Advertising for GHoST

I have been advertising our group since its creation March 5th all over the web. I've even joined some forums just to link to our site lol. For the most part, we've had about 80-90% of the people that have contacted me so far (roughly guessing, I'd say probably around 15-20 people in total) either decide that this isn't for them, or simply ignore me after I've written them back about their application. It's sad, but in all honesty, if people are going to be that way, it's best they leave now rather than join us and decide they want out later.

I would like to get a close team together (maybe around 5-8 people, excluding Tony and I) of friendly people who are not only devoted to our group and share the same beliefs investigation-wise that we do, but who are also really great people in general. I know this is hoping for a lot! But I think, eventually with time, this may be a possibility.

However, I am just one person with limited connections. That's why I'm turning to you guys -- the rest of the team and anyone else who would care to -- to help us advertise! I was thinking of creating a flyer actually, but I have no idea where to put them. Does anyone know of any places around here that let you put those up? Also, I was afraid of who it might attract. (I don't want a hundred scary, weird people contacting me wanting to communicate to the devil or something!) But if you know of any websites where you can get the word out about our group, I would really appreciate it if you could help us out a bit -- for the sake of our team!

Also, one thing you might want to be aware of -- I decided we aren't ready to do house/business investigations yet (obviously), as we still need proper equipment, training, and the team of course. So don't advertise that we'll investigate anyone's place just yet!



Here are the positions of our group that I would *really* like to have filled, besides just getting more investigators. We need to have at least one person in our Research Department and one in the Tech Team.

Case Manager: This person researches into locations that are possibly haunted to investigate. It is their duty to weed out locations that are merely surrounded in myth to those that hold more concrete evidence of the paranormal. They are the lead researcher and must have internet at home. It is the case manager's job to approve any possible case locations that the research team may come up with before passing them on and handing it over to the lead investigators. This person can, but is not required to be an investigator.

Research Department: These people are responsible for doing research into the locations GHoST is to investigate for each case, whether it be a case for a client or one that the research team has discovered on their own. They work under and with the case manager to acquire as much information as possible which will later be included in with the report. These people can, but are not required to be investigators.

Technical Team Manager: The technical team manager is in charge of their tech team, and they are to have a high understanding of not only equipment, but of technology as a whole. A tech team manager does not investigate, but instead mans the command center (with DVR, monitors, VCRs, computers, etc.) during investigations, either alone or with one other member of the tech team.

Tech Team: The tech team is made up of any amount of people who believe they have the skills for the job. The have two jobs, which include researching and developing all possible equipment and technology that could be useful in the paranormal investigating field, as well as working with equipment and setting up the command stations during investigations. They must have an understanding for not only the way the paranormal seems to work, but also for technology in general. These intelligent people must be at least somewhat skilled with science and be able to work on and modify different pieces of equipment. Those inside the Tech Team also double as Investigators.

As far as advertising, here are some paranormal group lists. Just searched them up & don't know anything about them, or how to add your own, but you can figure that out:

http://www.ghostvillage.com/links/links_groups.shtml

http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/groups.htm

http://paranormal.top-site-list.com

http://www.nightwatchmanchronicles.com/PG/PGState.htm

http://www.spectralreview.com/paranormal-groups/

http://www.wwprc.com/groupsindex.php

http://www.pulse-tv.net/Category/paranormal_groups/


This one is a bit different. Meetups.com is a place where you sorta plug in what you're looking to join....or what you want to start up....in a certain area, and it'll e-mail everyone who has expressed interest in that specific type of group when a meeting is scheduled.....something like that anyway.

I've played with it (about 2 minutes), but don't know enough of how it works to tell you much else. You'll have to figure that out on your own. The nice thing about this one is you can narrow it down to a certain city, county, etc. The others, I think, just go by state:

http://www.meetup.com/

I think this is the section specifically dealing with paranormal interests. Keep in mind however, that the way this place is organized into sections, there might be places with cross-interests....such as "paranormal", "investigations", "spirits", "hauntings", stuff like that....not just only "ghosts":

http://ghosts.meetup.com/


Also be sure to have as many members & friends to cross-link to you on their own site, if they have one, such as I did. Every little bit helps.

Also something to consider, if you want to. I'm always available as a "web-based" history researcher. I'm well experienced in that. Just send the name of a place that you want to know more about, give me a few days, & everything I can find will be e-mail'd back to ya.

