Season Pass?

[chaos4NH]

You could offer both. If you attend all the events of the year and don't have a "season pass",you get the last two day event free. The "season pass" holder would pay for..let's say...5.5 full events up front by a certain time and they would be able to run all the events of choice for the year,nothing refundable (except for track cancellations). Something like that.. don't know if the figures would work..

Excellent. A variety of options (why not discounted 2-packs or 3 packs...) will keep a variety of member's happy...everyone has a different situation.

Well, good thinking, however, if we give a season pass discount we should clearly state that there will be no refunds if the payee is unable to make the events. Given the number of last minute entrants, I suspect the Season Pass option, with no refunds for no shows, will not be a big seller. This should be presented to the BOD for consideration at the next BOD meeting on November 17.

[breakaway500]

I agree,the season pass should be a "no refund allowed" option.If the track cancells a date,then the season pass holder should be entitled to a refund,or credit allowance toward future events.(or toward next seasons pass )

[rousespointer]

A season pass would be useful if it serves two purposes: (1) provided the club a strong balance sheet early in the year, and (2)encourages members to attend more events. It would only be successful if there is a decent level of participation...no sense doing it for only a few members. We could do a poll to see who would actually commit the money by a certain date. If not enough response, then drop the season pass idea, and re-examine some other alternatives. I think any method needs to make it easy on the registration and finance guys. Thats one advantage to a season pass...easy to maintain.

[boltonite]

A season pass would be useful if it serves two purposes: (1) provided the club a strong balance sheet early in the year, and (2)encourages members to attend more events. It would only be successful if there is a decent level of participation...no sense doing it for only a few members. We could do a poll to see who would actually commit the money by a certain date. If not enough response, then drop the season pass idea, and re-examine some other alternatives. I think any method needs to make it easy on the registration and finance guys. Thats one advantage to a season pass...easy to maintain.

AFAIK there is an opening for a "Marketing Chief" to lead membership and event packaging efforts such as the "season pass" idea. Talk is cheap -- next Wednesday saddle up, fill your meth-injected ride with boost juice, put on your nomex suit and SA2010 helmet and trot on over to Yangtze River!

[blindsidefive0]

AFAIK there is an opening for a "Marketing Chief" to lead membership and event packaging efforts such as the "season pass" idea. Talk is cheap -- next Wednesday saddle up, fill your meth-injected ride with boost juice, put on your nomex suit and SA2010 helmet and trot on over to Yangtze River!

I would love to get involved with a position like that, but it's unrealistic from a time commitment point of view. Unfortunately I can't put my money where my mouth is as I travel out-of-town 4 days a week, every week.

[linds7388]

I think the Season Pass idea can definitely be reworked to make it accessible and worthwhile for most of the club. I think a better model than ski passes to look at is gym memberships. Studies have shown that making people pay up front for a gym membership doesn't increase long run attendance. After a while, people forget how painful it was to pay all that money in January and get lazy. When they pay monthly, it hurts a little each time they write a check, so they are constantly reminded to make use of the service they are paying for. So, a flexible payment plan where people could make monthly payments would put the Pass in the reach of most club members and help to increase attendance even more than a plan where you pay up front.

In regards to refunds, there could be exceptions made in extreme circumstances. For instance, say someone's father has hip surgery in July, and they can't attend any events for the rest of the season because they need to take care of him. They go to the BoD and petition for a refund of 50% of the Pass price because 50% of the season has passed already. This way, people know that the club has their back if something happens, but only serious excuses will be accepted.

I also like the idea of rewarding people who actually do show up to events. It seems that some people felt that limiting the reward to one specific event decreased its effectiveness this year. One alternative would be a rewards system similar to what a coffee shop might do where once you attend five events, you get your next NHMS event at a discount. Of course, these numbers would be changed before a finalized plan would be launched.

AFAIK there is an opening for a "Marketing Chief" to lead membership and event packaging efforts such as the "season pass" idea. Talk is cheap -- next Wednesday saddle up, fill your meth-injected ride with boost juice, put on your nomex suit and SA2010 helmet and trot on over to Yangtze River!

I think I could help out as Marketing Chief. I'm about to graduate from business school with a degree in Marketing, so I have plenty of ideas and info to bring to the table. However, I go to NYU and will be in New York until May, when I plan to move to Boston.

--Lindsey--

[chaos4NH]

I like the thinking going into this subject, however, I have not seen a plan put forth other than those that say something to the effect "there could be something......., or maybe we could......, or how about something like.........". So lets get a solidified plan or two put together for the BOD to review. That is certainly where a Marketing Chief might come into the picture. All of you forward thinkers must realize that the players necessary to run the organization are volunteers, therefore, plans put forward should not result in gobs of paper work, refunds, calculations and juggled planning. I will also restate that rewarding those fortunate enough to have a wad of cash in April does not seem fair to those who attend all events but pay on an event by event basis. Lets reward those that actually show up for the events. I can see all manner of excuses having to be considered by the BOD, then those that feel their excuse was as good as someone elses, but was denied a refund. So lets see those with ideas put forth a complete package and show up at a BOD meting to put that package forward. Keep thinkng guys!

[Barry]

I think paying up front to get a discount would be hard for some members,I made all the events this year and took
advantage of the free weekend. I think it should be as last year. Barry ST4 #2

[chaos4NH]

I think paying up front to get a discount would be hard for some members,I made all the events this year and took
advantage of the free weekend. I think it should be as last year. Barry ST4 #2

Thanks Barry. My point exactly, reward those that show up. BTW congratulations on a huge improvement in your times and consistency!

[breakaway500]

You could do both. Reward the every event people AND offer a season pass deal.It does not have to be one or the other.