WBCCI Survey

[smily]

Survey for WBCCI
Looks like there is a survey for all who are interested or have thought of joining the WBCCI.

The survey allows interested parties to convey their opinions and interests in the WBCCI events and memberships including, rally attractions, fees, locations, membership drives, entertainment and family participation.

I have filled out this survey and I would personally request and recommend that all members take the ten or fifteen minutes to fill it out and send it back.

This survey will hopefully influence the WBCCI to focus on membership recruiting and retention.

The WBCCI has been around for a long time and will be around for a long time to come.

So if the response rate is high, the rallies and events will get better and attractive to all walks of life including the working class with children. (like me).

It is apparent that most of us here on this forum are proud to be part of a great tradition and I think many would like to get together in the rallies if the rallies were well rounded and exciting for all of us proud owners of the American dream.

Please request your survey and fill it out at this link.

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily


__________________

[uwe]

Smily,

It appears that the link from the site you specified to request the survey does not work.
Any ideas?

[Edie]

The link works fine for me.

Are you using AOL?

Have you tried shutting down your machine and restarting it?

[uwe]

smily's link to the site works fine, but the mail to: link at the site for the survey request will not work for me. It pulls up my e-mail page, but the e-mail address won't go through. It says " unknown recipient".
I am not using aol.

[thenewkid64]

Uwe,

It looks like the link for request is set up to send mail to two addresses. Try this one Bass1717@aol.com . It is one of the email addresses listed when I clicked on the link. I am using Outlook for 2000 or outlook express 6 (it depends what computer I am on). The email links work for me, but the one posted above should work no matter what, I hope??.

[uwe]

Thanks, Brett,
Your e-mail link worked. You are right - it did pull in 2 e-mail addresses.

[smily]

The site now has only one e-mail address for request'.

The address is Airstreamsurvey@aol.com

Step up and join in the survey. We can evolve the WBCCI into a club for all.

Smily

[smily]

Join in and tell em' what you want!
You can make a difference in the WBCCI.

You just gotta fill out the survey and send it in.

The link to survey is here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

People are rallying to fill out the survey,
Have you requested your survey yet?

Request it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Happy thanksgiving to all of you WBCCI members...... and Forum members too.

Have you filled out your survey today? Get it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Would you come to a Rally if it were the coolest event in all of Airstreaming?

Well to be the coolest you have to beat the coolest!

Help us "be" the coolest by filling out the survey.

Get it here:


http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Dont be aTurkey! Get your survey and fill it out.

Tis the season...............

Smily

[smily]

Thanks to every one who has participated in the survey.

But.....


We are not done yet.

Please request a survey and fill it out.

Thanks,
Smily

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

[smily]

With this cold front moving through the why dont you folks find a nice warm place and sit down and fill out the survey.

Find it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Glad to see you all made it through the storm and thanks for the responses.

How about the rest of you kind folks?

It only takes about ten minutes to fill it out.

Please request your survey here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Or would you like to say what is on your mind?

Say it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

So hit the link and request your survey today!

Get it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

Come one come all!

Good or bad, happy or sad, , we want to know what you think about the WBCCI.

Please get your survey and fill it out. Get it here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

Smily

[smily]

New year and new Members.

It is going to be a great year in the WBCCI.

Let us know what you would like to do this year and the years to come.

Request your suvey here:

http://www.geocities.com/ksmillie/WBCCI_Survey.html

[smily]

The results are in and there is much to say.....

Please read the following and realize that the WBCCI is evolving.

Career and Family Generation Survey Report
Submitted by Renee Ettline, Unit Officer Training Chair, Region 3, WBCCI

History: In May of 2002, Region 3 President Don Shafer assigned to the Region 3 Unit Officer Training Chair, Renee Ettline, the task of gathering information regarding how to make WBCCI more attractive to “Baby Boomers”. Renee solicited the assistance of all Unit 3 Presidents in identifying those members who were under the age of 60. Of 22 Units, 9 units responded with this information. From the information received, a sample of 35 couples was chosen to receive a survey. In some cases, only one member of the couple was under 60 and only that member was asked to respond. The survey was also made available through Airstreamforums.com. Responses represent 32 individuals.

