<VV> Communique, dues, membership - followup thoughts

Sat Feb 5 08:54:20 EST 2005

Just a couple of follow up thoughts on some issues that were raised during the recent discussions.

I personally think we're seeing a transformation of the Corvair hobby.  Most of the 'vairs in our area were not drivers, or even on the road being used 10 years ago.  We still run into the "old school" Corvair guys from time to time, you know, has a  horde of used parts, won't buy a 'vair for more than $200, and just drives them doing the necessary maintenance.  Not only that, while I acknowledge that the group here on Vancouver Island is more the exception than the rule, out of about 30 active 'vair folks approximately 60% are under the age of 40.

Also, I think the parts vendors could be a very good indicator of the health of the hobby.  It seems to me, and this is only my impression, but I think we've seen an actual increase in the number of parts vendors in the 6 years I've been involved in Corvairs.  (I could be mistaken, it could just be that I've become more aware of different vendors the longer I've been in the hobby) What would really be telling is if the two major vendors possibly gave the BoD some hard numbers on their sales during the last 15 years or so.  If sales (of new & repro parts) are up, and CORSA Membership is down, then it could be a really strong indicator that CORSA needs to find out what it could be doing better to address the needs of 'vair enthusiasts.  Conversely, if the sales numbers are in a decline that bears a relationship to CORSA's shrinking membership numbers then maybe it is inevitable, and CORSA is doing the best job it can to keep people interested in the club.

I guess the main point I've been trying to make can best be explained with a little sales analogy (that's what I do after all).

If I made a widget (CORSA) and it was the only widget like it on the market, and I'd been making it for years, and my sales started to shrink, I'd want to find out why.  And if I did a little digging, and determined that there were more potential customers out there that had tried my widget, but didn't become regular customers I'd really, really, really want to know why those people didn't like my widget.  I mean, I've already got a loyal customer base with the product I've got, but you have to ask, what can I do to my widget that will get me those customers over there that aren't buying it?  What do I have to do to keep AND grow my widget business?  AND ASKING MY ALREADY LOYAL CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR OPINION IS LIKE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.

Regards,
Joel

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]On Behalf Of Western Canada CORSA
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 10:45 PM
To: virtualvairs@corvair.org
Subject: RE: <VV> Communique, dues, membership

Seeing as I was the one that kicked this hornet's nest into high gear, I would like to add one final comment in light of what Dennis has stated below.

I was my intention to get a discussion going, and I guess I succeeded.<G>  However, if the BoD only discusses the messages posted to <VV> on this subject then you will, by in large, be missing the point of view that I was trying to raise.  Most of the (vocal) people on <VV> believe you should belong to CORSA for the same reasons I do.  Simply put, no CORSA, no Corvair hobby.  But two days of die hards mostly echoing this view should not mislead the BoD into thinking that there is not a solvable problem that needs to be dealt with.  We are loosing more members that we are attracting.

My unscientific survey of WCC Members that tried CORSA and dropped it left me with the impression that #1) to them the Communique represents CORSA to them #2) that they didn't see enough value in the Communique to continue being a member. 

At the very least CORSA needs to long unbiased look at these folks to find out why people didn't continue being members.  If two or three strong issues/themes emerge they need to be addressed in an aggressive manner.

I will continue to read my Communique, awaiting the outcome of the BoD's discussions.

Regards,
Joel

P.S. Irony bordering on the sublime.... my CORSA renewal notice arrived just after I posted my .02 on the subject to <VV>

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]On Behalf Of Dennis & Debbie
Pleau
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 2:19 PM
To: Donald Manen; virtualvairs@corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Communique, dues, membership

I disagree as a BoD member, I've kept all the mails of the last couple of 
days, another BoD member has forwarded many of them to the whole board.  I 
think we will be taking a long hard look at what people have been saying.

Dennis Pleau

CORSA Western Division Director

PS. Charlie encloses the secret decoder ring in the SASE you send to him.

At 02:58 PM 2/4/2005, Donald Manen wrote:
>Discussions generated every time someone mentions
>"forged pidgeons" or "Pigeon Forge" are probabably
>just as productive as the last two or three days of
>discussions on the above subject(s).
>
>For me- the reasons for staying still outnumber the
>reasons for leaving - but I don't have a list.
>
>But then - I'm still trying to determine what Charlie
>Dye said!!!!!
>
>DM
>Under the "X" in TeXas
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