At 04:56 PM 5/28/2002, Alexa Hamilton, GBA wrote:
>my fear with posting our newsletter on the website is that if members think
>they can read it for free on the web, they won't pay their renewal dues!
Hi Alexa!
That's an interesting question. The board members of our club talk about
this from time to time. Our thought, and one which I fully agree with, is
that club members belong, and continue to renew their dues, for many
reasons beyond receiving the newsletter. We are an active club, as you
mentioned when we talked on the phone after you read our newsletter. We do
driving events, tech sessions, and social get-togethers. All are thought
out to include significant others and, in most cases, kids so that
babysitting isn't an issue as much as just having one extra seat for
passengers in the cars! We strive to keep our club more than a "guys night
out" sort of club. So there is much added value to joining beyond the 12
pages of print we mail each month.
But back to your question. I said in an earlier post, but it's worth
repeating here in this context, that I post our newsletter to the web as
soon as I complete it, the day it goes to the printer. I email the
membership (those with email of course) letting them know where to get it,
usually my personal site... that way I'm not relying on our webmaster to
drop everything and get it posted on the club's site. (He eventually puts
it on the proper club site when he does routine updates.) Since that link
(to my site I mean) is constantly changing, members (and only members) are
notified where to download the hot-off-the-press issue. That's a benefit
of membership: one full weeks worth of advance notice for our
classifieds. Doesn't sound like much, I know, but a member without email
recently complained the "good stuff" was gone by the time he got the
newsletter!
Ideally, we'd like to go to ONLY the newsletter on the web. But I think
Jim Werner is correct, people want to have a hard copy to sit and
read. For that reason, I think we need to produce the publications in PDF
format so as to retain layout and content integrity. Our web version
printed on anyone's home printer looks EXACTLY like the one they get in the
mail, the difference is in the way it's bound. Right now, 83% of our
members have internet access. Include those who's children are on the web
and those who have web access at work, and it shoots to 91%... amazing
numbers I'd say. And numbers that tell us we aren't that far away from
saving big annual dollars in printing and mailing costs.
Sorry to have been so long-winded. That's my perspective and I'm fortunate
to have a board that supports me.
Best regards,
Blake Discher
1976 TR6 (BRG), 1971 Stag (Damson)
-----------
Fun game: "Don't Crash the Triumph!" http://www.fireflystudios.com/triumph
Detroit Triumph Sportscar Club: http://www.detroittriumph.org
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