Lots of travelling, meeting lot's of people and I always ask! And you know what? It's amazing how many people have never heard of MotorhomeFun!

[15edward]

Another thing is the amount of folks who come on but don't stop after the free posts, why not?

After one of my first posts which I now know would have been perceived as “ woke” and “leftie” ( I’m more careful these days) I was firmly told my sort werent wanted on this forum …..

 

[Grianan]

After one of my first posts which I now know would have been perceived as “ woke” and “leftie” ( I’m more careful these days) I was firmly told my sort werent wanted on this forum …..

Well I recognise your forum name so you obviously kept posting . My views are out of kilter with the majority too so I try to avoid those topics - after all this is FUN - I don’t need any more stress in my life .

I do think that if MHF wants to ensure continuity in the future it needs to attract younger members who may or may not have different perspectives on things.

 

[Swifter]

Happy to hand out cards and information about the forum where I can. I still think the membership fee is a barrier for some people because they don’t understand how active and useful the forum is .

 

[lorger]

I like the free posts . Free month would give too many dodgy characters access to the classifieds
I feel safe using them under the scrutiny of Jim

I may be wrong again but I think non paying members can view the classified section, they can possibly post but Jim would have to confirm this.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

On some insurance sites you are asked if you belong to a club. But never seen MHfun listed.?

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[15isto2]

Could you get people near campsites/parkups to go around knocking on the doors of motorhomes asking people to sign up, possibly you could pay them a small commission. You could leave some stickers on their windows if nobody is in.

 

[Tonks]

I think you're doing very well!

I get Out & About Live's emails, but rarely use the website.
I occasionally look at Practical Motorhomes' site, but usually when someone has posted a link to a specific article.
Both sites feel like advertising sites with some other content, rather than the other way round.

I like MHF because it's clear, easy to access and the information is all specific and I can dip in and out of the bits I want to see. The home pages aren't littered with ads. It also has a good level of interaction from a range of members so that you get good conversation going and it's not always the same few people who are 'holding the floor'. There are lots of genuinely interesting posts, some wonderfully helpful members, and the 'ignore' facility is very handy!

In terms of stickers on vans, I avoid them. Even the owners group which I help run does not have a sticker on my van!

 

[Jim]

may be wrong again but I think non paying members can view the classified section,

They can see, but they cannot list or buy.

 

[nicholsong]

I think you're doing very well!



In terms of stickers on vans, I avoid them. Even the owners group which I help run does not have a sticker on my van!

I do not have any stickers except legally necessary ones.

Even If I had a MHFun sticker nobody is likely to see it where we park.

 

[MattR]

Well I recognise your forum name so you obviously kept posting . My views are out of kilter with the majority too so I try to avoid those topics - after all this is FUN - I don’t need any more stress in my life .

I do think that if MHF wants to ensure continuity in the future it needs to attract younger members who may or may not have different perspectives on things.

I've spoken to a few folk on sites who weren't members and had conversations with others online who joined and didn't renew. Several reported that they felt that there appears to be a reasonably big gap in culture, attitudes etc between what they they want and what they hear about / see on some of the forum posts. You can't appeal to everyone but some of the posts I see represent views and opinions that I never encounter outside of this forum and they would not appeal to the younger folk I know.

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[Jim]

I see represent views and opinions that I never encounter outside of this forum and they would not appeal to the younger folk I know.

Last thing I need is young lefties on the forum, they are so shouty and aggressive I'd spend my days banning and moderating

 

[MattR]

Last thing I need is young lefties on the forum, they are so shouty and aggressive I'd spend my days banning and moderating

I wasn't referring to "young lefties"

 

[chaser]

I've spoken to a few folk on sites who weren't members and had conversations with others online who joined and didn't renew. Several reported that they felt that there appears to be a reasonably big gap in culture, attitudes etc between what they they want and what they hear about / see on some of the forum posts. You can't appeal to everyone but some of the posts I see represent views and opinions that I never encounter outside of this forum and they would not appeal to the younger folk I know.

Spot on , the motorhomers I mainly speak to that are not on here are usually the sort who are always moaned about on here.
My son for one, you think I'm argumentative, you want to try him
Also all the ones that have a YouTube channel iv never seen any that are on here.

 

[15isto2]

Spot on , the motorhomers I mainly speak to that are not on here are usually the sort who are always moaned about on here.
My son for one, you think I'm argumentative, you want to try him
Also all the ones that have a YouTube channel iv never seen any that are on here.

Were the Travel Trolls not on at one point?

 

[Chris]

Jim you should email the magazine to one of those muppets who write on a freelance basis for mail online. I am sure they would pick a story out of there like they did quite recently with the Funster who self installed security bollards on their drive.

Edit - Just say they can use any story as long as they mention motorhomefun.

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[Littlewheels]

I enjoy being a Funster,however,l have to say l am not keen on the name because of cogitations as others have mentioned.
I do like the idea of a rear sticker of sorts as more people would take notice particularly if it also had a message of sorts including the link which the current sticker doesn’t have.

