Advertising Sunday Service on Facebook

[SteveS Cup]

I do find it annoying how so many people who I know weren't on the list turned up to prodrive and had a lovely day out whilst I didn't bother as I didn't get on the list.

What is the point in the list?

I didn't get on the silverstone list either but shall I just rock up??

[dts_v50]

I can see the benefits of advertising event / posting to Facebook to increase foot traffic through the PH site and widen its user base and any forum would potentially be daft not to at least try this but it will have some negative effects at times. I've seen car clubs with active forums slowly die due to the move to using facebook.

With the Sunday services I struggle to work out the logic that's been used before they create than event for an already over subscribed event to facebook. For any tom dick or harry that see's the post to potentially rock up and stopping a genuine PH'er that has played by the rules and signed up either getting directly on the list or patiently waiting on the reserve list for a drop out spot doesn't seem to be very fair at all.

[Podie]

Just looking at the Silverstone SS, and I can't work out how some people "had a great day out" yet aren't on the list of attendees...?

[Jack Mansfield]

Hi All,

Sorry about the slow response!

And I think you all may be right... We obviously want to expand/show off our events, and gain new members, we'd be silly not to! But, as already mentioned, advertising an oversubscribed small (in the general scale of things) event will attract non-members, which isn't what we want.

The obvious solution to this would be to have thousands of spaces, but thats not possible

We'll have a re-think of how we do this.

Jack

[CaptainRAVE]

Jack Mansfield said:

Hi All,

Sorry about the slow response!

And I think you all may be right... We obviously want to expand/show off our events, and gain new members, we'd be silly not to! But, as already mentioned, advertising an oversubscribed small (in the general scale of things) event will attract non-members, which isn't what we want.

The obvious solution to this would be to have thousands of spaces, but thats not possible

We'll have a re-think of how we do this.

Jack

A very reasonable response, thanks

I am sure many of us advertise it to 'like minded' individuals anyway outside of the usual PH channels.

[MrBarry123]

Thanks for the response Jack.

[C70GT]

Jack Mansfield said:

Hi All,

Sorry about the slow response!

And I think you all may be right... We obviously want to expand/show off our events, and gain new members, we'd be silly not to! But, as already mentioned, advertising an oversubscribed small (in the general scale of things) event will attract non-members, which isn't what we want.

The obvious solution to this would be to have thousands of spaces, but thats not possible

We'll have a re-think of how we do this.

Jack

Sounds good to me.

As a newbie I found the organisation/lack of a little strange at Prodrive. I quite expected a queue to get in and expected the 'gateman' to check me off against the list - just got waved through and told to park up. I then went and asked the chappie on the merchandise stall where I register and all he said was 'you don't, just walk in' beckoning to Prodrive's front door. So not sure how 'the management' will know whether I turned up or not.

As far as Facebook and other advertising platforms are concerned. By all means post up after the event - describing what a brilliant event it was and if you don't want to miss out for future events sign up to PH's and become part of the forum. A good write up will attract the genuine enthusiasts with little effort.

This is not a grumble by any means as I enjoyed Prodrive immensely and thanks for organising - a lot of hard work goes into these events and much appreciated - just observations from a newbie.

[ecsrobin]

Jack Mansfield said:

Hi All,

Sorry about the slow response!

And I think you all may be right... We obviously want to expand/show off our events, and gain new members, we'd be silly not to! But, as already mentioned, advertising an oversubscribed small (in the general scale of things) event will attract non-members, which isn't what we want.

The obvious solution to this would be to have thousands of spaces, but thats not possible

We'll have a re-think of how we do this.

Jack

Thank you for the reply.

As the poster above has mentioned, publicise the event after it's happened (which you already do on the website)

[Leptons]

Podie said:

Just looking at the Silverstone SS, and I can't work out how some people "had a great day out" yet aren't on the list of attendees...?

Possibly because we were told to remove ourselves from the list if we'd booked track time to free up some spaces.

[Podie]

Leptons said:

Podie said:

Just looking at the Silverstone SS, and I can't work out how some people "had a great day out" yet aren't on the list of attendees...?

Possibly because we were told to remove ourselves from the list if we'd booked track time to free up some spaces.

I'm sharp enough to have picked that up

[Leptons]

Podie said:

I'm sharp enough to have picked that up

So how are you determining who just rocked up and who had track time booked and weren't on the list of attendees, bearing in mind there's no list of usernames booked on track?

[xjay1337]

C70GT said:

Sounds good to me.

As a newbie I found the organisation/lack of a little strange at Prodrive. I quite expected a queue to get in and expected the 'gateman' to check me off against the list - just got waved through and told to park up. I then went and asked the chappie on the merchandise stall where I register and all he said was 'you don't, just walk in' beckoning to Prodrive's front door. So not sure how 'the management' will know whether I turned up or not.

As far as Facebook and other advertising platforms are concerned. By all means post up after the event - describing what a brilliant event it was and if you don't want to miss out for future events sign up to PH's and become part of the forum. A good write up will attract the genuine enthusiasts with little effort.

