Forum Activity

[Mark]

Sooo... forum's been kind of dead the past week... one theory is the new design. Other theory is Brian's gone, so we don't have anyone to yell at (or to yell at us).

It's strange though because the site's traffic is at an all-time high... yet forum and comment activity are lower than in the past.

Anyone have any ideas for how we can spice things up around here again?

[Leo]

-How about if you really talk and explain how to deal with the anxiety related to the dating world? You are always mentioning anxiety, it's even part of your three fundamentals but you don't explain how to deal with it.
-How about if you explain to all of us how to stop over-analysing everything? You know what's boring? To see all of us worrying about stupid things that we can't control.
-How about if you care A LOT MORE about the Forum? Finally after so long we can have an avatar and some color but we still CAN NOT add tables to the threads and save threads as drafts. It's very annoying to have to log in twice to write a freaking thread, why we have to log in twice? Why can't we stay logged in for as long as we want?
-How about if you remove all the ambiguity sorrounding your concept of NEEDINESS. It's pretty clear a lot of guys (including myself) don't fully get it.

Just my 2 cents.

[Tobias]

I guess Brian doesnt post anymore because he does not need any help. He's got a six pack now. Ladies are raping him as we speak.
Anyway, I dont know how to post new posts.
Wanted to do a post on: Has anyone seen the new THe Game movie? Or does anyone know when it will be released? ...

[Tobias]

By the way, the design of the old forum (practical pick up) was WAAAY better

[Halo Effect]

I've noticed the deadness of the forum. The thing is, I don't have anything to start a thread about right now, so I can only reply to other threads. If other guys don't start threads either, then we have a problem.

One thing that would really boost activity would be if people (me included) started logs/journals to post about any issues, approaches, lays, progress, questions they personally have on a day to day basis. In personal threads you could post stuff that wouldn't deserve its own thread but still interests you.

[Mark]

Leo:
- I spend about 40 pages on anxiety in my book. I also have an entire approaching program dedicated to getting over approach anxiety. I also have a number of posts like these:
http://postmasculine.com/overcoming-anxiety
http://postmasculine.com/improving-quickly

- I spend 3 chapters in the book on neediness, and wrote a 2000-word post here: http://postmasculine.com/understanding-neediness

Tobias: There's a big red "New Thread" button in the top left of every forum. You can start a new thread by clicking that.

I do agree that I'm not exactly thrilled with the new board. Although I'm not sure if going back to the old PP board is the answer. The main reason for having this bb software is because it's capable of integrating with my products. So for instance, if I wanted to create a sub-forum for people who purchased Models, I could.

[Tobias]

how to post a NEW Thread because there is only the reply to this thread button.
[Ignore this. Found the button....]

[Traindom]

On one of the training forums I frequent, we have a "post your physique" thread, where members would post pictures of their physiques, progress, and all members would eventually comment and chat a lot on the thread. To this day, it still gets new pictures, comments, and banter. We could try something like that. Or maybe a "post your funny stories" thread, which can include a host of situations we can relate to, be it funny rejections, stories, coincidences, how we met our best friends, etc.

[crazyhorse]

The no more porn thread is still doing great though.... lol



But yeah we need to spice things up.

I suggest a combination of Aynd Rand, Nazi's & Six-packs

[Alvar]

It's about time we stop talking about the life of Brian. Oh
I kind of miss the dude, he's a good guy...

I've noticed it, too. I think it's partly cyclical, eg, last week's (strong) activity was abnormal, the following days were calm and the last 2 days it looked as it was getting more activity. In my view the forum needs more controversial and polarizing ppl like Brian or my countryman, pua-wannabe, Jean La..

I've actually have had new threads in my mind but my recent behaviour has been way more passive. Blame that on mobile browsing, since I am faithful to the old style.

Halo's suggestion about keeping personal journals is a good one, it came to my mind before. Something I'd also like to see implemented would be a sub-forum only accessed by regular users. A space for more private stuff, that we do not want shared in the internet...No search engines, no lurkers, and no newbies. You could set a threshold, for example 5, 10 or 20 posts, before a user is able to access that sub-forum.

[Mark]

Well, right now, I don't want to create sub-forums or private forums, as that will just discourage newer members and segregate them... goal here is to get as much activity as possible right now...

[Traindom]

Well, you could do that giveaway stunt you pulled in the opening of the PP forum, but you've probably considered this already. Not to mention that the quality of the posts would go down as quantity increases.

