CB4x4 needs your feed back

[broncomatt]

AS usual for the last 3 years I am late to respond. Several of the ideas that kept our club going and generating money to keep the site up have faded away. Not only where there raffles at the meetngreet and at URE. There were calendars, t-shirt, stickers, hats. All could be gotten on line. Those are all gone now. The shirts that are available now can only be picked up in person.
For every car show that at least two members go to should put up some kind of sign. That's how we get our name out there again. For every wheeling even some one goes to they need to put something out to show what groups they belong to.
To gain more members we need to make the web site's information sections more up to date and thorough.
Now I wont say that joining up with classic is a bad thing. Their reference sections are a great resource. But we can put together our own as requested.
At the end of things. I don't feel we need to join up with any site, to get more people to want to spend time on our site we need to make the site work properly, be interesting and fun to use.
As I get closer to finishing up my build (for the 3'rd time} perhaps I can get the FLA
group to grow. Putting together these events, promos, sponsorship, advertising all takes time and effort. I am willing to help keep things happening but I am in central FL and I don't get to go up attend most events. That may change more in the future but to start now takes action with members that are close and can make a good show.
We can keep this good thing going, we just need to work together!

[chuzie]

The swag is no doubt a great fund raiser. Unfortunately, we (the club) don't have the funds in the account necessary to front overhead of said calendars, t-shirt, stickers and hats. Chuck has lost money in the past fronting his own cash and the swag sat around unpurchased for a very long time. That is what led us to try the point of sale method for the shirts this time around. I think we can use the funds left over from the shirt shirt sale, after the site is upgraded, to pad the account and make some swag in an effort to have an ongoing income source.

The raffle issue has been beat to death so I won't touch that one except to say, if someone is willing to take point on that project and deal with the nightmare of dealing with the vendors, it can work.

I don't want to speak for Chuck, but I bet he would be willing to get our club banner to someone if they are going to attend an event with a few folks to help get some exposure.

[blazinchuck]

like chuzie has mentioned...many of dollars have been lost due to swag. the very first year i spent $1200... and it took 4 yrs for the last actual shirt,hat,etc to be gone. this last time, i made the sweat shirts prepay(just because they cost almost $40 ea) and i still paid for the rest up front...last shirt is final gone, and i guess ill be keeping the last two hats for myself(since they are still clean). as for shipping...if anyone wants to purchase a shirt,hat,whatever from Biff...PLEASE DO SO!!!! I WILL GLADLY BRING THEM HOME FROM NOVRUN AND SHIP THEM TO WHOEVER@ YOUR DIME. it doesnt get any easier than that!! i dont mind the idea of teaming up with another site....but if some of you recall, we did.

anyone remember wheeling dixie? they were a "anything 4x4" site, and enjoyed crawling. i knew many of them and they knew many of us. so they wanted on our site, and we opened up to them. it only took one visit to the gulches for a combined club wheeling trip. we broke for lunch and i could believe the mess they left! we cleaned it up and broke ties with them. i care too much about the parks open to us and hope to never see them close.

i found the chat box in the admin section and disabled it(not used anymore). I really wish our picture problem would get fixed...i think ppl like checking in and seeing the random pics up top.im gonna keep with the idea of redisning the tech pdf page...it really should be easier to follow and find pdfs. as for annual cost, that is really not an issue-jayt works it out...only real cost comes when we need upgrades. in this case one may be needed to correct our picture problem, but it all worked before so i think a piece of code is broken, causing or linking issues.i think connecting our site with facebook(like the forum was designed to do) would help also. we have a lot of really good build threads here and being able to link them to a fb page can generate a huge amount of traffic. we have also pushed others in nc or anywhere to get together monthly like we try to do...that by itself can generate excitement among those local folks. i dont get to have the local meetings like we used to do...i now work on thurs nights. i should have one tomorrow, but we really need to weld up chuzies bumper.

since someone touched on the work weekends...i really wish we could have more participation! i feel like we the club is leaning on Nick,Bart,and Clay. before anyone gets upset...i know there have been a few other...this is not really for you, but more for those that are able and near and tend to avoid that thread. heck even doug and i teamed up in a volvo(to save gas and spending) just for the one long arse day we spent helping, but mainly driving! its 5hrs one way for any of us from chucktown. ok, i need to get back to my job...ill check in again later. thanks for all the responses so far...this really helps!!! thanks,Chuck

[broncosbybart]

Man- I just saw this thread. Some quick thoughts.

Lately the website is really sucking. I don't see the CB logo thing on new posts and now overlook them inadvertently. The picture posting problem is really annoying too. IMHO the website needs to be fixed asap or it will dissolve even more.

The remainder of my thoughts mirror many on already expressed. I don't want the info from the site to go away but I think the site will probably need to merge with another one. It seems like forums of all types are experiencing less traffic, as Nick pointed out. I haven't seen a single EB on the road this entire summer. This site lends itself to a very limited following.

One other thought I have is with the prices of these rigs going through the roof, very few people will be wheeling them. I know that wheeling is the focus of the club members but we will not be adding many new members, if any. To boost participation, the focus must change to more of a meet and greet type deal. I enjoy both types of venues, which is why I pushed for the M&G and then a trip to URE so we could do both.

I don't care if the focus of the club changes or not. I like (most) of you all on here and would like to have club functions even if the club goes away.

Oh, and this year Dwight has been a great help on the URE trail work days. We have been doing more than many of the other clubs that have adopted trails. Sad, yes, but speaks well of what we've gotten done. I'd like to continue to give back and do a trail sponsorship and welcome any and all help!

Edit- Lastly, my opinion on the best way to increase club exposure would be the spring show/swap meet at Lowe's. Also, I'd like to see a healthy number of us at the 50'th deal super cel and have the banner up and all. It might not add members but it would be a way to be visible in the bronco community for sure.

[Broncitis]

WooHooo It'd take me a week or so to drive mine to Super Cel but I will start making plans for it now. When it comes to hangin out with other Broncos I really enjoy it. But when it comes down to it I would hang with any type of 4X4 as there are so few Broncos around here. I feel the same way as when riding motorcycles. Ride what you can afford. I have owned Yamahas, Kawasakis, and presently own a V Rod. It does not seem like any of us are exactly Bronco purist as every ones rig is highy modified or at some stage of being modified for the trails.
What kind of money does it take to update the web site and keep it that way. I have no idea what it cost.
Thanks for the pat on the back Bart. Physically I am not much help especially in the Hot weather but I try to do what I can.

[snipes243]

Honestly I think more events would help, doesn't have to be big events. Maybe just local gatherings like down in chucktown. Another idea has anybody else been to there local Cars and coffee show?

I took mine down there a month back, actually meet 3 more bronco owners. The hard part is all I can do is give them my number or invite them to forum. But if nothing is going on to help them connect it makes it hard. As surprising as it sounds I think the Facebook connection is actually a good thing. Ok so I will start who wants to get together for a little mini Charlotte meet up and maybe cars and coffee next month?

[broncosbybart]

You know I'm goof to meet up. Cars and coffee works. Just say when.

[broncosbybart]

Oh, quick thing I did on most of the forums I frequent is to edit my sig to include the website and it's address. Figure it couldn't hurt.

[blazinchuck]

thanks to jayt, we now have the picture problem fixed and our new logo in the top left. please post up any problems some of you may find

[Broncitis]

Lookin Good and Thanks JayT