The community might seem like one of those things that you don’t need until you need it. So spending some time getting involved with the community is going to pay off big time later on when you get stuck and need help to keep moving forward.
At first glance, taking part in the community might feel a bit less urgent and perhaps even optional. However if you invest just a little time in the community, the rewards will far outweigh your investment in the future.
We are very serious about community and support here at Ofpad. Whether it’s questions that you have that you want to get answered or if it is just feedback for us to improve, the Ofpad community is a place where you can post it.
A lot of online communities have a bunch of rules and regulations. We are really welcoming at Ofpad and there are not many rules except for these three:
Community Rules:
- No spam or advertising. That is not what this place is for.
- Be Yourself.
- Be Kind.
How to Search the Community
You can search the community and find a lot of interesting conversations, topics, and people by using the search bar at the top. Someone who was in your place in the past might have asked your questions in the Ofpad community. Using the search in the community will help you find answers to those questions quickly.
You might feel a little intimidated or overwhelmed at first. So this section is all about small things you can do within the community, that when combined, will make you feel right at home in the Ofpad community. There are three steps to get started with the community.
Step 1 – Sign Up or Login
You cannot participate in the community until you become a member of Ofpad. Becoming a member in Ofpad is absolutely FREE. To become a member:
1. Go to Ofpad.com
2. Click “Sign Up” on the top
3. Fill out the Registration Form with your details
4. Click the Sign Up Button in the bottom of the page.
Our best advice is to be yourself. Using your real name makes you personal, relatable and authentic and that’s the stuff relationships are built on in the community. After you sign up, login.
Login To Ofpad
1. Go to Ofpad.com
2. Click Login in the top menu.
3. Enter your email address and password that you used when you signed up.
4. Click the Login Button
Step 2 – Complete your Community Profile
After you logged in, you need to complete your community profile. To complete your profile:
1. Go to Ofpad.com/community
2. Click on the “Your Profile” button on the top
3. Click on the “Edit” link on the Left
4. Fill in your details to complete your profile
5. Save by clicking the “Update Profile button at the bottom of the page
Updating Profile Picture in Gravatar
You can change your profile picture in Gravatar.com by using the email you used in Ofpad. Your picture will get automatically be updated in the Ofpad community. Use your real photo so it feels personal. A real photo of you helps us put a face to your name and members will feel they are connecting with the real you.
1. Go to en.gravatar.com and click Create Your Own Gravatar
2. Fill the sign up form with the same email that you used in Ofpad
3. Open the verification email found in your inbox.
4. Click the button in the email to Activate your Gravatar Account
5. Click Add One by Clicking Here to add a photo to Gravatar
6. Click Upload New
7. Click Choose File
8. Select your Photo
9. Click Next
10. Click Rated G so that it will appear on any website that the email address has an account that uses Gravatar. Click Set Rating
11. The gravatar you uploaded will automatically be applied in Ofpad
When you fill your bio in your profile be yourself. Imagine you’re talking to someone who’s in the same boat as you. Just share something about yourself like you would with a friend.
Step 3 – Introduce Yourself & Welcome Someone Else
The very first thing an Ofpader does is introduce themselves to the community. We have a special section just for introduction in the community. Introducing yourself is probably the most important step in getting involved with the community. It gets you over the “first post” heebie-jeebies.
At Ofpad, we are family and we want to get to know you. In your introduction write:
- what are you working on
- what are your goals
- tell us something interesting or fun we should know about you.
Just do it. Write something about yourself. What is your story? What are your goals and plans if any to make your goals happen? Quickly write something up and hit post. You don’t get to think too hard.
Once you hit post, you will have something out there in the community. That wasn’t too bad, was it?
Your community profile lists “Topics Started”, meaning other members can always refer back to your introduction in the future and learn more about you. Since you’ll be super active in the community, this will come in handy!
After you post an intro, reply to another new member’s introduction post. The benefits of this community depend on a give/receive model. So start things right by giving back to someone else in the form of a simple welcome reply.
The Ofpad team is always here to help you if you get stuck. You can email us anytime at hq@ofpad.com. Once you complete your Community Initiation, here is the list of things you can do next in the community.
Ask Questions
If you have any questions, then the Ofpad community is the place where you can get it answered. Someone who was in your place in the past might have asked your questions in the Ofpad community. Using the search in the community will help you find answers to those questions quickly. You might just learn something new.
The more specific, concrete and direct your questions are, the better the feedback from the community will be.
It doesn’t matter how silly you think your question is, just ask it. In the Ofpad community, no question is a bad question. So don’t be shy. We will be glad to help you out with whatever question you have.
Answering Questions
It’s only natural that you might hesitate to add your voice to an existing post, particularly if you’re new to this yourself.
However, don’t underestimate how valuable your perspective is. Even if you feel you lack experience, hearing the voices of members who are at different levels makes for a diverse and well-rounded conversation. So, don’t be shy; be honest, be open and be kind. You know more than you think you do, so try not to overanalyze and just dive in.
Head over to the community and see where you can add your voice and help someone out.
Share Your Success & Failure
As Ofpaders we’re all sort of in this together — we’re all putting our heads, our lives and our time on the line to pursue our dreams. So, however big or small SHARE YOUR SUCCESS AND FAILURE WITH US! We have a specific section in the community for this.
We want you to share both your success and failures, so we can learn from it.
- Tell us what happened.
- Tell us what you learned.
- Tell us what worked.
- Tell us what didn’t.
Don’t be afraid to share whether or not you reached your goals and what you would have done differently if you did it all over again. So, feel free to start a new topic, and let us know what you learned. We can’t wait to get to know you and cheer you on. We will see you in the community.
If you are having trouble with anything, feel free to email us anytime at hq@ofpad.com. We will be happy to help.