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Some color for Thye Sidecarist?

This is a question that I am asking as an individual member, not on behalf of the BOD. I haven't made my own mind up one the issue so I'm really interested in your feelings.

Your BOD is talking about adding color to The Sidecarist one a very limited basis, maybe four pages and doing it once or twice a year. The idea is to accomplish two things, to return more value to the members and to make The Sidecarist a better tool for recruiting new members. On the side of adding value, color in The Sidecarist is something that would benefit all members equally. It is tough to find a benefit that doesn't favor some members over others. For example, lower rally fees are only a benefit for folks who go to rallies.

How do you as a member feel about this? Is it a good way to spend our money? Is it something you want? Is there something that you think would be better?

If you don't want to post publically, you can send email directly to any of your Board members, they are all interested in what you have to say.

I'd like to see a color issue once or twice a year. Folks I've spoken with, particularly at some local shops where I left copies of the Sidecarist, have asked if we did a color issue ever. I think if used specifically for photo pages and the cover (I guess that would be four pages of photos in the center and then the inside and outside of the cover pages) we would get the most bang for our buck both for members and advertisers. I would really like to see color pics of the rally especially when I don't get to attend 🙂 Good for the membership and good for showing potential members that we're a bit more than a small club with a Xerox'd newsletter.

Just Bob's opinion, your mileage may vary...

If you are looking for something to give back to the members, I think that the money could be better spent by giving a patch or pin or something with all memberships would be more benefit than color once in a while would benifit more members

Thanks Al for posting this here. I have been watching the Board talk this over on Racedis II. I have not sent out any e-mails and the board members in my up line know I have no problem with doing that. Lol.

I have no problem with doing color in the Sidecarest if we can afford it. As some of you know I put out a news letter here in Fla and I have to this point used color. It just looks better. Does it bring in new members or hold old members? That one I do not know. We did an up grade of paper shortly after I joined did that change the membership numbers?

One of the things I have heard a number of times is “We get a new member and we lose one” and that is not just in USCA. That is one thing I have a hard time buying and so as a new State Rep I have tried to keep the members that we have and let them bring in the new members. With that in mine I would love to see some kind of pen that that shows how long a person has been a member. Maybe a pen with a number below that can be change each year a person re-news. This is just my thoughts at this time and they do change. Lol,

Thanks to all of you who replied. I'm hoping that more folks will post.

Richard, you asked if the switch in paper helped us retain members. We don't know yet but early reports say that it has helped with ad sales. I guess we'll see over the long run.

Thnaks again and keep the input coming.

Color is always a plus for me. I have been wondering if the paper used is more expensive than we need. It is very thick and glossy. Is there a lower cost substitute and can we then have color with the less expensive paper?
That's my two cents worth.

I think I'll go with Ron on this.

I have a whole drawer full of pins, AMA, GWRRA, and others. I don't wear them and don't go in for vests but that's me.

I think that printing all or part of the Sdecarist in color would be a good thing, especially to attract new members. As Bob mentioned, definitely have the rallys in color. The tech or informational articles, like mine, leave in B&W.

My .02

I like the idea of adding color to the magazine. If it wasn't for cost limitations, I'd like to see it on a regular basis. It would make a good quality magazine even better. I agree with Solo 1 on the pins. Don't need any more.

Speaking as a retired printer, I think some color would dress up an already improved magazine. The quality of paper being used now would really shine with color.
Ralph

Al:You have big fingers obviously.

I do the "thy" thing often too.The one thing (in my opinion) that recruits and retains members is advertising and activities geared for each members needs, especially advertising away from the club's own periodical.

A good example is ABATE of Michigan. Michigan ABATE is a grass roots organization that puts out a monthly newsletter on an 8x12 sheet of plain white paper, no pictures, nothing but is 12,000 members strong with a hefty dues standard. Why, because they address a common cause, have local activities almost every weekend and they have perpetuated a sense of camaraderie between the members.

The Sidecarist is really only available to paid members other than ones purposely delivered or distributed by us.

