Any ideas on how to jump start this new feature?

I just started a 'Share a Story' feature on my site where customers and visiotrs can share a funny or informative story regarding selling their items, classified advertising or anything related to that. For example, they can share selling tips that helped them with their sale or maybe something funny that happened when a potential buyer came over to see their item. You get the picture. Anyway, I just added the feature a few weeks ago and haven't had anyone submit anything yet.

Does anyone have an idea of what I can do to maybe get something going with this? thanks!

 

A contest and a prize!

 

Free or discounted advertising on your site for the first XX "story-tellers".

 

I would put it "above the fold". If I didn't know to look for it I might not have scrolled down enough to focus on it. It's a great idea, people love doing that. Maybe draw more attention to it.

 

Thanks everyone for your ideas!

I have moved the 'share a story' caption up. Does that look better? Also, I think I am going to go the route of holding a contest. See this thread. http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=77315

thanks again~

 

Post a few interesting and humorous stories yourself to trigger it. 2 stories would be enough. In the post info don't place your name, but someone else's. Also if possible, make the title humorous, and display it below the link,("post a story"), on your main page, inviting to read more. Then in there, ask to post their own story and list any benefit they might have by doing so.
Something like:
Link: Post a story.
Something humorous here. (link read more)
regards
jeet

 

More great ideas, thanks!

 

That is a great idea, to post the first few stories. I was going to suggest in the caption below the button, to give them a suggestion or two. But if there are already examples they can click on, it will give them ideas about what to write. Above the fold did help, it's a bright blue, big print and caught my eye right away.

 

Get some girl to pose topless and tell the story of how she got her break in topless moddelling That normally gets big HITS. No it is not a typo

 

You need to give people a reason to share their idea, you kind of have a weak story line. There is not much comical in selling items.

You need to get more specific... Start telling your own stories, make it about anything from your whole life. If people don't see other people talking on your site, their not going to either!