How Not To Generate Interest
Aug. 10th, 2008 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bzarcherSomeone asked on the Smoke Ring if there was a MI/OH/PA BBQing organization or club.
It turns out, yes, there's something called the Great Lakes BBQ Association that's supposed to be the "sanctioning" body for official events and cookoffs. So, I decided to go over to their website and take a look, and here's what I get.
There's a nice front page with their logo and a bunch of navigation links.
I decide to try "News and Events" - after all, maybe they have something going soon and I could see about going by and checking it out to meet some local BBQers, network a bit, get some tips or ask questions about their sources for wood, meat, etx.
*BZZT* - Membership required.
Oh-kay. A little odd, you'd think you'd want people to know about the current events for the organization to drum up some interest, but whatever.
Um...there's a link to Recipes. How about that?
*BZZT* - Same thing.
Forum?
*BZZT*
Sponsors?
*BZZT*
Mailing list information?
*BZZT* *BZZT* *BZZT*
Contact Us?
...ok, that worked. But it's just an email address and PO Box.
About Us?
That works, but it doesn't actually say much about what they do other than a mission statement about spreading outdoor cooking.
Well, let's check out the "Join!" link.
$35 to pay for a membership for one year?
That's not a totally horrible price, but to be honest, I'm really not psyched about signing up when I can't find any information about how much they do around here, when the events are, or even a chance to ask questions without paying in advance.
Even just a "sample recipes" or "This month's events" page that were publicly viewable would make a huge difference. As it is, it almost reminds me of the Jacket Backers before Julie really dug in to start cleaning it up - a "public" club that was really intended to mostly serve the egos of the founding clique, regardless of what came from the membership.
It turns out, yes, there's something called the Great Lakes BBQ Association that's supposed to be the "sanctioning" body for official events and cookoffs. So, I decided to go over to their website and take a look, and here's what I get.
There's a nice front page with their logo and a bunch of navigation links.
I decide to try "News and Events" - after all, maybe they have something going soon and I could see about going by and checking it out to meet some local BBQers, network a bit, get some tips or ask questions about their sources for wood, meat, etx.
*BZZT* - Membership required.
Oh-kay. A little odd, you'd think you'd want people to know about the current events for the organization to drum up some interest, but whatever.
Um...there's a link to Recipes. How about that?
*BZZT* - Same thing.
Forum?
*BZZT*
Sponsors?
*BZZT*
Mailing list information?
*BZZT* *BZZT* *BZZT*
Contact Us?
...ok, that worked. But it's just an email address and PO Box.
About Us?
That works, but it doesn't actually say much about what they do other than a mission statement about spreading outdoor cooking.
Well, let's check out the "Join!" link.
$35 to pay for a membership for one year?
That's not a totally horrible price, but to be honest, I'm really not psyched about signing up when I can't find any information about how much they do around here, when the events are, or even a chance to ask questions without paying in advance.
Even just a "sample recipes" or "This month's events" page that were publicly viewable would make a huge difference. As it is, it almost reminds me of the Jacket Backers before Julie really dug in to start cleaning it up - a "public" club that was really intended to mostly serve the egos of the founding clique, regardless of what came from the membership.
