Re: Getting new members, keeping members

[http://www.nokidding.net/~boston (Boston No Kidding)]

After my (Robert) TV interview, 13 people joined the Yahoo Group
mailing list.  The interview helped quite a bit.

Re: activities.  For the three or so years we've been around, I've planned
almost every activity.  About 4 activities were not planned by me.  We
only have 1 definite event per month (a dinner at a restaurant), with more
as available.  Lately, other people have been planning events and, from
what I've heard (I didn't attend!  it was great!), they were successes.

Through the Yahoo Groups Files facility, a monthly reminder is sent out
with this message:

 > +-------------------------------+
 > | You Too Can Sponsor an Event! |
 > +-------------------------------+
 > 
 > Do you wish Boston No Kidding! offered a wider selection of activities and
 > events?  Or that more activities were closer to you?  Sponsoring your own
 > activity is the answer!  All you have to do is choose:
 > 
 > 1. an activity that you enjoy
 > 2. a date convenient for you
 > 3. a time convenient for you
 > 4. and a place convenient for you
 > 
 > (preferably, at least a month ahead).  Events that you were already
 > planning to attend anyway are the best.  Then, relay information about the
 > event:
 > 
 >   * to Boston No Kidding! my-Boston-voicemail-number)
 >   * or directly to the activities mailing list (http://www.yahoogroups.com/~bostonnokidding)
 >   * or on the Yahoo Groups calendar (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bostonnokidding/calendar).
 > 
 > For RSVPs, you can use Boston No Kidding!'s main phone number
 > my-Boston-voicemail-number, and be prepared to make lots of new friends.
 > 
 > If you are a Yahoo member, before sponsoring an event, you might consider
 > creating a Yahoo Group poll (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bostonnokidding/polls)
 > to evaluate interest in your event beforehand.  This may help you to plan
 > your event thoroughly.
 > 
 > Remember, the more activities we have, the better our club will be.

Our chapter has only once ever had an organizational meeting -- the very
first meeting.  There were 9 people there and they were all very excited.
But, afterwards, I couldn't contact some of them and none of them wanted
to organize any activities.  So, I decided to just have a dinner once a
month in the hope that eventually someone else would want to organize
(sponsor) an activity of their own.  It's slowly coming together.

We typically have 4 "regulars" at our events with 4-8 "irregulars"
(new or low-rate attendee).

We don't charge any membership fees and there are no identifying features
(no membership cards, etc.) that designate that a person is a "member".

 > From: "sarah sarah" <http://www.hotmail.com/~sarah>
 > Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 21:49:19 +0000
 >
 >    Luckily, we no longer have this problem much.  Those who blamed our 
 > president, rather than whoever actually dropped the ball have mostly left.  
 > Also, we remind people often that they're welcome to discuss an event idea 
 > before planning it, but positive feedback about from a list moderator about 
 > an event idea does not in any way imply that the list moderators will plan 
 > or post the event.
 > 
 > Hope this helps,
 > Sarah