*** WE NEED TO DISCUSS AS A CLUB ***
The seperation between club and forum. You wanna seperate them or not... pros and cons of doing so?
Matt, RickyB myself, Wyatt, Kelly have had alot of PM -a -thon going on on this matter and with the current forum growth. I think we'd be wise to get on the same page collectively on it.
For some reading material here's a long as pm I got from Wyatt Id like to share.
I think that the Club Members fully support their board and all that is has come to be. They use the forum just as it is used today. They have a "Club Members Only" section which woulld fit the bill for anytihg private that club members need.
I think the split, tear, riff if you will is the seeming thoughts of the club supporting the website but trying to distance themselves from it.
I do not see the difference of making the public domain of hardlineforums for public use vs. the hardline crawlers which is already in use.
I think the tools and assets that the Club has are already at their finger tips, and setup. If the club wants to make some money they could be selling to support their website and club via internet sales of merchandise. If there is such a problem with that then I am at a loss of words. Add "Wheeling Club Member" to the sleeves or something to designate. I think the club members should also have different Signatures or what have you on there posts that states "Club Member" or something similiar.
I understand the wants to seperate or stand out from the masses. All the tools are there, take advantage. But dont go and try to setup another site and distance yourselves. Embrace and take it to the next level.
As far as clowns ripping off the logo, or printing stickers for their mudwhompers. Thats going to happen no mater what. I would think it would happen less if you have a public setup such as the current forum. Whoever the mudwhopper is they will feel they belong, and the club members wont feel like they are being ripped off. As for an assclown rolling your logo and being an assclown. **** that could be me. Maybe it is. With the road you guys are going down. An open forum that is at 175 members and growing daily you are going to have some bad apples. I dont know that you can weed them out. Embrace them, take their money, and then scare them off by ignoring them. They'll find the next big thing they want to be involved in, in a few weeks.
Paul, what I'm trying to say is you guys have everything already at your disposal to really launch this board to another level. Sorry i see Camo and Lance drunk at SEMA suckling off the Pirate4x4 tit, and you guys could get a long ways towards that if you play your cards right and make savy decisions. WHat those decisions are is up to you all.
I believe you are greatly handicapping yourselves by trying to uncouple the club from the website/forum.
Hope thats clearer than mud. Like I mentioned before, I dont have a dog in this fight. However, I am smart enough to identify the resource you guys are sitting on.
I just sent you a check for $295 for selling some hoodies. The hoodie order started when there was approx. 90 members.
Had you not taken 3, and me 1, there was damn near $400 in profit for no kidding not much work at all.
You guys market this thing right, and you can make some good coin. Not saying your in it for the coin or even suggesting how your club would split it up. But just saying you guys are gaining market share fast and you need to realize that. Its only going to magnify as time goes on. So you guys need to take some steps to decide how you are going to go forward. At somepoint you'll probably need to start charging memberships to the website to help pay for the bandwidth, this **** aint free.
I just see you guys have a great opportunity, and want to see you position yourselves to take advantage of it. With little to no more work you guys can have the premiere Go To Site for South East wheeling.
We can talk this over beers in April!
And holy crap I just typed a lot.
Wyatt
