I need some advice about BRS event creation!

saypay45

Chapter Presidents
May 24, 2010
1,028
3
36
Alright, this is a rant and a question:

So as fun as the first official event for the Minnesota chapter was (and it was a blast), I was disappointed by the lack of turnout. I love talking to and hanging with zumba, but if I wanted to just do that I would just send her a text message or something. I wouldn't create a chapter event, send out a zillion email, BRS, and facebook reminders, etc. It's not called the "saypay and zumba Club" (although that would be a cool club). It's called the BRS "Minnesota Chapter".

There is a curious lack of participation in my chapter for whatever reason. I'm trying to get the word out about events as well as offer members a chance to participate in their creation by bouncing ideas off of me in forum and via email. I have yet to hear from 90% of my members about anything...anything at all!

What have you guys done to encourage participation and interest in your chapters?
 
I create a very colorful and

I create a very colorful and informative email with all the details of our next meetups, and I send it about two weeks then one week before the meetup. Everyone in your group receives an email when you create an event, if I'm not mistaken, but the format is not so great; that's why I like to send a separate email as I described. If you don't know your members email addresses and city, send out a Broadcast asking them for it, and while you're at it, ask them where it would be most convenient for them to attend a group run AND ask them where they would like to run. Once you get their city, you can add it to a Google map, and add it to your chapter's home page (since our maps are down). Once you know where the majority of your members are and/or know where they would most like to run, you can start arranging meetups in more convenient areas. Also, ask them if they prefer Saturdays or Sundays, then go with the majority and/or create one run a month on a Saturday and one run a month on Sunday. You don't have to attend every run, but you could recruit a volunteer to be your contact.

Another thing you can do to stir up interest is create your own barefoot runner division, aside from the event you may be holding a meetup up at. For example, have a group meetup at a local 5K. Tell your members that there will be an unofficial BRS barefoot runner division. Get some medals or even cheaper, ribbons from your local office supply store, and give those to the finishers according to their times. Tell them we will gladly post the race results on the BRS site. (You might want to have them sign a waiver as is required at all racing events anyway. If you need that waiver, I have one I can send to you.)

I'm sure I have more ideas, but I gotta get some BRS work done. I'll post more later.
 
I've been doing broadcast

I've been doing broadcast emails to get input on runs and races, as well as to inform people about events. It just seems like my members joined BRS and then disappeared.

Oh well, maybe it's like you said about your chapter TJ. I have to wait for it to grow a little bit before there is steady participation.
 
I hope my other suggestions

I hope my other suggestions were helpful.
 
Of course.  I never thought

Of course. I never thought about having a "barefoot division" at races and such. This is why Zumba is my co-chair. I am not exactly the creative one of the group. I'm the type-A manager.
 
Now why didn't I think of

Now why didn't I think of that...barefoot division. So, since we tied SP, what do we get? :p

That's a fun idea. I thought about hosting a smaller scale (lol, so that'd be what, just me?) workshop/group run for those in Rochester to familiarize them with it so they can feel more comfortable with a bigger Chapter meetup. I've been talking to my step sister, new runner, a fellow dancer and barefooter who is attending the upcoming group run (per the fb page) and one other friend. As well as looking around the local track club for those showing interest in minimal shoes and putting the word there.

Did we decide on cards at all? I'm finding myself chatting up barefoot running quite a bit randomly in public (with my massage therapist, who is a runner) and thought that it'd be handy to have a card on hand. I think we should definitely do that too, it's a bit more professional. Also, start sporting more gear. Are we able to use the BRS logo for iron ons, flyers etc? Maybe we need to make connections with local sports and running shops and collaborate with them?
 
We would prefer you buy a

We would prefer you buy a shirt through our Merchandise tab, since we have no funding, but we won't be able to stop everyone.

I offered the business card earlier somewhere in these forums. I will email it to you.

