I wonder if the OP has encountered the hate in the Guild Recruitment or General Chat channels. Trade Chat, while having the widest audience, also has people who would rather spend their time bashing anyone. It could be those who ape the hate are just doing it because that's what they do. It's nothing personal. It could be less hostile in the other two channels.

Has he/she posted to his/her server forum and in the WOW Main Recruitment Forum? Those are other places he/she should have a recruitment post. The advantage to these forums is that if the message gets excessively hostile or vitriolic, forum moderators will remove the offending posts.

I agree with the idea to hold a server-wide event. Offer cash or other prizes. A suggestion for a prize is a belt buckle as, on my server, they can go for 250-500g, depending on number in the AH. Regardless of the ability to make money now, which you can hand over fist, offering a tangible, even if it's turned around and sold in the AH, is very good PR.

He or she also needs to look at what he is selling. What is special about his or her guild? I look at my server forum or the chat channels and dozens of guilds are advertising for raiders to fill slots in Cata 10 or 25 mans. Why should I join up with this guild? What makes this guild special? If the OP can answer that, he'll have another weapon in his arsenal of PR about his guild.

The other thing I suggest the OP do is talk to the GL's of the top guilds on the server. Ask them how his/her guild is perceived. It's entirely possible 75% of the server doesn't even know his guild. If the perception is negative, ask the GL's for suggestions on changing it, refuting any perceived negativity calmly.

I had some bad-mouthing of my guild 2 years ago. As it happened in Trade and I don't have Trade open, I never saw it. It got back to me third and fourth hand. I sent a letter to the leaders of the top three guilds on my server. They all wrote back to say they hadn't seen the comments, didn't really find anything wrong with my guild and they would let me know if they had any questions. They then took on the nay-sayers and shut the nastiness down without my having to confront the comments.

Good luck. A bad reputation, even one undeserved, follows longer than the smell of a skunk.

Reply