Forum/Balloon Club Idea's

Started by Graham Lee, November 17, 2010, 11:33:11 AM

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Graham Lee

We are always looking to improve the forum and the ideas we are thinking about at the moment are to have a website button under everyones post like the profile, quote and PM buttons so that people can click straight thru to your website. Also looking to have a portfolio button added as well so that everyone can add pictures to the site.

Membership is growing and we are always looking for ways to get people more actively involved with the forum so another idea is to have just the balloon chit chat section open to non members and then you have to join the site to view everything else, thoughts are that once you join up you may as well then add comments and start posting. Membership would still be free, I'm not thinking of making this a paying site.

All thoughts, suggestions and ideas are welcomed and appreciated, another idea we are thinking about is starting up a balloon club similar to the United Twisters in Holland which would help in getting money up front to help booking international lecturers for the group instead of myself taking a chance and hoping we get enough people booking to cover my expenses.

THE BALLOON ARTISTES GUILD, to attend all 10 days and receive 3 DVD's from the star lecture days that are recorded with over 4 hours of educational material from
some of the top names in the balloon community. The cost is just £120 with bank transfer or cheque. The fee is £125 if you wish to pay with credit card or PayPal.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Snurb

#1
Is there or can we have a Mark all as read button for posts we don't want to read so they don't stay red!

YvonneH

#2
Snurb there already is.  You can't select individual posts (but then you could just click in and out of them) but if you go to the main forum page there is a button to mark all forums as read and that will remove all the red flags.
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

Martin

#3
I think that the 'balloon club' idea is a really good one and I would definitely be happy to pay an annual membership on the basis of attending a certain number of events.

I think the only thing that would stop me joining would be if the meetings were in the South of England making the travel prohibitive. Midlands would be fine though.

Normski

#4
Hi,

I would love to be able to upload my pictures with ease, just like i can from my blackberry straight to facebook.

For me personally i would find this easier than doing from my pc!!!

Im in the south so in terms of supporting care and share lectures it would need to be luton and below.

Normski

Snurb

#5
Yay found it. Thanks has bugged me since I joined!

Graham Lee

#6
Quote from: "YvonneH"Snurb there already is.  You can't select individual posts (but then you could just click in and out of them) but if you go to the main forum page there is a button to mark all forums as read and that will remove all the red flags.
I'm glad you replied to that Yvonne as I was not sure what surb meant.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

fairby

#7
Yep balloon club and click-thru :D

Graham Lee

#8
We have decided to go ahead with the "WWW" button so that this will click thru straight to everyones website from the bottom of every post and we will also have a "photo/album/portfolio/gallery" button at the bottom of everyones posts as well. Not sure what out of the four it should be called but possibly portfolio?

The last thing that I'm not too sure about is just having the balloon chit chat part of the forum open to non members and then they have to join up to view everything else, I have been told this may effect our google rankings etc but the idea behind this is to get more members joining the site and being active on the forum. Perhaps we could try this for a trial period and see what the results are?

All thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Snurb

#9
Is it possible to submit photos from mobile devices such as phones and iPods?

warren

#10
I think this is a really good site. I do not post much. This might be my 3rd post.  
   I live in Canada. The main reason I use this site is the pictures can be seen on my BlackBerry phone. I can not see pictures if I go to "balloon-animals".
   You have said that you will not make this a paying site. I think it is very important to keep this site free. I use to post on a different site, but it went became a pay site. Now there is almost no one posting on it.
   As someone that does not have time to read everything, I try to mainly look at the pictures. Anything that would make it easier to load pictures would be great.

Graham Lee

#11
So back to the club idea, these are just some thoughts but since trying to book David Brenion and trying to work out a fair price so that I cover my costs etc I have been mulling the idea over.

What would a fair price be? Some lecturers would come from Europe and America, and for the cost we had 7 care & share days to attend with three major lectures a year, the major lectures being filmed so if you were unable to attend you would be sent the DVD.
All days would need to be spread out fairly across the UK for both care & share days and lectures with possibly a lecturer doing two days when over, north and south or would this be overkill if they are being filmed?

Then we need to see what would the charge be for someone attending just a one off day who did not want to join the club?
We don't want to put people off attending the odd day, especially the newbies who may not want to join but we have to have a price where it's advantageous to join.

Please let me know your thoughts on this either on this thread or if you prefer send me a PM or email via one of my websites.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Graham Lee

#12
Thanks to those that have emailed me privately about the twisting club, definately some food for thought.
All comments and ideas are appreciated.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

jordanogrady

#13
A balloon club would be a good Idea. And the click to website is also a good idea graham!

Just something similar to your care and share days but on a more regular basis?

I know I ALWAYS moan about it, but for me and I presume others too, location is key! If there was a balloon club in doncaster, i'd go every week if I could!

There are loads of magic clubs all round the UK, and these work!

Jordan

Dave

#14
Sorry I can't find the portfolio button? Club is a good idea!
A load of hot air
http://www.davehickory.co.uk