<CORSA Chapters> Re: Conventions <tad long -- no really long >

[Flat6Vair]

jack,    please note,  i included the chapter list, and Pres Sarah and BOD member Rich Thompson.  

It was a long day, and late for me <Illinois, early riser>  Tried to stay positive in my comments.  and ounced between your emails -- not a good thing when tired.  And I usually need to re-write whatever i write 2-3 times to get it to make sense.

In short,  I do tend to wander in my writing.

Contradictions?  haven't re-read what I wrote,  but yep, most likely.

Rich Thompson -- central division director,  not known for monitoring VV,  is the person who could probably best handle PR correspondence.  Marketing is part of his game.   

Statistics - CORSA has 5,000 members,  600 attend when held east of the Mississippi <CORSA demographics, population is mostly eastern US,  plus California,  similiar to US population demographics>  CORSA average age is not known.  But we do know that the Large number of non-renewals are because of age <death, actually>   I have not gone to the library to do additional research, like I would when I did my economic research>  
Local chapter meetings,  attnedance numbers are kept,  at the convention,  not.  But if you had attended any of the 3 "business" meetings,  you would have noted the small number of participants.  Not necessarily a bad thing -- too many on a committee means no action will get done.  too few, and the wrong action MAY get done.

I don't object to a "business session" at a convention could teach you and chapter officers about how to develop a strong local public relations program.  HECK,  that is a GREAT idea.  It may not be "tech" session for the masses,  but it would be a good session.  Could it be put on the agenda for 2008? 2007?     PR and Marketing session <get Rich Thompson involved> ?

The club is not large enough to have run-offs like the SCCA.  And that is OK.  Everyone wants to have a good time and most attendees are not chapter officers.   If only officers,  would be a small convention.

Editors now get together to share ideas.
Having the Chapter officer meeting be something MORE than a prelim to the CORSA "business" meeting would be could and eventually get its attendance up.  <it was held late in the day at Portland, and those still suffering from jet lag just had a hard time>

Locally,  our chapter has a good PR person who has tried diligently to get some press for the local Car show, club meetings etc.  Free press is hard to come by.  Need to but column space <local paper now charges to list anniversaries, weddings which were once free>


returning to your original posting.
CORSA purpose is the Preservation and Promotion of Corvairs  - part of our by-laws. The convention IS the the highlight and focal point of the year's activities for many members. <not all>   The business meetings do try to inform the membership about things that affect them -- the Communique is the other main resource for communications the same as the local newsletters are for the local chapters.

Workshops for Officers  and for PR/Marketing -- I like those ideas.  getting them scheduled and finding presenters is another topic.

The competition events are not so large to require pre-qualifications.  And some members busy with family, simply outperform others who otherwise would qualify (myself included, that is Mike Kost is busy with family and beats my behind in autocross and econo-run in a heartbeat)

The cost of attending, time and money,  will supercede the desire to attend.  Too many other interests in everyone's lives.  Plus many of us still must work and get limited time off.   God, Family,  work  then hobbies.

A side issue mentioned by Lon, is Sales tax collection.   This will discourage mail-order vendors from vending on-site -- lots of paperwork, lots of hassle.  Mail order houses, for the most part,  do not have to collect "use" (AKA Sales)  taxes.  The buyer is supposed to report those purchases on form xyz.  Vendors at the convention usually is a draw -- we all like to see what we are buying, and like the instant gratification of having it hand when we pay for it.  < the internet will not replace the department store entirely, at least not in the near future>

I feel like i'm taking just part of your message and emphasing it,  but the PR/Marketing  (plus better business meetings) seems to be the focus of your post .  Business meetings are hard to make better.   Adding a PR session may be good.  Especially if it helps get the word out to the baby boomers about CORSA <my focus is the 40-60 year old crowd>  and the under 40 and under 30 crowd.

