<VV> membership

[corvairs]

All brilliant Mike - and correct about human nature.

I want to explain why Clarks and Underground have so many more customers 
than Corsa has members - tis always been thus.

But it really has little to do with any failure on Corsa's part. Most 
people are not joiners. Beacuse I have 10,000 people who want to buy 
rocker covers gaskets doesn't mean that those are 10,000 people who have 
ANY interest in joining a Corvair club - no matter how good it is. Look 
at your own interests and then ask yourself how many clubs do you belong to?
There are some of us who are involved in a LOT of things and also belong 
to a lot of groups - but honestly, that's an exception to the rule.

In one of my hobbies, model railroading, there are an estimated million 
plus modelers in the USA alone, but the National Model Railroaders Ass. 
has less than 50,000 members.

In another hobby I am involved in local politics. Guess how many 
citizens in Newberg, Oregon even know the name of their own Mayor? Some 
nights there are no private citizens at a council meeting. And this is 
involving real world financial impacts to them and their community.


Knowing how many Corvair owners that we and Clarks have on our lists IS 
of benefit to Corsa, because it represents a possibility. But that 
should not be confused with a certainty.

Lon Wall
www.corvairunderground.com


Mike said -
>>
>> One of the major impediments to club and / or CORSA membership iis one
>>     
> that
>   
>> challenges all organizations.  When we do get someone to visit our
>>     
> meetings
>   
>> or inquire about membership or actually take a leap of faith and join us,
>>     
> we
>   
>> fail to engage them in club activities and shortly afterward, lost them.
>>
>> The newbie shows up and pays his club dues.  Then, unless he has brought
>>     
> his
>   
>> own circle of friends with him, we let him sit off by himself while we get
>> on with news of our own lives and club happenings.....unless he has the
>> determination to push into our largely closed, very clannish organization.
>>
>> He sees that there is really no welcome with us.  No one makes it a point
>>     
> to
>   
>> personally speak to him or call him up or invite him to club  activities.
>> It is left to him to try to break through our reluctance to make him part
>>     
> of
>   
>> our circle.....and all too often that individual gets tired of being
>>     
> outside
>   
>> looking in..gives up and doesn't come back.  So he never gets to see our
>> good side, never gets to be in on the inside.
>>
>> Yes, we smile and shake his hand at that first meeting, but then we go
>>     
> right
>   
>> back to our own tight little circle of friends.   Net result, no new
>>     
> member,
>   
>> or one who doesn't come back.
>>
>> Not everyone is gregarious.  Many find it difficult to break through these
>> social walls.  I think we need to help.
>>
>> We need to make sure someone...maybe ourselves..get him on the phone
>>     
> before
>   
>> the next meeting or activity, to make sure he comes out.  We need to be
>> alert to the new guy at the meeting who is sitting off by himself and to
>> make a place for him at our table or in our discussions.  If a few members
>> plan an informal get together at an A and W drive in or Sonic or other car
>> type event, we need to make room for him.  Give him a job at the flea
>>     
> market
>   
>> or autocross.   Get him active with us so he becomes part of the group.
>>
>> Our clubs are a lot more than gears and lifters and sheet metal.  They're
>> social organizations.  Most belong for the SOCIAL part.
>>
>> If we can build the local chapters up by being more welcoming, we will
>> better be able to sell the national organization...perhaps one day
>>     
> requiring
>   
>> that all local members be CORSA.  But that cure can't be imposed
>> successfully from the top.  It must start at the local, individual member
>> level.
>>
>> But social stuff is hard.  Maybe it's easier to live with the problem
>> instead of trying to cure it.
>>
>> Mike, back to mid-winter in Michigan
>>