I look forward to
seeing the Borderlines newsletter in my mailbox and know others do
too. I would rather have an increase of my membership fee by a
couple bucks than see the magazine go away or be reduced further.
However I would understand if it had to turn into an online mag.
only etc. to save money. I had no idea it was so expensive!
----------
charge a subscription fee for a "paper copy". "E-zine" included in
membership
----------
I am not sure why a lower cost publisher automatically translates
into a lower quality product. The quality of the product is
marginal to begin with. Look for a BETTER, lower cost publisher.
More rigid style sheeting of the regular content, with maximum
word counts for contributors would be one way to standardize your
pages, template the magazine and cut layout time.
Create themed issues to encourage membership advertising. Now that
the limitations of the health clearance & herding RQ have been
lifted, there could be themed issues, e.g.. a stud dog/brood bitch
issue, with group rate (3+ ads gets a deal), to encourage breeders
to advert their stud/brood bitch and their get.
Run top 10 ONLY on
all the score boards. Format to 2 pages of these, max. Full lists
online.
Aggressively seek
more commercial advertising. Make the media kit available on the
website, so that anyone who thinks they can line-up a commercial
ad or two has the tools to do so.
Increase membership
numbers, not dues. That will drive people out.
The BOD continually makes self-interested decisions that alienates
the general membership--many long-time, successful breeders who
should be members (and their puppy buyers, etc.) are not members.
Why is this? Addressing this CENTRAL dysfunctionality will help
the entire club, and Borderlines will benefit along with.
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I believe we should both increase dues and charge for Borderlines.
We should also reduce Borderlines cost by moving statistics and
board minutes to web only. Any surplus we have from dues and
subscriptions could be used for future publishing cost increases
or unexpected Club expenses.
-----------
Actively seek new BCSA members via a membership drive that doesn't
require a current member's signature on the application-- the new
member would instead sign an oath to abide by club practices.
1. The larger your
membership base, the larger your revenue. The best place to
solicit members is newbies and pet owners who are enamored of
their new BC puppy and want to learn more. Plus, such people are
not aware of the "Border Collie Wars" and would have no reason not
to join. In addition, give new members a discount for joining to
entice them in-- if regular membership dues are $40/year, invite
them to join for $20 the first year. In order to reach out to such
potential members, the easiest and most direct way to reach such
people would be to have the AKC insert a membership invitation
into every new BC registration. The cost for a simple letter with
a return form on the bottom for people to cut off and mail should
be minimal.
2. Solicit members
at "meet the breeds" events and large dog shows or events (agility
nationals, Eukanuba nationals, etc..) where a BCSA booth is set
up.
3. Design "theme"
issues of Borderlines, and solicit advertising in accordance with
the theme-- other national clubs do this with much success. Themed
issues can be such things as "Future Prospects" (puppies), "Glory
Days" (veteran dogs), separate issues with a performance theme,
i.e.., "Spotlight On... Herding, Agility, Obedience (or combine
into one 'performance' issue). Then invite members to advertise
based on the upcoming themed issue.
4. Invite "newbies"
to write a column in Borderlines outlining how they became
involved, what they've learned, and what they'd like to learn.
This would also keep the other newbies interested and perhaps
inspire them to write their own column. I think seasoned club
members would need to "encourage" some of their puppy buyers or
others they know who are new to write something. I think newbies
would be thrilled to be invited to contribute, and it will keep
them interested. (I know you're not looking for story ideas in
this survey, but diverse stories help to make the magazine a
"can't miss" for members, which may encourage a more diverse
audience to consider advertising...
5. I know the club
has been trying to encourage juniors to get more involved, but
perhaps someone knows a club member with a child who is actively
involved with training and/or showing their BC, and that child
could be invited to write about training their dog and what
they've learned so far. It doesn't necessarily need to be a child
that has done a lot of winning, just a child who feels proud of
their dog and wants to share. I think every adult gets a kick out
of reading about training and/or showing from a child's point of
view.
6. How about having
the rescue group whose dog is spotlighted on the website write a
little something about the dog and also about their organization?
The featured rescue could be given the opportunity to highlight
their organization in exchange for placing a small advertisement
(which benefits both parties!).
7. How about asking
several well-known trainers in various parts of the country to
donate their services for a seminar that benefits BCSA-- and then
have a regional BC club run the seminar (and give that club a cut
of the profits for doing the work)? It would help if the
well-known trainers were members of BCSA... All Star Performance
Dog does this sort of thing with great success
(www.allstardogs.org).
------------
The "BL" is currently a very quality publication. Have you tried
tying the number of pages of articles to the income from ads?
Other breed specific magazines work in that manner.... lots of ads
= lots of articles.... less ads = only the basic club information.