At least,  that is a good place to start the discussion and keep it focused so something happens.  I may repost to the chapter list that last part -- PR/Marketing.  a little later  just to help get Q/A started on that specific topic.

tim mahler
Central Div Bod member
Local chapter President
local chapter editor
a "baby boomer"






----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jack Pinard 
  To: Flat6Vair 
  Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 2:33 PM
  Subject: Re: <VV> Conventions <tad long>


  Tim -
  You wander a lot and contradict yourself.
  I would enjoy a conversation with you.
  But everyone seems to be making assumptions without supporting facts.
  What are the demographics? Where are the statistics?

  I don't have any problem getting PR. I know how. Most chapter officers don't. 
  Corsa doesn't know or doesn't care.
  I have discussed this with Harry and Mike, but it is not their job.
  A "business session" at a convention could teach you and chapter officers about how to develop a strong local public relations program.. You won't get it online or hanging out in a parking lot kicking tires.

  There is an old adage, "What if you threw a party and no one came?"  

  Jack




  Flat6Vair <Flat6Vair at insightbb.com> wrote:
    In the last few years, several new chapters have been started. A few more
    are trying to see if enough members are in the vinicity. And yes, a few
    are faultering. Part is the changing demographics that the entire country is
    experiencing, part is the lack of the few dedicated ahrd working members
    that every chapter needs. Most days I really enjoy it. others, well, I
    take a deep breath, count to 10, have a beer, try again kids!>

    Most of this discussion probably should be on the chapter list -- and all
    the chpater officers adding to the discussion. What do we need to
    strengthen the local chapters -- encourage more shows, find auto-x sites,
    participate with SCCA as a group? I know that IF i could encourage enough
    club members to do the local auto-x, the locals would put us in our own
    class, hasn't happened -- too many other things conflict - and its a long
    distance - 100 miles.

    The Business meetings for CORSA are not well attended. Portland may
    acutally had more in attendance than the last few years. The CPF meeting
    even had an impromtu tech session. Cool set of heads. making more of the
    convention a business meeting will reduce attendance -- and make it a boring
    businees meeting. Most of that could be covered via the internet -- the
    Corsa Chapter email list as well as sending requests/suggestions to the
    Corsa BoD.
    At the business meetings, the same questions are usually asked that have no
    good answers -- what to do with an aging membership. Most concentrate on
    the under 25 crowd, and we tend to forget the other younger crowd -- 40-60
    that will be around for a few years too. myself, hoping to best my granddad's 93>

    Convention partipation in events is intended to allow everyone to
    participate. The best IS class driver at Flagstaff had not driven in an
    autocross in several years. But he is a dang good driver and proved it.
    (even though the car had a failing valve guide AND only 3 brakes so it
    pulled hard to one side).
    The Car display the same day as the Concours is a good example of trying to
    get ALL the convention corvairs on display at the same time -- to promote
    CORSA and Corvairs. Lexington had a cool opening day parade that received
    some good press. Detroit is the week before the big Cruise week. Portland
    got some air time. St Louis was featured on "My Classic Cars" . try as my
    club has, we cannot get a pragraph about a local event in any of the local
    newspapers, small town or large. sigh. We have tried and will continue to
    try to get good PR but it is tough, delay the start home to make it home and I was driving a black interior vair w/no ac> -- and I like Iowa,
    visit often plus it has interesting hills and bluffs there own>

    I'm reading all the posts; taking note.

    Oh -- don't forget the new "central" chapter - Stock Corvair Group -- 
    interesting stuff, the basis for all things modified as well as stock. and
    At Buffalo, Thursday. Should be avery interesting 
    day. Stock evaluation and discussion after the autocross followed by a CPF
    presentation that evening.

    just some thoughts after a long day. I'll re-read things over the next few
    days and likely have other thoughts -- but think I'll post them to the
    chapter list instead.

    tim mahler

    ps: if you are not on the chapter list, and would like to join -- check out
    http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/listinfo/chapters