NationStates Jolt Archive

Greetings! I'm a bit inexperienced at recruiting and I was wondering if those experienced in it can offer me some advice. I feel that my region, (aptly named "Region" in fact ;)) has a decent name, a decent off-site forum, and I was hoping that there might be a way to increase its population short of spamming the feeder regions and everyone in them.

I'd really appreciate any advice that you all can give. I want to see our region grow while annoying as few people as possible :D

Thank you all very much,
Sincerely,
The Free Land of Regionland, Founder of Region

they don't want you to know this but the larger regions have developed extensive homebrew computer programs that can deliver a telegram to every founded nation. They are codenamed "Toasters".

then there are regions that create "satellite recruiters" which move to feeder regions and just spam the message boards and young nations. Satellite recruiters are actual nations created that reside in the feeder regions. Usually the country name has some sort of prefix like "Republic of Gatesville Recruiter". Satellite nations are also created by the malicious hacking of smaller nations for recruitment control.

then there is the monotous, outmoded, yet reliable method of "feeder hopping" which entails a nation moving from one feeder region to the next sending recruitment messages.

All of these methods constitute spam. Which is overall ignored.

However using personal methods such as involving a little role play into your telegrams or messages should appeal to others who enjoy the rp interaction. Rather than calling it "recruiting" I like to call it "extending the invitation".

Here's some tips I use!

DON'T sound "canned" or "fake" write numerous original messages rather than copy and paste one.
DON'T troll the virtues of your region! Only recruiters go on and on about their offsite activites or their regional activities which are usually to be desired.
DON'T be selective and let everyone feel invited to your region. Only noob lackluster regions who demand "only catholic nations" or "only communist nations". Sure it might be fun organizing a region full of commies but these selective practices just undermine you.
DON'T demand endorsement of a specific nation! Forced endorsement forces nations away from your region. Sure it protects against invasion or sorts but forcing a newcomer to your region to endorse somebody they never even heard of breed distrust.

Remember these nations are run by humans whom are naturally strong willed and hard to convince. Rather than bombarding the feeder regions with heaps and heaps of drolling advertisement recruitment spam try to insert a short summary in which you RP as some sort of delegate or quirky travel agent representing your region. Give them details about the geography of your region, give them history, rp'd facts, heck give them the weather :) If you provide fanciful details on your region it will sure bring in nations. Also utilize the jolt forum. This forum has a much larger and diversified audience and is a hotbed of new nations checking out the site. Post an invitation in the Gameplay subforum. Though you may or may not get a reply who cares! Just look at how many people viewed the post. Those people might be interested in your region. You might see them the next day in your region.

That is really good advice. Thank you very very much Esterhaza, I really appreciate it! I will try some personalizing and see if I can't get a few more nations to join me :)