Part 2 - Recipe For A Successful Car Club

Part 2 - Recipe For A Successful Car Club 

   -Alan Arnell 

To read part 1 here is a LINK

The best clubs out there are the ones that have people who are passionate about the club's focus and plan of action.  With all clubs and especially a car club you want to share the joy of owning, in this case a Classic Chevy, and,  the experiences that go with that ownership.   I believe members in a car club wish to learn more about their hobby.  A club should help them expand their knowledge, thus enjoyment. 

The best rule to remember about creating and keeping passion within a club is simply, "Keep it Fun."  In all

aspects of communication the communicator's passion should not be held back.  On the contrary the communicator should put the peddle to the metal to emphasized his or her passion for the hobby. People join clubs because they think it can add value to the experience of their hobby.  The majority of club members stick around if the feel that the club and its leadership are positive and uplifting, that listen, answer questions, share knowledge and are open to others getting involved. 

Flexibility is the key.  As a club, don’t fear something new.  You will learn as much from what does not work as from what works.  The club leadership should welcome new ideas and especially from less seasoned members.   

Leaders and non leader alike must do what is necessary to ensure to keep stomp out negative politics, infighting, and  lacking of leadership.  DACC's 40 year experience teachers, that it is best to plan club activities that involve the whole club.  Club members getting in to sub groups or clicks is not good for the health of the club.  Stay to your main focus of the group instead of branching off.  For example, DACC's plan of action is focused on the cars and activities with the cars.  We stay away from bowling or horse shoes. We concentrate on car shows, cruses, garage tours, tech seminars, conventions and a single (end of the year) dinner/party, 

 We limit our giving back to the community to one time a year.  We found many members who are into giving back projects already are committed to causes that do that full time, therefore limiting their time for the our club activities if the same type.  People who don't give back, well don't.  What I'm saying if that activity is over done you will have low attendance.  Low attendance, BAD!

All-in-all the kiss of death for a club is "drama" within the membership.  Members do not want that in their lives.  Drama will kill your club, push away members and the especially ones who really want to get involved with club planning and implantation for participation. 

Promotion 

If you have ever seen the move "Never Ben Kissed" starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Alba and David Arquette you will understand promotion.  The movie synopsis is that Drew's character is a young nerdy reporter who goes back incognito to high school .  She learns from the David Arquette character that the best way to become popular is to have someone popular telling everyone you are popular.  If you think about it, is that not the essence of advertising.  "I'm not a Doctor, but I play one on TV"...buy this because I'm so cool, good looking and above all famous!  Well, the masses when hearing that pitch just go right out and buy the item with their hard earned money.

                                                                           Sponsorship/Marketing
                                                                           Opportunities
                                                                           contact
                                                                                                     President@DallasClassicChevy.com

   

That being said, you have to let potential members know that you exist.  Doing so is so much easier in the 21st century with the Internet and social media.  But, it's like how to increase you odds for winning the lottery, you have to buy a ticket.  DACC promotes its self through the web, newspapers , TV and an Tri-Five 'only' car show partnered with our sponsor Reliable Reliable Chevrolet of Richardson Texas.  ( Be sure to check back to my blog to find out about our new Spring Show.  Here is a link to DACC's 2015 Spring Show.  LINK  We also set up a Membership Table that is maned with club members , that like to talk, through the whole show and display our cars at the Dallas AutoRama.  That is how I became a member. 

Ideas form Dan Ehrmann:+ 

• Use local news papers event sections 
• Ask Radio and TV stations to cover publicized events 
• Inform local reporters of a guest speakers, events, etc. 
• Get listed on local web sites  
• Have the club listed on local emailing lists/blogs 
• Submit articles about the club everywhere 
• Have local merchants post brochures , flyers or newsletters 
• Sign up local merchants to provide discounts to club members and promote the discount 
• Participate in local community exhibits and shows and staff a table with brochures and newsletters 
• Last but not least, create and maintain a club Web page, FaceBook, etc.. post articles, event reports and  photos   

The club's media sites should make accessible:+  LINK TO DACC's WEB PAGE

• Basic club information 
• Benefits of joining 
• Membership application  
• Board and club officers lists 
• Contact information 
• Club policies 
• Member interests 
• Member bios and photos 
• Events calendars with details of when, what and where 
• Back issues of the newsletter EXAMPLE LINK
• Other documents or media to be downloaded 
• Event photos of the cars and of member's having fun 
• Other photos 
• Technical information 
• Links to related sites 
• Sponsors 
• Discussion forms 
• Buy/sell/trade lists 
• Job postings. 

In addition to this list, DACC gives club business cards to its members to give out to potential members and sponsors. 

A club or organization is a very fluid breathing animal.  It is a work in progress, that left unattended will wither and fail.  My blog is of course not an absolute how to guide.   But keeping in mind the people in the club, promoting passionate leadership and membership, promote, promote and promote again and never loose sight of club's main focus and plan of action. 

Remember!  The world is run by people who show up and do the work! 

Citations: 

+Ehrmann, Dan. ""Building Strong Clubs"" PsycEXTRA Dataset (208): n. pag.Http://www.clubexpress.com/dldocs/Building_Strong_Clubs_Dan_Ehrmann.pdf. Club Express, 2008. Web. 2015. 

