Reaching out to new potential contributors to Wikipedia is a major goal of the Strategic Plan of the community (further information at Expanding reach at Wikimedia Strategic Planning).
A golden rule to increasing the number of users in the projects is to be welcoming to new users, that is, not to bite the newcomers. In short, some advises on this point include:
- Assume good faith. Accept that what a person has to say is a legitimate perception of how they see it. Right or wrong, that is their perception.
- Be helpful. If someone is here, it is because something has gone wrong. The right way to solve problems does not cause grief. If you solve the problem the right way, the grief will dissolve.
- Listen to what someone has to say. It's not uncommon for a listener to stop processing information after the first sentence. Allow yourself to hear the full message before you respond.
- Be positive. Suggest what someone ought to do, not what they ought not to do. Note the good things the person has done.
- Be supportive. Except for the worst of the worst, we desire to keep most users. No matter how wrong the person requesting help is, find the pearl of value they provide and focus on that.
See also
edit- Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers
- Wikipedia:Welcoming committee, for new users
- Wikipedia:WikiLove – lots of ways to be nice to other editors
- Wikipedia:Kindness Campaign – more of this, including barnstar awards
- Expanding reach at Wikimedia Strategic Planning