Club Benfits / Keyboard Warriors

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Doing that doesn't encourage members to join up. Take a look at the Westfield forum, they've just implemented that and they have lost members as a result. And it just promotes people looking through and getting the info they want from posts already made without contributing. Locking the forum down to complete read only is the worst possible way of trying to increase membership.

 

What is needed to encourage people to join so things that make it hard to use the forum but not alienate them, like I've said many times before, things like:

• Nag screens every 5 clicks telling them the benefits of joining
  
• No search function
  
• No use of PMs
  
• Not able to see For Sale posts for 3 days
  
• Not able to post For Sale ads
  
• Not able to post pictures (bad idea if they need identification of their car though)
  
• Not able to post links
  
• No Signature
  

All the above I think are actually possible to implement on the forum as others out there already do it. It just needs someone on the committee to take it up and actually get someone to implement it. We can talk about it all day but this very same discussion has been rolling on in various guises for over 12 months and nothing has happened.

 

All really good ideas but, again, we must never forget that this forum is Matts and not RHOCaRs.

If he,Matt, thinks they are doable and would benifit all,then he might consider them.

[Guest Lowlife]

As I have said before, I don't think the Forum is the issue.

 

It's what the Club does to attract new members and support thier activiy.

 

For example CMA collating members together for trackdays, his efforts should be supported by some club presence with tea / coffee and a base camp gazebo etc.

 

Ashby Folville car meets near Leicester start in May, why not combine with GBS and have a bit of a showing there???

 

Or we can park in a pub (nothing wrong with it but not very proactive is it)

[Guest boggybogstar]

Sorry, i know I said I was going to back out, but Im still struggling to see the answer to the OP, ie what is the "real benefit" of joining the club.

 

I agree with lowlife, the forum isnt the issue - its a red herring, its about the activity - to me the only "available" benefit is at the shows, which many dont go to.

 

For the last few years Ive been advertising literally hundreds of events as either a community user or as a fully paid up member, those events have been available to everyone ive just used the forum as a platform to advertise it - I dont think its a benefit unless the Rhocar members who turn up on them getter a better deal than others?

 

@Mowerman - sorry Mick, but I think you missed what Im trying to say, members helping members ect isnt really a benefit, its a consequence of meeting like minded people through any means (including this club)

 

as a thought, I would willingley pay £100 a year membership if I saw value on the activities I wanted to do (cheaper B&Bs, subsedised track days etc etc)

 

it possibly all comes down to are we spending the money on the right stuff

[Guest Alan_builder]

This is good fedback everyone is having their say on what they want from the club.

What do people think of my suggestion of making like a club meet where everybodies needs are catered for. Camping weekend then a track day and then professional go karts to find out who really is The Stig??

 

All in the same area!

http://www.llandowcaravanpark.com/

http://www.llandowkartclub.co.uk/

Llandow circuit think the web site is down so cant link it.

 

Not only that but it would further peoples interest in our cars as theres not a lot of them around here but im always getting stopped and people talking to me about it what is,where did you get it from etc etc.

I have told this to GBS as well to promote them as alot of poeple down here love their cars and we got some great roads but no ones knows about GBS/Robinhood cars.

Think promoting the cars and the club will only grow peoples interest in the cars whether the buy a kit or look for a ready built thus more to the forum.

 

Whats that sayin- "build it and they will come"

 

Hi Yanto,

 

You don't have to be an Area secretary to organize events.

 

My Area meets are 50 miles away.

Could you pop over to England and see Richard Hanks (Somerset, Wiltshire, Glamorganshire & Herefordshire) Area Sec, select the closest meeting to go to.

You could also invite that area to come to you, may be a lunch at a local pup? (Organize them a day out, see what they want and lay it on, get numbers attending etc. Richard is a great guy and I know he likes whiskey & beer, local distillery or brewery? Keep it low cost.

 

What about stepping up to the plate and volunteering as South Wales Area Sec?

 

In the summer I organize meets at a local pub the area sec Sunday lunches, we have an area to park in, the landlords advertises our display of cars and provides a discount for us on our meals. Negotiate with the landlord. We put up signs and bunting, flags to make the best display we can.

We all act as unpaid salesmen for GBS. I don't think GBS have funding for individual areas.

[Guest Lowlife]

I agree with the above and don't disagree that meets occur / need to BUT the issue as I see it is that membership is falling?

 

So how can the club (clearly not the forum) address this?? How many Zero kits do GBS sell and how many of these prospects do the club capture??

