IPSC Ont. folks; Sitrep in paper form?

[Busta Capp]

Was curious how many of you would be interested in keeping the Sitrep as a paper mailout, versus receiving this in an on-line format (or not at all?)?

It seems to me to be a huge expense. I assume most people could access this on-line these days, saving IPSC Ontario big$$. Thoughts?

 

[Busta Capp]

It appears this was discussed at the AGM;

Question From PC: Given the cost of publishing Sitrep, is there a more cost effective way to publish this information, and could we consider using the CSSA Magazine as a suitable alternative (to share costs)

Response: IPSC Ontario is currently reviewing our programs and services (including Sitrep) to see how to best deliver. There are discussion regarding the format of Sitrep but no decisions have been made. There has been a recent change (no longer publishing Level 1 match results) that has resulted in publishing less often (which will result in a cost savings of approximately $8,000 per year if continued) and any further changes (if required) would only take place after consultation with our members.
CSSA would not be a suitable alternative for the current information that is published in Sitrep, but we should be looking at it for marketing opportunities.

A copy is available on the IPSC Ontario website under meeting minutes, AGM.

Thanks to the "little bird" who told me this.

 

[Slavex]

my club looked at this too for our newsletter. it was decided, and I agreed, that a mailout is far more likely to be read, and is a better way of keeping in touch with your membership than an email or website.

 

[Busta Capp]

my club looked at this too for our newsletter. it was decided, and I agreed, that a mailout is far more likely to be read, and is a better way of keeping in touch with your membership than an email or website.

How much does this cost your club to publish and distribute? The Sitrep is running at over $16k per annum to publish. Not sure if postage is included in that, or on top of. When you start talking these types of numbers, you have to start thinking alternatives IMO.

Certainly not taking away from your opinion, and to a point I would agree, but $16K to my way of thinking could be better spent in other ways.

 

[Freedom Ventures]

my club looked at this too for our newsletter. it was decided, and I agreed, that a mailout is far more likely to be read, and is a better way of keeping in touch with your membership than an email or website.

Gotta agree with Rob on that...

A newsletter is a "push"... It arrives with your bills and you have to deal with it. (Read it, toss it, tear it up, etc...)

An update to a website is a "pull"... You have to go get it...when you're in front of the computer, etc. Just because you (and I) put in a lot of time in front of a computer, it doesn't mean the majority of our fellow members do.

Down here, we can notice the difference in attendance at events (home club and IPSC) if they are held shortly after a newsletter hits the mail.

$16K is a lot, but if you're not getting shooters out or members renewing, you won't have the money to spend on something else anyway.

 

[Slavex]

we send out about 400 newsletters every 3 months. all the work is done by volunteers, so all we pay for is postage, envelopes and printing costs. the newsletter person does all the envelope stuffing and labeling. When I did it I printed directly to the envelopes and had the club pay for my printer cartridges (black only).
there is no way we spent even half what you are spending.
do you sell adspace in the Sitrep? if so it should offset the vast majority of the costs of putting out the newsletter.
Remember IPSC isn't about making money. Ideally at the end of year you should only have enough money left over to cover bills and a maybe a few unexpected things. I hate when people look at Not For Profit clubs and Orgs and expect them to be making money.

 

[Busta Capp]

Remember IPSC isn't about making money. Ideally at the end of year you should only have enough money left over to cover bills and a maybe a few unexpected things. I hate when people look at Not For Profit clubs and Orgs and expect them to be making money.

I am not out to see IPSC Ontario "make money", that is definately not my point. Annual dues were raised from $60 to $70, a $10 jump. At 1022 current members, thats $10,000 extra money raised. If I looked at this from an expense standpoint, I see the bimonthly Sitrep as an undue expense ($16K). This is only my opinion, and I asked the poll to gauge peoples feelings on the issue. Finding a way to even cut that cost in half could have potentially avoided an increase in fees. Give the members the option even, want it or not? If half said no you would at least reduce postal costs by half.

It is not about making money, simply trying to look at this from what makes financial sense, while being responsible to the members of IPSC Ontario.

This is not a shot at the current board, simply to try and explain my position re: the Sitrep.

 

[Quigley]

The 16 k number for 2006 was for 10 monthly issues (or ther abouts) That was already cut back for 2007, so the total for 2007 will already be considerably less. I wasn't paying very close attention before 2006...but I seem to recall that was about the annual average for issues of Sitrep...

As far as the membership fee increase...it hadn't beed increased in about a decade...but costs in that same time period have gone up considerably...it was time...and that decision was completely independent of the cost of Sitrep.

We need to improve of our programs and services overall...we need to do some marketting...and although we will save some money from scaling back sitrep (to about bi-monthly) that won't be significant enough on it's own to cover future needs.