An idea might be for Jim to set up a competition where those talented folk might design one that could be short listed and so on.
Reinvention isn’t a bad thing as Jim has already said in his opening post he is surprised by how many haven’t heard of Fun.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[Littlewheels]

Forgot to say if the above happened a good promotion could start for little cost by issuing a press release of the new name etc along with information on what we are about to all Media outlets,they are constantly looking for something to fill their pages.

 

[Jim]

if it also had a message of sorts including the link which the current sticker doesn’t have.

Our current range of stickers

 

[HugoBNB]

I enjoy being a Funster,however,l have to say l am not keen on the name because of cogitations as others have mentioned.
I do like the idea of a rear sticker of sorts as more people would take notice particularly if it also had a message of sorts including the link which the current sticker doesn’t have.

An idea might be for Jim to set up a competition where those talented folk might design one that could be short listed and so on.
Reinvention isn’t a bad thing as Jim has already said in his opening post he is surprised by how many haven’t heard of Fun.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

I agree. This is a fantastic, well administered, forum. It is the only forum I am a member of. Perhaps rebranding would be worth considering.

 

[Littlewheels]

Our current range of stickers

View attachment 887917

Apologies, it does have the link, but looking at it coldly what’s the message.

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[irnbru]

Well I just had a nice chat to another funster who is proudly displaying fun stickers. I usually carry some fun cards and give them out.

 

[Jim]

Apologies, it does have the link, but looking at it coldly what’s the message.

It's just a simple sticker/badge, that identifies you as being a member of the club. It's not a brochure

 

[haganap]

They can see, but they cannot list or buy.

Why is that Jim? Not the selling, but the buying might help? If you bought membership to sell a reasonable item it could be quite cheap? £20 quid to advertise your motorhome etc is good value. But, if non members cant "buy" then its not a big audiance.


I think growing any forum these days is a huge challenge, mainly due to two things..wanna be presenters on You Tube saturating the market and the numerous facebook groups out there for every aspect of motorhoming there is.

I don't generally come on MHF for info, i come on for the community aspect. However, if you google any issue with your motorhome, generally MHF comes up with an answer.

 

[Tombola]

Interesting to see the average page views on only 1.7 per vist, I'd imagine it being fsr more than that but the bounce rate is ok ?

Twitter
Insta
Tik tok
All drive key viewers, and dare I say it, Facebook.

then there is adwords..affiliate marketing via google, bing etc but youre not really selling a direct product, so would need a careful eye on the budget. Maybe chuck a few hundred at it and see what return comes ???

.Then it's a question of converting all the above to members..
Trouble is..time ?? ,

You do the shows anyway and have a large gobby base of members who talk about MHF and spread the word..(i assume) ...I certainly do. Not sure how many members are active regular.

Get us members to post their own videos promoting themselves in a mhf adorned something...give tee shirts away or flog them
You know..all that gear that you've probably done before anyway at shows.

Maybe the potential customer base is that big that having a small slice slowly but surely growing is good going.

And if all that fails..get some scantily clad ladies and gents (for balance) draped across the front of motorhomes or your landy at shows with MHF sashes on..

Local radio ads and interviews aren't expensive nowadays

 

[Jim]

We've discussed the FUN thing countless times with countless people over the years. quite a few people have told us at the trade stand that they would never want to be known as a 'Funster' and think the name MotorhomeFun is a bit silly. I smile as I consider our name and the adopted term Funster to be a big ingredient of our secret sauce. Because very often those people who think its a bit naff, just wouldn't fit in well here anyway.

Not the selling, but the buying might help?

It was open to non subscribers at the beginning, but two people were scammed and there were a lot of time wasters. If you've paid a sub, I know your real name and know your address. Otherwise you could be anyone.

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[KevinTuplin]

I have been a member of MH FUN since October 2019, and display a funster sticker in my windscreen. I spend more nights in the motorhome than in my own home and not once has another funster made themselves known to me although I have introduced myself to the funsters I have spotted on sites. I travel all over the UK, Ireland and the EU so with the amount of members I would have expected to see more than I have.

 

[Jim]

This is a new sticker, I just got 10,000 of them on rolls. Its just an indestructable weatherproof permanant small, just 50mm square sticker. But its a grafitti sticker of the kind that you see stuck all over from other clubs on Aire wastepoints, and campsite office windows. . I'll be dolling these out soon.

 

[JJ]

Last thing I need is young lefties on the forum, they are so shouty and aggressive I'd spend my days banning and moderating

Oi!

I'm a "young" lefty woke...

and I love Jeremy Corbyn.

JJ

 

[Swifter]

This is a new sticker, I just got 10,000 of them on rolls. Its just an indestructable weatherproof permanant small, just 50mm square sticker. But its a grafitti sticker of the kind that you see stuck all over from other clubs on Aire wastepoints, and campsite office windows. . I'll be dolling these out soon.

View attachment 887944

I will have some of these please

 

[Jim]

Interesting to see the average page views on only 1.7 per vist

We have a ridiculous amount visitors from Google who read just one thread and leave. But importantly the figures above are educated guesses via similarweb. But they cannot know true picture.

For instance I know from my analytics that in the last 28 days 320,000 users have spent an average session time of 6m 30s per session here. 180,000 have us bookmarked and come direct, while almost half a million find us with a web search. Thats incredible really. No wonder we're looking to upgade our servers again very soon!

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