cool!
some things to consider:
1) get a unique selling point
there are already 2 neff mailing lists that i know of - sumerland and psychonaut (
clicky) - you need your site to offer something different - something more - than the rest.
from day one i conceived heartland as filling a very different remit from the officially endorsed dominion mailing list
not just was the medium different (bulletin board rather than email list), i also wanted the message to be different: at the time i started this place dominion was not in good way. the sisters themselves were going through one of their quiet spells, and consequently the list was pretty quiet. this situation was not helped by the fact that friendly banter was discouraged by some of the list "elders", and flame wars were an everyday occurrence. frankly, it was a bit of a state. i figured there was a gap in the market for a place that sisters fans could come and just "hang about", discussing the band as and when it seemed appropriate, and chatting about everything else the rest of the time.
have a look at the other neff-related sites out there and make sure you find something unique to offer.
2) market yourself
no one is going to hang around a place with only 3 members. you need to get your site know. a decent url helps, as does google.
if you aren't already a member, join those other neff lists and hang about a bit. get yourself known before you start plugging your wares there, or you'll probably not get too good a reaction..
however, hanging around there a bit will give you a better feel for what that gap in the market i mentioned i point 1 actually is.
if you also contribute to their discussions your own attempts at starting a community are more likely to be accepted.
3) professionalism
the site has to look professional, and you should treat it in a professional manner - otherwise it will look like someone's hobby site, and will probably descend into cliquey "mates" banter before you know it. and that's not going to appeal to new members.
that's not to say you should be deadly serious about the whole thing - a sense of humour goes a long way - its just that you should remember that you're doing something for potentially a lot of people you don't know, and they are going to judge the place by how you run it. and your way of handling the admin side of stuff will generally dictate the tone of the place.
4) be unbiased in your moderation
always a sensitive one this, but its crucial you set the right tone
you're going to get some people who will cause trouble. some of them might even be your mates. it's a fact of life i'm afraid. another fact of life is that you are going to have to be prepared to give them a bit of a ticking off from time to time... or at the very least you're going to have to goive them a gentle reminder of where they are, and rein them in from time to time
if you don't, two things will happen: 1) they will get worse, and 2) others will see it as favouritism, and that way cliqueyness beckons...
my own approach is to nip
trouble in the bud quickly. i hope that i am seen as fair and consistent in my approach, but i know that's not always possible. however, wherever you can you should remember that just because
person a is your mate it doesn't mean they might not be a pain in the arse, and that
person b might not be an innocent victim of
person a's general twattery
above all else, have fun with it! if it takes off its well worth it
i was an avid sisters geek before i even started this place, but my geekery has increased tenfold, as has my sisters "general knowledge"... and we don't even talk about my ever-increasing collection of sisters
fanboi tat
and good luck