Profile of Survey Respondents:
Ages: 20’s = 1 (3%) 30’s = 4 (13%) 40’s = 15 (47%) 50’s = 12 (37%)

Survey Respondents who travel with Children = 7 (22%)
Respondents who travel with Pets = 11 (34%)
Approximately 50% of the Survey Respondents have served as Unit Officers or Officer Spouses


Career and Family Generation Survey Results
The information below seeks to summarize the feedback received through the survey. Comments are grouped by topic themes. Since some respondents are younger than “Baby Boomers” the phrase Career and Family Generation, abbreviated CFG is being used.
The ideas presented provide a road map for WBCCI in its attempts to invigorate the club.

Recognize the Need
WBCCI Clubs Need to Recognize the Need to Attract More Career and Family Generation Members. It has been said that WBCCI is only one generation away from extinction. Since WBCCI has traditionally attracted retirees, it is inevitable that these retirees will also move to the point of retiring from Rving. If everyone in the club is approximately the same age retiree, the club will eventually disappear. Increasing membership from the career and family generations (CFG) is not only crucial to the club’s long term future, it also benefits the club in the present and near future.

A diverse membership offers many advantages and enriches WBCCI clubs. CFG members bring new ideas and enthusiasm which when combined with the experience and stability of older members makes for strong WBCCI units. If WBCCI units wish to remain active and viable, an age diverse membership is key. Clubs need to consider their attitude toward younger adults, children, singles, and pets. That attitude, which comes across to new and potential members, needs to be warm and welcoming if the club is to grow or even to remain stable.

Rally Times and Locations
*Times and locations of rallies need to be planned with consideration of work and school
schedules. Mid-week rallies automatically exclude working people.
*Breakfast needs to be set at a time conducive to the weekend of a person who works all week.
*Rallies need to be held at places with some type of local attractions or activities of interest to
families.
*Avoid Mother’s Day or other holidays that have family commitments.
*Vary rally locations to keep up interest. Don’t go to the same campground all the time.
*Do take advantage of local events and attractions as part of the rally.
*If there are no local activities or attractions, provide activities such as seminars, crafts, games,
etc. Be sure to have things of interest to both sexes and to all ages.
*Go to locations with full hook-ups or at least 30 amps and water.

Marketing to CFG
*Airstream company needs to continue developing products to target the working component of
the market.
*They need to advertise to this market as the BMW of RV’s (or as another survey respondent
states, the Harley Davidson of RVs). A product with a proud heritage that also has a status symbol of current significance and desirability to all ages.
*The retiree-only stereotype of Airstream needs to be addressed. Buick addressed their image as
a seniors only vehicle by placing Tiger Woods behind the wheel of its sport utility and saying “It’s not your father’s Buick anymore”. Airstream needs to convey the same message and could easily use its contemporary CCD model trailer in advertising to do so.
*WBCCI needs to work with Airstream to attract the career and family generations, conveying
the message that neither Airstream nor WBCCI are limited to retirees.
*People are most attracted to others with whom they share a common bond. Clubs need to
capitalize on this to attract more pre-retirement age members. Current pre-retirement age
members are most effective in attracting new members in their age group.
*Offering activities of interest to pre-retirement members is crucial to attracting them to the club. *Young Airstream owners are most able to afford used Airstreams and therefore have a common
interest in refurbishing techniques and ideas. Units need to focus on this common
interest to attract these folks.
*Survey respondents are more likely to attend rallies where there are known to be other middle
aged people. You don’t want CFG members to feel they are out of their element.
*Clubs need to ask themselves, what is their attitude toward having CFG members. That
attitude will come across to new and potential members as either welcoming or not.

Children
*Children need to be welcomed and recruited. Parents are more prone to come if the children are
happy.
*Offer activities that interest children/teens
*Utilize intergenerational activities to build rapport and unity between all generations.
*Have a kids section in the newsletter
*”Perhaps WBCCI could start a sort of junior membership level for the kids and design some
activities to be done at rallies by kids that would help them “earn” their membership.
Activities might be centered on teaching them about the history of Airstreams and caravanning, about RV and campground safety, and about being a good RV neighbor in a campground. What better place for kids to learn than among so many qualified teachers? Perhaps you could work with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to create a special Airstreaming badge.”

Pets
*Be pet friendly or you will loose members who don’t feel that their pets are welcome. While
all ages may travel with pets; younger members with children are especially likely to do so. Encourage responsible, considerate pet ownership.
*Schedule rallies at places that allow pets.

