Pete I've been Membership Sec for nearly 8 years - is anything else more relevant. Who are you referring to, Steve Kemp, Neil Marston, Nick/Michelle ? please give just one example of your statement.
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- Thread starter AliK
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Pete I've been Membership Sec for nearly 8 years - is anything else more relevant. Who are you referring to, Steve Kemp, Neil Marston, Nick/Michelle ? please give just one example of your statement.
Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
Pete, I'm not after a reaction, you'll know that, just a discussion point. I'm not nitpicking or similar, just trying to think what might help.
What would need to happen to bring more z32 owners this way then? How could the forum change to make that happen?
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Pete and Rob - this discussion is NOT constructive and against Ali's wishes and reason for this thread.
Pete - there is overall TOO much over-sensitivity on this forum and we're all guilty of it.
There were 750 paid-up members back in '92 and still in '93 when I left the committe and the UK.
But there are a lot more member snow both paid and unpaid - what is the point being made ?
Money proves nothing.Morning ,I'm with Pete on this one,I've said it before so I'm gonner say it again ,when the Z club done away with the magazine and Billing, which I was told outgrew itself,I said that will be the demise of the Z club,compare the members then and now ,I rest my case,there probably are less cars about now but there are a lot more restored nice ones around now,put the fees up and bring back the mag,more local groups,news letter,Mr F sends out a news letter for his local group,makes all the difference,have 2 main national meets,one in central England and one further north,least people won't moan it's too far to drive,there is no free speach on here cos if certain people don't like it it gets deleted,don't you think we have enough of HSE and being told wot to do and wot not to do,go back to basics if you want to attract more members,if ain't broke
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Back to Basics ! And that is the trouble with internet - all too convenient...virtual and inevitably 'out of touch' - there is nothing to replace face to face !
Not sure about the mag because it will always be out of date and I remember how much it cost to print AND post out - maybe a compromise is an anuual review sent out with a calender ?
2x national meets ? :
Oxford for the south east and west and South Wales ,
Manchester , for the midlands/North and north Wales ?
A long time ago with an active group, the Scots held a well-attended do at Perth....?
How many in Ireland ?
Not sure about the mag because it will always be out of date and I remember how much it cost to print AND post out - maybe a compromise is an anuual review sent out with a calender ?
2x national meets ? :
Oxford for the south east and west and South Wales ,
Manchester , for the midlands/North and north Wales ?
A long time ago with an active group, the Scots held a well-attended do at Perth....?
How many in Ireland ?
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
There was a time when Mark was membership and all his records were on some olb type of format completely incompatible with Windows 3.1 (at the time).....a lot was 'lost' then I think.
There was talk of putting fees up an extra Tenner a year to keep the mag,not even 50p a week but certain people decided it was too expensive even though other car clubs charged more and their mags were not as good as the z club,how many times did the z club win best car club mag,so that more than proves people were happy with content.i even got a good price from my next door neibour to sort the mag out who has his own print shop and specialises in magazines which was a lot cheaper,only to be told the club would stay loyal to present supplier for reasons I won't say too much about but at the end of the day money is money and loyalty does not pay bills,as said before 2 meets to try and please everyone,a meet with just datsuns of all models might be a way to go and there would probably be a good turnout,but I'm with wot Pmac says,except I'm only seem retired now and I'm not going to pay 15 quid to use my own computer simple as that,there are no benefits wot so ever that appeal to me to part with 15 quid to be a member,so like I said back to basics at least you might get back a bit of enthusiasm
STEVE BURNS
Club Member
I am trying to restrain my self on this as per Ali's instuctions in the opening post but I am struggling when should we say some people are not being truthful with replies
Paul do you remember at Billing when you came up to me and a few others and voiced your opinion that the whole committee was rubbish and why they had not attempted to find a cheaper choice for printing the magazine I informed you that "The Committee including Steve Kiddell the editor at the time had tried to get a better deal at a number of places and could not find somewere that offered a better deal" and you poo poo it and said you could get a better price
Do you remember me throwing a paper plate on the floor if what you where saying was true Step up to the plate and get some actual prices
And did you ever come back with any prices or information No you did not despite being asked on a few occations if you had managed to make any progress
I remember all that,do you remember me saying I can get it cheaper but was told that the z club owes some sort of loyalty to certain person for certain reason to stay with current printer cos I do,I still have the quote in all my Zed bits but nobody wanted to know so before you throw yer toys out of the pram get yer facts right cos I did have a good price,as for Ali's instruction I said to certain person on here try to keep yer mouth shut cos you are just peeing people off commenting on almost every post with sometimes meaningless comments but that's fallen on deaf ears,it's like when I tell my lab off,she allways has to have the last little woof,Now im off to play with myself in my garage so keep the comments coming cos I ain't gonner bother reading them ,but at least you can't put the phone down on me cos you couldn't get yer own way when I didn't agree with wot you had to say,petty
Folks, I don't think people are 'getting' the numbers thing.
