Also threads titled the likes of (and this is made up)

$479 from one ad placement/phone call/letter etc etc when they have done literally one ad placement, its a one off result who knows if it will be repeated , come back 6 months down the line when its all still working , having been tweaked of course, then tell us about your successes

Although I do agree with you to a large degree, nobody will read the sticky, and you will have more of the same unless moderated heavily.

I don't see a problem with a lot of the offline ideas as far as how to advertise local businesses with magnets and such. That always made sense to me.

How to make money with a drill and other such business opportunities don't make sense to me as part of this section of the forum, but people like those threads (including myself) because we're all business junkies to whatever degree. Maybe create a section for those types of things, and having that would help separate them.

Just my 2 pennies.

I don't see an issue with threads of that nature in and of themselves. While the ideas themselves are very basic they can at times inspire thoughts of taking them further.

The issue though is when there are a flood of them from certain users who are clearly using them for self promotion.

The best solution to that is simply to ignore those thread and post and interact with the better ones.

In my mind Offline Marketing encompasses a few ideas.

1. Digital Marketing for Offline Businesses (many would say this is and should be the main focus)
2. Digital Marketing Consulting; How to (similar to the first but a separate topic IMO)
3. Offline Marketing for Online Businesses (and even Offline Businesses)
4. Marketing Consulting (in general; mainly since there is no board for this) (this is where many of the threads you mention would come in)
5. Selling (As related to Marketing Consulting mainly)
6. General Business Advice (As related to Marketing Consulting mainly)
7. Misc Sub-Topics that tie back into those 6 (example: Kindle Book Writing for Consultants)
8. Offline Money Making Ideas/Businesses (seem to default here since there is no other place even when they don't related to Consulting or Marketing directly)

I have in the past ask for a separate board for Offline Selling and my PM was ignored by the admin which IMO means that they feel those topics are best left here. Some of us may disagree with that and feel these topics should be more divided but that is not our place to decide.

Now if one or more individuals are abusing this forum and posting threads that barely remain on the topic perhaps we as the community need to speak with the moderators. Maybe we even need a moderator assigned specifically to this community (that is how we handle it on IGN).

But I can't say we should outright ban those type of threads as some (not all) do have value.

Edit: Another problem that having a dedicated moderator could fix is the fact that random old topics (including many on the topics you mentioned) getting randomly bumped up (without anything of value being added).

That one had me about rolling on the floor.

Were your ears burning yesterday? My partner and I were talking about you.

I agree with Russ. If Don and Martin want to start a forum, they should. I don't see most of those threads as a good fit with the overall tone of offline.

Why would you assume that it's limited to only that? The tagline for this section of the forum is "Offline Marketing strategies, techniques and ideas". That sounds much broader than your description. Unless the powers that be state otherwise, I will have to assume that "Offline Marketing" means anything related to offline marketing.

That said... I don't mind seeing threads that discuss "biz opp" ideas, so long as they're realistic... because the occasional gold nugget can be found in a small percentage of those threads, and spark a good idea.

The problem is... the vast majority of the "biz opp" threads are over-hyped nonsense and nowhere near realistic (ie 80% conversion rate claims via cold email for a high-priced product/service that would provide zero or very little value to any sane business owner).

Seasoned marketers will recognize the BS claims right away, but a lot of newbs will fall for it, sadly, and spend their time/effort/money figuring out the hard way that they're not going to get rich overnight by firing off a handful of cold emails and clicking a few buttons. So in that regard, those types of threads can most certainly cause a lot of damage. But a small percentage of those threads can provide at least some value, so long as you know how to filter out the BS.

On a related note... I do think that it would be a good idea to have stickies in each section that cover the most common topics, FAQ's, etc. If the mods want to set any specific rules for this section though, I'm sure they will.

- My 2 cents.

Rus,

I disagree... totally.

Why?

If it is ANYTHING Offline, it should be posted here.....

You can look at the post title... think... I could care less about selling balloons offline.... Don't click on the post and read it. Skip it.... Pretty simple.

Where I would have an issue is when people use one post title and the post text is unrelated. That, to me, is a big no-no.

All The Best,

Rich Beck BCIP, MCSD, MCIS

That reminds me of how "back in da day"..... before the innerweb... I was walking myself down the street and saw a 'fridgyater put out on the curb for junk pick up later in da week when all of a sudden my "Marketing Mojo" sense kicks in and sez... HEY! DIS HERE STREET GOTS SOME 500, 800... POSSIBLY 7,000 PEOPLES PASSIN' BY... an' so I knocks on de door of "Mr. & Mrs. Householder" right there an' introducez meself an' sez "Hey Mr. Jones... HOW many peoples ya think be seein' dat dere fridgyater door every day? We can fits up to 125 2x3" biz cards right on dere.... AND THEN CALL UP EVERYONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES WHOOZE CARD WE STICK ON DE DOOR... AN' CHARGE EVERYONE $175 and I ain't no "Match Genius"..... BUT.... seems to me that comes out to...... at least 125 times $175.... That's $21,875 smackeroonies... in one week! HOLY CAMOLY and whaddya know? One guy starts outbiddin' de other for space and dis goes backn' forth, up, up, and AWAY!!!... da next thing you know iz.... ONE BUSINESS CARD TOOK ALL THE SPACE OVER AND THAT'S HOW I INVENTED THE BILLBOARD.

