Standard postings, threads etc.
Dear all,
There is a post in the 'announcements' section that goes into a bit more detail about this, but here is a very brief overview of how to post comments, questions etc:
Here are some of the ways you can contribute to forums:
Posting
There are a number of ways you can post messages, the best thing to do is to have a go. Either reply to an existing message (see below) or start a new thread if it is about a different subject. If you make a mistake after you have submitted it, you can amend it, either click on 'edit' or click on 'go advanced' if you want to change things like the title. So please do not worry about the fact it is a fairly ‘permanent’ way of communicating (for that reason I advise not to bother with the preview post function) . Actually the permanence is one of its strengths, because whereas in a face to face discussion people can easily forget what you said a few minutes ago, including all those wonderful benefits of your product or service, here they can take another look whenever they want, and if they ‘see’ you regularly on the forums, they are more likely to go back and check your previous posts and your ‘links’ on the showcase. In other words, you are more likely to get business!
Replying
When you read a post you want to comment on, even if just to say ‘I agree’ (which can in itself be really useful), then you can either click on ‘reply’ and you are given a new box to enter a new heading if you wish, and type in your comments, or you can click on ‘quick reply’ (you must click on the little box in the right hand side of the message you want to reply to) – the only difference being that with quick reply you cannot insert a new heading.
With all posts you can include a quote of the piece you are commenting on by ticking the relevant box (you will see an icon that says 'quote'), and you can add smiley’s either within the post or with the heading, to give an indication of your mood/idea.
Remember posts are tallied up to your record so the more you post, not only will you feel more a part of the community (you will find more people will start ‘chatting’ to you and in turn you will generate more trust – and business) but also you will start receiving special status, offers etc., for hitting certain numbers.
Threads
Many forum areas will have a number of ‘threads’ (topic areas) but you can also start your own very easily if you want to start up a new discussion. All you have to do is click on the ‘new thread’ box when you are in the forum, and you will be asked to give a thread ‘header’. This is the one time you should try to get your spelling right before you post, as it is quite difficult to change a new thread heading. Then you type in the main box your thoughts on the topic, and click ‘submit’.
Polls
If you wish you can post ‘polls’ to new threads, to find out how others view the situation quickly and with a statistical base. So for example if you think some industrial action is causing your business a problem, you can start a thread about it and click on the ‘poll’ option. Then give the question ‘is this industrial action causing problems for your business?’ and then give the different types of responses people are allowed to give, such as ‘a lot; a little; not at all’ or just ‘yes/no’.
Don't worry if the original posting was made some time ago, most if not all of the subjects here are open for discussion at any stage, and some of them were posted up before BizFace really got going, so no-one has asked questions or comments yet. And please - we are just as interested in what you think may be a simple or even stupid question from people who do not know anything really about a subject, as in the helpful and informative comments from the experts - so just ask.
The best way to find out about all of these things is to have a go!
kind regards
Stephanie
|
Re: Standard postings, threads etc.
