Sensible Internet Rant - Promoting Events and Using Links

Sensible Dan Blacklock recently posted this very sensible rant to an Ultimate administration email list, which we think is well worth sharing, particularly at this time of the year:

Hello all,

It is surprisingly difficult to find the AFDA registration links for some leagues/tournaments.

Here are the causes as I see them:

1. AFDA has two lists under the Tournaments link (Calendar and Register).
This becomes very confusing as the Calendar list doesn't always provide you with a link on how to sign up for the tournament/league. These should be consolidated into
one list as the information they contain is almost identical. I have heard that AFDA is getting redesigned so this may be redundant.

2. Blogs frequently require you to go hunting for the registration link.
Blog engines usually allow you to setup a links list/page, put the league/tournament registration links there. If you can’t setup a links list/page make sure you include the registration link in every post.

3. Emails that talk about the league/tournament but don’t link to the registration page.
Every email advertising the league/tournament should have the registration link in them. If you decide you want to redirect people to your blog first so they can get to the registration page from there make sure you comply with my previous point.

That’s my little rant for the year.
See you all soon.

Regards
Dan

Emminently sensible Dan. A few quick thoughts from Brisbane Ultimate Blog central:

1. The AFDA knows about the problem and hopes to sort this with the major upgrade due this year. It stems from the days when many folks didn't want to use the registration system, but did want to list their events on the calendar system (and the progressive way the site was built). Since these days TDs and LDs *have* to use the rego system (for insurance purposes), almost nobody needs it to be separate.

2. Blogs? That wouldn't be us of course ...

3. Our tip - whenever you're sending an email about your event, start by 'replying' to your previous email. This way all the information posted earlier is included, for all those people who missed it the first time, and it saves you repeating yourself.

For those of us who do lots of Ultimate organising via email and the web, its easy to think everyone else is like us - reads every email, remembers everything that's going on, etc etc. The reality is that most everyone isn't. So you need to repeat the key bits of information over and over again and again.