You already give plenty of incentive with just an email signup.

[hiphoppotamus]

Does this bb software allow member blogs? Maybe incorporate that...

[Mark]

hiphoppotamus Wrote:Does this bb software allow member blogs? Maybe incorporate that...

Actually... it does. And that's a pretty good idea.

[Edmond Dantès]

crazyhorse Wrote:The no more porn thread is still doing great though.... lol



But yeah we need to spice things up.

I suggest a combination of Aynd Rand, Nazi's & Six-packs

You made me laugh pretty hard. :o

@Mark: Well, I'm pretty busy right now. Waking up at 5 AM, work starts in my factory at 7. Home at 5 PM. And then I have to learn for my last exam in March till I go to sleep at about 10 PM. This means physical and mental work literally all day long. So there is little to no time for me posting on this forum. This counts especially for threads I don't really care about. I prefer replying to topics I care about and where I can contribute my experiences and knowledges in a profound and helping way.

Shouldn't be the goal that the members do not become keyboard jockeys and that we start taking action in "real life" ? I mean seriously, if I would have about 2-3 hours of free time a day, I would spend them with my friends, enjoy my hobbies or improving myself through integrating information and transform it into lived knowledge (term of steve piccus, means integrated information combined with experience) by taking action.

@Alvar:LOVE your post. Agree with it 100%. That's what I suggested Mark as well. He didn't like the idea, too bad.

[Andy]

Halo Effect Wrote:One thing that would really boost activity would be if people (me included) started logs/journals to post about any issues, approaches, lays, progress, questions they personally have on a day to day basis. In personal threads you could post stuff that wouldn't deserve its own thread but still interests you.

I agree with this. An old forum I frequented a while back had it's own separate section for personal journals. It **always** had activity, even during the times when the other areas of the forum were not that active.

[Mark]

@Dantes: I think a personal blog section would be a nice compromise. I'm not against having a private forum for more active people who want to work on personal issues, but I don't feel like the forum is big enough yet to warrant that. Right now we have about 10-12 regular members and maybe another 30-40 "every now and then" members, and then hundreds of members who almost never post. Creating a sub-forum that only those 10-12 regular members would use would drive the others away imo...

And yes, the idea is to put stuff into action, and I'm glad you and other people are doing things to change their lives... but from a business perspective, I'd like to find a way to get more people signed up here and posting...

I find it interesting that traffic is a full 50% higher than it was last summer, yet comments, forum posts and sales are all relatively the same. It means the new traffic I'm attracting is not identifying with the site and the brand... and is not as invested in it... they're more fly-by-night article readers. Not sure what to do about this...

[Edmond Dantès]

Mark Wrote:@Dantes: I think a personal blog section would be a nice compromise. I'm not against having a private forum for more active people who want to work on personal issues, but I don't feel like the forum is big enough yet to warrant that. Right now we have about 10-12 regular members and maybe another 30-40 "every now and then" members, and then hundreds of members who almost never post. Creating a sub-forum that only those 10-12 regular members would use would drive the others away imo...

And yes, the idea is to put stuff into action, and I'm glad you and other people are doing things to change their lives... but from a business perspective, I'd like to find a way to get more people signed up here and posting...

I find it interesting that traffic is a full 50% higher than it was last summer, yet comments, forum posts and sales are all relatively the same. It means the new traffic I'm attracting is not identifying with the site and the brand... and is not as invested in it... they're more fly-by-night article readers. Not sure what to do about this...

Yeah, I totally understand you. Especially now where you really explained in detail why you're against a private sub forum for the more active people. Your arguments make sense and I won't start any "please create a private sub forum"-demonstration soon.

But that kind of member proportion is in my experience kind of normal.

In the local lair forum I regularly frequented in from 2009 to 2011, there was nearly the same proportions. About 20-30 regular members, who posted and of them there were about 10-15 guys who regularly went out to take action and we had over 10000 registrations (so about more than 90% inactive forum members)

If you compare the forum stats with the old PP forum, is there any significant difference?

Quote:I find it interesting that traffic is a full 50% higher than it was last summer, yet comments, forum posts and sales are all relatively the same. It means the new traffic I'm attracting is not identifying with the site and the brand... and is not as invested in it... they're more fly-by-night article readers. Not sure what to do about this...

