The other day I sent a Private Message to Justin about an idea to promote the site during the HS football season. Just curious what others think and if they might be interested if Justin would want to do it. The idea is to make a business card with the Ohio Chatter Logo and some sort of saying or slogan and saying that it is the best place to go talk about your favorite teams. I know I personally would be willing to hand something like this out in order to grow the site.

Who's gonna pay for all this? We going to have to pay to post now? I'd hand out cards.

Sorry I didn't get around to replying to your PM. It was on my list of things to do this weekend. I think the idea has merit and could be really useful, especially if people handed them out at football games around the state.

The trickiest part will be coming up with something to hand out that isn't an annoying full sheet flier but is cheap and easy for people to print out at home. I could order business cards in bulk but then I'd have to send out batches to people and hope that they were actually going to hand them out and not burn them because they hate me or something.

justincredible;435559 wrote:I could order business cards in bulk but then I'd have to send out batches to people and hope that they were actually going to hand them out and not burn them because they hate me or something.

I would frame it because I love you.

Is it possible to make a template or something and then people can go on to a site that sells business cards and buy their own? I know I would be willing to spend a few bucks to help promote the site. Or maybe make up a standard layout for all those emails people get for free business cards.

I definitely don't like anything that would be a full sheet flier or even anything normal paper even...seems cheesy that way...but if it is the only solution it may work.

I think VistaPrint always has some deal going on where you can get 250 free business cards if you just pay the shipping. I think it's like $5 to have them shipped to you. It might be a viable option if we get some people who are willing to pay the $5 shipping.

I've also thought about running a contest using the "referral" functionality of the site. Current members promote the hell out of the site using whatever means they see fit and get people to register and select them as their referral. The member with the most referrals over a certain period of time gets a prize or giftcard or something. Of course there would be stipulations. The new referred members would have to be unique (no alter-egos) and would have to amass so many posts before the referrer gets credit for them. Once I lock down a solid promotion based off of this I will kick it off, hopefully in the next few weeks. It could even tie in with this business card idea. Just put some instructions on the card for people to put you down as their referrer.

ernest_t_bass;435570 wrote:I would frame it because I love you.

And I, you.

justincredible;435559 wrote: I could order business cards in bulk but then I'd have to send out batches to people and hope that they were actually going to hand them out and not burn them because they hate me or something.

I'll take 1 million.

I would definitely be available to help promote.

Why not just create a business card in Word, turn it into a PDF (maybe multiplied 10 times on a page), and then we can print out the PDF ourselves, cut out each of the 10 boxes, and hand them out? Sure, we'd probably just be printing on normal paper, but someone's just as likely to throw that away as they are a business card (just thick paper).

I don't know. I think I would keep a business card longer than a little scrap of normal paper. Especially if you are at a game and it gets handed to you. I normal piece of paper that size could end up a mess by the time you get it home and pull it out of your pocket.

I do like the contest idea that Justin talked about above...that is pretty cool. Hopefully we won't get too many cheaters out there...someone always has to ruin it for others.

I wish there was a way that we could promote the site on the cards or whatever that we are a split off of JJHuddle... it might also be good, if possible to say the site used to be called FreeHuddle...as there are a lot of people that haven't made it over here since the change.

thePITman;435584 wrote:Why not just create a business card in Word, turn it into a PDF (maybe multiplied 10 times on a page), and then we can print out the PDF ourselves, cut out each of the 10 boxes, and hand them out? Sure, we'd probably just be printing on normal paper, but someone's just as likely to throw that away as they are a business card (just thick paper).

This is also a good point. Though I find myself holding on to business cards when I get them and tossing regular weight paper items directly in the trash. That's probably just me as most people probably throw both away immediately.

NWIndianNation01;435611 wrote: I wish there was a way that we could promote the site on the cards or whatever that we are a split off of JJHuddle... it might also be good, if possible to say the site used to be called FreeHuddle...as there are a lot of people that haven't made it over here since the change.

Both of those would lead to a certified letter.

Talk about Ohio High School Sports for FREE!
OhioChatter.com

(in fine print)
Formerly known as FreeHuddle.com before having to change our name after receiving a certified letter from JJHuddle over some petty copyright infringement). Yet, we do huddle together to chat, and we are FREE!

I don't see anything illegal about stating the fact that the site WAS previously known as FreeHuddle.com, and you DID receive a certified letter from them.

^^ So lame! That site just pisses me off!

Quick and dirty in MS Paint (just to put an idea out there):

Back:


Front:

How about a small ad in the fall programs?
Put a stickky on the high school forums with a small ad you want used and ask if anyone could get this in the upcoming season programs.

If Chatterers have an in w/ their current or former High School, just being able to leave a stack of cards at the concession stands would probably grow the site a tremendous amount.

gorocks99;435631 wrote:Quick and dirty in MS Paint (just to put an idea out there):

Back:


Front:

I like the simplicity and idea of this card. I'll put some sort of template together based off of it. Thanks Seabass.

Darkon;435640 wrote:How about a small ad in the fall programs?
Put a stickky on the high school forums with a small ad you want used and ask if anyone could get this in the upcoming season programs.

Is there still time to get ads in to programs? It's a great idea and one that we talked about last year I think, I just forgot about it. Anyone have a general idea of how much it costs to put an ad in a program?

se-alum;435645 wrote:If Chatterers have an in w/ their current or former High School, just being able to leave a stack of cards at the concession stands would probably grow the site a tremendous amount.

I like this idea as well.

I know that our local school has always been a last minute thng when it comes to the fall program (my wife was involved in years passed). But some may be more organized and it's to late to get in.
I to like se-alum's idea with the cards at the concession stand.

Find out what JJ's game of the week is, and go put an Ohio Chatter banner right next to his, and have some sort of comment about being free.

Justin or anyone who prints anything like this up get in touch with me. I know I'm in Florida and there won't be a ton of interest down here however the BW's right where I live is where the Ohio State Alumni Club Jacksonville meets every Saturday during football season. It is packed with well over a 100 Buckeye fans on Saturdays, I could pass them out there.

thedynasty1998;435665 wrote:Find out what JJ's game of the week is, and go put an Ohio Chatter banner right next to his, and have some sort of comment about being free.

Genius!

I see a small problem with my plan, however. If a school administrator or parent sees the card, logs on, and sees the language used, they probably will not allow the cards to be placed at the concession stands.

se-alum;435712 wrote:I see a small problem with my plan, however. If a school administrator or parent sees the card, logs on, and sees the language used, they probably will not allow the cards to be placed at the concession stands.

Especially when they hear that this is the place where teachers are hooking up with students.