Communicator 05-04-2007 @ 8:06 PM
Chiming in...
The concept of supporting new Units has already been shared with IBT members through the Communications Liaison in the Communications Liaison/Network Mid-Winter IBT report.
The report stated:
Adapt to Changes in the Market
In addition to increased use of the Internet, members advocate evaluating current market demographics and responding accordingly. Airstream Corporation indicates that their current customers are mostly in the 45 to 64 year age range, employed, and college graduates. This shift in market from a predominately retiree market has great implications for WBCCI. It does not however, mean neglecting our retiree market, but instead, expanding our reach.
WBCCI must capitalize on market changes or be a victim of them. Members suggest that WBCCI must assess the needs of Airstream owners who are still employed and adapt to attract them. Doing this while preserving quality offerings for retirees may at times mean advocating and supporting the development of new units that target the needs of those fitting the new demographic.
(end report quote)
[Note that thoughts in the report are from member comments.]
As has been posted, it takes at least 10 members who are willing to be regular members of a Unit to get it started. Each Region President serves as the resource for those wishing to start a Unit in their Region.
FYI - The report for Perry also speaks to the need to expand the target market and to develop services accordingly.
Thanks for the postings in this thread. If you have any further specific strategies to suggest, please email them to me at
cl@wbcci.org or post them here.
Renee
This message was edited by Communicator on 5-4-07 @ 8:10 PM
dwightdi 05-01-2007 @ 2:39 PM
I sure would like to see a national leadership reaction to this thread. Even if Renee would chime in and tell us she is atleast going to bring it to their attention at Perry that would be something. The lack of response to this site is starting to sound like we are shouting into a rain barrel. If we continue to get no response I am sure the ideas and the contributors will dry up. That would be too bad and signal the end of the club.
gooincamping 04-18-2007 @ 3:36 PM
Jimbo,
Don't forget that more than half of Airstreams forum folks buy their trailers new.
I don't think the issue is finances but as you did point out its styles of camping and time availible to camp.
jimbo 04-17-2007 @ 4:30 PM
I couldn't agree more that new units are probably the best chance of saving the club. Along this line I sent the following note to both the membership and communications chairman.
I was talking to Max last night before the program here at TR, and I mentioned that we seem to be trying to do things that will offend many current members while not doing anything to attract the younger working members who are purchasing older units and refurbishing/restoring them. We need to go after them. What many of the current units do for rallies does not appeal to them. From talking to many of them at Airstreamforums rallies, they don't want to camp at some sterile fairgrounds, have catered dinners in a boring building and play cards or Joker. They want to camp at places where there are things for their kids to do, and outdoor things for them to do.
Joining a current unit and trying to change it breeds conflict and is a lose/lose situation in most cases. By contrast, starting a new unit that fits their lifestyle should be a win/win situation. The older members and units can continue with what is comfortable until they die away, while the new units grow and build a new and more vibrant WBCCI.
The Airstreamforums.com web site has over 19,000 members who are prime targets for membership if we do the right things to appeal to them. They love Airstreams. Many, if not most, own an Airstream. Often these are older units, as that is all they can afford. We have a lot to offer these folks. Unfortunately, we continue to try to lead them into current units that don't fit their lifestyle and desires. I propose that we go after them by posting a thread, something like this on both Airstreamforums and WBCCI forums:
Forming a new WBCCI Unit.
Can't find a unit that does things that appeals to you? Have nine or more Airstream friends that share your views on what a unit should be to fit your lifestyle? Why not form a new unit? It only takes 10 members to start a new unit.
I don't know what it takes, so you would need to describe the steps that need to be done to form a new unit. Acknowledge that we have not been helpful in the past (4cu as an example) and promise to be more helpful in the future. These folks are Internet savvy, so we should make it possible to do most of the process electronically. Final forms might require hard copy and snail mail, but most everything else should be able to be accomplished electronically. If I can work with a builder several states away and design a custom home and have it built over the Internet, we should be able to form a unit without excessive paper.
Your thoughts?
Jim Mickle 6980
66Overlander 04-17-2007 @ 8:06 AM
I could not agree more. Making it easy for working people to start new units with a focus that works for them is probably the best opportunity WBCCI has to reverse the membership decline and actually turn it into growth. Certainly there is more to be gained by this than would result from last year's Name Change proposal or this years Four Winds proposal. Joining an existing unit with the intent to make any significant changes is just not going to work. It is clear that retiree's and working people have two different focuses, Neither set of needs is wrong - they are just different. Therefore separate units that cater to these two groups is likely the best scenario for the club to remain strong.
