When Welcoming New Members.

A couple ideas, take them for whatever they're worth. ;)

When posting a welcome in the Welcome Mat forum, it'd be helpful to e-mail the welcomee with a link to the thread, or at least e-mail and let the person know to look at the Welcome Mat. And if you're comfortable with posting hyperlinks, it might be nice to include a hyperlink to the welcomee's DG member page so others can go to it and learn more about the person and perhaps send a welcoming e-mail.

A lot of folks don't even know what that forum is for, and don't see the greetings unless someone clues them in. Let's be sure new folks find it! :)

GW, those are excellent suggestions. It would be great and very efficient if the person who starts the thread were to email the "threadee" and include a hyperlink to the Welcome Mat forum, so that the new member would be sure to find greetings. Your idea about creating a hyperlink to the person's member page is great, too -- a nice way for him or her to become acquainted with yet another great feature of DG. Very thoughtful suggestions.

You know, I'm ashamed to say I didn't even know the Welcome Mat forum existed until I heard someone refer to it in a thread awhile back. How do new members get announced on this forum? Does another member do it, or does Dave do it?

Thanks, WR. Weez - It's a member-driven thing. New members get a welcome message, I'm sure, but this is way we can personally welcome new folks in a single place. It's a great way to make DG even more approachable by newbies.

Maybe I'm a bit dense here, but how do we know when a new member arrives? Does Dave post anything for a head's up, or do members just recognize a new face in the forums?

good question Wheezin...I have a habit of looking at the date new names joined...if they are new to me I try to put them in welcome mat....also I have started perusing the Zone list of new subscribers....and click on their home page to see if they have posted any info.

Maybe we should have a Welcome Committee...sign up for the "duty/privledge" and have Dave email the daily list to the next person that has signed on for the job.

I have always felt that a "mentor" program would be good...Like...whoever did the welcome...could follow through with Kim's suggestions...and just tell them a few in's and out's of DG...and be available for help by email. Whatcha say, any ideas? Jo

Oh, what a GREAT idea about a welcome committee, Jo! That's super!!

*blushing* It is, isn't it....LOL Jo

Jo, love your idea. very good idea. let's try to get something like that set up....

Gosh, I thought I posted to this thread again, but I guess not. I was thinking that it would be great if Dave could automatically start a thread to this forum when a new subscriber joins (with permission of course). The thread could include a hyperlink to their member page where we could learn more about them before posting. That would be easier than forming committees, I think. It would also avoid missing someone and hurting feelings, etc.

I really like Weezingreens' idea. Very easy and democratic. This would not only alert members to the presence of a newbie, it would amount to a painless mini-tutorial for the new member.

From a newbie...sounds wonderful...this happened to me. As a newbie there is so much to read...did not have any idea where to start. You guys put me on the right track...thanks

Thanks, WaWild1. Since I haven't met you before, Welcome to the Garden. We'll all scoot down and give you spot on the garden bench. You're going to like it here.:}

Hi and welcome WaWild1... I have been on here almost a year and I don't know my way around yet.lol not their fault though, it's me.....by the way, I used to live in Bremerton,WA back during WW2...I was 16 yrs old,...enjoy!!

The support guy from our sever said he was joining. (jpalmer)this would be his user name, how will I know if he joined

Liz....go to the NC state map in Member list...they are listed by state, by date they joined...so he would be at the end of the list.

Folks, MaryK lived in Port Orchard/Bremerton the same time I did....and drove half the US NAVY fleet crazy! LOL Just kidding Sister Mary. Jo

from personal experienced, i do get lots of request for seeds or plants from non-subscribed members. in the process, i try to convince them to join. there is queite a few that did join, i won't name name for fear of putting them in the spot. anyway, i prep them on stuff they need to know to navigate themselves accdgly in DG's forums. on the newsletter Dave always mention how many joined, but never mentioned who becomes subscribed members. am often surprised to see names i am familiar with pop up every now and then. it is a great idea to have a welcoming committee that way new members does not feel lost or strange, after all, we are one big family! thanks Jo. Carol i love ur idea too :)!!!

MaVieRose, you are a great promoter of Dave's Garden, and you are always willing to share what you know. I think you have hit on something when you mention there is no mention of subscribers versus members.

The first time I really visited the membership site, I was surprised how many were not subscribed. I feel they are truly missing something, but how does one reach the unsubscribed members. You have managed to do that, and I think that is a wonderful thing to have accomplished.

Carol, i do not look for them, they find me LOL!!! plants i offer on my trade list must have such strong magnetic personality that people are drawn to my trade list LOL.

one thing i'd like to point out too is... have u tried opening the member alpha list? it is a pain! takes too long to come up, same thing when one uses the search option. i do have dsl service, i could just imagine how that would be for modem users. it gets too frustrating at times to verify these people, i simply write back to the person and ask some pertinent questions. and when they write back is when i try to convince them to become a subscribe member.

i guess most non-subscribers are mostly interested to acquire seeds or plants that subscribe member have to offer. i try to share cause it is my way of trying to pay back for all and everyone who has been ever so kind to help me gain my sanity after losing the garden i once had.

You are truly generous, MaVieRose. I agree with you about the membership list. I usually try to find their names on a thread so that I can click on their name to get to their homepage! Otherwise it's a slow process. There have been several suggestions on this issue, so I'm sure Dave has considered the problem, and one of these days he'll make it easier.

it is not my generousity, it is more or less making a difference and sharing to make this world a better place to live in.

am sure Dave is really working hard on all the demands and requests that come across the board.

btw... click on Preferences , it is on the lower right column [below About You: ], click on Forum--> u can update the forums that u might be missing. i personally do check on that from time to time, just in case new forums are added that will be of interest to me.