Utilizing Craigslist

[TruTenacity]

So, I saw somewhere on the forum that someone posted an Appleseed event on Craigslist in their area.  I don't know the statistics of how many folks use Craigslist similar to a community calendar to view events in their area, but I thought I'd give it a try.  It took me just a few minutes to get this posted.  The event will be available for viewing for 45 days.  I wonder how many e-mails the Craigslist post will generate?  Time will tell.  How many people will it reach?  I have no idea, but it is worth the few moments to try it out.

For those that don't want to go to the link, here is what it looks like.  The date "12/31" is when the post expires.

12/31: Project Appleseed (Lewis-Clark Wildlife Club Range)

Date: 2010-11-22, 11:25AM PST
Reply to: ID@appleseedinfo.org

The Appleseed Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to teaching every American our shared heritage and history as well as traditional rifle marksmanship skills. Our heritage program vividly portrays the Battles of Lexington and Concord with the kind of care and immediacy that is absent from most formal schooling. Modern listeners are confronted with the danger, the fear, and the heartbreaking separations that arose out of the choices made on April 19th, 1775. Our rifle marksmanship program complements our history and heritage. We teach the traditional American marksmanship skills. There are, however, several aspects of our marksmanship program that deserve special mention. We are particularly proud of our younger attendees. In accordance with applicable local laws, young people with sufficient maturity are welcome to the Appleseed line and can, with parental permission, join the cadre. We are family friendly. See Appleseed Projects home page for more information. appleseedinfo.org

Location: Lewis-Clark Wildlife Club Range
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 2074451499

[PHenry]

I advertise regularly for my business on Craigslist, but not for the calls it generates. I do it for "ranking" of company website. Most of the calls we git from Craigslist are tire kickers and cause more problems than revenue.

However, Appleseeds is a different aminal for sure and it may work - doesn't cost anything but time. We do a good bit with Facebook here in FL and that works fairly well. It's important to use keywords in ads and on Facebook to improve search engine status of RWVA website. If Applseeders all over country list events on Craigslist - would surely make website more visible.

I will bring to attention of our promo boss for his consideration.

Good idea! Huzzaaaah!

[nmmi9100]

I've been putting shoots up on craigslist for a while.  Never put them in "events" but I have put them under "sporting goods" where I figure gun cranks or wannabes might be looking.

Putting these under the events section is a good idea.  I think i'll copy your text, tru.

-David
Edgewood, NM

[AZOpie]

An excellent idea!!!

John

[AZOpie]

Here is a similar site to post on:

http://www.backpage.com/

AZO

[TruTenacity]

Here is a similar site to post on:

http://www.backpage.com/

AZO

Thanks for the lead!

[ItsanSKS]

Tru-

Its been a few months since you started this, and was wondering if you have had any quantifiable success?  As in, how many emails have you received, and did those emails turn into actual bodies on the line?

-ItsanSKS

[vernic82]

I've used it before for pistol courses and received nothing but junk mail.  Perhaps it could work better for AS events?

[TruTenacity]

Tru-

Its been a few months since you started this, and was wondering if you have had any quantifiable success?  As in, how many emails have you received, and did those emails turn into actual bodies on the line?

-ItsanSKS

So far there has not been an increase in attendance, though RR has received a few query e-mails.  Since it doesn't take much time to post on Craigslist I'm going to continue.  The next one I want to tackle is finding community calendars to post on like Scout suggests.  I just haven't had time.

[Chainsaw]

How do you overcome the "sorry you've posted something similar" problem.  I was able to post once in my state, everything else gets denied, even if it's in a different category and a different city.   

[TruTenacity]

How do you overcome the "sorry you've posted something similar" problem.  I was able to post once in my state, everything else gets denied, even if it's in a different category and a different city.   

