Mike Phillips
10-05-2010, 09:23 AM
A tip to help yourself get great answers when you start a thread (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tips-techniques-how-articles-interacting-discussion-forums/29344-tip-help-yourself-get-great-answers-when-you-start-thread.html)
While you may have 10 or 20 questions on how to detail the inside and outside of your Astro Van, here's a tip...
Try to limit your messages to 3 to 4 questions at the most.
This will make it easier for people to answer you without excessive formatting so their answers are easy for you and others to read.
Typing out answers in a linear manner in a thread isn't too hard if there's only a few questions, if there are a zillion questions then answering them in a way that's easy for everyone to read means doing things like breaking up your original message using the "Quote" feature. This means a lot of extra typing for messages with a lot of questions.
Not a big deal to me but a lot of people will look at a large group of questions and simply click away as it's easier to click away than it is to try to wade through all the questions and try to answer some of them.
By only starting a thread with a few questions you help yourself to help yourself.
After you get the answers to the first questions you post, you can always do a follow-up with a few more questions or start a new thread.
Starting a thread and asking a million questions means people have to wade through a HUGE chunk of text and lots of people simply won't do it, huge chunks of text scares people away.
People are scanners, so start with a few questions, make each question a dedicated sentence with white space around it like this,
1. How do mix my car wash solution?
2. Should I start at the top of the car and work down or does it matter?
3. What's the best way to dry the water off my car?
When you type it out like that it makes it for other forum members to reply quickly and easily, like this,
1. Read the back label and go by the manufactures recommendations.
2. Most people will start at the top and work down. Some people like to start with the wheels and tires and after wasting the wheels and tires then they will wash the car body starting at the top and working their way down.
3. The "best" anything is always personal preference but some good options are Microfiber Waffle Weave drying towels, synthetic chamois and yes, even leaf blowers.
Just by breaking your questions into dedicated sentences and giving them a number you'll make it easy for people to help you.
Make sense?
Now follow me on this...
After you get answers to your first three questions then you can post a follow-up with a few more questions, again don't over do it.
By limiting your posts to just a few questions you're really helping yourself to get GREAT answers and that's what this forum is all about.
Here's another tip...
Start a new thread for a new topic
After you get your answers to one topic, for example how to remove swirls; if you have questions about how to remove ink stains out of leather, don't simply tag them onto the thread about removing swirls out of car paint, instead start a new dedicated thread, like this,
Need help removing ink stains out of leather.
Again, the title will tell our members what you're working on and what you're wanting to do and if you limit your initial message to 2-3 questions you'll help yourself to get GREAT answers!
And one more teeny, tiny tip...
In your post, include what you're working on.
Sounds like common sense but believe it or not many people start thread, ask questions and never mention what they're working on. For example,
Recommend a polish
That title tells us you're looking for a product, but it doesn't tell us what you're working on or what you're trying to accomplish. Instead, how about a few extra details,
Recommend a polish for fresh paint on my restored 1988 Honda Civic
That title tells us what you're working on and what you're trying to do. Then in the message body you can clarify even further like this,
I just had my 1988 Honda Civic repainted and the paint is 3 days old, what polishes are safe for fresh paint?
Or how about this for a title,
Recommend a polish for antique paint
Then in the message body you can clarify even further like this,
I just pulled a 1967 Mustang out of a barn, it has the original single stage paint. The paint looks kind of chalky, what should I use to preserve and restore the original paint.
Just a few details about your project will help others to provide accurate answers to your questions.
:dblthumb2:
While you may have 10 or 20 questions on how to detail the inside and outside of your Astro Van, here's a tip...
Try to limit your messages to 3 to 4 questions at the most.
This will make it easier for people to answer you without excessive formatting so their answers are easy for you and others to read.
Typing out answers in a linear manner in a thread isn't too hard if there's only a few questions, if there are a zillion questions then answering them in a way that's easy for everyone to read means doing things like breaking up your original message using the "Quote" feature. This means a lot of extra typing for messages with a lot of questions.
Not a big deal to me but a lot of people will look at a large group of questions and simply click away as it's easier to click away than it is to try to wade through all the questions and try to answer some of them.
By only starting a thread with a few questions you help yourself to help yourself.
After you get the answers to the first questions you post, you can always do a follow-up with a few more questions or start a new thread.
Starting a thread and asking a million questions means people have to wade through a HUGE chunk of text and lots of people simply won't do it, huge chunks of text scares people away.
People are scanners, so start with a few questions, make each question a dedicated sentence with white space around it like this,
1. How do mix my car wash solution?
2. Should I start at the top of the car and work down or does it matter?
3. What's the best way to dry the water off my car?
When you type it out like that it makes it for other forum members to reply quickly and easily, like this,
1. Read the back label and go by the manufactures recommendations.
2. Most people will start at the top and work down. Some people like to start with the wheels and tires and after wasting the wheels and tires then they will wash the car body starting at the top and working their way down.
3. The "best" anything is always personal preference but some good options are Microfiber Waffle Weave drying towels, synthetic chamois and yes, even leaf blowers.
Just by breaking your questions into dedicated sentences and giving them a number you'll make it easy for people to help you.
Make sense?
Now follow me on this...
After you get answers to your first three questions then you can post a follow-up with a few more questions, again don't over do it.
By limiting your posts to just a few questions you're really helping yourself to get GREAT answers and that's what this forum is all about.
Here's another tip...
Start a new thread for a new topic
After you get your answers to one topic, for example how to remove swirls; if you have questions about how to remove ink stains out of leather, don't simply tag them onto the thread about removing swirls out of car paint, instead start a new dedicated thread, like this,
Need help removing ink stains out of leather.
Again, the title will tell our members what you're working on and what you're wanting to do and if you limit your initial message to 2-3 questions you'll help yourself to get GREAT answers!
And one more teeny, tiny tip...
In your post, include what you're working on.
Sounds like common sense but believe it or not many people start thread, ask questions and never mention what they're working on. For example,
Recommend a polish
That title tells us you're looking for a product, but it doesn't tell us what you're working on or what you're trying to accomplish. Instead, how about a few extra details,
Recommend a polish for fresh paint on my restored 1988 Honda Civic
That title tells us what you're working on and what you're trying to do. Then in the message body you can clarify even further like this,
I just had my 1988 Honda Civic repainted and the paint is 3 days old, what polishes are safe for fresh paint?
Or how about this for a title,
Recommend a polish for antique paint
Then in the message body you can clarify even further like this,
I just pulled a 1967 Mustang out of a barn, it has the original single stage paint. The paint looks kind of chalky, what should I use to preserve and restore the original paint.
Just a few details about your project will help others to provide accurate answers to your questions.
:dblthumb2: