and I'll try to help. I'd certainly like to see you here again, helping to shape the ongoing developments at mosaicmusings.net.

A lot has happened at Mosaic Musings in 2005.

We have re-designed poetry forums, instigated new awards and mini-plaques, run several competitions, and incorporated ebooks, amongst many other routine and special activities, including the incorporation of weekly Times Ten word challenges and bi-weekly FLASH Jam sessions providing inspiration as well as an opportunity to snap out of a dry spell.

Some other new and/or revised features include self-publication chapbook packages, our annual MMHC (Holiday Classic) now underway, the new revised Odin’s Opposition Chapbook Competition set to begin November 1st, both of which are FREE to enter, and three important changes that you may not be aware of:

1. Revision of Section 8  (our copyright disclosure in the Terms of Use policy) to once again require written permission for Mosaic Musings and its affiliates to publish your works posted on site as follows:

Content displayed on the Site is protected under U.S. Copyright laws and cannot be copied, altered, uploaded, transmitted, published, distributed, reproduced or sold, in whole or in part for any purpose other than for non-commercial and personal use. Further restrictions on the Content may depend on the Forum Participation Rules associated with the Forum in which the Content is posted. All works posted on the Site are submitted on a voluntary basis. This allows Mosaic Musings to display and archive such works within Site, and if applicable, allows members to comment on such works. All exclusive rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners and no redistribution including publication or reproduction in any form is permitted without express permission of the copyright owner.

2. Amendment to the forum rules as follows:

Please do not include your own composition as part of a response to a tile posted by someone else for critique UNLESS it is clearly for ILLUSTRATIVE purposes and relevant to the original thread. Each composition deserves our full and individual attention. Please keep in mind that the topic starter may ask for its removal (politely of course).

3. Amendment to the posting rules as follows:

The 1:2:2 rule applies here. You may post (1) work every (2) days when (2) critiques to other's works have been given within the same forum. An easy way of remembering the posting limit is not to post more often than every other day (as long as the required critiques have been given). Post today, not tomorrow. You may post one new topic every two days provided you comment on the works of two fellow members (within the same forum).

Posted by: Jox Oct 29 05, 08:56

Hi Lori,

Well done.

Excellent messages to convey. I just wonder - might a shorter letter be more encouraging - or perhaps keeping the body but putting a shorter message at the top? Just a thought. Well done in any case!

J.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Oct 29 05, 09:04

I will delete the specific copyright rule at least...

Posted by: Jox Oct 29 05, 09:08

Hi Lori,

I wouldn't - that may be important to people. All I was thinking was a friendly and brief, encouraging letter. Then the more specific details can follow for those who wish to read them. (same page would be fine, thinking about it). [b]Just a matter of re-jigging the text within the latter mainly. It all needs to be said but not everyone wants to read it all.

Cheers, J.

Posted by: Nina Oct 29 05, 09:14

Hi Lori

A great idea to send this to Bronze members but I agree with James.  It is long and I'm concerned that it will be deleted without being read which would be a shame.

Perhaps you might start with this to make it more personal:

I've noticed that you haven't posted recently. Under our new membership system, that makes you a "Bronze" member - those who've been inactive for six months.

We really don't want to lose you, and would like to invite you back to active posting, critiquing, interacting and competing on MM again.

When you do post, we'll automatically upgrade your membership to enable you to play a full part in MM again.

If there is a reason you feel unable/unwilling to return, please write to me in confidence, and I'll try to help. I'd certainly like to see you here again, helping to shape the ongoing developments at mosaicmusings.net

Then go on to summarise the changes to posting rules and critting rules you could then the copyright.



Nina

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Oct 29 05, 09:17

Hi James and Nina.

So, switch the order around to start? I'll edit that now so we can see the changes and then re-edit again if necessary. I did want to specify the changes I feel are key in 2005, but as you say, maybe by adding it at the end, at least the jist of the email will be known in the first paragraph?

What do you think? I'll edit it now...

HUGS  :cheer:

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Oct 29 05, 10:56

I've finished updating the member groups. This may be a good time to send out the email as now 60 members are Bronze.

Will begin sending the mail now...

Lori

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Dec 21 08, 08:53

I've updated the member list this morning. Anyone that hasn't posted in 6-12 months has now been changed to Bronze Member. There are 180 in this member group at this writing.