Recrute a Friend Get a Prize?

[Bronzewyrm]

i have been thinking alot latly on how to help the club grow. There has been lots of talk latly about bettering the NWC so i thaught id throw this out there.

have printable flyers or buisness cards with the NAXJA/NWC info on it. possably some personal info from the deliver'r. we could simply leave it as a windsheild add or something. if the person decides to become a full red letter member. give the recruter a prise.(t-shirt, hat, stickers.ect...)

just a brainstorming thred le me know what u guies think. i see modified XJ's all the time that could be Wheelin with us:greensmok

Bronze.

[Muddy Beast]

Although the idea may bring in volume...the club doesn't exist to give people an incentive to join, other then to do it to support what they believe in. Let's face it, this is a non-profit organization and the last thing they're prepared to do is give things away just to get more members.

IMO, if you have an XJ or MJ, and you need assistance in something related to it and you come here to get it, or you're looking for people with similar interest, you should pony up and pay for a membership. I find it rather rude that people who have the funds available will use this site and save them selves tons of money by doing the work themselves with others help, and yet they won't put in the $20 or $30 or w/e it is for a membership that PAYS for this website/club to even exist.

Not hating on your ideas, just saying I don't think this is the best way to approach having a more active club. But rather put on events and such that make people want to join.

~Scott

[spikeypuck]

I know i'm new to the XJ world. But it took me awhile to find this site. I found another forum first, and used it about a month before i found naxja. This forum/ club has much more information. I'm not bagging on the other one at all. I support there and still use it daily. But if i came out to the jeep one day and had a naxja card on the window, i would have been a happy boy that day.
I will agree that there doesn't have to be prizes, but I would put cards on windows if it helps out

[mojojojo]

We have actually had this same discussion many times in the past few years. Although what Scott says is true about the club not having a ton of funds to throw around, i am open to the idea of some sort of membership drive. this is something that can deffinately be discussed. I encourage everyone to put some thought into the idea and share them. we have made flyers and buisness cards before and i dont think it would be that difficult to do it again. I will dig up and update the old flyer when i have some free time and gladly email it to anyone who is interested in throwing some around.

[Bronzewyrm]

Although the idea may bring in volume...the club doesn't exist to give people an incentive to join, other then to do it to support what they believe in. Let's face it, this is a non-profit organization and the last thing they're prepared to do is give things away just to get more members.

IMO, if you have an XJ or MJ, and you need assistance in something related to it and you come here to get it, or you're looking for people with similar interest, you should pony up and pay for a membership. I find it rather rude that people who have the funds available will use this site and save them selves tons of money by doing the work themselves with others help, and yet they won't put in the $20 or $30 or w/e it is for a membership that PAYS for this website/club to even exist.

Not hating on your ideas, just saying I don't think this is the best way to approach having a more active club. But rather put on events and such that make people want to join.

~Scott

I agree. I have noticed there are alot of Forum users that are not active "payd or not" Within the chapter. and by all means we dont want to further that situation.

However. I know and have met Loads of people that dont even know that the Jeep Cherokee is called "XJ" let alone know about a NAXJA club.
Also id like to think that we promote good forrest habbits and manors that we could pass along to help the Genral OHV system.

as far as giving and insentive to join the club. i dident mean to imply that. I was trying to give incentives to current "payd" members to recrute new NAXJA forum users and new RED letter members. maby the incentives need to be negated? altough there called incentives for a resion.

Arnt there chapter funds in need of a good pourpous anywho?

I mentioned personal info aswell. For instance, If i was going to leave a window flyer i would include an e-mail address for myself and forum user name, and all the appropreate Site/Chapter info. a warm invite and hope for the best.

Thankyou Scott for the input. I needed to clarify. I hope your build is going well, and look forward to wheeling with you sometime.

John

[TORX]

I think some simple business cards could be handy to have. I printed some out a while back, and must have placed at least 10 on various XJ's around Vancouver. Yet, nothing came from any of them. :dunno:

I don't think getting more people to come to NAXJA is the problem. It seems like new guys are popping up all the time, but they don't stick around. I think getting people to become actual members, and more importantly become more involved with the club/chapter is the problem. It seems like right now NAXJA is just a place to check in, see whats happening, and then leave. By having more organized runs and meet-n-greets I believe it will help bring some "community" to the chapter and get more people involved.

[92xjkid]

I use this site every day just to look what all you guys are doing to your jeeps and to also get ideas on what to do with my jeep. I get on for atleast an house at school and then for a good bit late at night. i feel like i should pay and support the forum and have planed to do so..

i just never post cause i am 17 and have only owned a jeep for a year and a half. i feel like i know so so so much about cherokees now and i just wanted to thank you guys and i hope to be doing some trail runs with you sometime soon as long as you guys dont mind a noob coming along. also i plan to pay as soon as i get the extra 30 bucks =]

[Mc2KXJ]

I think some simple business cards could be handy to have. I printed some out a while back, and must have placed at least 10 on various XJ's around Vancouver. Yet, nothing came from any of them. :dunno:


Quite a few handfuls were handed out to people at NWFest, and like you, I’m sure I have a few left in my wallet. I handed out at least 3 when I was in Chicago and two of them have signed up (in their local chapter), but only one from the Northwest has, out of all the ones handed out.

