Mid Year Donations

[Tony Meola]

Well we are at the half way point in the year, and I thought it might be a good time to bring up the topic of Donations.

We really need to keep this place up and running and the Capt. needs some help. So if you have any pennies lying around please send a few to Capt. Pat.

By the way dollars work better.

Thanks guys.

[CaptPatrick]

Tony,

Thanks for the reminder post but I really am starting to believe that fund raising reminders are falling on deaf ears and blind eyes...

3 years ago, after a long going discussion, we had our best fund raising year. The next year, by June, we'd only done 63% of that. This year we've only done 44% of the same time period in 2014...

As most here know, I just refuse to plead for donations. It's self sufficient pride and my hope that enough members will pitch in to cover expenses that holds me back from being more direct...

If everyone would just read Uncle Vic's "The Importance of Fund Raisers" post...

[Charlie J]

looking at the 2016 donation list not to many people have stepped up to the plate
count me in as always cap
ill get a check out the beginning of next month

[Jamie MacKenzie]

I'm one of the laggards. I'll get a check out on Monday.

[Navatech]

Can I send a Paypal payment to anybody who'll then add it to their own donation?!...

[RAWicklund]

Nav,
I'll forward any PayPal donation as we have done in the past. Rawicklund@aol.com .....just hit a reminder to the discussion when you send it.

Many thanks

Ray

[Navatech]

I'll forward any PayPal donation as we have done in the past. Rawicklund@aol.com .....just hit a reminder to the discussion when you send it.

Thanks Ray... You can consider this your reminder as I have already sent you the funds :-)

[Tony Meola]

Tony,

Thanks for the reminder post but I really am starting to believe that fund raising reminders are falling on deaf ears and blind eyes...

3 years ago, after a long going discussion, we had our best fund raising year. The next year, by June, we'd only done 63% of that. This year we've only done 44% of the same time period in 2014...

As most here know, I just refuse to plead for donations. It's self sufficient pride and my hope that enough members will pitch in to cover expenses that holds me back from being more direct...

If everyone would just read Uncle Vic's "The Importance of Fund Raisers" post...

No need to beg. One of us will be nudge or as my mother used to say a scooch.

For those who are not Italian, that is the short version of the Italian word meaning pain in the but.

[RAWicklund]

Nav,
Yep, PayPal sent me a notice last night of your payment.......it will be in the mail to Capt. Pat on Monday .

Ray

[Navatech]

Yep, PayPal sent me a notice last night of your payment.......it will be in the mail to Capt. Pat on Monday .

Thanks!...

[Dug]

I'm in. Should see it this week.

[spencer]

Embarrassed to say I have not donated in A long time
Really no excuse sorry/ it's got to cost a lot to keep it going
I'm on this site at least twice a day
and has helped me rebuild a
25 and almost finished 31

Check will go out tomorrow
Craig Spencer

[Gert van Leest]

Ray ,

I just send the money to your PayPal account .

Cap , thanks for running the show !!

Gert

[PeterPalmieri]

I will send a check today.

[RAWicklund]

Got it Gert........ Check is heading Capt. Pat's way this morning.

Ray

[Dug]

Bank says it should be there by Thursday.

Alchemy is supposed to get wet this week for the first time in a year and a half (the bottom this time, on purpose).

So much of this project is due ultimately to learning and watching via this site, for a very long time.

Supporting its presence and accessibility is the LEAST I can do.

Thanks Patrick!

Dug

[Amberjack]

Tony-

Where do we stand now after your post at the first of the month? I bet some of us would be willing to double up if we're still short.

[CaptPatrick]

Doug,

We are a little less than half way through the year and 68.5% of way toward our goal of $7,000.00...

In 2014 we exceeded the goal by l little over $2,000 and in 2015 we exceeded by just over $1,000. By those two numbers, I'm projecting we'll come up short of the goal by $1,000 by year's end at this pace.

Man, I hate talking about funding...

[Tony Meola]

Doug

There are a couple of issues in regard to funding. Most of us left on the board are old timers. Unfortunately the numbers of active members have dropped and the board activity, which used to be extremely high is way off.

Old Uncle Vic God rest his sole, was always the spark that lit the fires around here. Either for fund raisers or just spirited discussions. He was the champion of the board, while the good Capt. Is the Steward who lets us play here.

Unfortunately, with dropping numbers, it gets harder every year to help fund the board.

But as long as I can do it I will send in my few sheckles, and if someone does not beat me to it, will ask for donations.

There are members here who will tell you how in time of need, other members have gone to great lengths to help them out. Try to find that on another board. I believe those that are left would still help out other members.

So to that end, I will bug people again some time in Sept.

[Yannis]

Tony et al,

In order for a company to increase their sales they have to do one, or a combination, of the following:

a) Find more customers
b) Increase sales per individual customer

In other words, make their product available to a wider client list, or, sell an increased volume to their existing customers. Or a combination of these two.

In our case, the objective should be to "find more customers", in other words, have more people contribute to the site - or else the same (or fewer people every year) would be burdened with higher donations.