----------
Send over runs to AKC Judges. I thing Borderlines is an important
part of our Club as it gives statistical and venue information
that is not available elsewhere. To sacrifice the quality/content
of the magazine would minimize the significance the magazine has
to our Breed and Club. By having a looser advertising policy,
hiring a commissioned advertising manager and seeking fund raising
options should allow the magazine to continue in its current
quality form.
----------
Do Not Allow Ads Per the "New Policy". Decreasing the requirements
to advertise in Borderlines may increase revenue; however, it
decreases the respect of the Breed. Please DO NOT ALLOW
MEDIOCRITY. Keep the original policy in place, the Border Collie
deserves this and more!
-----------
Keep the Nationals at Purina where it is free, why make an expense
when we do need to.
One of the fringe benefits, that the club offers the membership is
their breed magazine. I is one of the best out there. I am pleased
with the publication. And do not think we should cut down its size
or change the quality of it.
-----------
I really want to have the new titles and scoreboard back in
there!!! But then, you already know that.
-----------
I would hate to see it become an "e-zine". I like to hold it in my
hands, take it on the plane, etc. I think with dues as high as
they are, raising dues or charging a subscription fees isn't the
answer either. I wish I had a great idea on how to fix the
problem, but I don't!
-----------
After helping out with other breeds' Nationals, I know that the
National should be bringing in more money then they spend on it.
Since I have not actively helped out with our National, I'm not
sure where all of the costs are coming from. It is hard for a lot
of us to attend the National due to its location. Hopefully, in
the near future, it will be more mobile then the National
currently is. Then it will bring it to more people who will help
it become a bigger success.
-----------
Eliminate funding for the HEF, eliminate funding for SOD and
SOD-X, eliminate funding for USBCHA and Kentucky Bluegrass Trials,
decrease rescue and health study donations.
I really don't want to see Borderlines decrease in quality. I feel
at this point like Borderlines is most of what I personally get
out of BCSA for my annual dues. I enjoy it immensely. I want the
titles reinstated in the newsletter. I do not find the herding
column useful, I recommend deleting it or getting more input and
including it in only some issues. I love the conformation column.
The agility and obedience columns are also good. I believe
advertising revenue will rise significantly this year - give it a
chance. Thanks for all your hard work!!!!
-----------
I can't believe you only made $2500 on two agility trials. Why? My
obedience club puts on two agility trials and makes the majority
of it's money for the year on them. With good ribbons, out of town
judges, renting a park (but having our own equipment) and paying
security guards, we still make over $10,000. Are you not getting
enough entries? If so maybe you need to change the location of the
trial.
-----------
send more info through the announce list and post on the web site
Personally I do not like eliminating or reducing the advertising
criteria as it undermines what our club stands for - promoting and
maintaining the sound working Border Collie. I vote to make the
Borderlines an on-line newsletter which should save tons in
postage and printing. A few will still need to be mailed, but it
will only be a few.
Since not everybody
attends the specialty, I am in favor of reducing costs as this
event only benefits those who can attend which is far from the
entire membership.
-----------
Reduce spending on "extras" on the specialty. aggressively seek
donations and
maybe incentives for members who substantially donate do not
receive higher membership dues?
-----------
increase Specialty entry fees
All magazines need advertizing to break even, let alone make a
profit. But going to an online magazine will definitely not make
it interesting to advertisers.
-----------
Just my opinion... if you raise membership dues... you may lose
members. We belong to other clubs... and the club is able to put
out a "quality" mag. "Aussie Times"... for one... and another
quality mag is the "Working Border Collie"... if we are losing
that much money on the border lines... I agree something is "very"
wrong. Not that the quality of the magazine is "poor"... but it is
not nearly the quality of several national publications. I do
think that the club has lost money in advertising due to the
strict advertising policy that went on much too long... it drove
people away. If you lower the quality of Borderlines even more...
people will not advertise either. I am not an expert in running a
club... I wish that I had more options... but charging a
subscription fee on top of a membership fee will turn people off
as well. Maybe dropping some of the result pages or brags?? This
goes along with reducing the content... Editor would have to
decide what is published.
-----------
Would not be opposed to help with cost of mailings of the
Borderlines
-----------
I hate to see the spending on Nationals cut back much farther - at
least not with respect to worker food for those working all or at
least half a day. That is just plain cheap and isn't what most of
us experience at the other shows we are at each year. I'm also not
in favor of the decision already made to suspend the advertising
restrictions permanently - can we revisit that decision? I think
that was a mistake.
-----------
The online magazine would be my last choice but it's better than
nothing. I wouldn't mind a bit lower quality magazine. Do the
color ads really ad profit or would it be better to go back to
B/W, which is fine with me. One other thought would be to do an on
line magazine and if you want a hard copy that would be a paid for
subscription.
