Question

Topic: Our Forum

So Long, Farewell, Auf Widersehen, Goodbye!

Posted by Anonymous on 6/20/2011 at 10:56 AM ET 50000 Points
As a Charter Member of KHE, this is a sad post, but - - - - it's time for moving on. I'm not renewing my membership, as I have little to do anymore with the world of marketing. OH I do utilize my marketing background constantly, BUT it's not the main part (or honestly, even a secondary part) of my existence now.

I simply don't have time to participate, AND with the advent of all the social media/networking capabilities, Our Forum has, sadly, become a backwater of activity.

I have GREATLY enjoyed all the years of participation, the friends I've made and the people I've been able to help. I watched Our Forum take off like a rocket ship in the first two years and remember the competition for points between the regular contributors. I remember the excitement when we had our first 10K point member, and then 20K, and so on.

However, over the last three years I've watched Our Forum go into a steep decline. MarketingProfs keeps this alive due to the ingrained audience, but otherwise pays little attention to Our Forum. I'm not knocking that action, as I believe it is appropriate considering where the Internet world has evolved.

SO, I wanted to make one last post and give away almost ALL my points to my friends; all you have to do is post a comment! I'm sure I will run into some of you over time, as we are connected via social media.

I wish everyone good fortune, and thank you for ALL the many, many things I've learned from you over the years!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 6/20/2011 at 11:00 AM Accepted
    Wow Nucopro! Sorry to see you go! I always appreciated your insight-- and being a fellow Pittsburgher was just icing on the cake!
  • Posted by modza on 6/20/2011 at 11:16 AM Accepted
    Maybe forums/online communities have a natural life span-- or maybe as times change and people change/grow, they need to change in some way to adapt. Not sure how...
  • Posted by michael on 6/20/2011 at 11:25 AM Accepted
    Ok..well that is sad. I agree that there is some degeneration. You've probably also gone from answering as many questions as you have time to only answering questions that seem well thought out. (How many jewelry & real estate names can you generate?)

    I came in later than most and it was the respones from people like you that kept me engaged early on.

    Visit periodically.....if you dare!

    Michael
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 6/20/2011 at 11:35 AM Accepted
    Going to miss you Gary.

    Renew membership? Why not just let it drop to a regular member status and keep the account there. This way if things change and you do return to the marketing world, or if you just want some mental exercise of answering questions, you can easily pop back in?
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 6/20/2011 at 11:48 AM Accepted
    I have had to cut back on my own involvement in this forum. It has mostly to do with work load and some to do with replication of questions.
    I promise to always answer questions that have to do with distribution, sales channels, reps, dealers, vars and systems integrators.

    I hope you will come back to the board from time to time just to say... hi. Your feedback will be missed.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 6/20/2011 at 2:53 PM Accepted
    I have enjoyed your comments and perspectives over the years. hopefully you will find occasional time to stop by.

    Re: changes in the forum: I would personally like to see a ban on questions about company names and tagline... combined with a program of outreach to corporate marketing managers, to solicit and invite their questions.
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 6/20/2011 at 3:34 PM Accepted
    Hey Gary,

    Sorry to see you go but then again I was glad to see your response to Peter's post - surfacing now and then.

    Best of luck in all your endeavors and do resurface from time to time.

    Steve
  • Posted by mgoodman on 6/20/2011 at 5:19 PM Accepted
    We'll miss you, Gary. Do stop in from time to time just to say "hi" and to help us come up with new and better real estate taglines. :)

    Of course, if I can ever be of service, phone and email still work just fine.

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/20/2011 at 7:15 PM Accepted
    Dear Gary,

    There have been times when we have disagreed. There have been times when we have agreed. And there have been times when we have been in synch on more issues and points than I can list.

    Your input, point of view, advice, and stewardship of this forum have been inspiring and greatly valued ... by more people than you may ever know and I'll be sad to see you go. That said, I may not be that far behind you.

    Although I've only been contributing for a little over two years, in the last nine months I've also seen and sensed a change in the KHE. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but there's something: requests for catchy names; students that want the answers spoon fed to them, and naysayers who ask for advice, but who then get all pissy assed when they're told the truth. None of this is what you might call constructive—at least, I don't think it is.

