Controversial Opinion: Why the web site campaign is actually brilliant

by Apognophos 54 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jgnat

  TV spots are old-school, and don't get the return that they used to.

  To really be a unique offering, the Witnesses have to have something special that can't be got anywhere else. They would have to get a lot sharper at locating those vulnerable and discerning people who are uniquely attracted to their message. My estimate in the developed world about 1 in 1,000 people are potential converts. To find these people requires cyber intelligence. That requires targetted advertising where these vulnerable people hang out.

  The WTS is still doing random, scattershot approach and when they do get a nibble, they barely seem to know what to do with the fish!

  http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/permission-mark.html

  I think the campaigns and the carts are chiefly to keep the congregation busy, to give them a sense of purpose and duty.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Damned if they do and damned if they don't!

  Print is dying. Profits for the mags and books are getting thinner and thinner and coming almost exclusively from existing JW's.
  Regardless of what they say, recruitment is virtually nothing- mostly just a percentage of the children of existing JW's.

  Watchtower needs to move out of printing, at least out of printing giveaway literature for the public. All the publishers are seeing that problem.

  Although the internet is one of Watchtower's greatest enemies, it is the way publishers are getting out of print and still "publishing." Most potential recruits that go to jw.org will also go to other websites that warn them against Watchtower. Virtually any attempt at distancing jw.org from the history of WTBTS will be overcome by a simple google search. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

  The real targets are the over 7 million existing JW's. If a bunch of men over 50 (except the new guy) can just hold on to a core group of believers for 40 years, they will remain in their ivory tower with their worshippers sending money to them. If they can cut expenses by telling those believers to print their own "literature" then all the better. Meanwhile, they gotta tell those believers that they are moving forward and having some measure of success in their new direction or else those believers might start questioning things, themselves.
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  OneEyedJoe

  jgnat - You're absolutely correct, they're not very smart about targeting potential converts, and I don't think they'll ever start doing any such targeting in a way that the average JW would be aware of. What they might eventually do (if new converts are actually what they want) is start buying google ads (or having the R/F buy them and let them count them as placements or something) that target obvious keywords like bible, jesus, god, etc. But the real target will be some other things, like targeting people dealing with drug addiction (or addiction in the family), or people getting out of break-ups, or those who've just lost someone in death, etc. Targeting people who are searching for help in an emotionally traumatic time would give them a chance to get a foothold when someone's critical thinking skills have been suspended and they're susceptible to love bombing.

  If they do this, I think they'll experience significant growth, at least in the near-term.

  They just have to be very careful how they implement it, because the average JW strongly believes that every person (regardless of mental state, etc) deserves to get a witness, so they can't make it too obvioius that they're targeting the vulnerable only. Though, now that I'm thinking about it, it's pretty common for them to relate experiences from the platform about a householder who's well known to be rude that finally comes around after the death of a loved one. Those experiences really took on a new meaning for me once I found out how cults usually recruit, and who is most vulnerable.
• 

  Simon

  It also solves the issue of most JWs not really being able to explain their beliefs because they haven't kept up with what the current ones are.

  Going on the ministry is far easier when it's been dumbed down to just handing out a leaflet so they may expect to raise the level of participation.
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  OUTLAW

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  .....................................It`s not going to change a thing..

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  What do most people do with a printed advertisement they`re not interested in?!..

  ..............................................

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  ....The WBT$ has found a simpler Brain Dead Activity,to keep more JWs busy..

  ........................

  ...................................................................................................... ...OUTLAW
• 

  Legacy

  Hi,

  Sooo true....I now look at it differently. When you go door to door, you don't always get the smartest person, some are social misfits, or shut-ins. I do have in my congregation some pretty intelligent folks, with degrees & such. Wonder what attracted them to the Truff...Apro..., excellent view.

  Thumbs up...

  Legacy
• 

  LongHairGal

  Apognophos:

  I could be wrong but I have the idea that this website might contribute to more people missing meetings.

  I remember years ago asking an older JW why the religion didn't have a radio program. I was told: then people would stay home and not go to meetings.

  While I realize a website is not equal to a radio program, I still cannot help but feel it might encourage certain people to just stay home.
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  Apognophos

  Well, it could, except that an active JW will be guilted by others in the congregation into attending again. As it is now, someone could use the phone tie-in instead of attending, so that probably has a bigger effect of attendance than the site would (because you actually follow the program of the meeting that everyone else is following, from the comfort of your home). But try doing that once or twice and you start getting phone calls, or people asking your family about you at the meetings.
• 

  wallsofjericho

  videos with resurected dead loved ones quickly appeal to emotion. It is the only card the WTS is playing now. Facts and science are 100% against them and they know. Information to refute their claims is available at a click.

  grab hold of someones heart strings and logic goes out the window. that is exactly how the WTS converts people.... by throwing logic out the window
• 

  steve2

  Stupid? Brilliant? Both? Time will tell.