Increase participation

[lofty]

Hi everyone. It was great to come to the club last night but saddened to see not many people made it out. We talked about how to improve participation and I have a suggestion .

A club WhatsApp chat. One person adds every member to a WhatsApp group. Others can join with a link. This could drive participation and is always a good way to communicate. If you don’t want to join in you don’t have to leave the group, just mute it. Many people use WhatsApp. It’s free. You can share photos and arrange meetings. I’m a member of several Spanish WhatsApp groups and they are always busy.

Something for the committee to consider as they have everyone’s phone number.

Gracias

Lofty

 

 

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[Greg]

I get what you are saying Lofty, but the club has just recently had the expense of up grading the forum.

Would there be a danger the WhatsApp chat group could make the forum redundant?

Plus you may miss notifications whereas when they are on posted on the forum they are properly formatted for everyone to view and post comments as and when they want to.

It’s a difficult one as I am not sure they could effectively run alongside each other.

This is just my opinion.


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[lofty]

As Mal said last night, it’s an aging club. A club WhatsApp group might appeal to the younger generation?


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[lofty]

Something like this one


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[plaicemat]

I have done a bit of research into the use of WhatsApp for interest groups through my role as IT and Media officer in the local U3a. My findings, for what they are worth, is that there is not a lot of benefit to be gained. We have the benefit of a forum which everyone is happy to get involved in which leads to protracted discussions at times and also a PM system which is useful. Another level, I feel, would only dilute what we have and may even create cliques within the club.

 

Of course, there is nothing to stop members forming their own WhatsApp groups, for all I know they probably already have. However, although it is a very efficient means of communication and passing photographs, etc, it doesn't tick all the boxes that the forum does which is the organ to which members associate membership of the club with. If members have regular companions with whom they fish or skippers they crew for, WhatsApp away but, there may be occasions when an offer of a trip may not be wanted to be shared with the whole group. For a loose group of friends who do not have the security blanket of a club, WhatsApp is perfect.

 

Horses for courses!

 

Terry.

 

 

[Colin-58]

I agree terry, the club site serves the needs and doesn't need diluting,  it needs to encourage more use, sometimes I think it's lack of confidence in the technology that needs encouraging, bit by bit there are people willing to help those struggling i am sure of that and they would post and participate more then.    Colin.

[Graham Nash]

14 hours ago, Greg said:

I get what you are saying Lofty, but the club has just recently had the expense of up grading the forum.

Would there be a danger the WhatsApp chat group could make the forum redundant?

Plus you may miss notifications whereas when they are on posted on the forum they are properly formatted for everyone to view and post comments as and when they want to.

It’s a difficult one as I am not sure they could effectively run alongside each other.

This is just my opinion.


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I completely agree Greg,

 

Im on a number of forums for my trade and football, but as soon a Watsapp groups take over they literally do that .. TAKE OVER. The order of the forums disappears and the conversations I'm interested in just get lost in a sea of posts that are not of so much interest. 

 

I like that I can follow the catch reports or trip planning without having to wade through loads of posts that are not of so much interest. 

 

Incidentally, I don't go to club meetings mainly because I am in bed by 8pm most nights ready for a 4 or 5am start in the morning. Im an unsociable git too 😉 

[jerry.shutter]

All the above comments are very valid, yes certainly younger members would no doubt Whatsapp more but at present we cannot attract them into the club, (i use it a lot).

Have we now not got a FB page? Something i look at but very seldom post and dont want to know most of what is!!

For techy members, would Instagram be better than You Tube??? I follow various fishing friends around the world on this, just short videos which pop up on your phone and most of the Poole charters post on Instagram which i am tuned into.

 

The meeting may of been light on numbers but it has created good discussion, WELL DONE Lofty!!

 

ps i am more unsociable than Graham above!

 

[Greg]

 

Interestingly, Carol and I were having a conversation with Brad last night and he is interested in creating Short Short Films/Vids. 

 

These are mainly distributed amongst three platforms:- Instagram, Tic Toc and You Tube.  And apparently no one platform is more popular than the other.

 

Face Book and Twitter are not so popular with the Youngsters anymore!!

 

This is half the problem. The club as an organisation trying to keep up with technology is dammed near impossible!!!

 

There's only one answer for it. Attract a committee of 14 year olds 😁 

 

 

 

 

 

[plaicemat]

20 hours ago, Greg said:

This is half the problem. The club as an organisation trying to keep up with technology is dammed near impossible!!!

I don't think the choice of technology is the answer to attracting younger members, what we need is to attract those who are enthusiastic about fishing and boats. Boats are a problem with the younger demographic which, if we are honest, has always been the case. Getting married, setting up a home and starting a family generally take precedence. I believe that the age range we are likely to attract are those who's families have grown up a bit and promotions have given them a bit of spare cash. We've all seen them at the marinas, keen and inexperienced and in need of a bit of help and, hopefully, they will bring their youngsters along with them. This is where we can come in but, how to make the connection, there is the rub! I, probably like the rest of you, am frequently accosting people on the pontoons and slipways of Poole extolling the advantages that membership of PBSBAC brings and what a bargain it is. How can this be ramped up? Perhaps we all need to carry promotion business cards to hand out at appropriate opportunities with online details, etc..

 

Terry.