Hi: I got a private message with a question from a member. I won't say who, because I like people to know that they can ask questions confidentially. But, I thought the question was important. It's this; ========================================== Do I really have to respond to all these invitations to forums? There seem to be hundreds. I would never have time to do any work. I was reading on one that said you should be polite and at least say thanks for the invite.... ========================================== The best way to look at this question is to put yourself in the forum owner's shoes. Imagine that, as a forum owner, you take the time to type out an article or information. You're doing that because you're hoping to stimulate conversation, arouse curiosity, or generate interest. First you type the post. Then you preview it. Then you fix the errors and preview again. Finally, you post it. Later, you check your email. You see that 10 people replied to your post. Eager to see the responses, you log back into Adland. And what do you see? --> Thanks for the invite. --> Great post. --> Thanks for the info. --> Thanks for the info. For the story. --> Thanks for the info, not interested. --> I have no money. --> Thanks for the invite. --> Not interested but thanks for the invite. --> Thanks for inviting me --> I have too much on my plate but thanks. Is THAT even polite? So, here's my answer. NO, you don't have to reply to all the invitations you get. Some people might think it's polite to hit forums at warp speed posting nothing but "thanks for the invite." But then, there are also people that think it's polite if they mutter "excuse me" after farting very loudly in a public restaurant. We all have a right to our opinions. I don't have to agree with all of them. I don't think it's polite to respond with a one line thank you after someone has taken the time to create a post. I think it's far more polite to respond only to what interests you and delete the rest. If people start noticing that no one is responding to their threads or posts, maybe they'll put a little more thought into the subject lines that they send out... and the threads that they post, too. Time is the only commodity we can never get back once we've spent it. Don't ever feel guilty for not wanting to waste it. If you want to feel guilty for something - feel guilty when you waste the only thing you can't ever get back. So - that's my opinion. : ) Linda P.S. Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Know anyone you'd like to send this to? lol. No, don't name them.

I agree, We all wish we had more response to our forums though. Not everyone has the broad appeal like you do with your training topics. AdlandPro can certainly keep you busier than you would like to be on items that are not necessarily a priority, right Gary? :-)

I would like to post the following, I have posted this before and some of may have read it but it fits with this topic so if you will please forgive me if this something you have already read but a reminder never hurts. I think we can assume that we all understand what a Bank Account is and how they work. I want to bring this down to most basic of levels and if you bear with me and read on I think you will understand where this is all going. With a bank account, you deposit funds into it, the funds, if you are lucky sit there earning interest, but in today’s world that isn't always the case and that isn't even the point of this post. The funds that are in the bank account are used to pay bills, buy food, whatever the owner needs them for. In essence, Deposits & Withdrawals! Now if look at on-line business for a minute and compare it to a bank account. We are all here, for one reason or other, we join different on-line communities, such as Adlands, hoping to make new business contacts, new friends and even perhaps make a sale or two. For the purpose of this post let us consider Adlands to be our joint bank account. If we look at out participation here like it was a bank account we need to ask; What deposits have I made? I see a lot of people looking to make withdrawals. Sign up here, join under me, this is a great opportunity. I like to refer to it as, Pimping the Wares. Please excuse me if that offends anyone, that certainly is not my intention. You have to make deposits before you can expect to make a withdrawal or our joint bank account is suddenly NSF. You are running around bouncing cheques (checks) all over the place. What are you depositing? A deposit in the bank account sits there, earning you not interest, but respect. Respect from the people you are looking to do business with. Respect from the people you are looking to be your withdrawals. So ask yourself, what am I depositing and how often do I make a deposit. If you are looking to make withdrawals and you are not making any deposits, or not enough deposits then you are NSF. You cannot expect to get more than you give. Now before you make a deposit look at it and ask is this really a deposit or am I just Pimping my Wares. I see requests in various forums asking for help and I see a lot of responses such as; Great question, I don't have the answer but if you click on my sig. file and sign up under me that might help. Now those exact words might not be used, but the message is there. Are you really offering help? Is the answer you provide doing anything at all to help a person solve the problem? Do you know what you are advising them on? Then there is also the other side of the coin and we all see it as well. People trying to help, setting up a forum willing to offer advise or help and then people, that have not done the due diligence they should have in the first place, before setting out on the path they have chossen, looking to make a withdrawal. If you cannot swim would you jump into the deep end of the pool? People seem to do that everday on the internet. They get into things that do not understand , and I don't just mean affiliate programs here. People get themselves into all sorts of binds and a lot of it can be avoided just by doing a little research first. So in closing, ask yourself; What deposits am I making and what is the quality of my deposit? When you are looking to make a withdrawal, ask yourslf; Have I deposited enough to warrant this withdrawal or will my account be NSF? I know that not everyone might agree with me and I am bound to face some objections to this post, but as Billy Shakespeare once said: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? So please, feel free to make your comments, good or bad, but, as you do ask yourself; Is what I am about to post a deposit of value?

Hi David; Broad appeal? LOL. And here I thought it was just in New York that guys call women broads. lol..... KIDDING. (I couldn't resist) Joking aside - more people *could* have that kind of appeal. It just takes some creative thinking. Let's say you sell fertilizer. I mean the real stuff, not internet marketing stuff. You could start a forum on gardening tips. Or plant tips. One visit to a good gardening site and you'll find food for hundreds of posts. As you become "the plant guy" that everyone goes to - they grow to respect your posts. They probably buy your fertilizer after a while. Not right away. That's not how humans operate. But when they get to trust your advice, they'll buy. And your seed catalog, and whatever else you sell. Often, people look too "narrowly" at what they can (or should) talk about. They don't understand the theory of psychographics. The theory of psychographics works a little like this.... "If I am interested in 'a' - I am probably also interested in "b, c, d and e" If you try to sell me "a" - I'll ignore you. If you talk to me about "b, c, d and e" -- I'll eventually buy "a". Psychology. Go figure. If I'm a "target" customer for fertilizer or plant products - I'm probably interested in plants. (duh) Or gardening. As such, I'd probably also be interested in plant growing tips, gardening tips, house plants, canning my harvest and freezing my vegetables. The same thing applies to almost every category area. Think of "who" the target customer is - and ask - what else are they interested in? Then, start the conversations. Want to know the really NEAT thing? 98 out of every 100 people here will never get the concept. They'll still keep posting "join my downline before the secret launch" and "THE BESTEST BIZZOPP EVER GET IN TODAY" -- so you really won't have much competition. : ) Linda P.S. I secretly believe most of the "thinkers" are at this forum, or eventually find it...

Hi Linda, WOW, does this answer a question I have been very afraid to approach. I have to admit I am one of those people who post one word responses, because I do respect the person who is posting, and would never want to appear rude or uncaring. But most of them are nothing I am interested in. Now some are about personal experiences or are asking questions. With those I try to either answer the question asked or leave a response about how I felt about their post. I feel a lot better now, knowing that I am really not expected to respond to everything. Becuase it does take up so much time. Thanks a lot Linda. Your Friend Deborah