I think that this would be a win-win scenario. New members can get a local Unit that caters to their needs, and then these folks are available to attend and help out in the larger Regional and National events and help keep them strong into the future.
gooincamping 04-17-2007 @ 2:51 AM
I think new Units are critical to the Club. Every member needs to be able to fit in somewhere.
If there is no somewhere for you and nine or more friends. You should start a Unit.
I don't think its fair to an exsisting Unit for a group with a different style of camping to move in and change their way of camping and comraderie either.
On another forum I asked a question about how to start a Unit. I was curious about the mechanics involved. I received a tidal wave of responses both on the thread and by private e mail. From those responses it seems that there is interest in the WBCCI and what it offers.
It also appears that many folks who are in their working years don't feel that the Club is aimed at them. Whether that is true or not it is their feelings. Units aimed at this group would add to the overall health and growth of the Club.
This message was edited by gooincamping on 4-17-07 @ 2:52 AM
66Overlander 03-08-2007 @ 8:45 AM
Here is a new AirstreamForums thread talking about possibly forming a new unit in Region 12:
http://www.airstreamforums.com/forums/f286/new-unit-30625.htmlIt seems that there is interest, if WBCCI can make it easy to do.
tincantom 03-06-2007 @ 1:55 PM
quote:
I think WBCCI needs to formulate a plan to encourage new units. There is a large untapped potential of possible future members that want to tie in to the history of WBCCI, but need an alternative that fits their current lifestyle. There are many comments on AirstreamForums that people have joined WBCCI to be part of that history, but yet subsequently quit, became MAL's, or have never attended any WBCCI events, because beyond that history they feel no affinity for the current events, workings, or politics of the club. We should be going after these folks, and those that haven't joined because of similar reasons, and help them create an alternative (i.e. a new unit with a new focus) that works for them.
Joe,
Hopefully someone up there in WBCCI is listening. Establishment of the Communication Liaisons is an indication that may be beginning. This is an idea worth pursuing. I recall in the past a lot of resistance to the formation of any new Intra Clubs when I kept thinking why not allow members to form any type Intra Club that suits their interests (from butterfly collectors to wicker basket weavers)as long as it is not directly detrimental to the parent club. The more interests members have in common the more interaction and therefore more active they will be. Not to mention happier so why wouldn't we want that? It's the same thought with new units I believe. There will be some resistance as there always is to change but if you persist you may achieve success.
Good luck. I happen to be happy with my current unit because I found a 'fit' and I hope others are afforded that opportunity also.
66Overlander 03-06-2007 @ 8:55 AM
Just a thought. Based upon the apparent success of the Heart of Texas Camping Unit that was formed a couple of years a go, and based upon the ongoing development of the Four Corners Unit that recently received it's provisional Charter, and based upon recent (nad not so recent) comments on the AirstreamForums and elsewhere that new units may be the best way to grow WBCCI (or at least halt the decline), what can WBCCI do to help promote the formation of new units?
Here is one recent thread on AirstreamForums that has people suggesting that new Units may be the future of WBCCI (see posts #148 and beyond):
http://www.airstreamforums.com/forums/f286/can-wbcci-survive-28739-2.htmlI couldn;t agree more, although I am not personally in a place to try to create a new unit.
I think in this thread and others, valid points have been made that new (often younger) members do not feel that they fit well in older, well established units, that often have a "retiree" focus or at least a more "regimented" style. Some have made the suggestion to join such a unit and try to change it from within, but I think that at best would be difficult, frustrating, and likely to create bad feelings in unit current members. A better route is to start a new unit with like minded individuals and let established units continue to work in a manner that works for them.
This has happened in the past, like for example in the 1970's, when the Metro-Detroit Unit was formed by "working" folks to have a different focus than the then present Michigan Unit that had more of a "retiree" focus. At least this is what I have heard. Both of these unbtis are still prospering 30+ years later, but people in this area have a choice. With that choice, WBCCI is likely to get more members than if that choice didn't exist.
I think WBCCI needs to formulate a plan to encourage new units. There is a large untapped potential of possible future members that want to tie in to the history of WBCCI, but need an alternative that fits their current lifestyle. There are many comments on AirstreamForums that people have joined WBCCI to be part of that history, but yet subsequently quit, became MAL's, or have never attended any WBCCI events, because beyond that history they feel no affinity for the current events, workings, or politics of the club. We should be going after these folks, and those that haven't joined because of similar reasons, and help them create an alternative (i.e. a new unit with a new focus) that works for them.
Joe Peplinski
#5533
