VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions VCCA PR ??

Bob good ideas, We members of The Lone Star Region carry cards with the VCCA logo and We saw your old Chevrolet today and we wish to invite you to attend a meeting of our club, with a line for the member to sign..and directions or a phone number.

The best publicity I know of is to see a long line of shiney old Chevrolets driving down the street or parked in a town, with members honking and also waveing and talking to the rubber neckers.

Good Points Bob & others, but it does NOT make up for the issues I have found.

My findings show that that VCCA NEEDS more than current members doing the recuriting. However IF any plan is going to aid our growth, it Must have a support process in place.

To be clear, I find, nor am I looking for fault.

But clearly, NO organization can GROW with out a well designed, fully intregrated, BOD & member supported, well funded recuritment plan. And ALL valuable plans will have to be supported by a PR & Marketing plan.

There's just to little "extra" time in people's life today to seek & find potiential members via one method. Also to much competition for TIME & MONEY with the general public.

At best a plan with out the support of PR, the BOD, and a marketing plan may substain the club. And I have found out first hand how much "competition" there is amoung and for cars clubs

This is not personal. This view is based on what I have seen, experienced and been told by very bright, experienced industry people over the past 10-12 weeks.

NOT one thing wrong with a new membership rally by exising members. But it will not be enough. So mirror or no mirror the writing is on the wall IF VCCA wnats to grow, and have a programable future.

One unfortuniate fact that I can not put aside is VCCA'S voting numbers. Falling for the past several years I am told. This tells me that a members only plan may not be enough.

Only my view.
Michael41

As I stated earlier, I think that some additional advertising in different locations would do us good.

I also know that like Bob said, the current members are the best "recruiting" tool. This is just like the church, boy scouts... whatever you can think of. The current members personal testimony are what makes the difference. If hear someone saying that something is good, than I am more likely to look into that product.

Personal Testimony is the BEST method of advertising!!! Just watch the commercials on TV, that's how they do it. Oh Ya, and it's FREE.

If you are serious about helping the VCCA, than have your region contact the G&D and they will send your region a box of past G&D's and membership forms. I always have some in my vehicles (old & late model).

The opposite side of this is that once someone does join or visit an event, it only takes 1 wrong comment or critizing someones workmanship to turn that person away. I have brought potential members to a region meeting only to have someone critize their car. They don't come back.

We do the same way when we reply to messages on this chat site in a negative fashion.

The VCCA has had an ad in Hemmings and Old Cars for as long as I can remember.The club is also mentioned in Old Cars when they have their club directory.Cars and Parts,Special Intrest (now Hemmings Classic) and other publications also list the VCCA when they have a Chevrolet related article.Anyone that has not heard of the VCCA would be the person that never buys an old car hobby magazine, probably dosen't want to spend money for a shop manual or other literature to learn about his car,and from my experiance dosen't care to join a car club.There are actually people like that.They get talked into joining our region , stay for a year or two, and drop out.Usually loose intrest in the car at the same time.

G&D's are great to use and the staff at G&D are very cooperative.

In addition I had some note tablets made and leave them with potential members. I use these at car shows, special events or where ever I see an older Chevy or new owner I tell them to check out our web site, GREAT info. & VERY Helpful people.

And as every one says, and I agree VCCA needs a better, more effective ad & PR campaign. Be it defined, well managed or what ever, it would help us grow a great deal.

Over all the goals are the same, Get new members, grow the club, continue to build a legacy, have some fun, meet more people, share some info and have more fun.

But clearly, times and people have changed. Things are different, even from even 5 years ago. So in thinking about a positive & effective recruitment strategy it will clearly have to be a bit different. Easy to see that our potential NEW members have changed what they see and connect with. NOT wrong, just different.

And we must learn to use this knowledge to seek new members. So a new & improved way will help us.

"Nada" a thing wrong with or a better way than having current members share and recruit. It is a Great way to share the info. and value of our club.

