We Need Your Input!

[JonrUK]

IMHO FrankTalk is the best forum anywhere in the world for information about Injections & Implants. There is some good information on some of the Prostate Cancer forums (or should it be fora?), but not as detailed as here. In addition, they don’t seem to engender the same kind of of support and encouragement as the FrankTalk groups.

I was thinking about the level of participation of FT members. At any time, I have seen up to 80 users online, of whom about 15 were registered members, so clearly there is a thirst for information out there. In theory there are over 7,000 FT members, although how many of them would still be using FT is probably impossible to know.

The interesting thing for me is the number of ‘silent’ members. Members who post and reply to posts seem to be a small minority, but we are all reliant on their knowledge and support.

I know that in any demographic, there will be those who speak, and those who prefer to hang back. Maybe it’s because some guys are embarrassed or still coming to terms with their problems.

In my case, after 5 years of erectile dysfunction and other medical conditions, I have had every part of me inspected, poked and prodded - sometimes in front of a group. I have no pride left!

I never tire of researching my condition (Erectile Dysfunction caused by T2 Diabetes), my current treatment (Inter-Cavernosal Injections) and the most likely next stage of the journey (an Implant). When I talk to the medical experts, I want to be as well prepared as possible, and this group has helped me to do that.

You can read all of the technical documents that are available - and surprisingly there aren’t so many - but you can’t beat personal experience. I hope that I have been able to help others as well, either by provoking debate, or by answering direct questions when asked.

So, here’s the question?
How can we get more input from the silent majority of members?
The more information that is provided, the more likely it is that ‘guests’ will register and post and grow the site.

[dtwarren1942]

Perhaps we can start a thread titled First Time Posters to encourage guys to make a first post.

[alibaba]

I've been chair, vice chair and treasurer of many committees and associations. There are always more who just sit, listen, and observe (or daydream) than participate. At least serving in those positions we had the chance to nominate or appoint people to action, something that cannot be done on an internet forum. The best we can do is ask questions to encourage dialog if they introduce themselves. One of the best ways I have found to get along with any person is to show you are interested in them individually as a person. When you show an interest in something personal that relates to them specifically, it helps open them up. I've made it a habit to learn something about every person I deal with. With pseudo names on the internet it hard to research a person but a bit of close observation and you can pick out pieces that tell you about the person or as I do sometimes, just ask (embarrasses my wife sometimes). Cheers.

[David_R]

+1 - Good answer, alibaba.

[Greg1956]

In my experience the silent majority and active minority is completely common. I personally feel an obligation to give back after all the guys here who helped me. In my year and a half or so here many guys have come and gone. It’s like a revolving door with men coming and going and asking the same questions that have been answered many times already. At a certain point guys lose interest in participating, especially if their own situation was corrected, such as getting an implant. It’s the way it is here and elsewhere in our lives.

Greg

[cincinnatus1951]

Agree totally with Greg and Alibaba. I used FT as an information resource for about a year before my implant. I too feel something of an obligation to "give back" because FT was such a help to me. I have remained active for two and a half years after my implant, sharing experiences and doing Show and tells, mostly via video, for guys thinking about implants.
cincinnatus