Suburban Force Australian Street Teams and Online Community

General FAQ's

What is Suburban Force?
Does it cost anything to become a member?
How do I become a Suburban Force member?
How do I find out about new teams? I don't want to miss out!
How do I join a street team?
Where are street teams located? Is it national?
Who run's the team?
What's in it for me?
What do I have to do as a street teamer?
I haven't received my swag, what do I do?
What is an e-team?
How do I know if I have won something?
The team I wanted to join is full, is there anything I can do?
I know a great band or event, what can Suburban Force do to help?
Got a question, comment, concern or suggestion?
What should I put in my report?
What is SF's policy on eBay and swag? Can I sell some swag to make some cash?
I joined a team, how long until the swag is sent/when will I get my swag?
I signed up, and I don't have my swag yet
I've lost/forgotten my USERNAME and PASSWORD how can I retrieve them?

Teaming Guide

The Street Teaming Process
Things to remember
Keep it legal and respect others
Team reports and its importance
Why do we require feedback?
How do I know if I have won a prize?

SF Time-Out

What is it?
How does it work?
What happens when I'm in time-out?
This is unfair, why would you create such a system?
I didn't know we had to report for teams
I ran out of time to get my report in, why am I in time-out?
I did the teamwork, I just didn't report.
I uploaded photos but forgot to do a report.
I reported but I am still in time-out, what's the deal?
I was away / sick/ my computer / internet was broken etc
How do I request a time-out release?

Glossary

What is Suburban Force?

Suburban Force is a street team company - a national network of young people who volunteer their time to actively help support and promote the things they're into.

Together, Suburban Force and its team members, take the best bands, clothes, sounds, events and youth products to the street. We spread the word directly to the fans and create hype both on the street and via the internet.

We encourage our members to help build our community and have a say in who we work with and what we do, after all, we couldn't do it without them.

We take care of all our members and reward our teams for the hard work with loads of freebies and prizes.

Does it cost anything to become a member?

Membership is FREE. All it costs is a bit of your time.

How do I become a Suburban Force member?

Easy. Just go to the go to the 'SIGN UP' section of the site and fill in the relevant details.

Once you become a member of Suburban Force, you will receive our weekly newsletter, be able to access the message forum, interviews, down-loads, galleries, chat, enter competitions and have an active role in shaping the Suburban Force community.

You will also be eligible to join a street team. Having said this, it is important to realise that becoming a member does not mean that you are automatically part of the street teams - it is up to you to join these yourself.

Unfortunately if you are under the age of 13, we request that you check back in with us when you're a bit older.

How do I find out about new teams? I don't want to miss out!

There are a few options, the first one is to read the weekly newsletter which is emailed to you at the beginning of each week and also placed on the front page of the Suburban Force website.

Secondly, all active teams are displayed on the front page of our website. You can also chose to be notified about new teams by joining the Suburban Force SMS update list which is simply done by clicking on the button on the front page of the website. Note: the SMS alerts system is currently inactive as we are updating our system, it will be relaunching in the new year with a much better system *added on 22/12/04

Finally you can find out about new teams by reading the GENERAL forums.

How do I join a street team?

Once you have become a member of Suburban Force, you are eligible to join a street team. Simply go to the MEMBERS section of the website and then choose JOIN TEAMS, follow the instructions and you're all set.

Where are street teams located? Is it national?

Yes, Suburban Force is national. Our street teams are located extensively throughout the metropolitan and rural areas of Australia.

Sometimes we may launch teams in particular states/ areas. For example, if a band is touring East Coast only, then we might just do a team in the relevant areas. We'll let you know if this is the case!

Who run's the team?

Suburban Force's national team manager, so if you have a query send through an email to: team@suburbanforce.com

What's in it for me?

You become part of a community of like-minded people and help make a difference in the scene, as well as getting the chance to win some cool prizes and hopefully make a few new friends as well!

What do I have to do as a street teamer?