We're still looking for a Merchandising Coordinator, if you're interested. The store needs to be expanded to add all those other products we want to add that Cafe Press doesn't offer. We would like to get tech shirts too, but Zazzle is too expensive, and I doubt we would have many sales through them with their high prices. Cafe Press is affordable, but they don't have a tech shirt. Interested?
 
I will defininitely buy a

I will defininitely buy a shirt, I was thinking of sticking some BRS logos on some of the stuff I have laying around at home, all plain and begging for a barefoot stamped on it :p

Off to check out your Hiring thread to see what the position would entail exactly. ;) I'll get back to you. One suggestion I have, is a poly cotton blend tee...like old baseball tees. I have a special place in my heart for those, because they hold up shape nicely and are super soft. Any thoughts on this?
 
Thanks for checking out our

Thanks for checking out our classifieds. ;-)

Is that fabric heavy?
 
But SP, I've already found

But SP, I've already found the official BRS kilt: http://www.blaklader.com/ImageVault/Images/conversionFormat_5/id_6178/ImageVaultHandler.aspx

They'll even put the BRS logo on it, for a price...
 
Barefoot TJ wrote:I offered

Barefoot TJ said:
I offered the business card earlier somewhere in these forums. I will email it to you.

TJ, I am also interested in the business card concept. I think when people see us BFR/MR and talk w/us, many times there is something else going on that doesn't allow for real information sharing re: BFR/MR. It would be nice to hand them something they could look at later and review at their convenience.

And...since there is no better place for info than here...then here is where they should be!

Would you email me your concept of what one of these would look like? And the waterproof vendor also?

Cheers,

Mike
 
Blind Boy wrote:But SP, I've

Blind Boy said:
But SP, I've already found the official BRS kilt: http://www.blaklader.com/ImageVault/Images/conversionFormat_5/id_6178/ImageVaultHandler.aspx

They'll even put the BRS logo on it, for a price...

BB, is that really a kilt, or is it an accessory for Road Construction Barbie?
 
I will add the BRS business

I will add the BRS business card in .PDF format to the Freebie sticky thread at the top of the main forum for EVERYONE who wants to hand out a BRS card.

For Chapter Presidents ONLY, I am including the Word .DOC file, so you can edit it to add your personal contact info if you like.

I don't have a waterproof vendor, Mike. I use a small ziploc sandwich baggie to carry mine around in. Ptttth!
 
Sorry TJ, my bad. I misread

Sorry TJ, my bad. I misread the post. You said that the cards could be printed on waterproof paper, but to contact you for the logo.

You didn't say to contact you about the waterproof paper. But that's what I get for having failed the Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course. :)

'Course...you are "TJ", and as such are all powerful and all knowing...

Thanks for all you do!

Cheers,

Mike
 
Salami, salami, bologna!

Salami, salami, bologna!
 
SP, I'd say it's both. It's

SP, I'd say it's both. It's made by a Swedish company specializing in work clothing, as in construction and so on. They do a black one as well and apparently it's pretty popular but I guess they thought it wasn't attention grabbing enough or they got requests from road crews to make one to fit their dress code too...
 
Cameron has been busy

Cameron has been busy building a test site from scratch. Then there are a lot of Drupal updates that have to be added one at a time, and then tested. Once that is done, he will work on the map problem (Google Map/GMap Module-if anyone is interested), and once that is up and running, I say let's launch! So what if there are a few little quirks here and there. It's a FREE site after all. ;-) Anywho, I'm supposed to be able to logon to the new test site before the end of this week to test everything out. Once that's done, we can move onto the next step. Cross your toes for us!
 
TJ, absolutely not heavy at

TJ, absolutely not heavy at all. The tees that I've had that are polly cotton blend have always been really nice, thin and lightweight.

Woah, BRS kilt?? So, if we're going that route, we'll have to do tunics and dresses then too right?? I'm all over a running/exercise dress if one pops up at an affordable price. :) Do I have to start sewing TJ??