Membership Idea.... your feedback wanted.

[Rzeppa]

I'm assuming you are calling people that have let their membership laps? Their indifference about the name may be because they are not involved and dedicated to the TLCA... I would say, get the opinion of the people running events, and chapters. They are the ones that we can not afford to loose. :cheeres:

Hi Jerod,

Yes, your assumption is correct. However when I've spoken with these folks, I get a better sense of what they want from TLCA, and what it means to them. These aren't people who hang out on boards, these are just regular TLCA members.

I am in contact with chapter delegates and event chairs on a routine basis, that's part of my job. I do get their opinion. What I have been doing over the last 6 years is phoning members who are not chapter members to let them know that we at TLCA care about them, are interested in their views and welcome them.

Happy cruisin'!

 

[Rzeppa]

FWIW, liability insurance for chapters who hold an event is currently $264. Like Eric wrote, do the math. When I was Commander of Rising Sun I tried to find a deal anywhere close to this for our own chapter for our own club events, and and couldn't come anywhere close to those low premiums.

 

[Drunk Monkey]

As an expired member getting ready to make my stand to help the TLCA once again I think the simpler you make it the better. I do feel however that we could use a little more public exposure besides just the trails. This is a great mag, don't get me wrong but It would be cool to tell people outside the club what we stand for. There must be a million FJ cruisers on the road and I think if they were focused on and made the membership easy as in a simple flier stating what the TLCA does and how they can help would be great. It would also be really good if we could get Toyota to hang banners of the TLCA in the show rooms and send fliers to all TLCA events to get there help. I feel that we are looking at this all wrong. We need to get people to feel there doing something instead of what there getting...

NEW:

For $30 a year you will be sponsoring a membership to help in the preservation and the ability to enjoy the outdoors and learn how to wheel and have fun. If you join one of our fine TLCA sponsored clubs around the world, the club will also be able to host your own event with TLCA insurance that saves the club money and keeps them safe.. So please come out, buy a sponsorship and have fun while preserving the great outdoors. When you sponsor the TLCA we will send you a Magazine called Toyota Trails and you can keep up with other club runs, land use issues, how to's, and much more. Make a diffrence..... join the Toyota Land Cruiser Association.

old:

For a $30 membership to the TLCA you will get a magazine, Insurance for your club.
We will also provide or pay for lobbyist to save the land.


I am joining right now, I talked myself into it with the new one. BTW I took my lunches to work for a 6 days to pay for the TLCA last time.

 

[ginericLC]

One other thing I forgot, as a member of TLCA, you can join United 4wd for $25 instead of $30. United works on overseas land issues as well. Man, I'm getting old. I can remember when it was $10 to join United.

 

[packman73]

As an expired member getting ready to make my stand to help the TLCA once again I think the simpler you make it the better. I do feel however that we could use a little more public exposure besides just the trails. This is a great mag, don't get me wrong but It would be cool to tell people outside the club what we stand for. There must be a million FJ cruisers on the road and I think if they were focused on and made the membership easy as in a simple flier stating what the TLCA does and how they can help would be great. It would also be really good if we could get Toyota to hang banners of the TLCA in the show rooms and send fliers to all TLCA events to get there help. I feel that we are looking at this all wrong. We need to get people to feel there doing something instead of what there getting...

NEW:

For $30 a year you will be sponsoring a membership to help in the preservation and the ability to enjoy the outdoors and learn how to wheel and have fun. If you join one of our fine TLCA sponsored clubs around the world, the club will also be able to host your own event with TLCA insurance that saves the club money and keeps them safe.. So please come out, buy a sponsorship and have fun while preserving the great outdoors. When you sponsor the TLCA we will send you a Magazine called Toyota Trails and you can keep up with other club runs, land use issues, how to's, and much more. Make a diffrence..... join the Toyota Land Cruiser Association.

old:

For a $30 membership to the TLCA you will get a magazine, Insurance for your club.
We will also provide or pay for lobbyist to save the land.


I am joining right now, I talked myself into it with the new one. BTW I took my lunches to work for a 6 days to pay for the TLCA last time.

Very well said! Thank YOU!

 

[Rzeppa]

As an expired member getting ready to make my stand to help the TLCA once again I think the simpler you make it the better. I do feel however that we could use a little more public exposure besides just the trails. This is a great mag, don't get me wrong but It would be cool to tell people outside the club what we stand for. There must be a million FJ cruisers on the road and I think if they were focused on and made the membership easy as in a simple flier stating what the TLCA does and how they can help would be great. It would also be really good if we could get Toyota to hang banners of the TLCA in the show rooms and send fliers to all TLCA events to get there help. I feel that we are looking at this all wrong. We need to get people to feel there doing something instead of what there getting...