Once you're on a team you will be given instructions on what you have to do, as well as guidelines to help you out.

You will receive your promo swag and then your tooled to hit the streets! There is no right way or wrong way to team, and we are always keen to see people invent new ways of spreading the word.

By joining a team you are required to submit feedback on your activity. This is done by heading to TEAM REPORTS in the MEMBERS section. It's easy and will only take you a couple of minutes to do!

Your report/feedback is how we determine the success of a team and basically gives us an idea on what activity you did. Reports are compiled and shared with the person who engages Suburban Force to spread the word i.e. band, label, management etc.

Please note your personal information is protected as per our Privacy Statement. The only information that is disclosed is your general feedback, location and age.

If you fail to submit feedback then you run the risk of being banned from future teams. Also, bare in mind this is the information we use to determine who should get the prizes offered for the team, so its pretty important you send us your reports.

I haven't received my swag, what do I do?

We always post on the TEAM PAGE when swag has been mailed out. Sometimes swag gets lost or delayed in the Australia Post system and in some instances unfortunately stolen. So if by some chance your swag does not arrive, please contact the team manager.

**Please make sure you keep your ADDRESS details up to date in your personal profile!

What is an e-team?

An E-Team runs on the same principle as a street team, however you have no physical swag (stickers, samplers, fliers etc) and all the work is done online. This can be in the form of emailing your friends, talking about the team in chat rooms or forums, making and distributing e-cards or websites links to your friends (i.e. no Spam).

These are just a few examples, so just get creative! Please note that you are still required to submit a report on your activity - tell us what you did and post a few sreen grabs of your online activity.

How do I know if I have won something?

Winners for competitions and team prizes will be announced in our weekly newsletter. We also make an announcement in the FORUMS to when we post out prizes, just so you can keep an eye out for them!

**Please make sure you keep your ADDRESS details up to date in your personal profile!

The team I wanted to join is full, is there anything I can do?

Ok, first off positions on teams are limited and are often determined by the amount of swag we have to work with. If you fail to land a spot on a team you really wanted to be part of, there are a couple of things you can do;

A. Send the team manager an email via the FEEDBACK form in the MEMBERS section of the website, expressing your interest and if a spot becomes available WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.

B. Partner up with someone who was fortunate enough to join the team - share the swag, the more help the better. You just have to work out between you how you report and if you win, how you share the prize!

C. If you just want to do your bit and support a band / title or product you feel passionate about, well even if you don't have swag to work with, you can still spread the word online, make some fliers, posters, websites etc. It's up to you to get creative! Tell us about it, because although you may not be in the running to win the team prize, we'll definitely take note!

I know a great band or event, what can Suburban Force do to help?

If you know of a band or event you want to share with the rest of the Suburban Force community, well drop us a line and let us know what's up! Suburban Force is always keen to support new talent and events of interest etc.

We may not be able to always do a street team, but we can definitely look at things like feature stories, interviews and mentions in our weekly newsletter.

Got a question, comment, concern or suggestion?

Send us an email and we will respond to your query ASAP!

What should I put in my report?

Basically as much details as possible about what you did to promote the band. This can include: where you gave out your swag, what people thought, online activity like chat room discussions, forums, where and how often you voted and requested a track etc.

It's always great if you can include pictures on your teaming activity - groups of people taking swag, screen grabs of your online activity, anything that helps us know what you did.

Some people even take it that one step further and submit video footage, make their own promo fliers, build websites to help spread the word.

Tell us as much as possible!!

What is SF's policy on eBay and swag? Can I sell some swag to make some cash?

The short answer is NO.

Selling your swag on eBay violates the terms and conditions of selling. Each promotional item is a copyrighted work. When they initially are distributed they are not sold. They technically remain the property of the record company or the studio that distributed them.

If you are caught selling your swag on eBay you will have your SF membership cancelled and your details will be passed onto the record label for further prosecution.

