Greeting Members: Yay or Nay?

[Lilith_Winter]

I've heard so many conflicting views on this!

 

[AnneDVille]

Great thread! I am curious what we get. I used to greet everyone when I started, but it seemed to make them leave so now I just do the whole 'don't speak until spoken too'. On that note, I always greet my regs though. Just not the new peoples.

 

[Sansa]

I think greeting members worked great for me when I was a newer model (and with a lower camscore). I'd get a lot of, "Wow! Someone said hi to me!" kind of remarks and many would stick around.

Has the exact opposite effect now, saying hi makes people leave so quickly.

 

[Shaun__]

Being told hello when I first enter a new room feels weird for some reason. Like I went to a stranger's party, and now everyone in the room is staring and waiting for me to say something.

 

[mynameisbob84]

If it's a model I visit regularly/semi regularly then a hello is always nice. If it's my first time in the room then it kinda feels like being called out, which isn't overly fun.

 

[Sevrin]

Whatever happened to women just being able to read my mind, and just *know* what I wanted, whether I was hungry, had pooped in my diaper, or whatever?

 

[TacoBelle]

I can't remember who posted it recently, but someone on the forum explained their thoughts on being called out as a first-time visitor. They said that it forced them to choose RIGHT THEN whether they liked the model and wanted to chat with her before they really got a chance to see if they liked the room or not. It tends to put people on the spot, so most just leave the room quickly to avoid any awkwardness. Of course, it makes it even more awkward for the model after that, but that's not their problem.


I have witnessed times when saying hi to someone actually works, though. For example, I *love* Harry Potter. And any time a user comes in with a HP-themed name (like ViktorKrum), I'll say something like, "Oh wow! There's a guy named Viktor Krum in here! I wonder if he's still playing Quidditch!" or something similar. It usually works to get them out of of their shell and chatting about our shared interest. And the good news about not saying hi to them directly is that they don't feel as much pressure to talk or leave right then. Of course, it's still a toss-up whether they'll stay or leave, but at least it opens the door for them to WANT to talk.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

I can't remember who posted it recently, but someone on the forum explained their thoughts on being called out as a first-time visitor. They said that it forced them to choose RIGHT THEN whether they liked the model and wanted to chat with her before they really got a chance to see if they liked the room or not. It tends to put people on the spot, so most just leave the room quickly to avoid any awkwardness. Of course, it makes it even more awkward for the model after that, but that's not their problem.


I have witnessed times when saying hi to someone actually works, though. For example, I *love* Harry Potter. And any time a user comes in with a HP-themed name (like ViktorKrum), I'll say something like, "Oh wow! There's a guy named Viktor Krum in here! I wonder if he's still playing Quidditch!" or something similar. It usually works to get them out of of their shell and chatting about our shared interest. And the good news about not saying hi to them directly is that they don't feel as much pressure to talk or leave right then. Of course, it's still a toss-up whether they'll stay or leave, but at least it opens the door for them to WANT to talk.

Also it helps if the very first time you talk to someone it's with the line 'Hi, you won a raffle for a giant cookie!' :lol: :lol: :lol:

(Inside joke is funny. Trust me.)

 

[BrassMunkie]

Depends on the kind of greeting. If its the first time I've been in a room and I'm just feeling out the room and the model, it can be a little off putting to be singled out. However, most of the time, it's just a nice friendly hello to someone and acknowledging me.

I'd say as long as it doesn't feel like I'm getting put on blast right away to start tipping when I'm still trying to decide if I want to hang out or not, I think its nice and friendly. Definitely a plus if I'm at least semi-regular in the room.

 

[ZenHedonist]

It'll be difficult to get a definitive answer because there are so many variables. Every room, model and group of regulars is going to be different.

 

[StacySins]

Hmmm I say hello to everyone? But I guess if you guys don't like it I'll just say it to my regs

 

[Lexi Emerson]

I rarely call out people unless they are regs. Sometimes if I see someone lurking a few times in a row I will ask them how their day is or if I see a really funny/interesting screen name I will make a comment about it, kinda like Iris said. Otherwise I honestly feel awkward saying hi to like everyone that comes in. I usually just do a general, "hey everyone who has come in! How are you all doing today?" A few times till the room fills up and gets talkative.