[wazzudude]

I am going to chime in on this one. I have been lurking on this forum for almost a year. I am not red because I don't feel I am part of the chapter. I don't go on any of the runs because I haven't had the time and I don't want to drive the 500 dollar jeep 100 miles to get to any of the trail systems that are around.

I think that the card idea is great! I think the problem with getting people to stay is the general lack of posting activity in the chapter. To me, the fun stuff to read is the general life stuff that gets posted on a forum and that just doesn't happen much on this site.

I don't know, I am just rambling and this might not be that coherent, but I like this site because it is the first one I found when I moved from the import tuner thing to the jeep thing and I would like to see it more active.

[IXNAYXJ]

I think the problem with getting people to stay is the general lack of posting activity in the chapter.I agree. I was just searching for some stuff, and some results came up from a trail run in 2006.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101507&highlight=oktoberfest

Which got me to thinking about the "good old days," and how with very little effort, there was always something going on or being discussed, events to run, Noobfests 1-4 (click for example (http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=914433&highlight=n00bfest)) There was a time when more people were united and willing to work together for a common cause, not despite it and weren't afraid to take a little ribbin'. I suppose this thread wasn't intended to be about chapter leadership or the elections, but the issues do dovetail nicely.

-----Matt-----

[wazzudude]

Noobfest sounds cool. It addresses many of the reasons why I think a lot of people won't come to the bigger get togethers (myself included). Some of us have a general lack of knowledge/skill when it comes to this wheeling/jeep thing. I know I do. Outside of riding with friends in high school and college I have very little experience. Let's face it, it is a little intimidating going out with a bunch of people that know each other very well, especially if you are self conscious about your skill level and your vehicle. Not all of us have a locked xj on 35's with a winch.

[XJ_ranger]

FYI - for the past (3?) years, NAXJA has had a 'March Membership Drive'...

[AIbandit]

I think some simple business cards could be handy to have. I printed some out a while back, and must have placed at least 10 on various XJ's around Vancouver. Yet, nothing came from any of them. :dunno:

I think that's a pretty good way to spread the word.

I don't think incentives should be necessary as XJ ranger said the March membership drive should be enough. My experience in providing incentives for members is this. 1. You get people that don't really care about the club. 2. You get people that don't have the maturity to behave on/off the trail inevidably giving us a bad name.

On activity I would have to agree I was in the sierra chapter for a while and there were meet and greets almost monthly. The last time one mentioned here was 5 months ago and 3 people showed up.

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Let's face it, it is a little intimidating going out with a bunch of people that know each other very well, especially if you are self conscious about your skill level and your vehicle. Not all of us have a locked xj on 35's with a winch.
on one hand i can agree, i know what you mean

on the other i dont..

i dont know anyone here.. i have met up with a handful of them on a few occasions in a parking lot in the middle of no-where, and then proceded to spend the day enjoying a few trails.. if your a respectable driver, then wheeling comes easy.. its about having fun.. and if your level headed then you wont have ANY problems..
I have yet to meet someone from this forum in person and feel threatened or Un-welcomed. everybody is always willing to lend a hand or give advice when needed. I personally dont go in the woods without atleast 1 other vehicle, and when your in a group of 5-10 rigs, there is a huge since of security IMO!


expecting IXNAXJ to critisize my Grammer, spelling, and puctuation any time now!

[92xjkid]

i think it would be good to have a get meet and ride trip somewhere close to everyone and then go on a simpler trail run if you really wanna get guys intrested i know i could bring 2 of my friends with xjs and another one of them with a zj archers seems to be a good trail run because if your not confortable with some of the harder trails you can go around and/or watch some of the better drivers work there magic. if people knew that it was in event for people that for noobs or feel like noobs they might feel better about going.. also i think it would be cool to do some type of fundraising to open the first naxja nw shop where people can work on there jeeps together it might be a long shop but the goverment has been know to sponser things like this. especaily if you did some kind of educational thing there for high school students and so forth.. i know that is a long way off but i have heard of groups who buy/lease land for there club.. like the molla mud bog.. but instead it could be a jeep thing =]

[mud1059]

[COLOR=silver]expecting IXNAXJ to critisize my Grammer, spelling, and puctuation any time now![/COLOR

I almost missed that one!

Let's face it, it is a little intimidating going out with a bunch of people that know each other very well, especially if you are self conscious about your skill level and your vehicle. Not all of us have a locked xj on 35's with a winch.

