| Subject Lines
With almost 5,000 members, sometimes posting over 40 messages a day, PKF
is becoming a high traffic mailing list. Consistency is crucial to a productive
freecycle session. Even though there are a number of ways to quickly process
all the mail daily in less than 2 minutes to find the posts of interest
and delete the rest, many members get frustrated feeling they have to
unsubscribe because of the volume of mail.
Well formed subject lines make it easier on all members to quickly scan
all the posts from the list each day to find the ones they want to work
with and then delete the rest. Some members just let all the mail accumulate
in their inboxes and pick through it. Others filter and sort their mail
in their computer's email client in order to organize it for easier scanning.
Many just read the list on a web browser like yahoo mail or on the PKF
web site message data base. The key to making this process quick and painless
is to have the subject line in a set predictable form.
Having to open the email body just to find out what the Topic is or what
the item is gets old very quickly. A well composed subject line makes
your post more likely to be responded to. The subject line protocol is:
[Topic]: [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE GIFT(S)]
When you write a freecycle post subject line be kind to all the
other members who will read them. Here is how:
- Only use one of the five Topics as the first word
in the subject line. If you find yourself using any other words, don't.
Please just stick to the five Topics.
- Be sure to include a short description
of the gift(s) that post is about. Use the description in posts for
all of the 5 Topics so members can track freecycling items in sequence;
say an offer, pending, taken and praise sequence. Also, the gifter's
name should be included in the praise subject line.
- When posting an offer, or want lists of items, try
not to use words like "list" or "misc" or "various
items" as the short description. If at all possible try
to mention all items or the type of items in the subject line.
If you have a large list use short words to list some of them and then
say something like "& more" or "+" or break
it up into two or more posts. An example might be something like: "wanted:
Chain saw, weed whacker, snow blower". More detailed descriptions
could be put into the body of the post. Also, if you are posting pending's,
taken's or praises for multiple items try not to make a separate post
for each if you can combine them as above.
- If you are the gifter in a freecycle transaction,
do not use the praise Topic to publicly thank the receiver
for,say a prompt pick up or anything else. The praise Topic is used
by the receiver to publicly thank the gifter for the item(s) and to
give that particular freecycle gifting some closure with the group.
As the gifter you can certainly thank the receiver in your taken post
for that item(s).
- Don't try to contact
the moderators by posting to the list using a Topic like "moderator"
or "admin". You can always contact us by using the
group owner address that is on the bottom of the home page as well as
at the bottom of every email that PKF sends out to all group members.
The first word of all subject lines that members
post to the list must be one of our 5 Topics:
- offer: to gift an item(s) All offers
must contain an approximate location or nearby intersection where the
pick up will be made. (more
on approximate location)
- want: something that would be nice
to be gifted to you. Keep your requests reasonable.
- pending (or PPU): to let members
know something is waiting to be picked up. Be sure to save all responses
you get to your offers so you have an alternative receiver in case you
first choice doesn't work out.
- taken: to notify members that a gift
you have offered has been picked up. You can use this Topic to publicly
thank your receiver for a quick pick up or anything else you might want
to say about them.
- praise (or thank you): to let the
group know who gifted to you. You must mention the gifter's name in
the subject line of the praise post. The praise is not for the gifter
to thank the receiver for a fast pickup or anything else. It is for
the receiver to thank the gifter for the gift. You would do that in
the taken if so inclined.
Some members tell me, "there is already too much mail" and
others are asking the praise Topic be dropped. If we allow praising
on the list for a quick pick or other up, or any other reason the giftee
may have to be thankful, the members would get two or more praises for
one freecycle gifting transaction.
Common
mistakes for the first word in subject lines are:
- "looking for" This
not a Topic keyword. Even though it is not that informative to the meaning
of a freecycle message, its fine to use that phrase anywhere in the
post except the first word of the subject line.
- "repost" might tell everyone
that it has been posted before but gives no information as to what the
Topic is like offer or wanted ,etc.
- "reoffer" or "relist"
I doubt anyone cares if the item had been offered before. Just use offer.
- "still available" Just
use Offer
- "found" is sometimes used
similar to pending or taken when a want is met. At this time we are
not using the found Topic to cut down on the volume of email going to
members.
- "anything"
- "posted" Use the Topic
that it was posted before as
- "sorry"
- "available" use offer
- "still need" use want
- "in need of" Use want
- "still in need of" again
use want
- "free" Everything on freecycle
is free by definition
- "Ref"
- "Re:"
- "List of Items"
- "several things" what are
things?
- "various items"
- "numerous items"
If you find yourself using one of these as the
first word in your subject line, don't. Change it to one of the 5 Topics.
When composing a subject line for posting to
the list please include, along with your Topic keyword, a short
description of the item being freecycle gifted or the person
being praised. We require this so members can scan the subject lines quickly
to keep up to date with the list and just have to open the posts that
they want to read further and delete the rest.
Common
mistakes for the short description of the gift(s)in subject lines are:
- "several things" what are
the things?
- "various items"
- "numerous items"
- "misc. items"
If you find yourself using one of these as the
description of the gift(s) in your subject line subject line, don't. Use
short descriptions of the specific gifts.
If you are combining a number of items into one
post it may not be possible to list them all. Do try to list
a few and that there are others. For example: OFFER: 20" TV, VCR,
Movies, Recliner and more
Approximate Location in Offers
Please include your approximate location or nearest
intersection for the pick up when making an offer to the list. It can
be in the subject line, the body of the post or in the signature part.
This helps people to decide if they will respond. Long distance pick ups
are not always the best for successful freecycle gifting.
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