Generally, it’s usually just smart to keep your clan on the current platform that you support. In other words, if your clan is an XBox clan, I wouldn’t suggest trying to expand to PC, and vice verse. There are several reasons why this doesn’t work for most clan leaders. The main reason is that these members will spend most of their time on your current platform, and it is hard to motivate them to participate in other avenues that they may not necessarily be interested in. I do have a few tips and tricks for you, that may help you get your members interested in gaming on a new platform, if even for a short while.
Offer Incentives
Maybe you can offer every member that moves to the new platform for a short while to help you expand a medal or ribbon if your clan offers those, or you could even offer money for the help. You’d be surprised how many people may rethink their position when a little bit of cash is involved.
Hold A Contest
Offer a recruiting contest on the new platform. Remember, the prize has to make it worth if for your members to participate, so give them a good sized cash prize, orperhaps a free game, or game card depending on what types of games you play.
24 Apr
How To Effectively Merge 2 Gaming Clans Together
Posted by JohnnyLocke as Articles, Clans | 0 Comments
First of all let me say that I do not agree with merging 2 clans, and it is very rare when it does happen. But if you happen to find yourself in this situation, best of luck! haha!
Merging 2 separate gaming clans together into one organization can be quite the delicate task. After all, they are 2 separate entities probably managed in 2 separate ways. Merging is tricky because everyone always wants to be at the top of the totem pole and no one is going to be willing to sacrifice. Let’s just assume, for complexities sake, that both clans have similar ranking systems. There is no sure fired way to have this run smoothly, but here are some points to remember;
You could merge them together, having all members keep their previous rank. That would be a happy solution to a daunting problem. But, is it realistic? Probably not. When a clans member base doubles, the size of their leadership staff probably does not need to double. Excessive amounts of members with power will almost certainly lead to power abuse. Try to avoid this.
ALWAYS merge the two organizations into the largest one of the two. There is no need for 2 clans to share channels or servers, and hold separate websites, and remain two different entities. By size alone, the larger clan is entitled to keep it’s name, channel, and website, and the smaller clan should be merged into the structure already set by the larger clan.
All ranking decisions should be made by the 2 leaders. There is no civil way to go about it. Some people are going to lose rank to their new members. The 2 leader’s shoudl sit down and discuss how well of a job their current leadership staff’s have been doing.
Make sure you know what you’re getting into. Make absolutely sure of it. A merger could effectively dismantle an entire organization if it’s not done right. Know who you’ll be leading the clan alongside, and know him well. Know how he likes to lead his clan, and make sure his your styles will coincide with each others.
Don’t rush into it. Set a date and try to make the shift as seamlessly as possible. Make sure the dissolving clan leaves its members lots of ways to find out where to locate the new channel/server, and website.
Make your new members feel at home. Offer to play games with them, and most importantly get to know them. There is most certainly going to be an awkward timeframe after the merger where the two sides are getting to know each other, but try to deal with it be forging new friendships, instead of pushing them away.
07 Apr
Keeping your gaming clan interesting
Posted by JohnnyLocke as Articles, Clan Managment | 0 Comments
If there’s one thing that can really sink a gaming clan it’s monotony. Members generally join gaming clans to break away from the monotony of gaming alone, and join in hopes of finding new partners to game with, and a new place to call home. But what happens when a member starts to feel those same feelings toward their new situation? They change soroundings. People (especially the young gamer crowd) are not always so easily entertained. Your first challenge is gathering the members. The second challenge is keeping them. Here are a few ideas for shaking things up:
Tournaments (Prized preferably)
Tournaments can really shake things up and make them exciting for your members. Whether you offer a small cash prize, a medal, or just recognition on your website, it gives something for your members to do that they don’t see every day. Try to switch up the types of tournaments you run as well. Maybe run a 1v1, or 2v2, or best of 3, or best of 5 setting.
Competitions
One thing that has worked for me on various occaisions is to offer a cash prize in a recruiting contest. The members are more obliged to recruit because there is light at the end of the tunnel, meanwhile your memberlist grows.
Hold Meetings (That involve all ranks)
Listen to your members. Whether most leaders like to admit it or not, the members usually see what happens day to day, and know the inner workings. Your members should be your most important resource when making decisions that effect the community as a whole.
Let me start off by saying that deciding to expand to a new game is very risky business. On one hand it is the next step in growth and expansion, on the other it is the death of many clans. Never attempt to expand to a new game if you are not 100% satisfied and comfortable with the activity on your current game(s). Spreading yourself too thin and diverting your interests is the main mistake made when trying to expand to a new game.
What’s the big deal you ask? So what if it doesn’t work? The 2 or 3 members who were working to create a new division can always come back, right?
While that is true, it is also misguided. Let’s say your attempted expansion does fail. Guaranteed, anyone you would trust to build a new division will probably be some of your best members, and while their attention was diverted toward the new game that didn’t pan out, this means their attention was not toward your current game. All I am trying to say is, don’t throw all your eggs in one basket. There are a few ground rules and questions to consider before you decide to expand to the new game:
-Is there a demand for it? Will enough of your current members play this game to make the expansion there worthwhile for the current clan population?
-On the same hand, is there not too many members who will play this game? You’ve just gotten on your feet on your current game, you don’t want to pull the rug out from under your feet as soon as you step on it.
-What is the difference in community between the games? Alot of script-based, B.Net clans got a rude awakening when they tried to expand to Counter-Strike and realized that it was a completely different world, with completely different types of people over there. Not to say their bad. Just different. Will they get along?
Rules
-Never allow more then 3-4 members to try and expand. Too many members attempting to help expand diverts your activity from your current game. But at the same time, never allow less then 2, otherwise it is bound to fail. As the leader yourself, never be the soul driving force. Your attention needs to be on managing what’s already created.
-Set goals, and stick to them. If your expanding members are meeting these goals, call it off for the time being. There is no harm in calling it off before your in too deep, but there is harm in “waiting” it out and wasting valuable resources on soemthing that may never work.
-If the members working toward expansion are your “primary” or “best” members, make sure you have replacement members ready to step up to the challenge in their absence.
Remember to always be supportive, and listen to ideas though. Expansions are very make-or-break for a community. It is essentially agreeing to take on the task of creating a clan all over again, and I’m sure you remember how that one was. 
By JohnnyLocke
