A membership drive was suggested in the membership conference's item
2.  A recap of Mary's suggestion: perhaps a spring and fall membership
drive, with a conference item promoting the event, mailing people about
contributing, holding a picnic kickoff, encouraging current members to
kick in a little more or to sponsor other members.  There should also
be some goals, like how many members we want, and what we can do with
the added financial support.
 
  Further suggestions or thoughts on this?

17 responses total.

Now this has real promise!  Especially if it's time limited.  I like it.

  I think so too.  Public TV and radio stations use this technique, so
it must have some merit.  As with other membership-raising ideas, we don't
want to be too annoying.  I think that's something public TV and radio
are bad at.  Grex has an advantage they don't have though, in that we can
continue offering regular service during the membership drive.  With a TV
or radio station, they frequently stop their normal broadcasting to pitch
their cause.

Ok this has been "dead" for over a month now. I would be willing to help with
this. When would be a good time to do this? I think we said like once or twice
a year, does that mean Spring and Fall? Spring will be just around the corner.

  Having thought long and hard about the idea, I have finally decided that
I would like to begin gearing up for a March Membership drive, with the goal
of 31 new members by April 1. 
  If we could put something in the MOTD that somehow slightly changes
everyday as to our progress to the goal of 31 new members it would be a help.
I don't know how to kick it off, but I'll leave that to the rest of you to
handle that end of the campaign.

  I would like to aim the fall campaign for October, or November. Thoughts?
Suggestions? Slings and Arrows? ;)

        Sounds great. I would really like to see something in party too. Too
many people don't pay attention to the MOTD. Will this include E-mail tot he
top users? 

  I don't like the e-mail idea because everyone has to pass the Motd to
whereever they're going anyway. I think the MOTD would be sufficient.

        Alright, so an item in agora, a message in the MOTD and in party?
Are we going to take a more aggressive approach during this drive? I would
assume so? 
        I guess the reason that I am so curious about this is because I
didn't know about membership for the longest time. I think if the benifits
to the non-member are stressed it will help quite a bit. ie faster net
connection, and a faster computer. I think I would have become a member
quite a bit faster.

 Yeah, I'm planning on being more vocal about membership than in the past.

 Maybe a screen full of what membership means, right down to the warm fuzzy
feeling that you get, and with grex being a little slower these days, I'm
hoping that the screen won't go by all that quickly. ;)

        Sounds good.

Be careful *how* agressive you get.  Grex has had a policy of keeping the
membership campaigns very low key for historical and sociological reasons and
you may upset some very vocal people if you come on too strong.

(What you're discussing now doesn't sound "too strong", I just thought you
ought to know that it would be possible to bring flames down on yourselves
with the best of intention.)

  This is why I started out a month ahead of time so as to get the best input
and do what is appropriate.

What you're planning now (as I understand it) sounds really wonderful.

Basically you plan to put a plug in the MOTD about the benefits of membership
and have it change a little every day or two, right?  That's perfect.

I'd suggext brainstorming all the benefits we can think of and having a new
one listed every day along with the current number of members, incremented
every time Mark gets another check.  Does that come close to what you had in
mind?  It has these advantages:
        1) By listing one advantage a day you keep the message short, so people
           are more likely to read it.
        2) By changing the message daily you may get a few people who look
           every time they log in, just to see what you've come up with now.
        3) By incrementing the number of members as often as possible, you
           build up an "everyone's doing it" feeling.

What I'd advise against is the pleading "SEND MONEY NOW OR GREX WILL DIE" kind
of threats that only make people feel like they may be throwing their money
away.  (After all, if GREX is that bad off, will wer just take their money
and go out of business anyway?)

Jim, would you be interested in helping to distribute our handbook and
brochure as a part of your membership drive?

 Couldn't hurt. How do you mean "help"? enlighten me, please.

Well, I have all these brochures and handbooks that I produce -- but I
also have a really hectic life.  I tend to produce them and then not get
around to pushing them, and then they're out of date.  Would you be interested
in helping to get the word out and then in shipping them to interested people?
It shouldn't cost you anything -- I'm bad with receipts so I end up paying
for most of what I send, but the Board is happy to reimburse for expenses
incurred as long as you have reciepts.

How attached are you to the March date, Jim?  I have something cookin that
could make an excellent kick-off to the membership drive if you're willing
to wait a few weeks.  See your e-mail in the next little while for further
news.

SOOOO, anything happening with the membership drive?

  I regret to say that I dropped the ball on May, but I would hope that the
winter drive will be planned a little better.

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