I see. Don't you think it is the way it is, because of the brand change? Some PP-members left, new people, who are into solid, no bullshit, dating advice, discovered your site and I guess the rest doesn't know that your site exists. Am talking here of frustrated RSD-refugees and PU-refugees, that didn't make it here yet ( ) and the average joe that visit sites like Men's health or whatever. My guess is that even though you give the best dating advice in "the industry" very few people know you. So I guess, it's a marketing problem, but I'm not yet an expert in online business

Ask yourself how you can make sure people identify themselves more with the brand "Postmasculine". What does it exactly stand for? My answer would be this sentence: Non bullshit dating advice for the average man, who wants to become his best possible self in every area of his life.

Brands like Red Bull or Apple represent a certain identity with specific attributes that attract their customers. But the key question is: How do they manage it that their potential customers invest in their brand? Well my guess is that they really know their clients problems and needs and give them a solutions for their problems/needs.

You did a survey last year, didn't you? Maybe you can still get some more information out of it.

But the main reason why most "pickup/seduction/dating advice" -sales decreases is that

a) most advice doesn't really help (referring here to all the pickup bullshit programms, advice, bootcamps, etc)
b) people generalises dating advice as "not helpful" because of their experiences with a)
c) the companies do not find new, compelling ways of selling a product. (E-books, seminars, online-courses, all of it was there and chances are if someone made bad experiences with them they won't be encouraged to buy the "new, all solving advice that will fix all your problems)
d) it's too expensive. Most of your potential clients are about 16-30 and do not have a regular income yet. Never forget that.

People are sick of empty promises. I know it sounds contraproductive, but maybe it's time to leave that kind of strategy behind and begin with more small-step programms combined with realistic expectations.

Your new products are definitely going in the right direction, but you saw all the negative critique about the way you tried to sell it. Most people get totally turned off by it and won't give your program a chance even if it's golden. That's just the way it is. Most cash cows are tired and angry at the guys who sold them products with promises they didn't keep. That's why sites like PUA-hate become so big.

[Mark]

I do think the pick up guys are a little more hardcore about being active. I think a lot of the new traffic is very much random people just interested in reading some articles. I've never been good at getting my name out there, and I plan on hiring someone this year to help me with that.

Also, I'm going to be running a new survey next week to cover some of this stuff... I've been thinking about it a lot the past couple weeks and is part of the reason I started this thread. The approach product didn't sell as well as I had hoped, and I'm starting to think that perhaps I'm still kind of selling myself to the old pick up crowd that used to read me, rather than the new crowd that reads me.

I feel like the site is really at a crossroads and could become many things right now. Once I get these other products out, I need to sit down and really figure out and create a brand that people can identify with and then push the site as a brand or an identity... not just interesting articles, or some good advice here and there.

Ironic as it is, I could probably take a few pointers from RSD on creating more loyalty and enthusiasm for my brand.

[Tim]

Mark Wrote:I do think the pick up guys are a little more hardcore about being active. I think a lot of the new traffic is very much random people just interested in reading some articles. I've never been good at getting my name out there, and I plan on hiring someone this year to help me with that.

Also, I'm going to be running a new survey next week to cover some of this stuff... I've been thinking about it a lot the past couple weeks and is part of the reason I started this thread. The approach product didn't sell as well as I had hoped, and I'm starting to think that perhaps I'm still kind of selling myself to the old pick up crowd that used to read me, rather than the new crowd that reads me.

I feel like the site is really at a crossroads and could become many things right now. Once I get these other products out, I need to sit down and really figure out and create a brand that people can identify with and then push the site as a brand or an identity... not just interesting articles, or some good advice here and there.

Ironic as it is, I could probably take a few pointers from RSD on creating more loyalty and enthusiasm for my brand.

Ah man we are starting to get on the same page about this. Maybe when you do your product launch for the second of your three programs you could try that new approach? I hope you've been A/B testing, but if you haven't then you definitely should on the third program.

Figuring out the brand is exactly what I think you need to do after launching the other two programs. The idea behind 'post:masculine' is a nice one, but I don't think it creates any attachment or inspire any emotions in your users. In fact I think Practical Pickup did that better. But yeah, you're so strongly the face of the brand that whatever you've been selling at the time has kind of been overshadowed by that, and unable to flourish as an identity. You need people to have really strong connotations of what your company's identity is when they hear or read its name or think about it. I mean, Askmen.com isn't exactly descriptive of what is on that site, but it has a pretty strong brand.