 

[Crumb]

Yay and nay

If being greeted by the model alone I don't mind and say hello back, but what annoys me is when the rest of the room all says hi.

 

[LilPixy]

I'm curious about the results too.

At work I have to greet costumers after 5 seconds since they walked through the door. Most of them tell me they hadn't decided yet and need some time to make their minds (I know that, I'm just saying "hello"!), some are annoyed. From their reactions I feel like I'm "pushing" them That's why I rarely greet people in free chat. If they want, they can start the conversation by simply saying "hi".

 

[fandango]

If its a room Ive been in and tipped in before then I'm very happy to get a hello, but if im totally new then I agree with everyone else who feels a bit weird and put on the spot.

Also if the model has time to say hello to every member that comes in for the first time it normally means the room is really slow and I feel weird in dead quiet rooms.

 

[Artaeus]

Like many it seems. If it's a room I've been in and got on quite well with before then I don't mind, it's quite nice to be remembered! If it's a room I've not been in before (or only once or twice) I tend to like to lurk for a while before speaking, I try to get a feel for the room to see if my sense of humour fits the group (or can be modified to do so). So being 'called out' may make me a little uncomfortable.

I think basically, for me, it's kinda;

If I know ya (even if it's just from here), say hey. :thumbleft:

 

[SaffronBurke]

I stick with a general "hi" without using anyone's name. I could be talking to you, or the other guy who just popped in, but it opens the door for conversation if you want. Of someone is a regular, I'll greet them by name.

I do feel that this concept works a little differently on Streammate rather than MFC - most guys are looking for someone to take private right now, so if you're what they're looking for, they'll engage you in conversation, and if you're not quite their preference, they'll move on.

 

[Jessi]

I say Hi when someone from my friendlist comes into my room.
Im pretty selective of who I add.

 

[SatanJonez]

I am on the fence with this.

As a member it absolutely freaks me out when someone says hello. O_O I panic and flee usually so I should understand not to do that when I'm on the other side of the screen.

As a model..I get tired of quiet rooms sometimes & will start saying hello or pointing out funny user names and then quickly stating afterwards "Oh don't worry, not expecting you to chat, just saying hello!! " Usually though I don't, just wait until someone says something before I acknowledge 'em.

 

[Goal]

With models that know me already, I certainly don't mind (and do appreciate) being greeted upon arrival in her room. Granted, I'm just as likely to greet her first, in that case.

With unfamiliar models, I'd rather you waited until I say hello first. Maybe I'm still trying to read your profile, to get to know who you are. Maybe I'm trying to assess the vibe of the room, or your particular style, before opening my mouth. But as others have said, being called out draws unwanted attention and tends to make one feel pushed to make an immediate decision on one's long-term investment in that model and her room, and so my first impulse is to flee. (I feel the same way when approached in stores, honestly. It's nice that you're available to help me, but just be there when I actually ask for help, ok?) If it's a place I want to stay, I *will* say hello...when I'm ready.

It also depends a bit on the site. MFC is a very social place, and there are ways to learn about a model (read her profile, watch her interact with others from the lounge, links to her Twitter, etc.) without actually having to be in her room first. But on a site like Streamate, one can't even read the details of a model's profile (unless she's offline or in an exclusive) without entering her room. Give me time to read your profile before calling me out, eh?

And, granted, I understand why models might want to call out the guy who has been lurking in the room for 20+ minutes without saying a word. MFC has so many freeloaders about, sometimes it's nice to chase a few of them off. But I'm not the kind of fellow who typically does that. I'm saying, give me 5 minutes to figure out what's going on.


On the flip side, if I politely greet a model and she doesn't respond at all, that's off-putting. Now, granted, timing is everything. If I say "hello" a split-second before one of her regulars drops a huge tip on her or takes her private, I understand the lack of response. And if the room's really busy, I may need to strike up more conversation or repeat the greetings to be noticed, because I might be lost in the noise. But sometimes I've been in nearly dead rooms and tried to strike up either a polite conversation or ask some relevant questions in advance of potential private sexy times and the model never responded. That usually ends in an unfollow or occasionally an ignore/block.

