Karaoke Forums

You are correct rumbolt, there are several groups or factions on the site, there is a difference of opinion on many subjects.

You sure have a large ego to think I was even referring to YOU at all!

Lonnie, I guess Chip thinks, by his statement, that Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Wal-Mart and just about every other company out there are dying because they advertise. ROTFLMAO. But the ego part is correct.

"There is no DOWNSIDE to having a name of a venue come out."

Actual Cyberstalking Incidents
In the first successful prosecution under California's new cyberstalking law, prosecutors in the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office obtained a guilty plea from a 50-year-old former security guard who used the Internet to solicit the rape of a woman who rejected his romantic advances. The defendant terrorized his 28-year-old victim by impersonating her in various Internet chat rooms and online bulletin boards, where he posted, along with her telephone number and address, messages that she fantasized of being raped. On at least six occasions, sometimes in the middle of the night, men knocked on the woman's door saying they wanted to rape her. The former security guard pleaded guilty in April 1999 to one count of stalking and three counts of solicitation of sexual assault. He faces up to six years in prison.

A local prosecutor's office in Massachusetts charged a man who, utilizing anonymous remailers, allegedly engaged in a systematic pattern of harassment of a co-worker, which culminated in an attempt to extort sexual favors from the victim under threat of disclosing past sexual activities to the victim's new husband.

An honors graduate from the University of San Diego terrorized five female university students over the Internet for more than a year. The victims received hundreds of violent and threatening e-mails, sometimes receiving four or five messages a day. The graduate student, who has entered a guilty plea and faces up to six years in prison, told police he committed the crimes because he thought the women were laughing at him and causing others to ridicule him. In fact, the victims had never met him.

It's seems unlikely that I will increase my business through my activities on this forum by announcing my venues.
If I'm going to be visited by someone I've never met except through the internet, I'd be more comfortable knowing in advance.

I advertise locally, not nationally. Just makes sense to me.

I treat others how they treat me.
Think about that one.
Let it sink in for a while, if you have to.

But there can be a downside to posting too much personal information on an internet forum. Especially if you have been outspoken and there are those on the forum with which you appear to have an adversarial relationship be it voluntarily or involuntarily. It can pose a REAL danger.

I do both - just on karaoke locator type sites! Like Cueball has stated, people from out of town wanting to do karaoke, will find me as well as the locals but if you aren't a local, you may not know who to ask as he stated, even the hotels don't have a clue. I get alot of business from out of town guests stating they found me on the internet - some searching locally, some searched in their home state making sure ours was one of the places to go on their trip to sing, some even come with their slips all filled out and ready as I do also list songlist online along with printable request slips.
Makes sense to me just as well!

Whatever floats your boat... I like visitors too but I would doubt you get more than 1 or 2 a month that way and an extra 24 to 30 people to show up for one night in a years time isn't going to sustain my business and it isn't going to make it grow either.

I make more money on the locals coming back again and again. That might not be true for MtnKaraoke who lives in a tourist zone.

You don't need advertising to have nut job come and do whatever. That can be done anytime with even any of your regular customers. A chance you take - like any job, like any business, someone could just go haywire.

I'm not worried about it - lifes too short to worry about something that 'probably' won't happen. To each their own.

I'm not worried about it - lifes too short to worry about something that 'probably' won't happen. To each their own.

Just an aside, because you folks are talking about advertising:

I used to advertise my shows on places like http://www.karaokelistings.com, but no longer am allowed. I also used to advertise in Stepping Out Magazine, the local entertainment mag, but since they are also online, I am no longer allowed. ALL of my venues have told me that at this point I can only do direct E-mails and texts. Why? SC- that's why. I tell them until I'm blue in the face that I only use original mfr's. discs in my shows, and they are safe. They don't care. SC has made enough of a PITA of themselves that they have heard, and want no waves. Yes, they are being ridiculous. Yes, there is no effect on me so far. However, this is one of the major reasons that I am anti-SC methodology. They do more harm then good- continously.

Jees! Now advertising is only used to save a dying show>? Get real!

Sounds like some pretty paranoid clients!