I'm sorry....I guess I misunderstood what you were asking for. Sorry to get everyone up in arms.

I think we should talk about growing the C3VR membership. Since this is a paid member site, we need to think about how we convince C3 owners this is the place to come. Maybe there is a way to intice them by offering a better membership package.

I know in our marketing studies that we have done on sales incentives people would rather get something then get cash back. As strange as that sounds that means in purchace incentive packages they would rather have a hat then a cash rebate. Go figure!

With membership comes sponsors and with sponsors the more benefits the C3VR can offer.

I think we should consider putting together a live chat calendar on specific topics so we can all start utilizing this area.

A picture post area might be cool for works in progress and possibly an installtion section that would include specific how toos with photos.

Where the problem is going to lie is with Adam deciding how many sections are going to be for Gold members VS Standard Members.

I can tell you I only visit two other Corvette only sites on the web and I only do it every other week. C3VR offers so much more then those other sites. If I didn't have 3 little ones in diapers I would definitely be a life time member.

I think After Shark hit it right on the head. This can be THE site for C3 owners. I won't be able to attend but I think improving membership, sponsors and member benefits should be three topics of discussion. improving one area improves the other two. we have the beginnings to improve these areas but have not taken advantage of them. Ben and Ken are submitting technical papers, but we need contributions from more members. the mechanics listing could be helpful, but is weak at best. I know nothing of the economics of sponsors but more couldn't be bad, right(?).
we have moderators for all types of topics for discussion, maybe we could have a "moderator" to promote theses areas.
I would also like to notes of the membership meeting posted here for review.
Adam, if I have overstepped my bounds as a member, please accept my apology. only trying to help, and if there's anything I can do, let me know.
Hank

the mechanic directory is of limited use.. we normally get things done near us.. ive entered a few places but how many of you care about who's decent in podunk AR..

however.. a vendor directory would be good.. we all order our stuff from the same two dozen places..

if i could logon and say, "Hey I bought X from Y and its crappy but Z from Y was good.. " this might help..

Ben, I agree a mechanics list may not be very valuable to you. one, you may live where there are few people let alone members, but more pertinant is the fact that you are a very experienced wrench yourself. I wish I were, but I am not. that's why I read all your posts.
I live in an area where there are 14 members within 25 miles of me. there has to be good, trustworthy mechanics that they have used. I would like to know who they are. Arkansas is just too far for me to take my car to be serviced. besides, Ken is only 40 miles away.
Hank

And although I'm busy as heck, I can find some Saturday time here and there. Hank, when are you comming down to visit Summit Racing and have lunch? Bring Capt Bill.

Which brings me to my suggestion for the meeting, although I won't be there.

What about area meetings? Nothing really formal, but a get together a few times a year, or local cruises? I'm not sure how we would do this, and it would not help folks in Podunk, like Ben. Sorry. But it would be fun. Perhaps using other existing area events to meet and become better know as C3VR.

Maybe some local club members would join C3VR and act as a local contact/prompter/advertiser and promote us within a club they are already involved with. There are three such clubs within 50 miles of me. Maybe more. One is less than a mile. I have never been to any of them. I don't wish for us to become part of those clubs, that could be bulky and confusing, and some of them may not be to our liking. But we could be on a friendly basis, and therby promote C3VR.

hank51 said: I live in an area where there are 14 members within 25 miles of me. there has to be good, trustworthy mechanics that they have used. I would like to know who they are. Arkansas is just too far for me to take my car to be serviced. besides, Ken is only 40 miles away. Hank

dont get me wrong, I dont think we should scrap the mechanics directory..

im just saying a vendor directory would be useful to everyone and not just members in clusters

I think the meeting should start out with introductions and then get right into a SWOT.
Using C3VR as the subject and how we can improve it to be world class, we would brainstorm to come up with a list of:
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS

If everyone thinks about these between now and 10/14, we can generate lots of ideas.
The object is to turn the weaknesses around into strengths and the threats into opportunities.
An example of a strength is the quality of knowledge in our members.
A weaknesses might be we are not marketing C3VR as well as we could. Or that we are geographically spread out.
Opportunities are all of the Vette Clubs that already have a list of potential members. And businesses.
A threat might be other forums, or Adam deciding to hang it up.
Think about this for a while and start your own list to bring to the meeting.

After listing all the ideas and prioritizing them, we can then start implementing them to improve the forum.

While I am not able to attend this year due to family obligations that weekend, all comments seem relevant. One thought reading the above I had and something After Shark commented on was with membership comes sponsors. Something of value for paying members would certainly intice growth. My first thoughts after what After Shark said were what if C3VR members received a discount on all purchases or free shipping at a sponsor site? Easily that could pay for membership and spark site growth. We would probably have to create an area within C3VR to link into the sponsor catalog so they could validate X membership level. Who can turn down getting something free or discounted? Don't we all shop on Ebay?

--Eric

L82M21 said: My first thoughts after what After Shark said were what if C3VR members received a discount on all purchases or free shipping at a sponsor site?

I think Bair's has this..

Yes, Bairs and Corvette America have agreed to some kind of terms with their C3VR sponsorship. But, let's face it, most of us don't know how to go about getting the discounts they offer, or you get some local joe on the phone who doesn't know a thing about C3VR and any special offers we might be afforded as members, through our sponsorship with these companies. When you tell him you're a C3VR member he basically shrugs and says "yeah, what of it!"

So, Even though I won't be at C3X either, maybe if you're going to talk about hitting up more sponsors you need to also think about what do we want as members from the sponsors, what are some of the "perks" we would look for from those vendors for giving them our business, and can we come up with a package that can be presented to all corvette vendors that will make our patronage look enticing to them.

A link page to all of the most commonly mentioned Vette parts suppliers would be nice, and when someone becomes a sponsor, a member here needs more solid information to claim any benefits that sponsor is offering to our members than "just tell em you're with C3VR".

I also agree that we need a more thorough "repairs" section. The Tips and Tricks section, which is for Gold and Lifetimes, is dismal (No offense). Off the cuff, I'm going to say most of our Gold and Lifetime members are wrenches and probably don't use this section much, but it might be beneficial to the standard members. I know I'm not a wrench, but I often get more concise information for a specific project by going to (heaven forbid) corvettefaq, than I do by looking in the T&T section here.

For those of us who aren't wrenches and really want to learn...can we come up with some regional workshops hosted by the more knowledgeable of our members, that will target basic and advanced repairs common to a C3 owner? Each class would have to have an entrance fee, most of which would be used for compensation of the "hosts" time and efforts. A "candidate" member vehicle could be used for the demonstrative repair, with the owner purchasing all of the necessary parts and the labor being taught (let's see... kstyer, RedwingVette, Cthulthu, and many others all come to mind for this idea) by people who we all know are extrememly knowledgeable just by reading their posts here on the site.

This "lesson session" would also be an opportune time for regional members to get together, with their Vettes, and talk "shop", cruise, have dinner, make new friends, become a little smarter, etc.

This is just my opinion, guys. I think what all of you are doing makes all of us proud to be members, and I wouldn't be part of any other site dealing with C3's because I think we have the best on the net.

I wish I could join all of the members going to C3X, but October is just not the time of year I want to be driving my girl from Michigan to Kentucky, and back again, and this is definitely an event I would not miss without the Vette!

So, that said, first order of business for your member meet...discuss how to get the NCM to give us a better time slot for a gathering next year!

Save the Wave guys,