-----------
Cut back on donations to "charities".
I realize that rescue, health, etc. are important issues, but I
think cutting back (not eliminating) in these areas would be
recommended. Many individuals already donate time and money to
these charities, and not every member should have to donate to
these thru membership money, also. The money of the members should
be spent ON the members, and that includes a 6 times a year
magazine.
I am NOT for cutting back on the National Specialty. I have gone
almost every year, and spent approx $300 to $400 on entries, and I
don't think I have gotten many extras or freebies for my money.
Try and get each venue's entries to pay for it's cost. For
example: 175 dogs (approx) per day times $25 per entry equals
$4375 for conformation. How much did conformation cost to run?
Judge, ribbons, trophies were partly donated. If enough trophies
aren't donated, then cut back trophies to the top winning
positions.
-----------
I have never been to the BC Specialty the drive is a little to far
for me, so I don't get any pleasure from that. I don't know what
you are giving away in prizes and food you may need to re-think
that. the selling of food is a money maker.
I had kept my membership because I enjoyed reading the Borderlines
it was the only real in touch account of what was going on the
breed for me. Seeing the Ads, brags, wins, and new titles is what
I enjoy reading about, that is when it went up to the top 20 dogs.
It has slowly changed and not for the better. Much that I enjoyed
is gone. I would rather have all the board meetings minutes on
line if I want to read them I could go their. Also I think you
have lost people because of the attitude that some dogs were not
welcome or good enough to be in the Borderlines. I haven't had a
lot of litters {only one of Border Collies}, but I have been
around enough to know that even with very good parentage not all
of the dogs in the litter will be of the same quality.
I should tell you I haven't renewed my membership yet. I have been
pondering why I should renew, and I just haven't made up my mind.
I know no one will miss me, and you probably don't feel you need
me. I just thought I should say something. I know of others who
joined and didn't stay for about the same reasons. I may still try
one more year???
Well no hard feelings, just my thoughts I doubt that I was any
help.
Not that is matters but I have three OTCH's, and UD's on multiple
breeds
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Make the "e-zine" a pdf document so that anyone that wants a
printed copy can easily print it out in a format that "looks like"
a regular magazine; i.e., the text/pictures/ads fits neatly on the
pages.
-----------
Push for more sponsorships for the specialty and keeping the
prizes and extras.
Reducing to 4 issues a year could be a possibility - but I'd see
how the revenues are with the new suspended ad requirements first.
If the advertising starts to increase more - then it should help
cover the 6 issues. If you reduce to 4 issues, advertising will
reduce as well.
A small - yet helpful subscription fee would be good to help cover
costs. But keeping it low enough that most people will pay the
cost. This could be added to an increase in dues (increased dues
would include the subscription).
I think advertising will continue to rise if the quality stays
higher and content is good. Otherwise people will feel there's not
enough to read and figure their ads won't be seen.
Encourage BC clubs/owners to host trials that will benefit BCSA.
I'm a new member so maybe some of that is already done.
I'm building an agility/sheep facility and I would be happy to
host an annual trial with the proceeds going to BCSA. I'm a year
or so to completion - so not ready to do so yet.
-----------
Please keep Borderlines as a hard copy magazine which is published
every two months. I would rather pay separately for the magazine,
read it at my convenience and comfort, rather than have to sit in
front of my uncomfortable computer and try to read it on line.
-----------
I spent many years supervising various publications for university
teaching hospitals, some of those publications national
award-winning. Here's a piece of gospel: Content is far more
important than pretty/expensive. Consider the Kiplinger
Newsletter.
-----------
Allow anyone whether member or not to advertise.
I think a lot of the conformation people would like to advertise
whether they are a member or not. Also maybe we should offer
issues for subscriptions for people who don't want to become
members of the national club.
-----------
I strongly favor the e-zine route. Those members without internet
access can pay a subscription fee (less than the rest of us pay
for internet access!)
-----------
Add a subscription fee for non-members to subscribe to
Borderlines, as well as offer advertising for non-members at a
higher price.
-----------
I agree with publishing statistics and full minutes of Board
meetings online - makes sense, and will dramatically reduce the
number of pages in the magazine. I would hate to see Borderlines
go to an E-Zine - I'd rather pay more for a subscription than see
that happen. I love saving my copies and share them with others
interested in the breed.
Having been agility
trial chair for my club for nearly 10 years, it seems to me that
the National Specialty should be able to make a good bit of money.
