TLCA renewal reminder process

[TRT2]

Now that Kowboy got to stand on his soap box, I want to stand on mine.

What is TLCA renewal reminder process these days? Are we still doing emails, and how is that working?

Personally, I am a big fan of the final phone call. Ya, it could be considered rude by some but it was highly effective when I did it.

Are we still tracking new members and renewing members? Ironically, if I remember right, we had no problem signing new members, but had problems maintaining members. Not that folks wanted to leave, but it was easy to forget or be forgotten.

Our Delegate reported TLCA membership around 3600.

Jus curious... I believe our best renewal rate was something around 70% when aggressive. It was much lower if just allowed to be what it wanted to be (like 30 to 40 percent).

Thanks all!

 

[66fj40x2]

All I've ever received was a insert in the last magazine or two as a reminder. I've expired a couple of times and never got a phone call.

 

[KOWBOY]

I sent in a check 6 weeks ago to renew ... still no word back.

Last year I think it took 'bout 6 months though so there's still time.

FWIW, it was mailed in response to the flyer in TT sayin' I was fixin' to expire.

Great thread Tony.

 

[peesalot]

I don't know that TLCA has ever contacted me regarding membership. You (Tony) always had us renew as part of Rubithon reg so it was just done and when they rolled out the multi year membership I took advantage and am good until July 2010.

 

[woody]

I think mine expired a while back....can't recall the last Trails I received....

for a $100 business membership, I expect a phone call...don't recall an email or anything, and I probably haven't even opened the Trails issues that piled up during my 8 months on the road...

 

[pismojim]

Being able to renew TLCA membership while signing up from Rubithon has been great for me. Thanks for that Tony!

I still get nervous when I don't hear anything back from TLCA for about four months and I receive the "Last Issue" flyer in the TT. But, somehow I still get the next TT and eventually a membership letter and dash plaque show up.

I guess it would be too difficult to leave out the "last issue" flyer so I wouldn't have to sweat for two months waiting to see if I'm going to get the next TT. Wondering if I really did check that box and send that money back in May.

Not a big deal, just for info...

 

[REKCUT]

They actually send the "Last issue" notice in your second to last issue along with your last issue. I spent thirty minutes looking up old bank statements from three years ago since I had paid for three years. Was all ready to fight it out that I had another two months worth left, only to find out the notice is sent out early. That is a proactive approach. It got me moving to re up my membership before it ran out.

 

[Isotel]

from an information systems standpoint it should not be too bad to have the database auto generate e-mails the month before a subscription is due. along with paypal, this would make the process Very Easy!

 

[TRT2]

I am pretty sure that is what happens, I was curious about our success rate.

 

[Chef]

I've asked our Admin to stop by and address this...

 

[Metal Spice]

Ok guys - let me address the concerns here:

1 - I have moved twice within the last 2 months. The TLCA mail had to be forwarded & then I had to get my office set up TWICE. Kowboy, yours was sent out on Saturday & yes, it did take me longer than usual this time because of my moves, sorry about that, I am generally much quicker. And for the record, it has never taken me 6 months to do anything for this organization. I have plenty of mail get lost by the post office.

2. We were emailing people up until we started making changes to the web-site. We plan to implement this again, but we have to get some things in the background up & running again. Emails only work as long as I have current email addresses. The DB does not auto generate - it simply doesn't work like that. I manually run lists for the emails, as well as for phone calls. There is no way to track who renews because of a phone call unless they give the rep their CC info right on the spot. Otherwise, they either renew on-line or call.

3. I have the LAST ISSUE notice bound in to the issues twice. I do that because if I don't & membership receives a notice that says "It's Your Second to Last Issue", I find they don't quite move that quickly & they renew well after they've already expired. If I "scare" people into thinking it's their last issue they will renew on time, thus avoiding missing an issue due to late renewal. The way we work with the publisher, our mailing lists for each issue HAVE to go out 30 days in advance of issue date. So, if you expire on November 30th but don't renew until 12/1 or later, you'll miss the next issue. All I'm trying to do is make sure membership renews on time so they don't miss any issues.

4. As far as not "hearing" from the TLCA - in reference to what? Bulk mailed Toyota Trails aren't guaranteed to be delivered & the post office loses them all the time. If you call me or email me, I'll send you a replacement for a lost issue. If you renewed on-line, your Pay Pal receipt is your receipt from us & generally speaking you'll receive your renewal pack in the mail within a week or 2. If you do it by snail mail, yes, it's going to take longer. Between August 22nd & October 15th I moved twice which put me behind on snail mailed stuff. Pardon me for being a human, it happens sometimes.

