| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Heavyweight |
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 11:24:04 AM
This is a bit of a ramble, sorry.
I have been having a little think over the last couple of days, pre & post Ridgeway etc. and would like to know what you think of the following.
For me, one of the best aspects of the club has been the relays I’ve done with club-mates, but on the other-hand one of the bits I hate is the cajoling (even a little emotional blackmail) that has gone on to try to get full teams & helpers to these events. People join this club for many reasons and I don’t think we should make them feel guilty for not attending any particular event, but I think there is a possibility we have done this.
This probably all comes down to lack of bodies and the number of club members. I know it has been the intention to keep the club relatively small & intimate and to an extent I agree with that. But the very nature of the club means that the turnover of members is likely to be higher than a normal club so unless new runners are attracted regularly it’s possible that numbers could drop relatively quickly.
I would like to suggest as a low-cost (free really) option of advertising (apart from SP continuing to win races) would be to have a downloadable flyer (approved by t’committee obviously) which extols the virtues & benefits of the club. Current members could print off a few copies (free if done at work!) and distribute at races etc., I’m not suggesting mass ticketing of cars (this irritates me anyway) – just a few copies left on a table at the race HQ. This can easily be controlled & stopped if it was found to have either little effect or if we are suddenly engulfed by hordes of people.
Any thoughts?
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Heavyweight |
Posted - 14 Jul 2009 : 09:00:34 AM
Thanks for that Al.
I have noticed a few surprising "Uknetrunners" in races I have done when looking at the results afterwards. I guess it gets a bit blurry if you enter a race a long time in advance when you are a member even if you're not come race day. |
| aluaka |
Posted - 14 Jul 2009 : 08:29:51 AM
Just to explain the recent reduction in membership.
I have been trying for some considerable time to contact a lot of members who had not renewed - and chosen not to let me know if they would be renewing or not (members I now term as 'AWOL').
After numerous e-mails without response I took the step of sending out a lot of letters (snail mail for an online club?) which had some response but still a lot of ignored pleas to let me know if they would be renewing or not.
So, I can only assume those who are AWOL - as they are now well overdue - are choosing not to renew, and thus have wiped their data from the website and their membership from the UKAthletics database.
I know of 1 such AWOL member who is choosing to still enter races under the club name ..... and will have to notify race organisers if this continues (the members were advised in the letter that if they chose not to renew they would no longer be affiliated to UKAthletics).
As Brigitte says, a number of our members do choose to move on to local clubs - and these tend to be the ones whost 1 or 2 years membership.
So ends a summary of my experience of membership of UKnetrunner since commencement.
Amen
Alan Lacey
Chairman UKnetrunner |
| Dips |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 7:03:46 PM
I agree Mike, membership is pretty stable in one sense of the word, where by people come people go.
But we do need to keep introducing new blood to keep the club bouyant and to replace those that move on. Of those recent departures that I know of, nearly all of those have gone on to join a club local to them. Before they might not have had the time for such a club or as in my case (many years ago) I didn't have the confidence to go along to my local running club.
We are currently 'playing' around with a flyer and the wording, so hope to have the launch very soon.
Dips x
"If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way."
- Lance Armstrong
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| mikeH |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 6:58:08 PM
I do like the idea of keeping the club size smallish & manageable.
As a new member I don't know how the pattern has been over the years but I notice that the membership figure on the main site dropped a fair bit this month. This perhaps implies we do need to keep this thread (regarding flyers & other means of spreading the word)going. |
| mdunn77 |
Posted - 02 Jul 2009 : 10:35:35 AM
let's get designing a flyer then! |
| Lazybones |
Posted - 02 Jul 2009 : 10:24:15 AM
Really like the idea of the pdf flyer. I would certainly print some off at work and put them on noticeboards, leave them at races etc.
Welcome MikeH - good to know there is someone else out there who is further back down the field but does their best and enjoys races - we seem to be a rare breed  
"The only losers are those who quit" |
| Heavyweight |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 8:53:54 PM
That's the way I see it too. No cost, low impact & very controllable. |
| mikeH |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 8:53:30 PM
NEW MEMBER VIEWS
I really like the idea of a pdf approved flyer, for members to print a few off (if they wish); to have in the glove compartment in case people ask at races or to leave a few on the usual tables around registrations. It would really cost nobody anything much. Although some races aren't organised by clubs, many are, so I would feel easier if somehow we got in the wording that people don't have to opt for us as their first choice club to get many of the benefits.
I would certainly pay for a car sticker and display it.
The magazine article idea is good (internet mags as well as running mags) - not an easy thing to achieve though a lot of work for somebody.
Regarding some members inactivity or slight fear of racing - somehow those of us who regularly race and finish a long way down the field might somehow gently impress on them how much we enjoy it nevertheless (without hassling them) - any ideas?
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| Mij0 |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 4:43:58 PM
Re the flyer - I had imagined the club would produce a pdf and then anyone interested could print a few and take to work/events/or what ever! Something tells me this will not produce hundreds of new members.
Less fat, more fit, but still hedonistic |
| mdunn77 |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 1:58:10 PM
hmm, sounds good that Wendi. Will have to see about it nearer the time and see whether I'm fit. |
| Lazybones |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 1:44:39 PM
Must admit I only found the site because I was looking at a particular race and the organising club put a link to access full details. In fact thinking about it, Matt and HW you might be interested in the race I was looking at !!
http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/RaceDetails.asp?RaceID=233
"The only losers are those who quit" |
| mdunn77 |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 10:28:38 AM
I agree David.. I was just responding to Dips' previous post. |
| Heavyweight |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 10:00:08 AM
www.GoodRunGiuide.co.uk
Interesting web-site. Some useful resources especially with regards to routes (maps & descriptions) - not sure I will be tempted to pay cash to use it! I will make use of my months free trial membership though 
Good Idea to get UKnetrunner's details registered there.
Anyone use this web-site?
Matt/Dips - I wasn't aiming for the "Fetchification" of UKnetrunner & recognise that people join for different reasons. Just that membership numbers need to be greater to make "club events" more viable.
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| mdunn77 |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 09:48:41 AM
The thing with Fetch is that a large number of the users of the site are there for the community thing, the social interaction on the site and meeting people through it.
UKnr on the other hand is a running club first and foremost. Many of our members run in club colours and post results on the site (for the GP etc) but don't get involved on the forums very much. Perhaps that (the social interaction side of things) is just not what they want from the club.
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| Lazybones |
Posted - 01 Jul 2009 : 09:38:30 AM
Would it be worth getting the club listed on sites such as this?
http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/Index.asp
"The only losers are those who quit" |