So, we have to render this site a little more attractive to NEW subscribers. It is well known that one way of doing so is by making any potential subscriber IDENTIFY with the product, in this case with the site.

My set of proposals is:

1. Create a list of "per boat model", whereby a potential incomer will automatically know how many existing members own the particular model THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH. It is different to say that this is a general "BERTRAM" site, as opposed to say "this is MY Bertram site, because X number of owners have MY boat model".

2. Create a list of "per area", whereby a potential incomer will know how many Bertram owners are to be found close to his locality. It is more tempting to enter a club whereby it is already known that X number of owners are within reach, as compared to a club where the members are dispersed all over the world without knowing where exactly they are.

3. Improve on the site's "Bertram identity" . This site is a Bertram 31 dot com site. It conveys the message that only 31 owners are welcome. Of course this is NOT true, but I'm sure that by the time a potential Bertram "non 31" owner finds out that this is a universal Bertram model site, it's a bit too late and in general IT DOES NOT HELP for them to IDENTIFY with the site. Consider: It is NOT what I say - It is what others understand, that makes the difference.

4. Use "tools" to raise funds i.e. expand on the "get-together" notion by inviting more people, by making those congregations more attractive to "general boat owners". This could be done by inviting speakers of a certain caliber to participate and speak on interesting issues, either about their own feats or on topics on which they are clearly the connoisseurs beyond any doubt. These topics could be the subject of internal voting among the members during the course of the year.

We could start improving our "Invitation to the Site" task, by ALL making available our location, boat pic, boat type, name, email address ... ... in our own domain.
We could also make a thread whereby each of us could propose whatever they think about improving the above.
We could certainly hear from IT experts what the capabilities are and how we can better use them.

The goal is common to all of us and if we do nothing, as you founding members so eloquently put it, there will come a time when just 20-30 members will have to assume disproportionate funding obligations. I'm purposely not including "acts of God" parameters in this discussion, which would certainly further complicate the issue...

[Tony Meola]

Yannis

Great suggestions.

Your suggestions are welcomin and in the past I have thought about some of what you have suggested.

It is Capt. Pat's sand box so it wuld be up to him. Unfortunately it will take time and some money for some changes you suggested.

As far as rebranding the sight, we need to be careful we do not step on Bertrams toes with the name. If I remember correctly, there was a point the old owners, maybe 3 owners ago,did voice some concern with the sights name.

We are not the only site seeing interest drop. Each to a different degree. For some, this sight might be too mellow. We don't call each other names, we all get along. Think about some of the other boating sites. Sometimes it gets down right ugly. But reality shows are the in thing, so everyone is always looking for a train wreck.

We just do not jump off the tracks. I have been on this board at least 10 years and I only member the Capt. Only locking down one thread. How many sites can claim that?

But we may be nearing a time for us to think about how we stay up and running, and if there should be a succession plan if the good Capt decides he does not want or worse can not continue to run the sight. We will cross that bridge when we get there.

What we really need is a renewed interest in our boats. The 2008 economic down turn just changed it all.

[Joseph Fikentscher]

Donation sent.

Thanks Capt!!!

[GerardA]

Hi Captain Patrick & Board Members,
I thought that the red graphic formerly at the top of the page was
beneficial in that it displayed our progress toward reaching the goal.
I know I checked it out at each login.
I believe the goal of 7K is quite modest.
There are a little over 1K members.
If every member (+1K) contributed $7 we'd meet our goal.
If half of the members (500) contributed $14 we'd meet our goal.
If a quarter of the members (250) contributed $28 we'd meet out goal.
If an eighth of the members (125) contributed $56 we'd meet our goal.
The last two years there were 49 donors.
It takes these 50 members contributing $140 to meet our goal.
Lets all pull together & share the load!
I'm sure you find this site as invaluable as I do!
Thank You Captain Patrick!
Sincerely
GerardA
1986 33 Sportfisherman
454 Mercs
"Freedom"
Green Pond
Falmouth, MA

[Amberjack]

In 2014 we exceeded the goal by l little over $2,000 and in 2015 we exceeded by just over $1,000. By those two numbers, I'm projecting we'll come up short of the goal by $1,000 by year's end at this pace.

Man, I hate talking about funding...

Captain Patrick we can fix this, we're not talking impossible numbers here. And you shouldn't have to worry about the funding, some of us can handle the fund appeals.

What do you think all faithful, can we put our heads together to set the forum on a steady course for the next several years? I'm seeing strong interest and good ideas.

[Charlie J]

checks in the mail

[coolair]

Increasing things for sale on the site "book store" might not be a bad idea either. I can not find the link to save my life, but I purchased Capt. Pat's Cd on how to build deck hatches. I actually was reading it earlier tonight. I know that I troll the site constantly looking for pictures and references on how to build or do something. It maybe a little work for Capt. Pat, but I would gladly pay for access to all the photos from say Buddy Boy or Fortuna, Hancock, etc.

I just came across a post in 2009, I asked Capt. pat when was he going to publish a DYI book on the 31, maybe now is the time!