Obviously this has certain limitations. I can't really interview owners & such for info that may not be on the web (but I'm VERY good at digging really deep into the net), I can't personally visit the place, & we'll probably never meet in person. (Unless GHoST wants to buy my plane ticket. )

But it's a possibility if it's just needed until a local researcher can be found, at which time I would step down and/or just be a back-up/helper researcher. Doesn't matter a bit to me. If you need me for it, let me know.

Wow that is quite a hefty list! Thanks for finding those for me.

Also, for those that would like to help us by advertising, a few ideas might be like a blog, a message board you're a member of, your own website, Myspace, and so forth.

yea if you remember Jeanette, I was telling you that we are having the same problem over here. People have interest in a group or the field but once you contact them back, you never hear from them again.

don't worry though, all that does is weed out the bad ones and gives you perspective on who should be apart of the group and who shouldn't.

It took us a *hell* of a long time to finally get to where we are today, with what I feel is a very, very, VERY good group of investigators. There are going to be great investigators with personalities that don't mesh with yours, and crappy investigators with great personalities. Eventually, though, things will work out the way you want them to.
It IS going to take a while to get your group to the point where you are completely happy with it, but in the end, it's VERY much worth it.

That guy that first mentioned that site to you is just a pretty neat fellor, ain't he??

Lol yep! Thanks a lot, Merc!

Also, vote for us here! http://www.ultimatetopsites.com/bin/topsite.cgi?parazone&cat=general&ID=40

Thanks, guys!

as far as advertising fliers, one possibility is local libaries in your area mabey.. i dunno lol

I thought about maybe Borders actually. Do they let you post them there?

Thing is, I don't want to just post them anywhere (like some crummy super market). Wherever you post them, those are the types of people you are going to attract lol.

I have no ideer what "Borders" is....unless it's maybe an eatin' joint. Libraries sound good to me. Not sure if this type advertising is allowed in publicly funded places, but could be.....don't know.

A few strategically placed radio ads might be good in the future, when you're a bit more established. These would be more about drawing in clients than gathering members. I feel the library would do exactly opposite....more members, less clients.

I think that off-peak radio time isn't terribly expensive. Targeting around Halloween & Friday the 13th's would have a potential to get more listeners specific to this type group.

I think so anyway....but just brainstorming ideas for ya.

Borders and/or Barnes and Noble -- both just bookstores. You must not have them where you are.

Hmm, that's an interesting idea. I wouldn't have thought of that myself. That could be cool -- but I think it would be the contrary to Halloween time. If you advertise around Halloween, all you get wanting to join are crazy kids wanting to have a good Halloween scare, like haunting housing. I think the true investigators we would find at other times of the year, but that's just my opinion.

Yeah....maybe right about the Halloween deal. As I said, just brainstorming. We have B & N, Books-A-Million, Waldenbooks, & Hastings. I'd just never heard of Borders.

But yeah, that has a possibility also....bookstores.

AH okay, I know those too. Guess Borders must be like a midwest thing? I didn't know that lol. Isn't it always crazy when you personally know some store or restaurant in your area and you believe it's nation-wide, but it isn't? I've run into that, and I've had a lot of other people ask me about places that I had never heard of that were only from their small town. Crazy world hehe.

Yup....I had a temporary job for a couple weeks with a guy from up your way...Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, something like that. We were installing privacy fence displays at Lowe's Hardware stores.

We could do 2 a day easily, working 9-11 hours, with either no lunch break, or a very short snack break. On our very last day, we had 3 stores left, kinda close to each other, so decided to try all 3 that day.

We managed it actually, but just got REALLY hungry about 3 or 4 in the evening. He asked if there was an Albertson's (I think that was it) around & I had no idea what he was talking about.

He finally explained that was one of the more popular supermarkets in his area, unknown at that time in Arkansas. After I figured out what he was talking about, I led him to the local Harvest Foods....which was OUR supermarket.

(That sounds like a SUPER rough job! sheesh)

Haha, yeah I've never heard of that either. It's funny how the big super markets change from place to place. Back where Tony and I lived, all there was, was Wal-mart. Here, near Chicago, Dominick's rules the land.

Yeah Dominick's!!!
Much better than Jewell (even though I used to work there)