NEW:

For $30 a year you will be sponsoring a membership to help in the preservation and the ability to enjoy the outdoors and learn how to wheel and have fun. If you join one of our fine TLCA sponsored clubs around the world, the club will also be able to host your own event with TLCA insurance that saves the club money and keeps them safe.. So please come out, buy a sponsorship and have fun while preserving the great outdoors. When you sponsor the TLCA we will send you a Magazine called Toyota Trails and you can keep up with other club runs, land use issues, how to's, and much more. Make a diffrence..... join the Toyota Land Cruiser Association.

old:

For a $30 membership to the TLCA you will get a magazine, Insurance for your club.
We will also provide or pay for lobbyist to save the land.


I am joining right now, I talked myself into it with the new one. BTW I took my lunches to work for a 6 days to pay for the TLCA last time.

Hi Drunk Monkey,

The flier idea has been done in the past and was moderately successful, and is super-cheap. I believe Art was going to be working on reviving that? What we did was get MAF, SOR, CCOT and others to put a flier in with every order.

I'm not sure about banners in every showroom, but I am purchasing banners for each and every TLCA event. TLCA doesn't have the money, and I just barely do.

Art has initiated a referral program where an existing member can get $5 off their next renewal for each new or old renewing member they sign up. Up to 6 members, the referrer can get their TLCA membership for free if they really work it.

I like your verbiage under "new". I hope you don't mind if we end up using it or portions of it. Thanks and happy cruisin'!

 

[Drunk Monkey]

Go for it, I am all in for the TLCA. My point was this, It wasn't we need to do fliers out to people buying parts, but flyers or adds in other Mags to gain the publicity From new members. I try to spread the word as much as i can but it seams that outside of the trails and mud TLCA does not exist. We are dependent on the clubs to spread the word. Maybe have a small sponsorship with some Off road events like the Oriellys shows and local Baja , Sponsor FJ forums other than mud. The main problem I see is outside the TLCA sponsered clubs and Mud there seems to be no life to the TLCA. This is something that I feel is Hurting more than the lack of resigns. If you have this then they will come back. I may just be blind and don't see them or do not know of any other. If so just say. But I see the most at a TLCA event in which case most are already members.

Can you see my point or am I on the wrong track...

 

[66fj40x2]

I'm still waiting to see the direction TLCA will be taking but I would be up for a $20 membership. Trails does not hold my interest but I do like to attend events. We had a blast at the Roundup.

I too have to take exception with the whole notion that if you can't afford $30 we don't need/want ya...... That's BS! The local clubs are what makes up TLCA..... TLCA doesn't make up the local clubs. In most cases it doesn't even support the local clubs. Once y'all get that figured out you'll be makin' head-way. I've not renewed for various reasons and money is one of them. By the time your local club dues, TLCA dues/magazine subscription, magazine subscriptions that ya do want, event fees, park fees, camping fees fuel, food and so on it adds up, no doubt about it. I don't fuss much about event fees because it goes to the local club. I'll drop a hundred for raffle tickets, because it goes to the local club. I'll send my money to BRC, UFWD or any other land use group because it supports a cause I believe in. I won't drop $30 for magazine I don't need or read.... and I've not missed it!

Don't get me wrong TT is a greatt publication and Todd does an awesome job with it but my wheeling and my rig have outgrown it.

Y'all figure out the $20 membership option that doesn't add to my recycle bin and I'll sent y'all check, PayPal or whatever and be damn happy to do it...... Because I'll be signing up to attend events with friends from coast to coast..... That's really the only reason I've renewed for the past few years anyway.

Mike Costello

 

[Drunk Monkey]

So I see ya point but the mag is not what the TLCA is about. I can understand why you do not want to join or need to join. I guess the whole think is that we really do not know what the TLCA does except providing insurance and Trails. Can some one make a list of what the Tlca does with all the members moneys as a whole.

thanks

 

[Rzeppa]

So I see ya point but the mag is not what the TLCA is about. I can understand why you do not want to join or need to join. I guess the whole think is that we really do not know what the TLCA does except providing insurance and Trails. Can some one make a list of what the Tlca does with all the members moneys as a whole.

thanks

Hi Drunk Monkey,

Among the issues we deal with in TLCA leadership is your first sentence.

We have a VERY diverse group, who have different desires and interests. Some are armchair wheelers. Some are people who own old cruisers, have no interest whatsoever in recreational wheeling and their 4x4 Toyota is their work truck, farm truck, plow truck, whatever. Personally, the reason I first got a Land Cruiser was to get around in the snow up here in Colorado. I joined TLCA to find out where and how to maintain and fix my old junk. Some like to lock in the hubs to get to camping and hunting and fishing spots you can't get to with lesser vehicles. For some, their old Toyota 4x4 was bought new by Dad and they have many happy memories of all the great times and fun places he took them in it when they were growing up.

And for a fraction of TLCA members, they want to go wheel, and many want to modify and wheel hard. Go to events, break, roll, whatever. They love the libations over the campfire at the end of the day and the story swapping.

It is important for leadership to understand these different segments of our club.

We know darned well that we can't please everyone. But a TLCA membership is a unique product, unparalleled in the world, with a unique mix that offers something to each of these segments. There are other magazines, there are other web sites, there are local clubs, there are forums (like this, thank you Brian!), and lots of places that offer some of what TLCA offers.