*Felix K. Maritim, University of Texas at El Paso, Felix K. "Reasons Why Students and Individuals Do Not Volunteer: Analysis of the Survey." Reasons Why Students and Individuals Do Not Volunteer: Analysis of the Survey Felix K. Maritim University of Texas at El Paso (n.d.): n. pag. Http://compositionawebb.pbworks.com/. Web. 2015. 

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Part 1 Recipe for a Successful Car Club

Recipe For A Successful Car Club -Alan Arnell  

   To quote Dan Ehrmann President, Club Express: + 

“At the typical club or association: 5% of members run the

 club and show up for almost every event; Another 15% of

 members regularly participate; Another 20% occasionally 

participate; The remaining 60% never show up for anything!"

                              link

   http://www.clubexpress.com/dldocs/Building_Strong_Clubs_Dan_Ehrmann.pdf 

 People, Passion, Promotion, Plan of Action  

The number one item of the recipe for a car club's success is the people evolved within the club.  Without passionate club members and new members growth a successful club is hard to obtain.  Growth is crucial to the long term success for your club.  A club must have a dedicated group of individuals looking out for the health of the club, growing the membership, and meeting the needs and wants of the club's membership demographics.    

Club members need to make a point of welcoming new blood into the group.  The more seasoned members should foster new ideas and skills from new members.  Fostering new ideas is a great way to encourage newer members to become involved.  Getting them involved is the first step of preparing the newer-younger club member to become good club leaders.   

I am a board member of Dallas Area Classic Chevy (DACC.)  While being a member of the board I have been

the lead of several club events. The hardest events I helped to organized were the ones where I had to recruit volunteers.  I would much rather do everything myself than to beg for volunteers.  It seems, I am asking people to volunteer as target practice for a firing squad.  Getting members in car clubs or in any venue to step forward to help out is an uphill battle.  Generally, only a small part of any group volunteers for completion of needed tasks.  And then it seems, that the only time members volunteer is because the task interests them.  Why is that? 

According to Felix Maritim of  UT at El Paso* the main reason volunteerism in a group is small is because: 

• Job responsibilities,  volunteering for free is not as personally rewarding as a paying job 
• Family responsibilities 
• Lack of information about when where and how to volunteer. either on purpose or not 
• People volunteer to get recognition for their efforts.  Not getting recognized for the effort given causes frustration and feelings of abandonment.  That lack of recognition will make even the best person to doubt their abilities, to think they are not doing a good job and their effort is just a waste of time. Everyone must feel that the work they do is important and they are making a difference. 
• Group members do not volunteer because they fail to see how doing so will be beneficial.  

Felix Maritim wrote,*  "This is not to say that most people are self-centered and want something beneficial....They do not see the virtue of helping others as important, in the future, for themselves...What we can conclude is that nobody is willing to give up his or her time in order to help others without benefiting from it, hence making us materialistic in nature." 

As a car club we can't change society as it is around us.  However, if we understand that the human race is very good at coming up with inventive solutions, we can use that fact towards the club's benefit.  General Patton said, "Don't tell some SOB what to do, tell that SOB what you want and you will be pleased and surprised at his ingenious solution." 

A solution could be to have a database of member skills.  Need something done? Look over the database then find the correct people for the job and ask them to help.  One trick is not to overwhelm them at the beginning.  Start them out with a small task to get them involved.  With that experience under their belts, more than likely they will help out more for the club.  Once a new worker finds that they will make new contacts and friendships they will hopefully do more for the club as well.  Friendships and a feeling of comradery go a long way in getting club members to freely give their precise time away for free. 

But remember, there is a fine line between too many workers and not enough.  When I was in public administration, I learned that sometimes too large of a committee will bog down the completions of the task at hand.   

Nevertheless, people working together will make club members more familiar with the club and its operation.  As club members participate it is natural for them to take on more, insuring for a more rounded Club.   

Make the" volunteer needed tasks" interesting and do not micro manage.  Club members will volunteer more

and enjoy volunteering more if they can be creative and challenged within reason.  The fastest way to loose participation is to give the volunteer the thankless tasks.  If possible, it might be better for the club if you could hire out the menial tasks such as such as stuffing envelopes or pealing stamps.  Put the focuses on strategic tasks rather than tactical ones.  Streamline all necessary tasks such at dues payments as much as possible and use technology at every chance you can use it.   

In my next blog I will discuss research on club member's  for the club and its activates in Part 2.  Link to part 2

!!!Support Texas Classic Experience!!!

Did you like the blog? If you did, the best way to support Texas Classic Experience is to share this post!  Please tell others that you liked this post by sharing it with your car friends by sending them a link to this page. http://texasclassicchevyexperience.blogspot.com/ 

 Every view and like of my site helps!

Don’t forget to visit and like Texas Classic Experience on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/Texas-Classic-Chevy-Experience-1523985424589515/

Texas Classic Chevy Experience will post blogs about: Hot Rods, Chevy, Chevrolet, Drag Racing, Car Shows, Classic Cars, Custom Cars, Muscle Cars, How to Tech. posts, Dallas Area Classic Chevy Club, Texas Muscle Car Challenge, Tri-Five Nationals, Lone Star Chevy Convention, Class Car lists, Classic car links, Spotters guides, Car Shows, Swap meets, Book reviews and more.