I'd actually love to be in your position though, because you've built up the foundations of a strong culture and a strong brand over the years, you've just never expressed it coherently and cohesively enough. I'd really recommend reading Wally Olins' 'Wally Olins' on Brands' (which I've read) or Wally Olins' 'The Brand Handbook' (which I've yet to read). The latter is a very informative look at brands, with a historical account of the rise of branding to give his current views some real perspective. The latter I've heard is really good for helping you think about actually building a brand. I came away from that first book with a much clearer understanding of the nature of branding, and then I read a bit of what his former partner Michael Wolff (whom he built Wolff Olins with; one of the most influential branding consultancies in the world) had to say about brands, and that elevated my thinking on it even further.

[Schmechti]

Mark Wrote:Anyone have any ideas for how we can spice things up around here again?

Infield videos of yourself I do not know if there are any at all in your program. I am not there yet.

I would also like to have a sub-forum for those who purchased Models. You can also integrate your new program into the forum (create a sub-forum which is only visible for members).

[Mark]

Infield footage of myself will probably never happen for a number of reasons, both personal and technical. My game would probably look pretty dull on camera these days anyway... I put in such little overt effort, which paradoxically I think attracts women extremely quickly. So it looks like I do nothing, but still get results. Most of my attraction these days is generated through my identity and just the fact that I'm not nervous around hot girls -- two things which can't really be seen. A group of Brazilian guys down here have nicknamed me "Mojo" because I keep hooking up and they have no idea how or why despite watching me the whole time.

For example, a recent successful pick up of mine here:

"Hi. You're very beautiful, what's your name?" *lightly touch on the approach*
"Fernanda."
"Hi Fernanda, I'm Mark." *shake hands*
"You're very confident Mark."
"I know... Want to dance?"
"Yes."

Smiling and friendly, strong and calm eye contact the whole time, even while dancing. Then make out, then buy her a drink at the bar and I ask her what her favorite things in the world are. Then more kissing. Then more personal conversation. Then a simple "What are you doing later? ... Come home with me." Most of my successful pick ups go like this. In the unsuccessful ones, it's pretty clear she's not interested within a few minutes, in which case I excuse myself and tell her to have a nice night. Rinse and repeat... Although I haven't had to repeat many times in Brazil, lol.

But yes, sub forums for specific products will come one day. But not yet, for the same reason as not having private forums mentioned above. Don't want to segregate the board when there are already so few people active.

[Schmechti]

I know what you mean, Mark. I was more talking about infield videos on how to approach, e.g. body language, not what you say. The way and moment how to stop her. Like I said, I do not know if the videos in your program are actually you approaching or someone else.

[Mark]

They're someone else... But I think this "need" for infield videos is just a defense mechanism. There's no science or technique for walking up to someone and speaking. You've been doing every day for your entire life. Just because it's a hot girl and you don't know her doesn't make it any different. Just walk up to her and talk!

[crazyhorse]

Mark Wrote:Infield footage of myself will probably never happen for a number of reasons, both personal and technical. My game would probably look pretty dull on camera these days anyway... I put in such little overt effort, which paradoxically I think attracts women extremely quickly. So it looks like I do nothing, but still get results. Most of my attraction these days is generated through my identity and just the fact that I'm not nervous around hot girls -- two things which can't really be seen. A group of Brazilian guys down here have nicknamed me "Mojo" because I keep hooking up and they have no idea how or why despite watching me the whole time.

For example, a recent successful pick up of mine here:

"Hi. You're very beautiful, what's your name?" *lightly touch on the approach*
"Fernanda."
"Hi Fernanda, I'm Mark." *shake hands*
"You're very confident Mark."
"I know... Want to dance?"
"Yes."

Smiling and friendly, strong and calm eye contact the whole time, even while dancing. Then make out, then buy her a drink at the bar and I ask her what her favorite things in the world are. Then more kissing. Then more personal conversation. Then a simple "What are you doing later? ... Come home with me." Most of my successful pick ups go like this. In the unsuccessful ones, it's pretty clear she's not interested within a few minutes, in which case I excuse myself and tell her to have a nice night. Rinse and repeat... Although I haven't had to repeat many times in Brazil, lol.

I can actually relate to this. In fact everytime I'm with a women I always let the conversation be about them. You'll be amazed at how much easier and plessant it is to have a conversation like that. Women are far better at talking anyways, might as well take advantage of that. Plus, you create a connection almost instantenously.

AND by going direct, you avoid timewaisters and uninterested women.