Why the CFG Buys Airstream
*CFG owners buy Airstream products because of their quality, appearance, and nostalgia,
*CFG members join WBCCI for friendships; time with peers with common interests; time with
mixed age groups; a sense of community; technical networking; shared information on
travel tips and destinations; and recreational activities.
*WBCCI CFG members often know someone with an Airstream or have grown up with a family
that traveled in an Airstream.
*Airstreaming gets the whole family out together to enjoy nature, events or attractions.
*CFG singles enjoy Airstreaming as a means to travel with and meet others.

Incorporating Career and Family Generation Members into WBCCI
*Make the club personal and welcoming.
*Show an interest in your new members. Get to know their interest, skills, and what they expect
from your WBCCI club.
*As you get to know new members in the career and family group, learn what interests and skills
they have.
*Capitalize on the excitement of new members by involving them in some way.
*Welcome and appreciate their contributions without pressuring them to do more than they are
comfortable doing. Involvement at a person’s desired level breeds ownership. Pressure to contribute turns people away. Working people often come to rallies to get away from a
pressured life and want rallies to be both relaxing and recreational. Even so, these people
can make significant contributions to the club if allowed to do so in areas that they enjoy.
*Realize that career and family generation members have many commitments and demands on
their time. Consistently welcome them when they can come, realizing that they may not
come every time. Rather than “Where have you been?” Try “We are so glad to see you”.
*Remember that giving support and praise reinforces volunteer efforts.

Region Rallies
*CFG members are usually far more interested in local club rallies/activities than they are in
Region or International Rallies or caravans simply due to convenience and the complications of work schedules and/or family commitments. If they choose to take vacation time to travel to a Region, Special Events or International Rally, it better be worth their time or they will not return.
*Most working people must take vacation time to attend a complete Region or International
Rally. To justify taking vacation time, the rally needs to be held in a location with activities of interest to pre-retirement aged people and children/teens.
*Weekend rates need to be available and advertised for those Airstreamers who work and can
only come for the weekend.
*Comments regarding recent R3 rallies include requests for more vendors, more mixer activities
for first timers, a more welcoming climate for those who may not know many people,
and better organization.
*A region officer should contact new members within a month of their joining.
*Region and International Rallies have too much pageantry. Not many people really want to sit
through an endless parade of flags. It is impressive for a few minutes. Soon fanny fatigue and boredom set in. Opening and closing formalities need to be kept to less than one hour at International and shorter at Regional Rallies.

Rally Activities
*Our unit holds rallies once a month. As a working person, one quarter of my weekends is really
one quarter of my free time. For me to spend that time with my RV club, they have to offer something to attract and hold my interest.
*Seek variety in rally events. Have activities, themes, programs, and crafts, that are
intergenerational.
*Have interesting things to do with high activity levels at rallies.
*Leave some free time at the rally, but strictly chat and chew rallies hold limited draw for the
career and family generation.
*Career and family generation members want to learn about travel destinations and their
Airstream equipment.
*Have rallies in areas that feature nature or attractions.
*Suggested activities include: live entertainment; maintenance or safety seminars; comedy; a
variety of seminars; crafts; Airstream contests such as awards for best improved, oldest,
most unique; creative activities that involve all the attendees; rallies based on themes.
*Encourage parents and grandparents to bring children.
*Involve the children.
*Visit interesting places.
*Events need to be well organized.

Fees
*Fees should reflect the not-for-profit nature of the club.
*Rallies that begin or end during the week should have rates for those who can only attend on the
weekend.
*Have reduced rates for children and teens.
*Have an incentive program where your first rally fee is free.
*Deduct the site cost if a person is staying off site. If I go to International and want to stay at a
decent campground, my rally rate should be adjusted accordingly (since I will not be using the rally site campground). Why should I pay for facilities that I am unwilling to use?
*Pay one year’s unit membership for first time Airstream owners just to give them a taste of the
club.

Communication
*Get informative newsletters out in a timely efficient manner. The newsletter should reflect
excitement and interesting unit activities. Include directions and a map to the rally in your newsletter. Include classifieds in the newsletter.
*Use computer technology. Email newsletters and information to members who have
computers. Use the Internet and web sites.
*Use Airstream forum.com which reaches CFG aged Airstreamers and potential Airstreamers. In
a recent survey of 129 Airstreamforums.com users, the age breakdown was as follows:

Airstreamforums.com
Age Group Percentage of Users
Under 20 0%
20-29 03.88%
30-39 24.81%
40-49 21.71%
50-54 18.60%
55-59 12.40%
60-64 09.30%
65-69 06.20%
70-74 02.33%
Over 75 00.78%

Airstreamforums.com is relatively new and is rapidly gaining increased attention. The above statistics illustrate that it targets the exact age groups we are seeking to target. It would be an extreme oversight not to use it to promote WBCCI.