I haven't figured that out yet.  We have enough computers in our home I thought of using a different one to see if that would allow me to post the same information under a different location on Craigslist for the same event.  I just haven't gotten around to trying that.  If that doesn't work, maybe a work around is to post on your state board what you'd like the message on Craigslist to say.  Then divvy out the areas amongst your instructors and have them post the events.  I hope that made sense.

[George Hacker]

Going to see if we can get some shooters from craigslist in Springfield, Oregon.  Here is our ad and I spruced it up with a couple of pictures.  If you are in the Eugene, Roseburg, or Corvalis areas of craigslist, searching for "shooting" in "events" will find our event - just can't get it working for Portland... yet.

http://eugene.craigslist.org/eve/2906698768.html

- ShadowMan

[Johnnyappleseed]

I would think even if it gets zero attendee's it's still worthwhile as a primer for future events.
Just reading Tru Ts post is a learning experiance  for nearly everyone 

[George Hacker]

I'm trying to post a separate event (same date, different location) and I'm running into the "sorry you've posted something similar" problem.  I'm going to see if one of my friends from Idaho can post the information for their state and get past the prohibition.

- ShadowMan

[KnowFear]

In general, ads posted from your account must be titled and worded substantially different from each other in order to avoid the "something similar" message.  The algorithm used by CL is sometimes vague and inconsistent, but simply using the same words in multiple ads like "AppleSeed", or "shooting", and a same email reply address can be enough to get your ad kicked out of the system. 

Obviously "AppleSeed", is an important word   So you can try rewording everything else - for example use "marksmanship" instead of "shooting", "gun" instead of "rifle" and visa versa, i.e., come up with differently worded ways of getting out the same message.

In addition to re-wording ads, using multiple accounts (or a friends account) or internet connection locations can help, as can using CL's anon reply email (rather than your own email address or phone number).

Note that the above can be interpreted as being not in accordance with CL's Terms-Of-Use.  Your call.

Also, be aware that other CL users can "flag" your ad off of the system, which could easily happen in larger population centers or areas that are aniti-2A.  The more often you get flagged off, the easier it becomes to flag off subsequent ads of all types - something you may want to consider if you are using CL for your business.

Believe it or not, there are little groups out there that will search for anything 2A related and flag off anything you post if you are using your real name, email address, or phone number.

[George Hacker]

Thanks for the tips, KnowFear.  I'm not trying to cross post the same shoot multiple times.  I'm trying to post information about multiple shoots in my region (in different regional forums).

- ShadowMan

[Nero]

Thanks for the tips, KnowFear.  I'm not trying to cross post the same shoot multiple times.  I'm trying to post information about multiple shoots in my region (in different regional forums).

- ShadowMan

The CL system is trying to stop spamming by a combination of automatic and manual (flagging) methods.  Their automatic system isn't smart enough to discriminate between what you are doing legitimately, and a spambot that's making minor modifications to the same come-on as it hits different regional boards.

You get what you 'paid' for...   

[desertrat144]

This is probably old knowledge, but... the Flagging _____ (fill in properly) like to flag firearms related posts because the 'voices (?)' tell them to; as you've seen it takes a while if ever to resolve a false flagging.  CL monitors in various areas also have different abilities to permanently block users for perceived illegal posts.  I don't know if a Get Out of Jail Free letter from CL HQ naming posts from certain AS registered users as immune from local drive by flaggers would be doable on a national scale.  I think I may have just volunteered...  D'oh!

One last note, when using AppleSeed do it as one word and make sure that the site is appleseedinfo.org not .com, for AS contacts which a lot of folks tend to automatically do. 
Note, the .com extension leads to a less than family wholesome set of site links.

I'll fall off my soap box now.

Tom

[Roland]

The ad has been posted. HTML code is a beautiful thing!

Roland

[George Hacker]

The ad has been posted. HTML code is a beautiful thing!

Thanks, Roland.  Well done.

What this shows is that CL rules allow us to do the following:

• Post a shoot in a single region - it will appear in neighboring regions as well.
• Multiple shoots must be posted by multiple Appleseeders.

- ShadowMan