Advertising of trackdays on this forum
 

Well it looks like big brother is watching so I have to be careful what I say

Flanks has taken it upon himself, with some assistance from one other member of the webteam to decide who can and who can’t post special offers here.

Unfortunately it appears that having Regional Organiser or some other such phrase at the foot of the posting counts for everything.

So I hope that all those members who enjoyed their day at Brands on the 4th will give me a call over the weekend find out what else were doing for the DSC

Gary

whhhooooooaaaaaa horsey ....

Gary,

Chill a second, i think it may be because of the fact that the MT haven't quite worked out their strategy for "Commercial Advertising" hence ALL advertising directly placed by the "Seller" is pulled ..... thats why we have no adverts for 100% / FE / No Limits etc ... or for many of the companies that provide valuable services to the DSC including Cornerspeed and Krispy Kremes (hey, allow me some humour)... this will resolve itself and maybe needs some impetus, which I think you may have just provided ....

Maybe we need a section of the board where companies could offer services \ good to the DSC at a deal that Joe Public can't have, be that cheaper, free collection, free delivery etc .. something that adds a little "DSC Value"

i can understand that this is not supposed to be an advertising board for business,

but personally i value other members raising the awreness of members as to specail offers they have idenetified & sharing info re: where they will be doing trackdays etc

if your doing it for the DSC, ie special offer then why cant you post it?:puzzled:

Because that's the policy that was decided at the AGM - and the mandate we as the Webteam have to operate under. It might not be perfect, and we are looking at ways to improve this because it is a contentious issue, but it's what we have to work to.

Gary - Singling out Flanks is akin to shooting the messenger. Both he and myself didn't make this policy but as the Webteam we police it. It's a DSC policy. We both discussed the response before he acted and I even viewed his u2u before it was sent to you to make sure it was fair etc.

I can perfectly understand if you take issue with this but please bear in mind that we have many members of this club who have their own businesses who do abide by this policy. If we allowed you to do it then they are either disadvantaged or we have to allow the floodgates open.

It's nothing personal and as Dibble says, Antonye's post was allowed because he is not directly connected to the company and therefore not benefitting directly from it. Yours is, even if the second one was posted by an alias.

We are not trying to be dictatorial with this so please be patient with us while we work on a system that is beneficial to the businesses run by members and the members themselves in an equitable manner.

I hope this clears things up.

Cheers,

TP

mate - email me the offers you have and I'll post it for yer under 'big uup to' etc heading...after all, we post ebay stuff of interest dont we??

so log in as someone else and tell us about this great deal that so and so are doing.
and we will all get hooked up toot sweat :D

like the avtar keef...:cool:

Well I may be a member of the webteam but I'm a member of the club as well.

So thanks to Keefer and Bradders for creating more work for Flanks and me! Not.

I dont really have a problem with the policy, as without it it would be an advertising board, but if its something that has gone via the club ie special offer of discount to members, perhaps there should be a category opened up for these things, it is a bit difficult some times to knowor keep track of exactly what discount the club membership entitles you to with organisations or companies. so could it not be posted by the web team if its likeley to be of interest or benefit to members?

sorry Tony - why are we creating work?

Not intended mate, just looking at ways in which I can help someone I know, like and respect and offers good value to us without incurring any issues on here.:)

seems we always disagree these days....good job our kids get on:roll:

It's a good idea Bungi - something that is being worked on behind the scenes so we can have exactly what you suggest.

Please be patient.

One more point - if you have some constructive suggestions please let us know. You can send mail to webteam@ducatisportingclub.com or even volunteer to help yourselves?

:D

Bungi,

This is being taken into account, and Eamonn is looking into this. Problem is, things do not happen over night.

TP and myself are being fair and consistant. And to say taking it upon myself, is inaccurate to say the least. This policy was agreed at the AGM, and passed by the membership of the club. Yes, the membership of the club. Not the Management Team or the Webteam (at which time neither TP or myself were members of the WT). I think the debate lasted some time, before an agreement was made.

Mark.

:D

To be fair yours doesn't technically, because if you post Gary's offers they will conform to the policy. Sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you of that. But it is the open dissent and undermining of the policy and our ability to police it that I personally have a small issue with.

But by posting as an alias, which happened earlier and is what Keefer is advocating, it just makes work for me, Flanker and Eamonn to dig it out, check some things before removing the post and then going through the aggravation of people getting upset with us ....

