SSA Growth

The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

The number of bumper stickers and trailer graphics on the road is
still small. However, if they are part of the reason for growth, it
means more of them will work even better. PLEASE, please, put them on
your trailer and car. There are other aspects of LGG but it's the one
thing you can to to help.

If the trend holds for another couple of months, it's time to be
thinking of new trainers - the Euro is falling.

Bill Daniels
SSA Growth and Development Committee Chairman

Bill,

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:10:10 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:

The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

Does this exclude temporary memberships (e.g., FAST program)? How much would the membership normally grow in the spring?

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 3:30:52 PM UTC-6, David Reitter wrote:
Bill,

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:10:10 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:

The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

Does this exclude temporary memberships (e.g., FAST program)? How much would the membership normally grow in the spring?

There are no Introductory Memberships in the metrics.

FWIW, I put LGG bumper stickers on both my wife's and my son's cars (in addition to mine) and they've been getting asked about gliding.

Frank Whiteley

On May 26, 3:30*pm, David Reitter wrote:
Bill,

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:10:10 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:
The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

Does this exclude temporary memberships (e.g., FAST program)? *How much would the membership normally grow in the spring?

What Frank says - all full memberships. The results are above
seasonal trends - but I still have my fingers crossed.

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:47:44 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:

What Frank says - all full memberships. The results are above
seasonal trends - but I still have my fingers crossed.

Nice, congrats. I'm going to get another sticker for the van. (The trailer doesn't move around enough.)

By the way, I think we've been doing well attracting new members this spring in our small club (+10% membership). Introductory memberships akin to FAST help. The extensive coverage in our local newspaper's weekend edition last summer also brought a lot of interest (rides mostly, but even that helps sustain the club).

Perhaps having a press kit available would make it easier for clubs to get the attention of their local news outlets (newspapers, TV stations). This could contain news articles about local gliding clubs published in the last few years, some basic info clearing up misconceptions and terminology.

On May 26, 3:56*pm, David Reitter wrote:
On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:47:44 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:
What Frank says - all full memberships. *The results are above
seasonal trends - but I still have my fingers crossed.

Nice, congrats. *I'm going to get another sticker for the van. *(The trailer doesn't move around enough.)

By the way, I think we've been doing well attracting new members this spring in our small club (+10% membership). *Introductory memberships akin to FAST help. *The extensive coverage in our local newspaper's weekend edition last summer also brought a lot of interest (rides mostly, but even that helps sustain the club).

Perhaps having a press kit available would make it easier for clubs to get the attention of their local news outlets (newspapers, TV stations). * This could contain news articles about local gliding clubs published in the last few years, some basic info clearing up misconceptions and terminology..

There is a great press kit put together by Val Paget. It's available
through the SSA office or from Val herself.

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:56:51 PM UTC-4, David Reitter wrote:

some basic info clearing up misconceptions and terminology.

I wish the media would stop reporting routine "land outs" as "emergency landing" and "crashes".

On Sat, 26 May 2012 18:55:18 -0700 (PDT), son_of_flubber
wrote:

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:56:51 PM UTC-4, David Reitter wrote:

some basic info clearing up misconceptions and terminology.

I wish the media would stop reporting routine "land outs" as "emergency landing" and "crashes".

And I wish we had world peace. Let me know which happens first...

On May 26, 5:47*pm, Bill D wrote:
On May 26, 3:30*pm, David Reitter wrote:

Bill,

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:10:10 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:
The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

Does this exclude temporary memberships (e.g., FAST program)? *How much would the membership normally grow in the spring?

What Frank says - all full memberships. *The results are above
seasonal trends - but I still have my fingers crossed.

Frank, I had my first visit yesterday to the National Soaring Museum
at Harris Hill. Among the large collection of beautifully restored
vintage gliders and the gift shop too, there were none of the LGG
bumper stickers. Even an enquiry at the counter yeilded only
ignorance of the stickers and the program.

Cab someone at Harris Hill rectify this?

On Sunday, May 27, 2012 5:04:55 AM UTC-6, Charlie Papa wrote:
On May 26, 5:47*pm, Bill D wrote:
On May 26, 3:30*pm, David Reitter wrote:

Bill,

On Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:10:10 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:
The result is small, may be a fluke and it's too soon for the
LetsGoGliding campaign to claim credit but, since February, SSA
membership has grown at least 50 members every month with 74 new
members in April which represents a reversal of the long term downward
trend.

Does this exclude temporary memberships (e.g., FAST program)? *How much would the membership normally grow in the spring?

What Frank says - all full memberships. *The results are above
seasonal trends - but I still have my fingers crossed.

Frank, I had my first visit yesterday to the National Soaring Museum
at Harris Hill. Among the large collection of beautifully restored
vintage gliders and the gift shop too, there were none of the LGG
bumper stickers. Even an enquiry at the counter yeilded only
ignorance of the stickers and the program.

Cab someone at Harris Hill rectify this?

I'm on it.

Frank Whiteley