Jordy,

I think contacting the Chamber of Commerce is a great idea

Also, if I were you, I would do a little bit of research about women groups in Sarasota. Are there groups of women who already get together for a specific purpose? Can your forum appeal to their interests?

So, I would list a few places/groups where Sarasota women already get together, and figure out how your forum would be a great place for them to hang out... that way, you get in touch with 1 group of women, and you may get 40 or 50 new members out of it.

On a slightly different note, you mentioned that you started the forum to generate income, which suggests that there is no motive, core reason, passion, or niche you are targeting.

For example, it's not a forum for Sarasota women (or parents) who home-school, who are single moms, pregnant, or those who are stay-at-home moms, etc... if you target a specific niche, people may be more excited about joining, but if it's general forum with no defined focus, people may wonder if it's worth their time. Of course, a sense of local community (i.e. because it's dedicated to Sarasota women) may be appealing enough to join your forum regardless of how general it is.

Hope this helps.

Sherif

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