For further eBay information: http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/promotional.html

I joined a team, how long until the swag is sent/when will I get my swag?

The swag is usually sent around 1-2 weeks after the team is open, this allows for the team to be completely full before the swag is sent.

After the swag is sent, the details are posted on the team page, and the swag is then at the mercy of Australia post until it arrives at your doorstep.

I signed up, and I don't have my swag yet

Signing up to Suburban Force does not mean you are on a STREET TEAM you must join the street teams seperately as they become available.

I've lost/forgotten my USERNAME and PASSWORD how can I retrieve them?

Easy, simply visit the MEMBERS SECTION and you can have them emailed to you. Note: at the moment we do not allow for password changes.

Teaming Guide

New to all this street teaming stuff? Well to make your Suburban Force experience fun and enjoyable, there's probably a few things you may need to get familiar with so we have developed a guide which will hopefully answer most of your questions.

The Street Team Process

Once you have become a Suburban Force member you are eligible to join street teams.

Joining a team is simple, once the team is open simply click on the team button located on the right hand side of the Suburban Force website, read the information and click the JOIN TEAM button.

Now that you have signed up to a street team on the site, there will be a small waiting period - we wait for the team to completely fill, then we get the swag ready to post out. Once the swag has been posted, we announce it on the team page and in the forums, so you can keep an eye out for it.

Once you have received your swag its time to hit the streets. Please make sure you read the team letter we send along with your swag. This will give you an idea of some key targets to hit like music shops, local gigs, schools, work, gaming arcades, skate parks, surf shops, university etc.

Where you take your swag and promote is up to you as long as you make an impact and help spread the word to people you think will be interested in what you're teaming.

Once you have completed all your teamwork its then time to send in a report.

Things to remember when teaming

1. Always be aware of what you are promoting so you can answer any questions people may have.

2. Always know the release dates or any relevant information so you can tell people when you hand out your swag.

3. Team to people who you think would actually check out and be into the product/ band/ game/ movie you're teaming or knows someone who would.

4. Also check with record/ game/ venues/ movie stores and shops that its OK to leave some stuff behind, and make sure they know who its coming from and that you are representing Suburban Force.

5. Keep checking the TEAM PAGE and FORUMS for any news, updates relating to your team.

6. Random letterbox drops of your swag is not recommended and considered a waste. Think about it, you have no idea who's getting the latest sampler disc from some cool band, for all you know it could be a some old-timer into Barry Manilow!

7. Sticker placement. Don't waste your swag, pick your targets well, instead of sticking your stickers up on poles and signs, consider approaching someone instead and asking them if they would like a sticker and tell them what you are teaming, random stickers placed in obscure places don't achieve anything other than a mess and a waste of good swag.

Keep it legal and respect others

1. Please use your commonsense. Suburban Force does not condone vandalism of any kind! This includes illegal or unauthorised sticker and poster placement, graffiti and littering etc.

2. Please treat others with respect, both on the street and online.

3. Suburban Force will not tolerate material, activity or communication that is defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, pornographic, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law.

4. Some might feel the unethical urge to try and make a quick dollar and sell promo items on sites such as eBay. This behaviour is totally unacceptable and by doing so puts you at risk of civil or criminal liability.

Please be aware that we have a service that regularly patrols eBay so you will be caught, reported to eBay's Community Watch and local authorities to be dealt with accordingly.

For further information on this matter:

eBay (http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/community/png-promotional.html)

Australian Recording Industry Association (http://www.aria.com.au)

Screen Producers Association of Australia (http://www.spaa.org.au)

Australian Copyright Council (http://www.copyright.org.au)

5. Spam (unsolicited commercial electronic messaging) and unauthorised address harvesting is another thing that is not accepted.

For more information on the Spam Act 2003 National Office for the Information Economy: http://www.noie.gov.au/publications/NOIE/spam/Act2003/

YOU are responsible for doing the right thing, Suburban Force will not accept any responsibility for illegal, unauthorised or unethical activity.

