Local SIDC profile.

[dougster]

What can we do to increase the traffic in here and increase membership?

I am not a member at the moment, choosing not to re-subscribe after my first year of membership.(01/02)

On looking at the forums (brushing away the cobwebs) it is apparent that SIDC is loosing it's grasp in Scotland.

SNet plus membership offers a wide range of discounts and the only SIDC saving I see at the moment is to owners who can afford to track their cars at most SIDC trackdays.

Needs to be more attractive IMHO. None of the newer owners that I know would even bother to register for these forums.

Comments appreciated.

[CAZ1562]

My views IMO.

Yeah people may get track days slightly cheaper, but the club does offer some other benefits (e.g. True Grip magazine, dealer discount (which can be a big help) other 3rd party discounts etc ). Plus this forum isn't intended to oppose SN.

[johns]

As Derek has said, these forums were never intended to be a rival for Scoobynet - where there is more of a "chat" type community. The events forums here in particular were really supposed just to publicise forthcoming events, and for people to ask questions about them etc. Some members only login once every week or so, and a quick scan of this forum will tell them of all the events lined up, without having to trawl through several pages worth of stuff.

For one thing, we couldn't afford the bandwidth requirements to support something like Scoobynet, and we wouldn't wish to be viewed as a rival, but more sort of offering a quieter complimentary service. For several years we didn't have any forums at all, so we started something up a few years ago, and it's generally grown slowly from there as we hoped.

In terms of membership, the SIDC offers a range of benefits to members. We now have an ever increasing number of suppliers and dealers offering discount on parts, servicing and accessories. Most members more than save their annual membership fee from the savings on one big service, or a set of tyres for example. Especially in Scotland, we have been successful in getting most of the major aftermarket suppliers on board with discounts on parts and labour to members.

We have also started doing driver training courses, and again members were able to make big savings over the normal price.

We've also got the excellent True Grip, which has gone from strength to strength, especially in the past year. You have to remember that something like 30 - 40% of our members do not have regular e-mail or internet access, and this is the only way they find out about forthcoming events. If you bring along a copy of True Grip to events and meetings and show it to people, generally they are very impressed, and most will join up.

Although funds were tight in the club last year, due to losses at track events down south, the committee have steered the club back into the black again, and we are now hoping to release funds for things like BBQs at events again (remember the free ones at Kames a few years ago, and the subsidised ones at Cameron House ?).

Another big advantage of the SIDC, is that being a club with paid up members means that we can organise events like Knockhill, karting etc., as we have the funds available to pay the deposits for these events, without needing individuals to pay, and then collect from people, and the stresses that go along with that. We've also got a bank account, so members can simply write a cheque to "SIDC", or even use our on-line club shop to pay for events, making things much simpler and easier.

All we need now are for the Regional Organisers to warm things up by arranging regular meetings in their area, helping out at the bigger events (we're already lining up a Scottish National Day next year), and to encourage people to sign up. The more people who join the club, the more benefits we can offer members

Cheers

John