Ok, so I had taken over the CenTex smart club here in Austin back in June(it just fizzled out about a year ago when the guy running it just couldn't devote the time).
Since then, we have done a couple of Meet-N-Greets, one event and we have been giving a really great opportunity for the holidays. I have posted on all of the forums that I could think of, even the ones that only have 4 members (LOL)! I have printed out fliers and left them at the smart center, I have sent emails, updated our facebook account, and have placed notes on smarts seen in parking lots. With the event that is coming up, we are getting a police escort into a Blue Santa event and have a designated area just in front of the main stage to do a smart car show. I would really like to get a lot of smarts there, but, I have not been getting any responses from anyone.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks that I could try to create more activity for this? I don't want this to end up being just 1 or 2 smarts getting a police escort, because then it would probably just end up looking like a hot pursuit!
Kwager has posted a ton of great info on organizing events. It's around here somewhere, hang on...
I've found that working with your local smart center really drives up attending numbers. They've got all their customers on email. I don't think they can give you the list, but they might send notices on the club's behalf.
Eddie,
It sounds like you are trying all of the right things. It is a shame you don't have a dealer in Austin. I would suggest you try to get the San Antonio and Round Rock dealers to send out an e-mail to all of their customers asking if they are interested in being part of a smart car club centered in Austin and providing your e-mail address.
That's how we started the Orlando club almost two years ago. Then use e-mail to promote your events directly to those who express an interest. We have well over 120 people on our list but even then a good turn out for a casual meet and greet is between 15 and 30 smart cars.
We have had a couple of events with 60 to 100 smart cars and an anniversary event last Feb with 207 cars but these were major events that I planned and promoted a couple to four months in advance.
You can make it work but it does take a lot of time and effort.
Suze, thanks for the info. Hopefully something will help.
Kwagar, The Round Rock Smart Center is basically the Austin dealership, Round Rock is a suburb of Austin, and I have tried that route. But, for some reason they seem to frown upon them sending out an email to everyone, I have tried a couple of times. But, perhaps you are on to something, maybe I am planning stuff too quickly and not giving time for people to get interested. I have been planning events one month out.
As far as the nationals go, I know that I am going to be there and I sure do hope that it is just HUGE! I would love to have the opportunity to see hundreds, if not, thousands of smarts all together! I am soo excited about Nationals!
I am excited for the Nationals too, it is going to be a great event. I'm not planning on a Midwest event at this point. There has been a ton of interest...but I don't want to take away from the National Rally.
In the Indiana chapter, we have an email list of all of the members, we then go down the list and have each member do an event: For example this month whitenblack08 does an event up in his area, next month pdboilermaker does and event in his area, the following month einsteins mommy does and event in her area and so on and so on.
The events can be anything from a brunch, a poker run, a tour of a tank muesum whatever that person wants to show off in their area or whatever cause they want to support with a fundraiser. Our model is kind of loosely based on the Harley Davidson HOG chapters model or the Jeep club models.
We have a strong dealership, and promote through them as well as this site and through emails to all members
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