Fish Have Clubs, Why Can't I?
Part 3: Meeting Schedule, Speakers, Sponsors.
by Schuyler Sloane
Founder and President of The Northeast Philadelphia Aquarium Society
www.phillyfishclub.com
Aquarticles
Meeting schedule
Now that you have your group of fellow hobbyists gathered together you are going to need
something to do. Below is a general listing of what we do during our meetings. You are
going to want to adjust this schedule to fit your needs and your time.
Our meetings generally run from 7 pm to 9:30 pm, once a month. We have been doing this
for a while but it sometimes changes to fit different programs and speakers. Our schedule
is not written in stone and you should never expect yours to be - too many things can and
will change it, but if you use this a guide you will make out all right.
6:30: Arrive early to set things up for your meeting, such as the auction,
raffle, and snack tables. Hopefully you will have some help in this. If not, pay a kid you
know 5 bucks - trust me, it helps.
6:45: Meet with the speaker.
7:00: The meeting begins. OK, it doesn't really begin here. Usually when the meeting is
supposed to start you have two people talking over there, a few more looking at the
auction table and at least a few more outside smoking - so take a moment to let everyone
know that the meeting will be starting shortly and that they should take their seats.
This also gives you a few minutes to sell raffle tickets and 50/50 tickets, and to make
sure that every member has a door prize ticket.
When everyone is seated you can go over a few club notes with the members and guests.
Let them know about upcoming events and trips, tell them what's going on, and remember
that the more involved the members feel the more interested they are.
Now is the time to introduce your speaker. Ask the members for a big welcome to the
speaker as this will really get everything warmed up.
After the speaker has finished his program there is usually a Q&A session where the
members can get tips on that particular subject.
After your speaker is done, it might be anywhere from 7:30 to 8:00. At this point I
tell my members and guests to take a quick break - this allows them to stretch their legs
and also gives the late arrivals a chance to buy their raffle tickets and get their door
prize tickets.
After the break it's time to start the raffles and auctions. Your auctions are going to
take center stage. I normally begin by calling out the first raffle ticket numbers while
the auction is being set up. All you have to do now is intersperse your ticket prizes with
your auction, and this should complete your night.
The last item of business is to call the numbers for the door prizes. The reason for
doing this is that people usually stay for their chance to get their door prize - it's a
freebie and people like freebies.
Then it's time to say goodnight and send them on their way, hopefully with some goodies
and a few more tricks of the trade. Just remember to ask a few of them to help clean up,
and leave your meeting place cleaner than when you got there.
Speakers
There is a variety of topics that you can cover in your meetings. You can show videos, you
can have members speak about their experiences with the fish they keep, and you can search
for visiting speakers.
There are plenty of people in the hobby that will speak at your meetings. Early on in
your club you may not have the funds to invite speakers from far off areas. That's OK; you
should first look for the local guy - this could be a member who keeps fish or, your best
bet, an employee or even a manager/owner of the local pet store . Remember it never hurts
to ask.
You can also show videos on fish that are available at the local library. These always
seem to be a big hit.
When your club does start to have funds available there are numerous sources for
finding speakers The Federation of American Aquarium Societies has a list of people who
are willing to travel to speak at your meeting, and usually all they require is a place to
stay and food to eat. (Some may have pre-determined fees for speaking, so check in
advance). When you do find your speaker, whether local or traveling, it is nice to make up
a certificate of thanks and have an honorarium ready for them.
Sponsors
One of the most important things you need to do for your club is to find sponsors.
Sponsors are the generous local and national companies that will supply you with the
goodies that keep your members coming back. People love the chance to try new products,
and most companies love to get new customers.
I began my search for sponsors by talking to other clubs about who and where they
contacted their sponsors. After getting a few leads this way I then opened up two very
important items -the phone book for my local aquarium related businesses, and my favorite
hobbyist magazine for my corporate sponsors.
You should begin the process of finding sponsors by creating a professional looking
letterhead with your club's logo and contact information. Then introduce yourself. Explain
to them who you are and what the items they donate will do for the club. The items they
donate for the raffles and auctions will help to raise money to cover other club events
and the cost of providing this service to the local community. Let them know that in
return you will advertise their company in your website and your newsletter.
This works very well when you are talking to the local aquarium shops. It shows that
you will be sending customers their way, and what business doesn't want customers?
In order to fully explain who you are you need to visit their store. Ask to speak to the
manager or owner, explain to them in a polite way who you are, and if you have flyers be
prepared to leave a few of them in the store.
On the topic of sponsors it is very important not to seem like you are pestering them.
After mailing those letters keep track of where you sent them. Most companies will be glad
to respond to them, but be patient. If you have contact names don't be afraid to call
them. Begin by introducing yourself and asking if they received your letter. It also helps
when you receive your package to call them to let them know that you did receive it, and
to thank them for their continued support. They love to know that they have helped in a
big way.
(Part 4 to come shortly)
İSchuyler Sloane 2005
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