A lot of new guild masters, are not planning ahead. As I have mentioned in my previous guides, that knowing exactly what sort of guild you are running, and being specific about it, is crucial, which also involves planning.
New guild masters, forget the planning and focus at a single area at the time, such as getting members. Which is very logic. But a lot of GMs forget to keep planning several things at once.
Why would members join and stay in your guild, if you're only plan - is to get more members? Most guilds wants to get more members, especially new ones. But if that is your only plan, then your guild will not succeed.
"We will raid, when we got enough members" - Yeah, but when is that? No one knows, not even the GM.
Instead you say:
"We will go raid on Wednesday, then we got enough members"
A raid is set - even if you won't be enough that day, you can easily pug 1-3 people to go, and if the pugs have a good time. They're even likely to join your guild. (Read more about this in my GM-guide)
As long as your members know they will get to raid on Wednesday - no matter what!
Otherwise - you've not done a good enough job, gathering members, and you are the one to blame if people leave. (Obviously if you are on a low-populated server, this is a lot harder)
Instead of planning linear, you need to do paralleled planning. Which means, you need a plan - you have to recruit for. Recruiting just for getting more members, is not working - unless you are running a zerg-guild.
Basically, even if you have 1-5 members in your guild, and it has level 1. You need a plan!
If you know from the start you want to do a 10man raiding guild, or a pvp guild - you might as well start planning those raids already - even though you do not have the right amount of people yet - but this is exactly what you will recruit for!
Find days you wish to raid; perhaps begin with one or two - and set raids in the calendar. Get the members you already have involved, and then you can specifically begin recruiting raiders (or pvpers) for that specific raid day!
Always have contents in your calendar!
Make the raid at least 5-10 days before it happens, make sure the members you got already sign up.
Then you advertise in general/trade chat, about your starting raid group - and be sure to include your level of ambition - NOT YOUR GUILD LEVEL
examples:
"Dragon Lair is looking for raiders, interested in raiding DS Wednesdays at 20 to 23.
We aim to do full clears - and have casual talks, and fun meanwhile. Please /w me for a calendar invite for wed."
"Dragon Lair is looking for players for RBGs Wed at 20-30.
We aim to get a team started, but with experienced players 4.5k+ pvpres.
Please /w me for a calendar invite."
We aim to get a team started, but with experienced players 4.5k+ pvpres.
Please /w me for a calendar invite."
When people whisper you, do not invite them to your guild - you wait! Instead, give them an invite for the upcoming raid/event in the calendar! Logically, no one wants to join a guild and stay if it has 1-5 members. Use your time wisely and keep in touch with the ones interested in joining you. Make sure they know your guild is new, your plans, your goals and ambitions.
Once you've gotten enough of sign-ups (about 15-20) and the raid/event looks to be happening, you can begin invite the people to your guild. Not sooner, unless the people have a full-interest in joining you. Make sure you can get 2-3 into the guild at once, and make sure they get a warm welcome to begin with. (Read more in my GM guide)
Never let people rot in the guild chat! - Saying "Welcome" and nothing else afterwards is a killer, and they won't feel attached to your, or the guild, and they are highly likely to leave quick
Never let people rot in the guild chat! - Saying "Welcome" and nothing else afterwards is a killer, and they won't feel attached to your, or the guild, and they are highly likely to leave quick
Keep finding more people, and more members to join you even if you have 15 people signed up, and keep recruiting specifically for your raids. The more specific you are, the easier it gets!
Make sure you always have raids set in the calendar - and you always have enough people on the sign-up list! Pug if you have to! - As soon as people can't see there are anymore plans, it is a killer - and people are likely to leave.