On this thread we are being quoted previous numbers like 750 members and when we say there are 250 full 'Z Club members' some folks on the Forum say 'there you go it's gone downhill' - or words to that affect e.g. 'I rest my case'.
My point is that there are far more people on this Forum than 750. There are literally THOUSANDS. Ok, many have never posted anything but there will be a healthy amount of 'Z Club members' plus 'Website members' and then there are the 'guests'
Status I think you think 'guest' numbers refer to 'Website members' like you.
At this moment in time there are 14 members and 69 (unregistered) guests online. Within those 14 members there are 4 'Website members'.
In the days of 750 members ALL members would have paid to be a member and their means of communication would have been the magazine which due to it's printing costs meant that membership fees were £30 and we still only just broke even.
When is a member not a member - that's the BIG question, is a 'Website member' a member? If the answer is no then why do they regularly post and discuss on here? In the 750 days they would not have got the magazine so the distinction was clear.
The magazine was good but it was a hell of a lot of work.
On this thread we are being quoted previous numbers like 750 members and when we say there are 250 full 'Z Club members' some folks on the Forum say 'there you go it's gone downhill' - or words to that affect e.g. 'I rest my case'.
My point is that there are far more people on this Forum than 750. There are literally THOUSANDS. Ok, many have never posted anything but there will be a healthy amount of 'Z Club members' plus 'Website members' and then there are the 'guests'
Status I think you think 'guest' numbers refer to 'Website members' like you.
At this moment in time there are 14 members and 69 (unregistered) guests online. Within those 14 members there are 4 'Website members'.
In the days of 750 members ALL members would have paid to be a member and their means of communication would have been the magazine which due to it's printing costs meant that membership fees were £30 and we still only just broke even.
When is a member not a member - that's the BIG question, is a 'Website member' a member? If the answer is no then why do they regularly post and discuss on here? In the 750 days they would not have got the magazine so the distinction was clear.
The magazine was good but it was a hell of a lot of work.
Huw
Club Member
Back on topic on ' how to improve the club'. Couple of things for me:
1. List of members by area. Now this may exist but I can find it. I would like some local meets, even happy to arrange a few but difficult if you don't know who's ' local'.
2. More technical articles, there are some and I know they are labour intensive to create. A lot of good stuff gets created in threads. But I personally find the search function frustrating to use. For example been lots of questions on paint codes etc .
3. Proper traders area, gets a bit confusing with the traders offers mixed in with general threads . Ps I'm not complaining I would just like the trades to have a bit more prominence and be easier to find to access their good stuff. It's important they have good visibility on the site.
4. Fix the broken links. If we are not having an online shop or magazine can we remove the links for example.
5. One car one club. Don't see much on the 350 and 370Z or non S30 marks. Probably good reasons for that but it would be good to see more on other cars.
Thats my little list Ali. More that happy to discuss further.
Huw
1. List of members by area. Now this may exist but I can find it. I would like some local meets, even happy to arrange a few but difficult if you don't know who's ' local'.
2. More technical articles, there are some and I know they are labour intensive to create. A lot of good stuff gets created in threads. But I personally find the search function frustrating to use. For example been lots of questions on paint codes etc .
3. Proper traders area, gets a bit confusing with the traders offers mixed in with general threads . Ps I'm not complaining I would just like the trades to have a bit more prominence and be easier to find to access their good stuff. It's important they have good visibility on the site.
4. Fix the broken links. If we are not having an online shop or magazine can we remove the links for example.
5. One car one club. Don't see much on the 350 and 370Z or non S30 marks. Probably good reasons for that but it would be good to see more on other cars.
Thats my little list Ali. More that happy to discuss further.
Huw
johnymd
Club Member
IMO a big part of owning a zed is showing off your pride and joy and meeting other members and their cars. So a method of promoting upcoming events and meets. Not just zed one either. Any Jap or classic meet along with local meets. Plus it should be on the front page so it reminds you every time you visit the site. It would also allow visitors to find out where they can go and see a zed in the flesh.
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
The 'guests' are most problably research engines like Google....not real people.
