DC Web Women, which runs a listserv designed primarily to enable peer-to-peer support and education in technology and new media, has been in the midst of a brouhaha lately about marketing. Or, more accurately, a few people seem very upset that the listserv guidelines prohibit marketing.
Yes, there are guidelines–and they seem pretty straightforward:
Many of us would like to market to this great target audience, but we can’t allow it because of the size of our membership. Marketing includes postings that ask for a job or job leads, present your resume, promote your company, or doing any of these items for friends, sisters, or boyfriends.
And DC Web Women doesn’t stop there:
However, there are some ways you CAN market to DCWW:
- Attend a meeting, workshop, or social event and pass out your business cards.
- Send your resume to the resume wrangler to be included in our biweekly resume posting.
- When you post a question, comment, or response, include your URL or a one-line description of your services beneath your signature.
In other words: be present, be helpful, and add value.
I really don’t understand why anyone would think that shouting “Me. Me. Me. Look at Me.” is a better way to build a community and a business. What do you think?
Photo by bixentro (Flickr).