Regards

 

[Slavex]

sorry, I guess I misread your posts Busta, my apologies.
But I still think a printed and mailed newsletter is better value than not doing one, or doing it by email. We did have about 20 members in my club who asked for their newsletters by email, but all of them have either changed email addy's or asked to go back to the paper one so that they can have it on hand when ever they want.

 

[Busta Capp]

Quigley, after reading the AGM minutes I see that you and the board are doing things to try and reduce the cost of the Sitrep, while still delivering the value of the Sitrep. As you say, this was based upon a review of 2006 financials and things are changing since then. This was all based upon my thoughts prior to seeing the AGM minutes.

This is merely my opinion. I get the Sitrep and it contains very little I cannot get from the IPSC Ontario website. If given the option, I would elect to not receive the paper format if the information is contained on the website. I was thinking I am not alone in this respect. Also, if the money saved could be put towards other things like team sponsorship (just an example) then all the better.

Slavex, no need to apologize bud. I hear you and as I said I agree with you to a point. But there are members who also are computer savy, who get the information from the website, and to them this is just a waste of paper. Save the mailouts for important communications like AGM details, membership renewals, and board voting. That way people are even more inclined to read the document as it only comes once in a while. Just my 2cents.

 

[Quigley]

It was also pointed out to me that about 1/3 of our paying members are not active at sanctioned matches...but they still join every year...

Sitrep is our only way to reach out to them. It's unclear how many of those members would just dwindle away over time if Sitrep went Cyber

As always, there's no perfect solution...but improvements are being made

Cheers

 

[RePete]

There is another option though.

Post SitRep on the web site, with a hit counter, to see the response.

Also, give the option, yearly, to receive a hard copy or an e-copy. This could be done on the application form.

Also make the application PDF fillable on the web site with credit card payment.

 

[Busta Capp]

Quigley, I know it is tough to decide how to reach everyone while still being cost effective. I hope this provides constructive feedback as that is the intent.

From my opinion, I would prefer to see a printed update quarterly from the IPSC Ontario board that just contained highlights, important news, membership renewal stuff, AGM news, election info, new black badge graduates, etc. 2, maybe three photocopied/printed pages max.

 

[Filthy1]

Busta Capp,

I agree with you that the money could be better spent, than on printed information (SitRep) that I can already get online.

Since I was quoted in your second post, I'll restate my point that I brought up at the AGM. (When you read it in the minutes... it looses a little.)

SitRep does nothing but target our membership (active or non-active).

CSSA Magazine has come a long way from the newspaper style mailing we used to get. The magazine is actually looking pretty respectable. If IPSC Ontario (or Canada) were to rent a page in the CSSA Mag, not only are we communicating with a majority of our IPSC Ontario membership but we are "targetting" other people that already have some sort of interest in the shooting sports. Which I think is of the utmost importance... "Promoting our Sport."

 

[Quigley]

"SitRep does nothing but target our membership"...and that's what it was intended to do...so mission accomplished??

Your point was not lost...

Regardless of anyones opinion of the value of Sitrep...the CSSA magazine is not a suitable replacement.

That's not to say we shouldn't be using it to advertise...but it's not a cumminications tool for our members.

Two completely different issues that you have morphed into one.

If anyone has any real interest in moving forward on this...keep the issues of internal comunication and external marketing seperate...

Cheers

 

[Freedom Ventures]

There is another option though.

Post SitRep on the web site, with a hit counter, to see the response

Nice idea, but it wouldn't really work well. Cleared Caches will allow people to count for more than 1,search engines, non-ont. members having a look, etc. will make it very inflated over true values.

 

[dinsdale]

In the secure area, you collect email addresses of those that want the electronic copy. It would take a form with 3 input text boxes.
Name ,IPSC BB # and email address.Store in a mySQL database.

Send both electronic and paper for 6 months, and then if enough opt in, Electronic only for those who signed up.

Could add a Checkbox to Opt Out and receive paper again.

Would it be worth doing if you could save postage and printing on 10-30% copies? That's a Board decision.
Figure in a day of Web work.

 

[Filthy1]

If anyone has any real interest in moving forward on this...keep the issues of internal comunication and external marketing seperate...

I can respect that...

SitRep provides me with very little information... most of which I can find on the IPSC Ontario site if I am that interested. The scores are available online... match applications are available online... membership renewal forms are available online... The very little "commentary type" information in the SitRep should be submitted to the membership by means of e-mail (which I am sure the boss could fit in there somewhere between the 30+ e-mails I recieve telling me what the IPSC Ontario website passwords are) Save some cash... get rid of SitRep for those that do not want it.

In my opinion CSSA Mag would be a great avenue to Promote our sport... maybe talk about our National Championship... our champions... our junior members... hell, ok even our ladies... Great ave to target shooters from other disciplines.

Cheers, Eh?