New member vanish

[Fire Art]

Where O where do they go!!! I’m sure glad I didn’t go there

[Steve B]

Whoohoo you're whole again. And right sided up.

[Mr. Bones]

Welcome back, Brother!

So Good to see yerself, an Kitty, all upright!!!!

[HawkerXP]

I believe Fire Art means new members to the Pit. They come in all on fire with lots of questions and then...……….disappear.

[Nate]

I believe Fire Art means new members to the Pit. They come in all on fire with lots of questions and then...……….disappear.

Or they have too hard of a time trying to figure out what posts titles like this one are about and just give up....

Or figure out we are not their citizens....

or....

[JCGrill]

Shiny object.

[Bogy]

There are those who come in with some specific questions, "What XXXXX should I buy?" or "Now that I bought my XXXXX how long do I cook XXXX and at what temp?" After they get those specific questions answered, they move on.

Or, there are those like me, who join, are intimidated by all the people who know so much, and don't feel comfortable asking dumb questions. Fortunately, I have found that the regulars here are pretty forgiving of dumb questions, even the ones they have heard 497 times before, and will, for the most part, patiently answer those questions. But it took me several years to make my first post. Since then I made a couple more. Although my post count has slowed down lately, because for me, life is a little slower in the summer months, and gets more hectic as we get into fall. But I don't plan on disappearing.

Because some of us find this to be a very welcoming community. Probably hard for some to understand why everyone doesn't want to be a regular part of the community. Which takes me back to the comment about being intimidated by all the people who already are regulars, and those who are new can feel like they are butting in to an exclusive club. An exclusive club with inside jokes, unfamiliar terms, and post counts that make it clear who the "experts" are.

Dang, this sounds all too familiar. Sounds like what I deal with "at work." We call it "losing them out the back door." This site needs repeat members, retention is important. So, an important question is, do the people who we only see for a brief time renew, so they can come back when they have another question, or are we losing them completely. Not everyone lives, breathes and eats BBQ (I know, it's hard to believe, especially the last one), like some of us. Not everyone has a grill or smoker going a minimum of 5 times a week, if not multiple cookers and/or times in a day. Which is why you can buy barely used grills and smokers on Craigslist. And for me, now that I have found this group, and even feel a part of it, miss it if I don't check in a couple of times a day, even to talk about something that hasn't got a thing to do with cooking. Because a long time ago I got tired of going to forums where the purpose was arguing and flaming. I don't need that in my life. So, I guess you're stuck with me here.

[Donw]

Some of them might be like me. I introduced myself, asked a couple of simple questions, and then lurked for months just absorbing the knowledge in the posts and trying things out for myself. Once I felt I had some level of experience that might help someone else or contribute, then I started posting more.

[radshop]

I’m sure there are lots of scenarios. In my case, I was an early member of the site but barely active at all in the pit for a couple years. I was using the techniques & recipes, and sometimes lurking in the Pit, but didn’t feel compelled to participate much. Now I’m active in flurries, then disappear when I’m busy.