 

Think of a sales funnel. There is always leakage ie customers change habits, find a better deal, stop producing etc so there must always be more coming in from prospect accounts / new business to enable a business to grow. A bit like the club, where are the prospects coming from? does the committee prospect GBS? Advertise it's wares outside of the shows?

 

Or as I suspect just rely on people saying RHOCAR yep got to join that club because I get an insurance discount and a pork cob

 

Treat the club as a sales model and have a business plan for membership with a structured agenda

[Guest MarkB]

Yanto - many discussions are happening regarding "pimping Rhocar" to numerous sales outlets.

 

Tony - your are missing a Lego brick here somewhere, this club caters for all kinds of kit owners/builders/repairers, I certainly hope this club does not throw money at national or international kit drives, I like yantas idea of a track day Rhocar weekend, but, as mentioned to do this is a lot of money to fork out for a handful of members to turn up, now if we organised a weekender where people booked through javelin or whoever then fine, we could possibly speak to blyton and try and cover camping fees or get the club gear up there. The main thing you have to bear in mind a lot of people have no spare money the bottomless pits of money have been sealed by the current recessions.

[Guest mower man]

If I want cheaper b+b s ,camp sites etc I first would contact the organiser of the event in question , not expect the club to do it for me ! the work done on the forum, club magazine etc is voluntary I think some of the moans come from people who think people are available 24/7 and paid for this . People like Tony above do sterling work as does the Rhocar comittee and should be supported fully not sniped at cos some thing doesent suit YOU ! I have in my time been on commitees in various feilds and can tell you it is a thankless job as I said earlier today letus combine our talents and make it THEclub not one of the clubs . Again I.m going to stop because I feel a RANT coming on mower man [mick]

[Guest Lowlife]

A thought (don't kill me)

 

As RHOCAR is as diverse as it is with so many different kits and owners all over the country, could there not be a case for rebranding the club as a National Kit Car Club unless there already is one.

 

Just a though not a suggestion unless it holds water of course and then it's a great idea

[Guest boggybogstar]

 

 

Tony - your are missing a Lego brick here somewhere, this club caters for all kinds of kit owners/builders/repairers, I certainly hope this club does not throw money at national or international kit drives, I like yantas idea of a track day Rhocar weekend, but, as mentioned to do this is a lot of money to fork out for a handful of members to turn up, now if we organised a weekender where people booked through javelin or whoever then fine, we could possibly speak to blyton and try and cover camping fees or get the club gear up there. The main thing you have to bear in mind a lot of people have no spare money the bottomless pits of money have been sealed by the current recessions.

 

Excellent expression, Ive not heard that one before - infact Ive just used it on someone at work

 

you are correct, and I support the track day because it meets my objective of simply getting people out in there car, but if 20 or so members wanted to join in on the national and european trips then wahts the difference between the club doing something for that as oppesed to track day/hog roast.

 

its not easy I know, and clearly finances arent there, its really just the principle of sponsorship - obviously there is a budget, why dont we all have a vote at the beginning of the year (as an example) of what its spent on?, maybe the treasurer could say that theres a budget of £x for "events", and the paying public all suggest where they would like it spent - top 3 to 4 "events" gets the cash - depending on the amount is the size of the "advertised club benefit", key is its only used for Rhocar members

 

I say Rhocar members because all my events are open to everyone, and clearly I would need to find a way to restrict it to the contributers

[Guest boggybogstar]

A thought (don't kill me)

 

As RHOCAR is as diverse as it is with so many different kits and owners all over the country, could there not be a case for rebranding the club as a National Kit Car Club unless there already is one.

 

Just a though not a suggestion unless it holds water of course and then it's a great idea

 

uh oh

[Grim]

there was a voting form in their latest magazine about potentially rebranding the club

[Guest MarkB]

There was grim but to be honest the new name would take me an hour to type

[Guest Lowlife]

I was expecting to get mullered for mentioning it!!!!!!

 

Just thought RHOCAR might be putting those off who own alternative kits and the wider audience really.

 

Actually quite amazed at how well this whole thread is going with positive feedback and ideas

[Guest MarkB]

Rhocar uk kit car club would have done the job I think, Rhocar can't be removed, it's too well known.

[Guest Lowlife]

Rhocar uk kit car club would have done the job I think, Rhocar can't be removed, it's too well known.

 

So was Robin Hood but that's been rebranded!