getting the word out!!

[reggie060]

I was at a fish store today and ran into a few people that have tanks up and running for awhile and have never heard of the ARC. So I pitched the club a little gave them the good points for joining the ARC now its up to them. That is the way I found the club. Iwas trying to buy live rock didn't like the price the guy a the petstore told me to go on-line at the Reef tank/ARC and look there. The rest is history.
Was just wondering was there a way we could get the clubs info printed out on the bottom part of the receipt at the sponsor stores /
Reggie

[wasabi]

i dont know ,but that is an excellent idea, if we could get them to do it

[Jeremiah]

I was telling a guy in a LFS about a local reef club and they got quite upset with me. I think that once people join reef clubs, they spend WAY less money at the fish store. Luckily I met some local reefers before I started actually buying corals. My first tank was fowlr. I didn't think I could even have a coral reef tank because of the price tags on corals at the lfs. But thanks to local reefers I have a pretty good amount of corals that I haven't paid hardly anything for compared to LFS prices.

[GOHOKIES]

you are so right. its very unlikely that any store will promote the club. I hate to say it but i doubt i'll ever buy a coral or any major system or component at a store again!

[Joel]

It was a hush-hush kinda thing when a seachem rep told me about ARC over a year ago in front of a non-sponsor lfs. The owner of the lfs gets really upset when anyone mentions internet or reef/fish clubs. He still isn't a sponsor and probably never will be.

[MyReef]

While it is true some stores get upset about clubs because of the internet....thing. However, if they are a sponsor, then don't do it as hush hush...in fact even if they aren't a sponsor. We don't need cloak and dagger...the club is about education first and foremost and that is how I would promote it....We are a club of hobbyists for hobbyists. Be a proud card carrying member. Good Job Reggie!

[Lifestudent]

Neat idea Reggie! Simple and effective!

I still have lots of ARC business cards which I bring to every meeting. I'll try to leave them with the Sally (our Membership Coordinator) so when you sign-in you can get them from her.

I hand out at least 3-5 ARC business cards each month to fellow hobbyists who have not heard about us.

[Ray1214]

I have handed out probably over my quota of cards. I have seen only about 10 or so the folks I meet at the LFS. However, I think the Card rack idea and more cards would help. After all we try to promote the sponsers as well.

Ray

[Darkfrog]

Originally Posted by MyReef

While it is true some stores get upset about clubs because of the internet....thing. However, if they are a sponsor, then don't do it as hush hush...in fact even if they aren't a sponsor. We don't need cloak and dagger...the club is about education first and foremost and that is how I would promote it....We are a club of hobbyists for hobbyists. Be a proud card carrying member. Good Job Reggie!

Absolutely in agreement 110%!
There is no reason to be secretive when mentioning the club. You should mention all of the great speakers that we have had, Dana Riddle, Julian Sprung, Eric Borneman, Sanjay Joshi. If the people you are talking to have never heard of them, then tell them just to pick up an issue of FAMA, that the store probably sells.

It is a little bothersome to me that some people here obviously think this club is more about finding good deals than as Andy put it.

[ASunshine]

The first people to approach are our sponsors. They already feel comfortable with the club and understand their position in the market. By asking them to put a sticker on the store front and a display with business cards at the checkout counter we can dramatically expand our horizons. We should be very sensitive to the market complexity(competition fromt the internet,frag swap, etc.) when talking to our sponsors.

[Kalkbreath]

Can a sponsor store use the ARC in its advertizing ? Such as billboards and in FAMA ? If the proper documents and papers are signed ...........I Know one store that is about to spread its word in a variety of advertizing methods ...........if The ARC wishes to tag along .........there are perhaps ten thousand hobbyists in this area .......if ARC had half of that in members ................you could possibly have enough pull to invite Mother Nature herself as a speaker?

[Darkfrog]

Originally Posted by Kalkbreath

you could possibly have enough pull to invite Mother Nature herself as a speaker?

I've already talked to her agent and she agreed to lecture in January next year.

[goodfortune]

I remember that when I first moved to Atlanta after graduating from college, a friend that grew up here suggested that I look at Creative Loafing's section where they advertise different clubs and organizations. This section tends to be in the middle of the paper where they advertise different concerts, movies, and events. He thought it would be a good way to start meeting new people and to get involved with something I enjoyed.
Do we have an ad in that section of creative loafing? If not, it may be something we should look into.


- Michael

[MyReef]

I don't see why not kalk....I will point to your post for the BOD members to see... Thanks!

[Joel]

Quote: If the people you are talking to have never heard of them, then tell them just to pick up an issue of FAMA, that the store probably sells.



The particular store I mentioned where the Seachem rep mentioned ARC does not sell FAMA. As a matter of fact I asked him about it a year or so ago and his reply was, (paraphrase) why do I want to sell a magazine that is only a bunch of advertisements to take business away from me and promote internet sales.