I hope that I have helped answer some of your concerns here, if not, email me - membership@tlca.org & I'll be happy to help.

 

[TRT2]

thanks for the update.

While their are many 'concerns' folks would voice about TLCA, for me, renewals are the real gold out there.

I appreciate the efforts of all our volunteers and contractors. You folks Rock!

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Well........ I renewed after a perod of not being a member and look forward to the upcoming trails issues and new BOD.

Rob

 

[Chef]

thanks for your support and welcome back!

 

[crotalusatrox]

trying to understand the advantage of joining...?

 

[Radd Cruisers]

trying to understand the advantage of joining...?

You know what, its hard to understand at first and even harder to explain.

For me its a groupe of people I enjoy trying to get together with a few times a year, best part was the toyota trails itself. That in itself is a bargain for what the member ship costs.

At the VI cruiser meetings the majority see it as a US based groupe which we get no advantage of being part of. I have tried talking the groupe into being members and possibly a TLCA chapter with no luck.

Vancouver Island would be a cool place to hold a tlca sponsored event.

Thanks Chef for the welcome back.

Rob

 

[TRT2]

trying to understand the advantage of joining...?

as Rob notes... hard to put into words.

If you Don't like fellow Toyota Enthusiasts, then don't join.
If you don't like to attend events and meet other Toyota folks, Don't join.
If you don't like to read Toyota related stuff, don't join.
If you do not like to socialize with Toyota folks or are Non Club oriented, don't join.
If you never plan to attend a TLCA event, don't join.
If you you know everything there is to know about Toyotas, don't join.

If you want to join, but never envision attending an event or joing a Chapter club, then your membership will be a subscription type membership. You will receive Trails.

If you plan to be active and participate in your club Chapter club and attend events, then definitely join and get ready to have a great time while meeting greet folks.

Personally, I have met the best folks and friends thru TLCA, all across the US and into Canada.

 

[peesalot]

I did not say that I did not hear from the TLCA, I said specifically " TLCA has never contacted me regarding membership."

 

[Rzeppa]

I did not say that I did not hear from the TLCA, I said specifically " TLCA has never contacted me regarding membership."

Hi Peesalot. PM me with your contact info and I'll be happy to chat with you. During my tenure as Individual Representative I have had hundreds of phone conversations with expired members, and as your new President, I intend to keep up that habit. I learn a LOT more from phone conversations, and chats over the campfire at events than on boards, forums or email lists.

I want all TLCA members or prospective members to feel free to chat with me on the phone, the number's just inside Toyota Trails.

Happy cruisin'!

 

[Rzeppa]

You know what, its hard to understand at first and even harder to explain.

For me its a groupe of people I enjoy trying to get together with a few times a year, best part was the toyota trails itself. That in itself is a bargain for what the member ship costs.

At the VI cruiser meetings the majority see it as a US based groupe which we get no advantage of being part of. I have tried talking the groupe into being members and possibly a TLCA chapter with no luck.

Vancouver Island would be a cool place to hold a tlca sponsored event.

Thanks Chef for the welcome back.

Rob

Hey Rob,

I recognise that TLCA has not been as responsive to members who happen to live outside the USA as you would like, nor I. I have one new proposal I have made before the board to address this, and another one I believe we need to extend. One is to change our bylaws to incorporate an International Individual Representative, in addition to our current West, Central and East representatives. I believe the TLCA is too USA-centric, and needs to recognise our brethren and their needs outside the USA. Our International Representative would bring the perspective of our friends in the GWN, NZ. Oz, Japan, Europe, Africa and elsewhere to our attention. I strongly believe this needs to be an elected board member, not only a delegate from one of our GWN chapters. I have put this before the board and expect a motion, second and either a vote up or down during our 1/8/09 special meeting.

The second part of addressing my outside the USA concerns, I can not take credit for, but give credit to out-going President Alan Loshbaugh. He has already started Toyota Trails available as an E-Zine, downloadable from Namibia to Ukraine. The idea is, the whole world has gone digital, and we need to make TLCA membership more accessible where shipping costs are prohibitive. And that is for all members, whether in Maryland, VI or Namibia. The cost structure will be designed such that if a member chooses to forgo the printed media, they still get all the content, but will save on printing and shipping.