But there is no place other than TLCA that offers the combination of the printed magazine, the TLCA web site (which we are working on really hard!), the connection of members, local clubs, national events, and comaradarie and member benefits that TLCA does.

Addressing your last sentence (a question) we are a private, non-profit corporation, and as such do not report or finances publicly. However, we DO report them to the entire board of directors on a regular basis, and all TLCA members are entitled, empowered and encouraged to inspect them. If you are in a TLCA chapter, your chapter delegate can provide them to you, and if you are an individual member, your Individual Representative can provide them to you.

Happy cruisin'!

 

[D'Animal]

So I see ya point but the mag is not what the TLCA is about. I can understand why you do not want to join or need to join. I guess the whole think is that we really do not know what the TLCA does except providing insurance and Trails. Can some one make a list of what the Tlca does with all the members moneys as a whole.

thanks

I don't see how the question was answered.

Some may not like the fact that the TLCA is a 33-34 year old car club that has a magazine . For $30 per year you can join the club. No requirements, just send money. ($30 per year is not that much since most "Star's" on most boards are $20 per year and all you get is the ability to add a picture to your avitar or add pictures in threads.)

TLCA did not invent the comradery of Land Cruiser Owners and enthusiest. The TLCA does not "allow" people to restore daddy's rig, take it hunting, camping, fishing, wheeling, etc. People are going to do it and have been doing it since the late 50's. If you are into restoring them, there is a group of TLCA members that you will enjoy swapping old parts with. If you are into building them and rolling them, there is a group of TLCA members that you will enjoy swapping sheet metal with.

The TLCA opens avenues so you have the opportunity to meet other people with a similar hobby as you have.

Just like www.IH8MUD.com.

 

[66fj40x2]

.....any updates on this idea??????????

 

[pillguy]

I like the print version rather than electronic. I read many articles in PDF for my job and it is tedious. I would much rather have it in print and would pay extra for it.

Clutchee, I think the tiered membership [electronic vs paper] member classification is definitely gonna happen at some point. Idea's been floated around for a while now. From what I can remember, a few simple issues. [Alan Loshbaugh did a good job of concisely running these down last year, which is why I remember it!]

1. Setting the cyber-version rate. What's an electronic-only copy worth?
2. Making the e-copy 'secure.' If one guy can file share it with 10 of his buddies, we lose. I don't know squat about making files 'view-only', but there are plenty of good folks here that might. Perhaps we can direct them to our webmaster for some private discussions on moving this issue forward.

3. The print copy still has a MINIMUM press run. If we offer an electronic version and a lot of folks switch over, then we've got even less $$ to pay the bills for the print copy. Capiche? We might have to bump print membership to $50, $60, or higher to cover the loss.

I don't think the GOLD or LIFETIME options are complete non-starters. GOLD and LIFETIME members would still have to register ON TIME like regular folks with event chairmen [and women], and the clubs could easily notate that member's ID number on their 'smaller' donation back to TLCA.

TLCA also has the ability to barter pre-paid registrations against insurance premiums, as far as that goes.

Thanks for starting this thread. I think this discussion is general enough to address 'in public.' There are other aspects of our plans and ideas that I think should stay on BODreps for now.

 

[D'Animal]

Had some great conversations regarding this while at Cruise Moab.

 

[Rzeppa]

Had some great conversations regarding this while at Cruise Moab.

Hi D'Animal,

What's your name? Did we talk about this at Moab? I know I had a lot of TLCA-related conversations with a lot of people, but I have a tough time connecting forum names with real names...

Happy cruisin'!

 

[D'Animal]

I was the one with the speakerphone during the conference call. You said you thought I was Tim Buccannon.

We talked about this over at Woody's camp the night before you were the trail guide for Fins N Things.

Hi D'Animal,

What's your name? Did we talk about this at Moab? I know I had a lot of TLCA-related conversations with a lot of people, but I have a tough time connecting forum names with real names...

Happy cruisin'!

 

[66fj40x2]

Any more discussion on this topic?????

I'm game for a basic membership..... where do I send my 20 bucks???????????

 

[packman73]

Any more discussion on this topic?????

I'm game for a basic membership..... where do I send my 20 bucks???????????

It's being worked on...please be patient.

 

[66fj40x2]

It's being worked on...please be patient.

No worries Art.... Just trying to keep some of the fresh ideas on top of the list.

So would a basic member still be able to be a delegate? Not sure I wanna jump back into that.... Still have a bit of a sour after-taste from the last time, but it's crossed my mind a time or two now

 

[packman73]

No worries Art.... Just trying to keep some of the fresh ideas on top of the list.

So would a basic member still be able to be a delegate? Not sure I wanna jump back into that.... Still have a bit of a sour after-taste from the last time, but it's crossed my mind a time or two now

When you say a basic member, if you mean a TLCA member that is a chapter member, yes you can be a delegate for your chapter.

Hope Texas is treating you well!