However that question remains, What else do we need to do to help VCCA grow ??? Because from what I see, read & hear the "old ways" DO NOT have the results we need.
In my mind this leaves several paths.
1. A GREAT NEW PR Campaign.
2. A GREAT NEW Advertising Plan.
3. A BOD plan of ideas.
4. A Special Invitation/Open house/BBQ/meet.
5. A Letter Writing Campaign.
6. A Special Recruiting G&D issue. And many, many more, but all with planned reviews & accountability.

As we use to say where I grew up, "if you want to keep on getting what you getting, keep on doing what your doing." So it's time to change what we are getting, results wise and do some different, fun, new things to get fun new members.

Not one word of negativity here. Just a clear observation that things, life, people, tools, foods, houses, stores, clothes, cars, parts, books, restaurants, companies, services, computers, roads, ideas and people have changed. So we have nothing to loose but everything to gain.

I like the old saying, "If you think change is hard now, just wait until everyone has done it but you." And I have found it true in my life.

I read Chris's note and I sure do agree, Criticism is the best way to drive off any one and such a cheap way to deal with issues.
So openness is a better way.

Have a safe drive,
Michael41

On the button Chris & Gene.

As much as the VCCA is about cars it's also about friendships.
Since joining the VCCA & this site I have made a number of personal friends.
Our emails cover a number of topics besides Chevrolet.
Two have left the chat due to critisism, OK! We can't always agree, but we can respect each other.
One has rejoined & the other intends to rejoin.
And there are a number of others who have left but returned.
This is why we must WELCOME new Chat members especially if they're from your region.
This site, I think, is the best recruitment for the VCCA there is. But let us welcome new members.
Sorry if it means more work Banjo Bill, but I think a seperate topic where new members can introduce them selves & be welcomed by the members is a must.
A new member could make friends..... Then join the VCCA because of the friendships he made on this site.
This is how I became a VCCA member.
The VCCA ha little to offer me here in the UK, 2 month old G&D's & this top class site, which I don't have to be a VCCA member to use(At Present!)

Thankyou
Now
Please can Kipper put his real head back on he's had enough of this serious one!

Go for it, you are much better when you are "off-the-wall".

I think your suggestion of a new category of "New Members" has considerable merit.

Another way to gain new members Is to have VCCA clubs go to Car shows, Swap meets and car related events and set up a table and hand out literature and applications for people who might be Interested In joining. Talk to the people about the benefits of becoming a member of a region club and getting Involved. One of the 55,56,57, chevy clubs In the Seattle area sets up a table at every event It can and the results are fantastic. They have many new members by doing this and have even helped other car clubs gain new members. Also going to some of the junior colleges where they have body shop classes, Is a good way to talk to the younger people and get them Involved with the older cars and with the VCCA. I also think that when you go to a weekend show or a cruise In on a friday or saturday night, Have a couple G&D books to show those who look at your car and talk to them about, The VCCA.

Don B., Gene & others are stating the right message and it echos me. I might call these ideas a Pro-active search for new members, as compared to re-active.

There are literally 25-50 ideas just waiting to be done. And they all have merit and would return considerable reward.

As to the VCCA "ads" or logo is located, I am sure it is not working as it may have before. I know this because for the past few weeks I have been calling auto parts & supply companies and it is embarrassing what these folks do not know about VCCA. So thew "ad" while still ok, is just not returning the results.

As I like to say, can't be to rich or have to many friends.
Michael41

Michael,
I am sure glad that you did not take the less than positive reception to your initial suggestions and proposals but persisted and look what happened. The tide turned and we are now starting to build a PR program that will surely lead to not only new members but reinviguration of some of us old F&$%s (members!). There is a lesson for all of us here!

Well thanks but all I did was share my view and say, without any guilt, VCCA's PR process stinks. simply is not returning results. Nothing personal, just an observation.

But I am not sure I know what you mean, "turned the tide." Not aware of any changes in the current PR {?}.

PR is a funny thing. Done correctly and with lots of thought it;
Builds Awareness.
Offers Information.
Creates Understanding.
Secures Mission & Vision.
Improves Positioning.
Increases Ideals.
Builds Connection.
Increases Value.
Develops Interest.
Creates Desire.

