Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!hrc!force!covertr
From: covertr@force.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: How to get new members??
Keywords: atari st, clubs
Message-ID: <471d2ea5.14a1f@force.UUCP>
Date: 28 Nov 89 22:31:58 GMT
Organization: gte
Lines: 73

I am the new President of the Phoenix Atari ST Club here in
Phoenix AZ. We have only about 25 active members in our club,
and I would like ideas from other club members on how to recruit
new members.

Phoenix is part of a metropolitian area of about 2 million people.
We have 2 or 3 stores which sell ST products, the best being Computer
Works in Glendale AZ. Henry sells 2-5 STs each day, so there SHOULD
be a lot of people who aren't members of our club but who have STs.
Our Club only has a cash reserve of $800 so we can't buy paid advertisement
on comeerical TV.

So, how can we get the word out about our club??

Are there any other STers out there who belong to a club?

What about you folks across the Big Pond. How do your ST Clubs
work??

Right now we are in the process of splitting from the original 8bit
Atari club. We are planning on using the Michigan AIM magazine as our
newsletter as we are too small to do our own. AIM would be mailed to
each of our paidup members. We would submit our Club minutes, which
would appear in the AIM magazine.

We have published our own small newsletter called PHASTE using PageStream
and the SLM804 laser printer. That has gone well.

One member suggested printing up ST CLub business cards which would be
included with each ST sold by Computer Works. Henry Ahle (CW owner) would
go along with this. Another idea is to include a free AIM magazine with
each ST sold.

We are also planning to mail a postcard to each paidup member a week before
each meeting. But that doesn't get new members. Our ST Club sponsors a fulltime
2400 baud BBS called ST BASE in Phoenix. Club members can d/l PD files from
ST BASE w/o charge. This encourages ST Club membership. But not all ST owners
have 2400 baud modems.

We could try advertising on the local access channel of the Phoenix cable TV
system. But would that get new members?

And finally, our ST Club meets in the large room of a Church. The room isn't
air conditioned and has a large noisy refrigator. It is not a nice area to meet,
especially during the summer when it gets over 115 degrees here in Phoenix.
Where do other ST clubs meet?? When I was a member of the Chicago Area Computer
Hobbyist Exchange (cache) we meet in a community (two year) college in Chicago.
The college was locate on a bus route so folks could get there. Unfortunately,
colleges want big bucks around here to use their rooms, and our club can't
afford them. Any ideas about where to hold meetings??

As you can see I would really like to see more new members. I think that a 
strong local club is an asset for both novice and experienced computer
owners. I have learned a lot just helping folks use their STs.

And finally, is there ANYTHING that Atari can do to help us?? I don't know
who to contact at Atari. I don't believe that our Club was ever registered
with anyone at Atari. Maybe someone at Atari could give me ideas on how to
attract new members. I would be open to any suggestion.

Rich Covert

P.S. I was drafted for this position, and didn't want it. But now that I
am Club Prez I want to encourage folks to join, and really expand our little
club. That way next time, someone else can have the thrill of saying that 
they are club pres!

P.P.S. I was vice president of a Denver club back in 1986/1987 and we had the
same problems there. But we meet in a Denver High School classroom. It was an
8bit club and I am not sure what has happened to it since I moved from Denver.


rec