    Much like you, I do not and have never answered questions on this forum to win points. I answer questions to help people! You've helped countless thousands, and for that, this forum and its readers are the richer.

    Fare-the-well and be prosperous.

    Kind regards,

    Gary Bloomer
    The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
    Princeton, NJ, USA
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 6/20/2011 at 8:15 PM Member
    I almost forgot about those early days. The yahoo group discussions, posting debates and some strong personalities - shout out to Blaine (aka Jett) an early controversial contributor who was also very entertaining. We have lost most of what was fresh and exciting as the original KHE'rs invented the forum with organic growth. It's sad, kind of reminds me of what happened to MTV.

    Life goes on. Maybe the forum can re-invent itself in some compelling way. I certainly hope it can and will.

    Steve
  • Posted on 6/20/2011 at 8:48 PM Accepted
    As someone who truely loves marketing, it is a sad sign that someone leaves due to the nature of the topics.

    I wish you the best and hopefully find the enjoyment that you once had.
  • Posted on 6/20/2011 at 9:03 PM Accepted
    Hi Gary,

    You leaving already? I just beginning to like this forum and enjoy reading your insight, feedback and comments given.

    It's so sad as it will be great lost for this forum!

    You will be missed dearly!
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 6/21/2011 at 12:37 AM Accepted
    It's sad whenever someone I respect leaves a community I'm a member of. I appreciated your advice and support over the years, and only wish you the best in your future plans.
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 6/21/2011 at 10:44 AM Accepted
    Skilled Pro Bono people are rare.... you'll be missed.

    Life is Change. Growth is Optional....sounds like you've chosen wisely..

    Live Long & Prosper.
  • Posted on 6/22/2011 at 6:18 AM Accepted
    Indeed it is sad that you are leaving..au revoir!
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 6/22/2011 at 9:37 AM Accepted
    Gary, the changes in the forum and Marketing Profs disinterest in monitoring the forum is most likely due to Linkedin's Answers and Groups features and its popularity. That's not to say all the questions and posts on Linkedin are intelligent.

    I gave up my premium membership on Marketing Pofs about 2 or three years ago, because the value of the membership didn't seem worth it. I do find value in the BLOGS and articles but not enough to spend the money.

    Marketing is like the Mafia. You never get out, so I think in a couple of months we will be seeing you again.

  • Posted on 6/22/2011 at 11:54 AM Accepted
    Thanks for your great work over time. Hopefully you'll stay involved somehow and make comments and continue to pass on your knowledge and wisdom to us.
  • Posted by Valerie Witt on 6/23/2011 at 1:09 AM Accepted
    Hey there, Gary. I think this was your very first post?

    https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=207

    We launched just a week or two before then, if I remember right. Thanks so much for your participation over the last 7 and a half years! You helped shape this community.

    I'll miss seeing your posts here.

    Best of luck with whatever's next!

    Val
  • Posted on 6/23/2011 at 6:32 AM Member
    Hi,

    It is new to know it here.
  • Posted on 6/24/2011 at 10:01 AM Accepted
    Was sorry to learn that the Forum apparently no longer is a catalyst for change, as I did have an idea I had wanted to suggest to the group after hitting the one year mark.

    To share all those points upon departure is thoughtful and generous, but even better would be, I'm sure those who know you personally would agree, some continued, albeit throttled back, participation.

    As a "newbie" contributor (just a few months) I got a real rush "displaying wisdom" the first two weeks, but soon realized it was turning into a temporal black hole. However I believe I have found a way to have my cake and eat it too. This cake is, by the way, the only one I eat. The couple of Linked-In Groups I briefly glanced at were of no interest. (Maybe I didn't look hard enough?)

    First, I block out a small amount of "entertainment time" for MarketingProfs, just once a week, as I do enjoy participating. Second, when I see reasonable questions that are similar, I cut and paste the bulk of my answer from a previous response, add a personal comment or two, and done.

    With best wishes for an enjoyable and profitable second half of the year,

    James Hamilton
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