All in all PR plays a key role for any organization, business or club that is very necessary for growth, but not the only one.

Two HUGE issues with PR, AFTER its is developed.
1. Knowing where & when to place PR.
2. How To Measures it's Effectiveness.

But once you have a well defined, balanced, detailed plan that supports current members doing a great deal of personal, first hand recruiting plus other ideas in place and working. Then a well planned & managed advertising plan AND a PR plan just all starts to work.

I like to think of balanced plans as power. Kind of like big math, each individual power grows 500 fold, until the strength is seen and experienced by all.

And there are a LOT of bright, wise, energetic and responsible, members who between themselves can come up with good ideas to help VCCA grow and become stronger. I know this because of all the private emails I get stating certain points and ideas that they do not make via this chat site.

So thanks to all of you, and happy motoring,
Michael41

If all of us took along some slightly used old G&D's to the next car show we attend, we could just leave them on the front seats of the Chevy's on display. Kinda like all those future show announcements.
I'd gladly get rid of them that way instead of putting them in the recycle bin. Besides, it's a better cause than holding on to them forever where no one will ever see them.

What a great idea. :love:

And in support of it I have just created a NEW FORUM. You can now direct all new members to a special forum , just for them!!

Fantastic idea!!!!!
Glad you did it.
Together we can git 'er done.......slow but sure!!

Ken

If you sell a Chevrolet - leave a G & D in the car. When I bought mine in 1982, there were 2 copies of G&D's under the seat. I knew absolutely no one with an old car. I called my insurance guy and fortunately he called a car collector friend and asked him where he insured his cars. They put me on to J.C. Taylor and the application implied I needed to belong to a club. So I went and got those 2 G&D,s and joined this club. One of those G&D's was a 1972 issue with a picture of a car exactly like mine - the guy that owned mine before painted mine the same color as that one on the cover in 1972.
So I know there was a 1927 Landau the same color as mine. Is is still out there?

Joe Smith

FREE PUBLICITY - When you write an article about a VCCA event and mail it to your local editor and or the G&D editor - also mail it to your local paper - they might just publish it as an article. If they don't, you have only lost $0.39. Mail a copy to Old Cars Weekly and/or other publications. If they publish your article, then we get free publicity. Invite local newspaper reporters to ride along or attend a show. Bribe them with a free lunch or a free registration.

Joe Smith

Cordman and all you other guys, "Your On The Ball !!"

Each of these ideas and many many there need to be done. Nice work, great ideas and thanks for sharing.

I am going to start a list of PR ideas. Give me a few weeks then give me a shout and I'll send it to you, or your region.

Michael41

These ideas about recruiting members on a one-on-one basis with G and D's, applications, meeting guys who have older Chevys at cruise-ins, car shows and so on are what might be called "informal" PR. Definitely good from the perspective the guy can ask questions and so on. Also good because of little or no cost involved.

My Columbia River Region has for some years had a one sheet deal that has an application on one side and then info about what we do on the other side. Many of us carry a few of those in the glove box of our old and new cars so we always have one available.

The other form of PR might be called "Professional" PR. This is where ads are placed in nat'l publications and so on. One disadvantage here is the cost. Of placing the ads.

It seems like with most things, both these types of PR have their advantages and disadvantages.

I presume many of us do the "informal" PR type of recruiting.

It seems to me the question is how do we improve the "professional" type of PR.

There's been comments that are critical of the ads some have seen. Wrong years of cars, wrong number of years the VCCA has been in operation, wrong "imagine" of the VCCA with the really old car in the logo and so on. Frankly, I'm not sure what to do about the "Professional" side of the VCCA's PR. But there does seem to be agreement here in CC that the "pro" PR could be improved. How to go about it?? Maybe that's a BOD function?? Maybe contact Board Members and let them know how "we" (or "you") feel?? Maybe a "motion"?? Sure as heck, I don't know. But it does seem most feel something should be done to "improve" the "professional" PR side of things.

Bill.