First year of WBCCI...

[Minnie's Mate]

In the past, I guess, "the organization formerly known as the WBCCI" gave new owners their first year of membership free. When bought our new AS, we received a membership application in the paper work, but there was nothing about the first year being free or reduced in cost. We plan on joining, but if we can save a little on the cost of membership we would like to get that benefit.

[Stefrobrts]

They cancelled that program the year after I took advantage of it, which would be about three years ago now. I hear it didn't net them enough new members, but I think it's a great idea. I'm still in it.

[TIMEMACHINE]

Thats not a bad idea....in today's world you need to pull out all of the stops to compete for peoples time. Of course we also have to make membership rewarding once someone is hooked, otherwise, even "free" isn't worth the time.

[dwightdi]

They say they got less than 15% of the free memberships to sign up for the second year. I have no idea whether any of the freebies even came to a Rally, Most likely just took the free magazines and that told them what they wanted to know. Since the magazine advertising income is more than it takes to publish it, they really were not out anything except the cost of the directory, which does not get as much advertising income. The Airstream company at one time also gave out a free year and the club collected the money from them. They also dropped the program because it was not seen as an immediate benefit to their sales.

[TIMEMACHINE]

Good info on the reasoning for not continueing the "first year free" program.

Not to repeat myself, but the important question to answer is "why?" Why did only 15% renew their membership? I think the answer may prove out my earlier point...we have to make membership rewarding to keep members...maybe, just maybe, the new members did not believe the membership was worthwhile.

I personally do feel that being a member has its rewards, but I didn't come by that opinion on my own, it took all the great members I met to open my eyes to all that is available and the community that exists for our mutual benefit.

By the way, by most marketing standards, 15% is not a bad return rate from a "first year free" promotion. It wouldn't take much to get that up to say 25%, which is a very good return rate.