Team reports and its importance

Once you have done all your teamwork, the next step is letting us know what you did and how it all went, what the response was to it and anything else you think we should know.

The way you send us your feedback is through the TEAM REPORT system found in the MEMBERS section of the Suburban Force website - Just follow the steps and fill in the form with as much info as possible.

You can use a number of things to support your report to make it stand out a bit more things like photos, videos, websites, fliers and posters you have created. Basically show us anything that will contribute or improve your report! REMEMBER this is how we determine the winners of the team, so get your thinking caps on!

Photos are uploaded to our IMAGE GALLERY and videos can be mailed to us using the information on the CONTACT PAGE.

Why do we require feedback?

Your report/feedback is how we determine the success of a team and basically gives us an idea on what activity you did. Reports are compiled and shared with the person who engages Suburban Force to spread the word i.e. band, label, management etc.

We also take this information and use it to refine our overall process and make improvements where applicable.

Not only does the feedback help us, but it also is used as a way to see what team members are doing a good job and who isn't making the grade.

We keep a record of everything you guys send us so we know who is an active team member and who isn't. If you're always in contact and giving us regular feedback we know whom to hook up when we have free stuff to give away. So sending us feedback can also be a good way of getting lots of free stuff.

While on the topics of reports, we suggest you read up on

How do I know if I have won a prize?

All prizes and winner announcements are made in the weekly newsletter. Prizes will be posted out to you so please make sure your ADDRESS DETAILS are correct.

That's basically the run down on the entire street team process and hopefully it cleared up any questions some of you newbies may have. Follow this guide and you'll be well on your way to becoming a great active team member and helping us lead the way as the number one force in street level promotion in Australia.

SF Team Manager

If you have any questions please drop us an email or make a post in the forum and we will do our best to answer you query promptly.

What is it?

The SF Time-Out System is a system that we have designed to make Suburban Force a fair place for all involved. It allows us to give new members the chance to join teams that are usually full with members that haven't been reporting.

How does it work?

When you join a street team and don't fill in the required team report documenting your activity you are placed in time-out for 4 weeks. This is an automated system, so if you don't report for the team(s) you joined you will be placed in time-out once the team is closed. Don't forget reports are required if you sign up to a team, reports keep Suburban Force alive, without them we cannot get new teams.

What happens when I'm in time-out?

Once you've been placed in time out, you will receive an email letting you know, and then the count down begins. While placed in time-out you are barred from joining any new teams and entering any competitions that launch during your 4-week time out session.

This is unfair, why would you create such a system?

We created this to make it FAIR for all members. Too many teams have been filled with people that haven't reported their work, while new members constantly miss out on teams.

I didn't know we had to report for teams

Then you have been living under a rock, it is written in every newsletter and in every weekly update as well as on the team page and in the join teams section, and its also written on the letter you get with your swag.

I ran out of time to get my report in, why am I in time-out?

Teams run for 4 weeks (1 month) and then we usually give you another 1-week grace period to get in any final reports. We figure 5 weeks is more than enough to fill in a report, which can take a total of 5 minutes.

I did the teamwork, I just didn't report.

We realise that you very may well be doing the teamwork and promoting the best you can but without a report we have no way of proving this. Reports are used to determine the success of a street team, without them we are at a huge disadvantage when trying to obtain new teams.

I uploaded photos but forgot to do a report.

Although we love getting photos, we still need to know what you did and where you did it. Reports are the backbones of our teams, without them SF is doomed. If you can take the time to upload photos, please spare 2 minutes and fill in team report no matter how small.

I reported but I am still in time-out, what's the deal?

Along with the automatic time-outs we can manually add you to the time-out list, this will be based on your report, fake reports or reports with useless text added just to save your skin will not work, we are watching!

