"Geocache Site - Please Read" - anyone else make a pretty booklet?

[Guest pshlortz]

I have started a pretty printable booklet about geocachign to put in my caches. They are pdf's and are located at: http://rave.alphinland.com/hold/geocache/

 

Let me know what you think and any improvements that can be made. It seems to me that the standard message is a bit too plain for me! If people like my booklet we cna make it be the standard i suppose.

 

[This message has been edited by pshlortz (edited 28 October 2001).]

[Guest tedoca]

I like it!

[Guest glenn95630]

pshlortz,

I noticed you labeled your cache container with the term "Geocaching Experiment".

 

That seems unusual. Is this a normal cache?

 

Also, the inside of your booklet says the cache was placed by Tom Alphin but no contact information (phone number, etc.). Why put a name in it unless you also leave contact information. If somebody gets on www.geocaching and looks around for 'Tom Alphin' I assume they won't be able to find anything there.

 

Overall it looked good but I think most people are going to react with the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' response. It might help if you posted the differences between the current fact sheet and your booklet.

 

Glenn

[Guest pshlortz]

good points; I will look into them...

 

basically; the new content is the second page of the inside of the booklet. I think it would be good to describe the process of trading items in the cache better; and make short mention of the travel bugs.

 

Atleast in my area, it is important to make sure food and scented items never are placed into a cache.

[Guest Markwell]

quote:

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Originally posted by pshlortz:

Let me know what you think and any improvements that can be made.

---

 

You asked for comments, so here goes (please take them as "constructive criticism" and not slamming, I'm just stating my opinion).

 

The people that find your cache are going to fall into three categories:

A) seasoned vetrans, who won't read your pamphlet (through no fault of yours);

first time finders that went out looking for your cache, but would also not read your book since they've probably read everything on the pages while they waited to purchase their GPSR; and

C) the hapless hiker that stumbles across the container in the woods who need more information about what they found.

 

That's why the stash note that Jeremy has on the site is so good. It's specifically directed to non-Geocachers in an inviting tone without overwhelming them with too much information. It does contain specific instructions (leave it where it is and don't vandalize, go ahead and take something, but leave it in return, and log it if you can), and it gives a cursory description of Geocaching.

 

As for your second page inside, think about what kind of information is necessary when someone stumbles across the container. Travel Bugs and "acceptable trades" are layers of Geocaching that can be found once you get the person involved in the hobby. I think that the whole second page could be abbreviated into a sentence or two about not leaving food or scented items in the cache (in case the wayfairing wanderer tries to put his granola bar in the cache), and a contact e-mail address.

 

Just my 2¢ and don't take it as gospel.

[Guest pshlortz]

I'll refine my brochure substantially and convert it to a 3 fold design. I need to design a 3 fold brocure for a graphic design course and geocaching is a perfect topic anyway.

 

:-)

 

While i'm at it; I could restructure it as a 3-fold advertisiment instead of an "geocache site - please read" booklet. If people want to interest peopel in the game they coud distribute the flyer.

 

But... keep comments coming. I think a more descriptive booklet could be nice. Sure, newbies, and accidental finders might not *need* all this information; but then again, they might be very interested and want to know more than the simple flyer includes.

[Guest Prime Suspect]

I think the bit about travel bugs is a good idea, since we invite people who stumble across a cache to "play along". They should be told that an item with a tag on it is a bit different.

 

As for the stuff about the camera, I use a separate laminated card that goes into the same ziplock as the camera. It tells the finder to:

• Take a picture of themselves
• Be sure to activate the flash first, even in daylight
• Try to mention what frame number they used in the on-line log (for later identification)
• Be sure to return the camera to the ziplock bag, and return the bag to the cache

[Guest embi]

I would love a 3fold flyer for showing people what geocaching is about.

It would be easier than saying "I hunt tupperware".

I would probably get them profesionally printed (with your permission of course) and hand them round.

 

------------------

It's out there...let's go get it!

[Guest embi]

I would love a 3fold flyer for showing people what geocaching is about.

It would be easier than saying "I hunt tupperware".

I would probably get them profesionally printed (with your permission of course) and hand them round.

 

------------------

It's out there...let's go get it!

[Guest cedricmackay]

I reformatted the stash note from geocaching.com to fit in the lid of a standard ammo can. I print it out on sticker paper and cut it out and place it in the lid works great. Hear is the file if someone in interested http://www.mackayz.com/geocaching/stashnote_amocn.doc

 

[This message has been edited by cedricmackay (edited 29 October 2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by cedricmackay (edited 29 October 2001).]

[Guest BigDoggie]

I created a message in a two-sided 4" x 6" format which can be laminated and used as a tag attached to the outside of a container.

 

Anyone interested in downloading the tag (in Microsoft Word format) can visit my informal Georgia Geocachers Association site at

 

http://gageocaching.tripod.com