I don't want to do stuff like pallet placement, but I think it is better to have freedom of speech and have people cherry pick what they read.

But yeah, having less would probably be better but largely, I just don't click on those kinds of thread.

My big beef with that stuff is BS income claims with no backup. Making crap ideas up and making income claims with no proof. Especially from years/decades ago.

And spamming the same ideas in multiple threads/posts.

I disagree with the OP for a number of reasons.

1) Freedom of choice in what we *choose* to read seems like a good concept... censorship is not.
2) Like any idea, other ideas will sprout up that may be more relevant to the reader.
3) I enjoy reading ideas where others have had success.

[Edit] Russ, you offer so much helpful advice and comments here... are you having a bad day?

Marvin

Anything that, relates to offline or selling to offline businesses...is fair game. I simply ignore "bogus" money claims and simply don't bother reading posts...by people that I don't care, to read about

Can I ask a question without getting shot and thrown out of town???

Where does THIS thread rank in terms of how to do any of the things this forum is supposed to be about as mentioned in the opening post?

It doesn't. It doesn't belong here IF this forum is ONLY about the things listed. By putting it here you are violating the forum rules, going off topic (there is a forum for that you know), and wasting our time that would be better spent discussing selling online marketing to offline businesses.

So why is it okay for YOU to write what YOU want to but others can't?

NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK. I LIKE THE THINGS YOU POST. I FOLLOW YOUR POSTS. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION. But I think this one is a little unfair as well as hypocritical if you follow the very things you are ranting about.

Mark

...because it is just too hard to not click on threads that don't interest you. hahaha

Do they actually have a description of what this section should be about or we just assume it?

It's called "Offline Marketing Discussions". It doesn't say "Online strategies for offline businesses" or "Offering online marketing to offline businesses"... It could be "offline strategies for online businesses" and it would still fit the name of this section ... lol

This comment isn't directed at anyone in particular, so for what it's worth...

I've seen several threads where people are picking apart the original post or the person who posted it -- as if that's their purpose for reading the thread.

In the very same posts people are bent on tearing apart, or "exposing" if you prefer, I've picked up some good ideas. That doesn't mean I believe the claims or the person making them, it just means I'm looking for what I can use rather than ... something else.

There's some truth to the old adage that we tend to find what we look for. If we look for things to disagree with we'll find them; and if we look for what we can use, we'll find that too.

This is one of the most populated forums, I guess warriors like it. I do.

Lots of great replies from every one!

Some people aren't opposed to the business opportunity posts feeling that they fall under the topic of this thread but I still disagree and here's my perspective on why I'm not swayed by any points made.

If you look at what this forum is, what's discussed, what the spirit and purpose of the forum is, it's about making money through various methods using the the internet, "Making money online".

This section of the forums was born due to the fact that a sub niche of the MMO is taking these methods principles and techniques and applying them to local store front type brick and mortar businesses.

So if we keep in mind the spirit of this forum then it's reasonable to say that discussions about business opportunities not related to the spirit of the forum in regards to making money aren't on topic or germane to the forums vision.

They only section of the forums where business opportunities are welcomed is the WSO section, so why are posts in this section of the forums getting a pass. Should a member want to tell the world about Electric Drill Profits then the place for that is the WSO section, by allowing these types of posts on other sections of the forums it's essentially stealing advertising space from the forum owner. That's my perspective.

A post about how to make money with Balloons, electric drills, etc. etc. etc., and business opportunities in general aren't what this section of the forum is about or why it was even started.

This forum has been around for many years, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the owner may have already considered having a section for making money selling balloons and electric drills, or how great of a businesses opportunity it is to do pallet reclamation. Oh wait he did consider it, it's called the WSO section where you can pay to advertise any type of businesses opportunity you want as long as it's legal and you abide by certain laws and rules on this forum.

So that's pretty much my perspective about it and I don't expect every one to agree with me but that's ok!

Have a great weekend every one!

I feel it's always good to have warriors, especially those with gravity, speak up about what is going on in the forums and what is the best protocol. I liked the observation.

LLS

Rus,

Your comment is puzzling to me. This forum section is not about digital/online marketing for small businesses. Even the title of the forum states it is Offline Marketing strategies, techniques and ideas.

When I read that I take away that it is offline strategies, techniques and ideas forum, but no mention of digital/online marketing.

How did you come to this conclusion that we are to draw the same conclusion as you?

when this forum started it was from discussions on the main forum about how to use internet marketing skills to help grow offline businesses ie sell our services to them etc, that's why it started, it has morphed and changed , but Russ is suggesting it should be what it started out as, and I to some extent agree.

Personally I think this thread is a bigger waste of time than the ones that it's moaning about, at least those "£10 bajillion in 5 mins from vagina waxing" threads make me giggle sometimes.

This one is literally just moaning!