That's half the fun! Meeting new people, giving whoever may be broken/stuck a hard time. When it's you broken/stuck ya laugh. When it's someone else ya laugh harder. It's all in jest and everyone has to start somewhere. My first time out in a Cherokee my shifter came out in my hand and I was stuck in neutral on a hill leaning hard to the Dside. I got dragged out, wedged the tranny in second and got pulled out 5 times before I overheated 4 times on the way home. While intimidating yes, but there's always cool guys willing to lend a hand when you need it.

example:
Hell, I met Dave (Supsa) at Evan's in '06. It had snowed recently and him and a pack of people came shivering over asking if we could help them out on a trail. They'd broken pretty good on a late night trail run. Dave had a broken upper control arm and something else, I forget. His buddy (50ft up the hill) couldn't start. Dave had help with a welder on the way so we focused on his friend. After 8hrs of towing and winching we got him back in the parking lot. It took a long time and "ruined" a whole day of wheeling, but Dave is now a member here and NOW a quite experienced wheeler ;) Well at least he's experienced in extracting his own rig from a trail :D

Two last things here. I continually keep my rig close to street legal for one reason. If someone breaks and we can't fix it on the trail or at camp, they can drive my rig down the hill and I'll tow whoever is broken. It's happened on several occasions and worked well every time.

There's good guys out on the trails! Don't be shy, carry spare parts, and expect the worst but hope for the best!

PS: Elbe is only 62.59 miles away from Centralia :)

[GlueNTape]

A couple years ago. I had to google how to put my XJ into 4wheel drive. I bought it used.. and it didn't come with a manual.

So, after figuring that out.. I showed up for a run. Had a blast and it has bee down hill ever since.


Ya, I think we got off on a tangent, but over the summer we were going on runs every weekend. At least. New people are always welcome.
I think its more fun wheeling with someone new.

[Mc2KXJ]

I think its more fun wheeling with someone new.

True dat! Most of the people I've met on here, I met before we even went on a run. Occasionally someone will post up that they needed help with an install and if they lived close enough, I would drive out to lend a hand; and that would be my first time meeting face to face. You make some of the best friends having a Jeep in common and then when a run comes up… you instantly have someone helping you on the trail should you need it and you make your own comfort zone.
I’ve NEVER been on a run where someone was shunned or secretly not wanted there. :thumbup:

[mojojojo]

we set up a noob run in the PDX / Vanc area this year and a ton of people showed up. Although the first section of Fire Break 5 proved to much for them and most had broken or decided to head home.

this is deffinately something we can and will do again !

[spikeypuck]

I know i'm looking forward to meeting you all on thanksgiving. And im planning on it all going downhill from there.

wazzudude if you can get your $500 xj to beaverton you can ride in my $600 xj to browns camp. Its chopped and as of now no heat. but its alot of fun..

As far as why i went red. It was when i started getting Pm's from people about issues i'm having. Its just one of those things. I havn't met a person from here face to face, but yet i feel like i'm welcome to be here.

[Bronzewyrm]

Well from what i gather so far. incentives have been tried befor and dident work well. so thats out.

Buisness card/flyers. good ideah but not too productive.

Noob Fest and Meet and Greets. Good ideah.

My origonal post stemed from a lack of local wheelers."my local" there are plenty of people in the populated areas to hookup with. Portland/vanc. seattle/tacoma/puget sound area. but for me at least. its sparcly populated in the midvalley Area for NAXJA folks. and im constantly serching for an extra hand on the XJ or a partner for a wheeling trip.

[Bronzewyrm]

we set up a noob run in the PDX / Vanc area this year and a ton of people showed up. Although the first section of Fire Break 5 proved to much for them and most had broken or decided to head home.

this is deffinately something we can and will do again !

i think archers in the wet seision would be a good place to start the noobs off. FB5 was a little much on my first run with you all.

[Muddy Beast]

I think this thread has pointed out just how badly we need another meet and greet...I vote the next prez or vice prez does that. :thumbup: Next to that, we obviously need more organized runs. Maybe we should set-up someone who is designated as a "trail run coordinator" like someone in Wa, and another in Or...?

And while we're talking about wheeling, I think lately (myself included) a lot of people have focused on harder runs where rigs are required with lockers and such. I remember how hard it was to find people who wanted to run with me when my rig was open/open with a 3" lift and 31s, and that was only a year ago. Granted I did find some runs (Michael, I think the clean up you planned was by far my best/first real wheeling experience) but to start out I ended up hoping in other guy's rigs. I think this is especially the case this time of year when the snow is falling in the mountains, however it should be noted that with ANY run going on, even if your rig isn't capable enough to participate it doesn't mean you can't ride shotgun with someone!

In regards to the age thing mentioned earlier, don't let that get to you. I joined this forum just before I turned 17, as I was given my first Jeep (the white one I flopped) for my 17th b-day. I still went out on runs and ran shotgun with people and such...and once I turned 18 I paid the membership dues and became an "official" member. For the record, I'm only 18 yet I'm out wheeling with everyone else on here fairly regularly (and I'm not the only young gun in this chapter who wheels regularly).

~Scott