I was away / sick/ my computer / internet was broken etc

We totally understand there will be situations when reporting isn't possible for you, if you have a valid excuse/reason as to why you didn't report you can request to be released from time-out. NOTE: if your internet connection is experiencing problems around report time, it is your responsibility to contact us as soon as it is back up and submit your report via email, failure to do so will result in a time-out of 4 weeks.

How do I request a time-out release?

That's easy, all you have to do is go to the MEMBERS section of the website and then to the FEEDBACK section and select SF TIME-OUT RELEASE REQUEST from the drop down list and send us a message stating your reason/excuse.

Address harvesting

The unauthorised collection of email addresses from mailing lists, message boards and the like for the purpose of spamming.

Avatar

Is an icon or representation of a user in a shared virtual community.

E-team (electronic team)

Every now and then we launch E-Teams; this is a team with no physical swag (fliers, stickers etc). All the teaming is done on line e.g via e-card's, websites, message forums, emails, basically anything you can think of that will help let people know about what your teaming. Please note you are still required to submit a report with E-Teams.

Feedback (team reports)

By joining a team you are required to submit feedback on your activity. This is done by heading to TEAM REPORTS in the MEMBERS section. It's easy and will only take you a couple of minutes to do!!

Your report/feedback is how we determine if the team was successful. All of the reports are compiled and shared with the person who engages Suburban Force to spread the word i.e. band, label, management etc.

This feedback helps us refine our overall process and make improvements where applicable.

Not only does the feedback help us, but it also is used as a way to see what team members are doing a good job and who isn't making the grade.

** Please note that if you fail to submit a report then you run the risk of being banned from future teams. Also, bare in mind this is the information we use to determine who should get the prizes offered for the team, so its pretty important you send us your reports.

Gallery

This is where you can upload pictures of your activity or anything else you care to share with the Suburban Force community.

Leet

Elite! You got it going on!

Mail out

A mail out is when we send the team the swag, we make up packs containing your swag and a guidelines letter, which is then sent to you to use for the team.

** Please note it is extremely important to keep your postal ADDRESS up dated in your personal profile otherwise your swag may not find its way to you.

Newbie

A nickname we give to new members!

SF chat

The Suburban Force chat is our own chat forum, which is held each week (typically on a Tuesday night). You can access the chat by clicking on the CHAT icon located on the top menu bar of the front page.

SF crew

The people who own and run Suburban Force.

SF email

Suburban Forces own web based email system, similar to hotmail. If your interested in your own official SF email address - username@suburbanforceteam.com then head to SF email section on the front page of the SF site.

Street team

Pretty self explanatory but its what we do! A street team is a network of young people who bond together to help make a difference by spreading the word to their friends and peers.

Swag

Swag is our word for the promotional materials we send you. It can range from stickers, sample CDs, t-shirts, posters, videos, demo discs, and anything else we are given to help spread the word.

Team manager

This person is in charge of the team. He/she is responsible for making sure all team members are clear on what their objectives are, available to answer any queries team members may have, monitor activity and progress and keep you all up to date with relevant team info.

This is not a real person and also has no real life, he's a virtual being physically plugged into the information superhighway and is online 24/7 365, he also holds the world record for the fastest email response times known to man.

Team It Or Leave It

This is a feature we run when we want you the team members to vote on whether or not you would like to team something.

Time-out (Ban-o-bot)

Is something good reporting teamers don't have to worry about! To keep things fair we have developed a system that allows us to track who's been submitting reports and who hasn't. If you're constantly joining teams and failing to submit a report then be prepared to receive an email from the SF Ban-o-bot. You will be banned from all Suburban Force activity for 4 weeks, this means no teams, no competitions etc.&

SMS (short message service) updates

If you would like to receive free SMS updates on your mobile phone when we launch new teams etc, you can register on the front page of the SF site.

Spam

Unsolicited commercial electronic messaging aka junk mail. For more information on the Spam Act 2003 http://www.noie.gov.au/publications/NOIE/spam/Act2003/