The club isn't looking at the whole picture. It needs to be treated as a business or at least apply the business philosophy.

What does a business need to become profitable? It needs a marketable product or service and the avenues to market that product and the product or service needs to be priced reasonably.Adding color to the Sidecarist (other than paid advertisers' color ad's), at this point, in my opinion, isn't needed or warranted.

By the way, Mary Sontag thanks you for your intervention in some dispute that I'm not completely clear on. I spoke with her last week, needed parts for my Spyder and we discussed it slightly.

I haven't been around for a few months, been at school and my computer literally went up in smoke. Back now, I think. This Vista OS is doubtful.

As the founder of the USCA I am in total agreement with limited color - along the following lines
1. Needs to be along business lines.
2. Color restricted to either centerspread and or front/back pages.
3. Try to get a manufacturer or other major player to sponsor the cost of the color - ie - color adds - maybe two half pages. So that the paid color page pays for the other page.

Color is easy to do if restricted to e-mail type mag - but can be extremely costly if on paper. Hence the need to have it at least partly or fully sponsored. Have seen where the use of color caused another organization to finally go bankrupt and finis. We have collectively put too much into the USCA to have that happen to us. Go color but do not let the use of color be the tail that wags the dog.

I personally enjoy thy(e) color and would pay another $5 in annual dues to help it stay that way. Re pins, patches, etc. mine are stuck in (on) my bulletin board as I don't wear a vest and don't want all those sharp pointy things ground into me if I go down as I also ride a 2 wheeler. I would like a more colorful, larger and attention getting USCA decal for the rig and maybe one that could also be used on a vehicle to help get the word out. But remember I'm fairly new to the organization and my ideas may have already been discussed and voted down. Max

I belong to another non-profit FSSNOC and we have recently had the editor/founder add some color thanks to folks who toss in fiver with their annual dues. Yet another NACAT, has started hustling the advertisers for color bits besides their ads. Take someone close to the advertisers for that one. And yes we have managed to redo contracts on both and that helps come up with the color $. NACAT and FSSNOC have the same add a member when the annual conference is close enough to attend lose a member when school funding for travel is curtailed. NACAT = North American Council of Automotive Teachers. FSSNOC gins members when the Thumoer Lunch is close enough to go too and some drop after that until it comes their way again. FSSNOC is Four Stroke Singles National Owners Club.

In some ways a bad ecomony can be a good thing. With a bunch of magazines and newspapers folding, we found ourselves getting some extremely competitive offers to publish our little magazine. The price we are paying now for a color covered magazine is less than we were paying before for black and white. We aren't being extravagant and we will watch the expenses vs income to make sure things continue to work. It isn't something that can't be changed in the future but for now I think it's great.

Just because it's a Sidecar magazine, doesn't mean it has to look like Hack job. Presentation is everything! Color on front and back cover. That allows for 3 pages of color ads or use the inside cover to highlight this issues articles with a little color photo and blurb. Charge advertisers a bit more to be on the color pages (some are small companies and won't be able to afford it but if they are loyal advertisers we make exceptions, etc..). Pens, pins, patches - No thanks. Make them available in the store for those who desire them.
Another thought for more exposure is to team up with another magazine. Is there a motorcycle magazine we could fill 4 or more pages in? It would make theirs bigger and ours more accessible. And if their big enough they probably already do color.
I think color makes a huge difference for getting people to pick and read any magazine(off the news stand). As a member - when it's mailed to me I read it as long as the pictures and headlines draw my attention.

Got the current issue of "The Sidecarist" and is the color great. Good stories, no great stories. 3 cheers for the editors and contributors. Max

I like pins, keep them on my hat, decals, patches (don't wear them but like them) and color. I think the ideas expressed here are all very good. Front and Back, inside spread, ads, etc. Big job for the publisher and the ad guy/gal, but doable and would add to the publication. Will it attract new members, doubt it, but we need to make sidecaring a more exposed sport/activity, and the only way to do that is ride and talk to people.

Jim