Harry,
From my observations most clubs (including my own) do not have an
effective new membership strategy
How many have and AEI potential membership package?
How many follow up with AEIs that are assessed as genuine potential new
members?
The list goes on........professional sales people follow up on contacts; we
all try to talk
the talk about new memberships etc - but how ;many clubs walk the walk?
Litmus test - what is your AEI to membership conversion rate ? National
figure was 3% several years ago AND
of those who do join how many are still members following the first renewal.
Begs the question, why don't we spend more time and effort retaining the new
members we do recruit. Not saying we should not
recruit, just looking at making the effort spent in recruitment returns true
growth
SDF
_____
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of harry
medlicott
Sent: Thursday, 16 October 2008 4:54 PM
To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] AEF Charges - $20 to GFA
Our experience at Lake Keepit is that with a bit of an effort on the part
of instructors we get a quite reasonable conversion rate from AEFs. We also
need the money. Also where would our new members come from if it wasn't
through introductory flights? Anyone with any bright ideas? How many
trainees just rock up at the airfield and sign up for a training course?
The previous $5 charge covered an insurance component. If there has been a
change would be pleased to hear about it.
I hope you guys are not going to complain about $$50,000 being spent on the
1% of us aspiring for overseas team selection. You might as well keep quiet.
Your fees are compulsory and you as an individual have absolutely no say in
the election of the GFA board or its executive. It would have been a simple
matter when the new constitution was being formulated to ensure member
elected representation from each state. Candidates could present their CVs
and policies for publication in Soaring Australia. You will find it hard to
find another organisation with compulsory membership and no associated vote.
If anyone knows of any, please give us a list. "no taxation without
representation" was the catchcry of the American War of Independence,
Harry
----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin McGowan <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Discussion of issues relating to
<mailto:[email protected]> Soaring in Australia.
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] AEF Charges - $20 to GFA
Lets get real here, it is a well known fact, and stated on this forum many
times previously that AEF's result in few new members to gliding, in fact
often they just clog up the day but we do them in the hope that maybe this
one will join.
At my club we have a fairly simple way of charging for these flights, work
out what it will cost "worst case" for the launch, add the cost of the
glider, add a bit for the fudge factor, add a bit for profit, then add the
GFA fee whether it be $1 or $20.
Any club that says that the $20 GFA fee is taken from the club needs to look
at its administration as they are not doing their job properly as an AEF
should not cost the members but should profit them. Most people who take an
AEF do so for the experience only and will pay whatever is asked, I have
seen flights charged at $150 and the club is still kept busy doing flights.
K
_____
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:02:40 +1000
Subject: [Aus-soaring] AEF Charges - $20 to GFA
AEF's are a main source of revenue for some clubs in both dollars and
attracting new members. This is a blatant grab for club dollars by GFA,
taking revenue straight out of the clubs.
In small clubs the cost of operating will most likely be in the red and are
being propped up by donations from members (buying fuel for winch, food for
fund raising BQ, etc out of their own pocket). Now their revenue is cut
more even more. I thought that GFA was here to support it's members and
encourage gliding, not to make a profit out of our sport.
In today's economy every organisation has to reduce cost, yes even GFA, if
we are to survive.
So what is going to happen in the future? Fees are going up, therefore
membership will decline, cost per member will go up, thus fees go up, more
members leave and the vicious circle has begun.
The answer is to keep reducing costs per member to attract growth this is
simple business logic.
Don't get me wrong, I think that GFA staff and board members are helpful and
doing a job which many of us could not do (or would not do). And a lot of
it at their cost.
But we still need turn around spending by GFA. The answer is definitely not
to keep slugging the members and clubs.
Barry Kruyssen
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