[elite38868]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any ideas on promoting the Alfa Romeo Association more than what is already done?

I'm currently working on some business cards that are free to members to place on Alfas or give to interested parties about our association.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[bfrymire]

Hey all,

Does anyone have any ideas on promoting the Alfa Romeo Association more than what is already done?

I'm currently working on some business cards that are free to members to place on Alfas or give to interested parties about our association.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Hum. Just a thought, but just more visibility of the cars would probably help. Since it's been 12 years since a new one was available, most people don't even know what they are.

I went to the last De Anza autocross, and I didn't see one there. I can imagine that pique the interest of people about the car would bring more people into the club.

More public events would also help (where people see the cars). Tours, etc.

-- brett

 

[pathung]

Business cards would work well; there are some Alfas in the Santa Cruz area that I can pass these out to.

Brett is also on the right track, suggesting ways to make Alfas more visible/accessible to regular folks. I'd always thought the Italian Car/Motorcycle Day a great way to display our cars to the public while benefitting non-profits of our choice; why don't we hold a few more of these around the Bay Area, during the nice months of the year? I'd be happy to set one up in the Santa Cruz area, and possibly plan a short tour after the exhibition for all out-of-towners to enjoy. Someone up in San Jose could plan another one, and so on and so forth (up the Peninsula, or in Marin?).

 

[sfalfa]

Sean,

I like the business card idea - perhaps just a PDF page with repeating cards on it that we can print ourselves and cut up to pass out?

Well, making Alfa's more visible is hard. There are a finite number of vehicles here, and they seem to mostly be owned and loved by enthusiasts. We'd all need to part with one or two of our extra cars in order to bring in new blood.
We also need to *ahem* get them on the roads and not stashed away on jackstands so other's can have the pleasure of being passed by an Alfa at high revs in 3rd gear

 

[Pat Braden]

Ideas on Promoting ARA and Getting More Members?

Hey all,

Does anyone have any ideas on promoting the Alfa Romeo Association more than what is already done?

I'm currently working on some business cards that are free to members to place on Alfas or give to interested parties about our association.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Use what you do best as your drawing card --- the Laguna Seca, Concorso Italiano weekend with the Alfa Corral. Bring in some more cross-membership, I know there are a lot of us that belong to both ARA and AROC.

Promote the driving tours, wine tasting events, and other special get-togethers enough ahead of time for those of us outside your direct area to participate and plan; and in places other than Overhead Cams.

Pat and I used to drive up several times a year to events that ARA put on. Driving is no longer possible for me, so for me I would have to fly up and ride with someone, but it would still be a fun adventure.

 

[Vindingo]

Sean,
We'd all need to part with one or two of our extra cars in order to bring in new blood.

Seeing that you are giving one of your cars away... Ill take the veloce

I guess in a sense I am new blood to the area and I deffinetly plan on joining up once I get my hands on another alfa. How often do you guys meet up and what are the benefits of joining?

 

[sfalfa]

Seeing that you are giving one of your cars away... Ill take the veloce

Well - maybe not giving away, but talk to me later in September - I may be willing to sell..

 

[bellagt]

Times have changed since I first joined the ARA. In 1995, when Alfa left the US market, there were 1000 ARA members. Now there are about 500. In 1995, the Cams used to be a good source of technical info and a market place for used cars/parts. Now, the Cams is no longer an effective media for either of those things as can be seen by the lack of ads and technical content (no fault of the Cams or its contributors; just a sign of the times). I know the officers have made repeated requests for articles from the members, but its just out of step with the wider resources and timeliness available on the Web today (this site being a good example).

So here are some ideas which is contrary to the current club position of upgrading (and spending more money on) the Cams and using its higher profile as a promotion tool:

Do everything you can to retain the existing members; offer discounted fees if members renew membership early or if they renew for multiple years instead one year at a time

Do more to enroll new members; offer existing members something for new member referrals; offer new members a discounted fee for the first year

Make sure event participants are ARA members; if someone partipates in a tour, they should sign the waiver sheet along with their ARA member number; if they are not members they should sign up on the spot. After all, the club is paying for the event insurance.

Focus more resources on events; Spend less money on the Cams and use the funds to attract more people to events (with either Club subsidized food, drink or freebies given away at the end in a drawing). Offer members some incentives to plan, organize and manage the events so they offer other members the best experience possible and the desire to return again for the next event.