Also off-putting are models who PM a bloke greetings every freaking time he logs onto the site (even if he hasn't come anywhere near her room). Look, just because I visited you and tipped you once doesn't mean I necessary want you to be my stalker or that I'm looking for you to be my permanent steady Internet girlfriend. That's not saying you can't say hi to me if I'm in your room or PM from time to time, but, geez, every time and before I'm barely even logged in? There's feeling appreciated and there's feeling hounded, you know? (And, trust me, it's not just studio models who are guilty of this behavior.)

 

[Deleted member 21657]

I definitely learned the hard way.. that greeting everyone who pops in my room scares them off immediately! (Which is a difficult lesson to learn when you're a newbie and genuinely excited to meet new members.)

I now reserve direct greetings for regulars and familiar faces. If you are new in my room I'll let you open the door to communication and say hello first... unless you have a cool username, then I may make a comment!

 

[zippypinhead]

I tend to stick to rooms with low body counts, so it's always nice to have my presence acknowledged.

 

[DuoShi]

If I wanna talk that day, I'll speak up within 30 seconds, usually. If I don't, I don't wanna talk. So, don't call me out. Bear in mind, this doesn't happen often, because the Lounge 10k (minus the chat) is where I would sit, if I'm not in the mood for chit-chat.

 

[HiGirlsRHot]

I don't even mind as new person to a room, it shows me the model is paying attention to the room, and not surfing the web, playing a game etc. It looks like to be on the safe side greeting regulars is the probably right thing to do. To me the interesting thing about MFC is the social aspect, its like the Cheer's theme song. So I also am happy to have regulars greet me.

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.

 

[BlairLuxe]

I don't even mind as new person to a room, it shows me the model is paying attention to the room, and not surfing the web, playing a game etc. It looks like to be on the safe side greeting regulars is the probably right thing to do. To me the interesting thing about MFC is the social aspect, its like the Cheer's theme song. So I also am happy to have regulars greet me.

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.

NORM!

 

[ACFFAN69]

I don't necessarily mind one way or the other because I'm a bit of a needy attention whore and I will pretty much always talk to a model if I'm not guest perving, but I still prefer that the model doesn't say hi until I do.

I initially voted "only if I'm a regular in the room", but I switched it to "no". Even if I'm a regular I would prefer the model to wait until I say something because I may not have my audio on and I might miss the greeting.

 

[YelloMit]

I don't mind it too much if I'm not a regular, unless they PM me straight away like "hey bb, how r u?" and then 30 seconds later ask me if I want to get naughty with them.

Like jesus, I just came in. Chill out.

I love it if I'm a regular, so I prefer that.

 

[RogueWarrior]

I may be a bit of an odd duck here, but if it's me, say hi. I know that most models have been in the game long enough that if they don't get an immediate reply then it's not ruining their night.

I don't feel "called out" or in need of making of an immediate decision. If the model feels she needs an immediate response, she can ban me. Not my loss, hers. But that is taking an extreme outlook on it. I actually think members who feel put on the spot, for the most part, are overthinking it or are just paranoid.

One model I frequent, who never has a real high room count, will say "Hey, member X, welcome to the room." To me, that's fairly innocuous.

If I get a "hi" when I'm in a new model's room and I'm actually interested in staying, I'll throw something back at her that is total inanity, just to see how she reacts. I've found that gives me a better idea of how we may get along socially than just laying back and observing.

That being said, I don't leave if I'm not greeted. But I don't stay if the model never says anything to anyone. Hell, if there is no chat going on, what is it going to hurt to say "hi"?

That's just my opinion relative to my own experiences. Take it as you will.

 

[TeganTrex]

So, is a "Hey, how's it goin?" of acknowledgment too much?!

I might just bouncing everytime someone pops in and see if they notice a pattern

 

[emma_skye12]

Well on Streamate, the members can't see who is who most of the time. Mainly because I 99% of the time have it on Classic Chat.

I don't always greet people by their name because if they say "Hey" and then I say "Hey how's it going*smile*", it doesn't usually matter who said "Hey" because then it's like a chain reaction and people start talking to me and I love to talk.

So I don't know, maybe on MFC it matters but not on Streamate too much.