*List member’s telephone numbers and email addresses in the WBCCI Directory to increase
member’s ability to contact one another.
*Have an on-line membership application so people can join on-line and pay with a credit card.
Link this to joining a unit as well.
*Keep the Airstream web site updated.
*Utilize the Blue Beret to address issues of interest to CFG members.
*Invite career and family generation Airstream owners to your rallies.
Place personal phone calls to new and potential members.
*Call members you haven’t seen and invite them to attend the next unit rally.
Include classifieds in newsletter.

Update WBCCI Image
*Change the image from an exclusively retiree club to a more diversified group catering to the
needs of all Airstreamers. Make it clear that members of all ages are welcomed and
valued.
*Be open to updating the image of WBCCI. In 2003, Wally might be wearing a blue baseball
cap, but not likely a blue beret. (Comments included such as: The Blue beret makes me
think of the order of the buffalo hat on the Flintstones, both are outdated. If you want to
attract more younger members, get rid of the blue beret. My husband is an officer, but I
refuse to wear the beret.) These comments may initially be rebuffed by long time Airstreamers, but need to be evaluated in light of the following thoughts.
In 1951, when Wally Byam led a caravan to Managua, Nicaragua, he established the blue Beret as a means of quickly identifying his 100 caravanners in a large crowd.
It was stylish and could be carried in your back pocket. In short, it fit the times and was a practical means of identifying caravanners and at the same time, advertising the club.
Today, Airstreamers only wear the Blue Beret at official functions and some refuse to wear it even then. I would advocate keeping the Blue Beret for those who cherish it, but also offering the option of something more contemporary such as an official WBCCI baseball cap. A cap would more likely actually be used as Wally had intended the beret to be used. Every member could be encouraged to own one and wear them on caravans and when in the community at rallies. The compliance level would be much greater than with the Beret and Wally’s intent could be fulfilled.

*Look at the mindset of current members. Help current members to understand the advantages
of recruiting younger members. This is critical.

The WBCCI Community
*The shared community bond of WBCCI is unique in today’s world. CFG members often seek
this unique sense of community.
*Stress family minded intergenerational fellowship as this appeals to all ages.
*Utilize the experiences of older members to create programs that build a sense of extended
family.
*Use mentors for new members.
*Involve members of all ages in planning rallies.
*Cherish old friends but welcome and include new. Don’t be cliquish. Make sure new members
know they are welcomed and desired. Include them in your group. Invite them to ride to dinner, etc. Club members need to be mindful and set up ways to help new members feel included. A cold impersonal club turns new comers away.
*Eliminate activities conducive to clique maintenance.

Be open to change.
*Wally was a progressive creative visionary. Rather than living the way Wally did back then,
we need to approach the club they way Wally would if he were here in this day and age. Just because things have always been done a certain way, does not mean we can’t change for variety or improvement. WBCCI needs to fit today’s lifestyle.
*“We do not like to camp in dusty cow pastures (or fairgrounds) that have little or no facilities
available. I bought an Airstream because I enjoy the comforts it affords… Staying in an area that is full of dirt and dust, having to keep the windows open because you can’t run the A/C, not being able to take a shower because of lack of water or fear of over filling holding tanks is not my idea of a good time… I know that this is the way Wally did it in ’34 but this is 2002 shouldn’t we expect more?”
*Listen to an implement new ideas.
.
Emphasize Unit Rallies/Activities in Promotions to CFG
*WBCCI needs less focus on international and regional officers and more on ordinary members
and families.
*Region and unit rallies are more important than International rallies to CFG. Many CFG
members cannot make it to International and Region Rallies. For them the
attraction needs to be at the local level and with the content in WBCCI publications.
*International Officers often seem out of touch with local issues. It is almost as though there are
two clubs, the International Club with its concerns and politics and the local units with their main emphasis on having fun camping together.
*Younger members often see IBT as really just about the International Rally and as a clique of
good ole boys.