I volunteered to do this job and accept that there will be times when I have to do it - no problem. It just doesn't need to be openly and actively encouraged on the message board!

Firstly let me say I consider myself a member of this club foremost and part of a trackday company second. I have been a member of this board for more than 5 years, long before the company was conceived.

My issue wasn’t/ isn’t about advertising or not, I probably would not come here if it was full of adverts, no my issue is about the double standards that seem to be applied and the manner in which they issues are dealt with. Removing posts and reciting policy statements by U2U is never going to create an atmosphere of cooperation is it, you just need to look back at history (Kush Weaksy et al) to see that.

I could choose to add my trackday company web links to all my postings or use an avatar that gives the company details etc, but no, most of my postings are anonymous in that respect, however when were are offering something special to board members it seems crazy we cannot get the message across.

Most members will probably not be aware of the pervious encounters we have had with “Club Officials” about these issues, but this is by no means the first. Whilst both Catherine and Myself have been swept away by the support from club members/friends, support for a new venture from the club itself has been distinctly lacking until they need a free trackday or two for a prize.

oop's forgot to switch back to me

Gary - I am one of these officials that you talk about yet I run one of your stickers on my racebike at races and trackdays for free, was supportive of your company at the BMF stand and led people to your leaflets, was one of the first group of 7 to sign up for the 4th of July and came and saw you to say thanks for a great day. I think I've given you a fair amount of support actually.

It's like I said, I understand if you don't like the policy but simply expressing your unhappiness on here is not changing anything except my personal goodwill towards you. If you want to change the policy then do something and send an e-mail to the management team or webteam@ducatisportingclub.com

Fair enough?

Would it be wrong for me to say that 100% have just mailed me with thier off of 4 days in Jerez, hotel and transport £599.00:o
Or should I pull it.;)

LOL

Hmmmm - I can see both side of the fence here and I now feel a bit guilty for posting details of 100% TD's in the past (even though my only connection is as a happy customer).

I have recently been 'councilled' on one of my postings which surprised me a little but, I didnt realise this was due to a change of policy.

Nevermind - I have faith in the MT to come to a workable solution with the interests of the DSC and its members in mind.

Good luck - Frank

exactly

just the sort of valuable post that is of interest, because its a special offer, additionaly it would be even better if more companines like this could be encouraged or saw the benefit of offering dsc members discount.

As a trackday junkie I would welcome every trackday offer posted up by anyone, but it'd easily get out of hand and turn this site into a classified's rag for every business in the world.

It's accassionaly highlighted on the forum that TDO's such as Apex and No Limits for example treat the dsc membership very well, and it's those organisers where I check first when I need a track-fix. In the same way that Cornerspeed has a good relationship with the members, which is one reason I take my bike 200 miles for a service.

Businesses supporting the membership doesn't go unnoticed and doesn't lack support in return, but the management cannot show any ammount of favouritism and if it seems on occassion that they are, then must be something that's slipped through the net. At least that's the way I see it.

Gary, if you run a mailing list for your trackdays, please feel free to add me to it... my calendar for next year is clear!

Been away on business and what have I missed:o

OK - where does the Webteam draw the line? This was discussed at the AGM by the membership and a policy agreed. If anyone doesn't feel happy with it a) join the club b) come to the next AGM and put forward your proposals as to why we should change c) accept the decision of the members d) not go around accusing bl*ody hard working members of the Webteam of being Big Brother e) take out an advert in Pronto - we have over 800 members who subscribe f) write to me and call me a facist :saint:

Typical bank manager, hates faces :lol:

How about an area for sponsored forums, this seems to work on a fe other forums quite well.

An organiser, vendor, specialist, dealer etc can sponsor a forum, or section, for a price determined by the MT/WT and they have the right to post in that section about offerings etc that are coming up, and to discuss the relative merits of their products and services in a controlled environment?

This should provide board specific revenue for web maintenance, allow the sponsor to see how active interest is in their specific business, and keep the relevant discussions away from the non commercial postings.

Spot on Mr S and I know that the Webteam under Eamonn are looking at how to effectively impliment this.

As for you Psychlist - you always were a troublemaker :P Avatar is quality tho' I have to admit :)

As Henners said. Now, these are the type of ideas which help!

I'll make sure Eamonn see's this.

:cool:

Gracious. This is very political, isn't it? TP I didn't realise you were working for the club. Well Done.