This is not a grumble by any means as I enjoyed Prodrive immensely and thanks for organising - a lot of hard work goes into these events and much appreciated - just observations from a newbie.

To be honest I'm not sure on PH's interpretation but, in the case of Prodrive, there may have only been space for 250 cars but people are (and should be, IMHO), free to WALK to the event (perhaps they work on the business estate or have parked elsewhere) without having to get permission.

Regarding posting the events on Facebook, I agree - It's stupid - As above, post up retrospectively. Don't advertise them.

Also, regarding posting up dates/times for events, defo a set time needs to be laid out, the time will never suit everyone, but at least we know, say 3pm. That's a pretty good time for most people most of the time.

[Podie]

Leptons said:

Podie said:

I'm sharp enough to have picked that up

So how are you determining who just rocked up and who had track time booked and weren't on the list of attendees, bearing in mind there's no list of usernames booked on track?

You mean, who removed themselves from the list of attendees at the last minute?

[CaptainRAVE]

Podie said:

You mean, who removed themselves from the list of attendees at the last minute?

Some people won't have added themselves to the list in the first place. Especially considering this is how it has always been at Silverstone. Then there are also always a few people who seem to get let in regardless.

[Podie]

CaptainRAVE said:

Podie said:

You mean, who removed themselves from the list of attendees at the last minute?

Some people won't have added themselves to the list in the first place. Especially considering this is how it has always been at Silverstone. Then there are also always a few people who seem to get let in regardless.

Fair point on the list.

On the early SS, you were always checked in. I suppose it depends if the establishment are bothered - but does seem to make the limited spaces and sign-up process a little pointless. To me, it's only breeding the "well, I didn't make the cut but I may as well chance it" attitude.

[ecsrobin]

xjay1337 said:

To be honest I'm not sure on PH's interpretation but, in the case of Prodrive, there may have only been space for 250 cars but people are (and should be, IMHO), free to WALK to the event (perhaps they work on the business estate or have parked elsewhere) without having to get permission.

Regarding posting the events on Facebook, I agree - It's stupid - As above, post up retrospectively. Don't advertise them.

Also, regarding posting up dates/times for events, defo a set time needs to be laid out, the time will never suit everyone, but at least we know, say 3pm. That's a pretty good time for most people most of the time.

I disagree. If I was a venue offering my facility by setting a maximum number of vehicles I can potentially work out an average of people coming to the event and I wouldn't be wanting people walking through the gates.

If It's the case that if we don't make the list then we can walk in you could have hundreds of people extra attend (an extreme I know)

[Craikeybaby]

ecsrobin said:

xjay1337 said:

To be honest I'm not sure on PH's interpretation but, in the case of Prodrive, there may have only been space for 250 cars but people are (and should be, IMHO), free to WALK to the event (perhaps they work on the business estate or have parked elsewhere) without having to get permission.

Regarding posting the events on Facebook, I agree - It's stupid - As above, post up retrospectively. Don't advertise them.

Also, regarding posting up dates/times for events, defo a set time needs to be laid out, the time will never suit everyone, but at least we know, say 3pm. That's a pretty good time for most people most of the time.

I disagree. If I was a venue offering my facility by setting a maximum number of vehicles I can potentially work out an average of people coming to the event and I wouldn't be wanting people walking through the gates.

If It's the case that if we don't make the list then we can walk in you could have hundreds of people extra attend (an extreme I know)

I agree, PH will have discussed numbers with the hosts, if there was more space/the hosts willing to host more people the list would be longer! Extra people turning up is the sort of thing that will stop PH getting invited back. At Prodrive it looked like some people were parking at other businesses and walking in - hopefully these other businesses didn't complain to Prodrive.

[TroubledSoul]

SteveS Cup said:

I do find it annoying how so many people who I know weren't on the list turned up to prodrive and had a lovely day out whilst I didn't bother as I didn't get on the list.

What is the point in the list?

I didn't get on the silverstone list either but shall I just rock up??

This is the first I've heard of this as I had to just blank out the Prodrive event altogether as I'd missed the event going up by 12 hours and missed out. I was truly gutted about that one.

Sounds like I should have just turned up anyway. Very disappointing.

[TroubledSoul]

Podie said:

Leptons said:

Podie said:

Just looking at the Silverstone SS, and I can't work out how some people "had a great day out" yet aren't on the list of attendees...?

Possibly because we were told to remove ourselves from the list if we'd booked track time to free up some spaces.

I'm sharp enough to have picked that up

They originally said to put yourself on the list even if you ARE going on track, hence I didn't book a session and didn't attend. That's annoying.

[Podie]

TroubledSoul said:

SteveS Cup said:

I do find it annoying how so many people who I know weren't on the list turned up to prodrive and had a lovely day out whilst I didn't bother as I didn't get on the list.

What is the point in the list?

I didn't get on the silverstone list either but shall I just rock up??

This is the first I've heard of this as I had to just blank out the Prodrive event altogether as I'd missed the event going up by 12 hours and missed out. I was truly gutted about that one.

Sounds like I should have just turned up anyway. Very disappointing.

This sums it up perfectly for me.

PHers playing by the rules, whilst random people who saw it advertised on FB just walk in.