I think that you should take a look at our forum layout - each region has its own section :
Here is the front 'welcome' page : http://www.datsun-france.com/
Here is the Datsun forum : http://www.datsun-france.com/forum/
Here is the 350/370 forum :http://www.notre350z.com/forum_notrez/forum.php
and if you look along the top of the datsun forum or welcome page, you'll see associated info blogs, how to be a member and the shop* :
*shop also develops into reductions from traders :
http://www.datsun-france.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6
http://www.datsun-france.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=4&Itemid=6
It is a full time 'job' for the webmaster BUT it IS our primary communication method and so merits the attention.
We hope to accomodate Z32s in the near future too.
If the club here wants to encourage website members to transform their membship into club membership (paid-up) there have to be real advantages....as Paul said, pay to switch on his PC is not on.
Trader's discounts, the (current) insurance valuation scheme, discount tickets for events such as JapFest, Donnington etc - a club IDENTITY so one common emblem/logo and some club shop goodies to make those available....peop^le want to see and feel part of something for their money if only £15 a year.
AND (I repeat) an annual review/calender !
Mr Burns - tut, tut, keep it constructive and don't rise to the bait.
Gaz 300
Well-Known Forum User
I have been a member here for six years and the last two years as a paid up member. I am also the Membership Secretary of 300zx.co.uk and I am passionate about all Z's but my first love is the 300zx and my first forum is the 300zx forum.
To say "One car one club" will never work. The 350z/370z members will stay with 350Z-UK.COM and the Z32 300zx members will stay with 300zx.co.uk.
I love all the Z's so I am a member of all three Z clubs and encourage joint meets between all the clubs and believe this is the way forward.
Now the older the Z the less members you will have Zclub membership has dropped and so has the 300zx membership while the 350/370z membership is very strong. Less members = less founds coming in and the club will have to make cutbacks but it will not be the end of that club. You will have a hard core of long term members left in the club and its the membership that will have to make the club work not the Committee. The Committee is only keeping the club ticking over with the thank less task of working behind the scenes.
Its not what the club can do for you but what you can do for the club. Keep the ideas coming and be constructive. Its good to talk.
To say "One car one club" will never work. The 350z/370z members will stay with 350Z-UK.COM and the Z32 300zx members will stay with 300zx.co.uk.
I love all the Z's so I am a member of all three Z clubs and encourage joint meets between all the clubs and believe this is the way forward.
Now the older the Z the less members you will have Zclub membership has dropped and so has the 300zx membership while the 350/370z membership is very strong. Less members = less founds coming in and the club will have to make cutbacks but it will not be the end of that club. You will have a hard core of long term members left in the club and its the membership that will have to make the club work not the Committee. The Committee is only keeping the club ticking over with the thank less task of working behind the scenes.
Its not what the club can do for you but what you can do for the club. Keep the ideas coming and be constructive. Its good to talk.
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
So, dropping the pretentiousness of one club - all the cars and going back to Frank's comments....make it S30 - Z31 which already spans 20 years, numerous models and market-specifics (280Zs, ZG, Z432 etc list non exhaustive Alan) and forms the majority of 'data-base' info here.
A magazine is simply not on but reguler newletters online yes (posted via email to all members registered here via a global mailing). Members not online (and I'm told there are still many) will still get the annual review/calender also informing them of the club's major planned activities in the coming year and their membership pack.
One price for UK and non-UK paid-up members.
And finally, I can't believe that there are fewer S30s now than 10years ago - restorations and imports have surely kept up and overtaken 'natural wastage and selection....as for 280ZXs and Z31s - I don't know - someone consult the DVLA records for all models please and compare it to current membership....it would be a good indication of potentiel members to entice !
A magazine is simply not on but reguler newletters online yes (posted via email to all members registered here via a global mailing). Members not online (and I'm told there are still many) will still get the annual review/calender also informing them of the club's major planned activities in the coming year and their membership pack.
One price for UK and non-UK paid-up members.
And finally, I can't believe that there are fewer S30s now than 10years ago - restorations and imports have surely kept up and overtaken 'natural wastage and selection....as for 280ZXs and Z31s - I don't know - someone consult the DVLA records for all models please and compare it to current membership....it would be a good indication of potentiel members to entice !
Gaz 300
Well-Known Forum User
When we at 300zx get z31 300zx members coming onto our forum we direct them here as we dont cater for them and we know they will get the best info here for their Z. I think it would be very hard for a forum to specialize on the complete range of models when they lack members for that make.
