In March of 1998, "Vendor Day" was established as a result of List Member feedback requesting that one day a week be set aside for advertising to the list.
In December of 2000, silkribbon@yahoogroups.com celebrated its member-supported website: http://www.silk-ribbon-embroidery.com, which includes directories for vendors, designers and teachers who are members of the mailing list, as well as a world wide directory of other stores and businesses.
The following guidelines for posting advertisements to the list are based on list member feedback. If you have any questions, please email the List Facilitator at wyldwmn@qwest.net.
1. Please post your advertisement on Saturday only. If you are not able to be at your computer on Saturday,Please send your advertisement to the List Facilitator at wyldwmn@qwest.net to be posted on your behalf on Saturday.
2. Please put "SRAD" at the beginning of your subject line. (It is helpful to list members if you also include a brief description of the item you are advertising. For example: "SRAD: Hand Dyed Ribbon."
3. Please ask for replies by private email by putting language similar to the following at the top of your advertisement:
"***PLEASE REPLY BY PRIVATE EMAIL TO yourname@yourservice.net***"
4. Please contact List Members in private email when they ask questions about purchasing your products during the week, or ask a person who is *not* a vendor to post clarification to the list for you. Answering questions about your products during the week on the list, gives List Members the impession that you are trying to advertise, and they send me lots of email about it when that happens.
5. Please do share information about products and how to use them in silk ribbon embroidery at any time. List Members love to hear from the vendors to learn tips and tricks. If you post price information or state that a product is available on your website, that is advertising and it should be shared with the list on Saturday as an advertisement.
6. Please attach pictures to your ads. I receive a lot of positive feedback from List Members about how much they enjoy seeing pictures of your products, with special emphasis on finished projects. For example, it is one thing for them to see a scan of a piece of ribbon--it is a better thing for them to also see that ribbon made into a stitch or a project.
7. Please feel free to host a free drawing for List Members at any time. As long as you are not stating that you have the product for sale, or stating the price, your drawing is a great way for you to keep the name of your business fresh in List Members' minds without violating the Guidelines.
8. Please do not use the Files area at the Yahoo! Groups list site to advertise your products.
9. Please email the List Facilitator at wyldwmn@qwest.net if you have questions about whether or not your post to the list constitutes an advertisement.
10. Please email the List Facilitator if you have concerns about what other vendors are posting to the list, or share your concerns directly with that vendor in private email.