My two penneth - the MT has a necessary function for the club. They fulfill it in their own time with the club's best interest at heart. There is absolutely no doubt about that. At the end of the day, whatever the agreed club policy is, they have to implement it. You can't regulate opinion and everyone's opinion will differ but from what I've seen over the last 12 months, it's working. If it ain't broke, don't fix it ;)

that's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it (unless I get deleted, in which case, I'll be considering a 180 :devil:

Visordown allow TD companies to advertise in their trackday section and it certainly isnt over run with junk becasue of it and i suspect they get one or two more posters than we do.:sing:

Sorry guys and I ain't trying to be controversial but...I must have been asleep when "the policy" was agreed, so can someone please explain "the policy".
I can recall the discussions about some members advertising parts and those members competing against other members parts (titter ye not!)
But as I recall, the end result was "we'll be looking at a more suitable fair method of policing the situation although business postings are to be frowned upon unless thay are in the already established business section of the website". and that perhaps a more fair self-policed method of offering discount to members before non-members.
As I also recall, it was said that there was a line in the sand drawn over which the more compliant members did no longer go, but others appeared to be ignoring.


Cheers
Alan

i kind of remeber it that way too.

from my point of view if they are paid up member and its of potential interest to members ie bike related; trackdays, parts ,riding gear etc then its fine. particuarly if we are being given discounts over and above the general public as with the brands gp day run by apex.

and im going to put a poll up too.

looks like common sense to me.
paid up members should be free to advertise. IMO
especially when it gives preferential treatment to other paid up members

where did this thread go:puzzled::puzzled::puzzled:

Hmmmmm....has there been a resolution to this topic ???

The thought that I had was to have a thread with a mailing list, first two that spring to mind would be TD's and Parts....

So if I had/found a special offer of a TD - I could simply mail everyone who wished to recieve it via the mailing list.

I guess an instant shortfall would be: should only members be allowed on the mailing list (so that if it was a business advertiser - at least they would of joined the club).

Ohh no I shouldnt be trying to think about things like this without a cup of coffee inside me :D:D:D:D

Cheers - Frank

There is!

Eamonn will shortly i believe making this more public, and links on the homepage etc will be added. There is now on this site a page called, 'Trade Adverts'. Nelly has already got a page on there. This page can be found here. Please take a look. Any feedback please email the Webteam. As time passes, more development of this page will be made.

For costings, and how to add a page again, please contact the webteam on the above e mail.

Flanks I think you are missing the point slightly...trade adverts have been on site for a while but unless I misunderstood why I started the posting??? ...... its about advertising late places and special offers to members of this club at reduced rates that are not available to Joe Public.


Don’t get me wrong the Trade Adverts Section has it place … for example ..if I want to but a new tire.....I go to the trade section and select one of those reputable companies offering discounts to DSC members (eg Wraysbury).


However, if Steve at Wraysbury has the chance to but 200 Supercorser Pro's at a knockdown price and wants to offer them to Board members at £25 pair because they have an expiry date next month !! :)...... then the trade Section is useless for passing on that information to the members…hence the members loose out.

Before you phone him … AFAIK Steve is not selling Supercorser pro’s at £25 pair it was purely a Hypothetical situation
:)

Whele, I'm not missing any point!

The decision about advertising on the board was made by the membership, at the last AGM. Not by me or the Management Team. This includes what your talking about.

You will be able to use the trade pages, which have not been on the site very long, infact last week. These pages are a type of classified pages, which can be updated as often as you like. You click on the commerical adverts link on this page.

You will be able there to add any last minute deals, offers etc. This can be done daily or even hourly if you wish.

As I said before, there will be an announcement further, and links will be placed on the site, so everybody can access these adverts, DSC members or not.

So.....will there be a thread alerting members that the trade pages have been modified or does this rely on the members checking regularly themselves ?????????

Sorry to be a pain :(

At the moment, it will be upto members to check for themselves.

Frank, no problem with questions. Beats working!

This topic is a hot potatoe.

Different clubs deal with it in different ways.

My understanding at the last AGM was that some members with their trade hats on were getting hacked off with what they saw as abuse of the no trade ads stance.

These same trade peeps took a view that they put a lot into the DSC that can be measured not just in time and advice but cold hard cash, but they stuck not only to the letter of the no trade policy but to its spirit as well.

IMHO there are a wide range of options to address this issue, various proposals/options need to be written up BEFORE the next AGM for a vote on them.

Ray