Both conformation and agility are money makers. Rally had made
obedience at least a break even proposition (especially if you add
non-regular classes to both rally and to obedience) If the
Specialty is only a "break-even" event now, perhaps a committee
should evaluate the whole show structure, eliminate waste, perhaps
increase entry fees, vendor fees where possible, make people pay
for catalogs (if they don't already), not provide running orders
in agility (haven't been fortunate enough to get to a National
yet, so I don't know if you provide running orders now), look into
sending premiums via e-mail instead of hard copies (a BIG money
saver), sending confirmations via e-mail, possibly reduce prize
money (that's not usually a reason that people decide to attend or
not attend). I'm sure that brain-storming could come up with lots
of ways to reduce costs, while still maintaining the nice touches
that make the show special, warm and inviting to exhibitors.
-----------
Agility trials should only continue to be supported if they make
money for BCSA.
Moving new titles, etc. to the web site, while saving paper, also
reduces the reason that people open their copy of Borderlines.
Further reduction in content will increase this problem.
Personally, I don't put a high value on the upgrade in appearance
quality. But then, I was perfectly happy with Front and Finish
when it was in a newspaper format. I am opposed to elimination of
ad restrictions, unless there is a prominent "buyer beware"
statement at the beginning of each issue. I am the owner of just
one spayed BC, so you probably shouldn't weight my thoughts too
highly. But, thanks for asking.
-----------
Many organizations are turning to "e-zine" or the online format
and it seems to be working, except for those who don't have
internet. For those people who would prefer to get the hardcopy,
perhaps they could pay a subscription fee to cover postage etc.
-----------
Borderlines and the national specialty should not be tied to each
other financially. Each should stand alone and at the very least,
break even.
-----------
Move title reports, etc., to website; print remaining.
I find I do not have time to sit at a computer and read magazines.
Too, I truly enjoy laying in bed and reading. I'd particularly be
opposed to an online magazine, though you might consider it as an
option. Provide both, offer either, and so decrease the number of
printed copies needed? If a printed copy is wanted, possibly add a
stipend---though that could be catastrophic. (Nobody orders, etc.)
Reducing the number of pages is okay, but 'drastically' may not
fly.
Sorry to hear it's so expensive to publish. Online is the wave of
the future, unfortunately. I may have to grin and bear it.
-----------
Although I would like to participate in all the performance
activities that our wonderful breed it capable of doing, I cannot.
If Borderlines changed to an online magazine, then I could choose
the info that covered the activities in which I was involved.
-----------
I sincerely hope you do not reduce spending on the Specialty. I
would rather pay a subscription fee or increased dues.
-----------
Increase subscription costs to non members.
I subscribe to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America's
newsletter. It is quite large and of very high quality. It comes
out FOUR times a year, not six, ads cost more than ours, it costs
non-members $61 per year. I don't know what their dues are. My
local corgi club also charges non-members more than the dues
members pay to get the newsletter.
-----------
I receive another breed's parent club magazine via online. This is
a great way
to reduce paper consumption and completely free up the cost of
producing a magazine. I support this idea strongly.
-----------
While the current format and presentation is impressive, could we
not get the same info to each member with less "fluff", i.e.,
fewer color photos, publish only four times a year, and possibly a
nominal subscription fee.
-----------
I might even suggest a bi-annual magazine. Most of the current
information can be communicated via the website and on the
BC-Announce list.
-----------
Check with other breed clubs. I belong to the Golden Ret Club of
America and they produce a full color magazine 6 times annually
with a paid editor. Subscription cost is about $50/year. How do
other clubs do it?
-----------
I would be willing to help with the magazine if it were set up so
that club members were doing it. I don't have any publishing
experience, but I can help in some way and would be glad to do it.
-----------
I would not want to see higher dues. This could be a hardship for
some on personal budgets and membership should be monetarily
feasible for everyone.
The newsletter should be available to all members at no additional
cost to a membership fee. You could however offer a subscription
to the newsletter to NON members. They would just get the
newsletter and not have the privileges of membership, in addition
you could open advertising to non-members as well.
An online magazine is a bad idea, what if a member is not online?
I would NEVER want to see this.
I would rather see a continued newsletter, than something 'slick'
and 'glossy'. I am more for content than the way it looks. With
that said, quality should at least be enough for paid ads to look
good. Content is important and shouldn't be reduced. Reducing
content there by size of newsletter would not be a good solution.
-----------
The change in the advertising policy should help bring in more ad
revenue, and aggressively pursuing business advertising should
also help. Other clubs manage to fund their publication through
advertising, let's see if the new policy and new ad manager make a
difference.
I applaud you for
taking steps toward making Borderlines a self-supported
enterprise.
-----------
Get a national sponsor: i.e. Bayer, Merial, Pfizer.
I manage a Veterinary hospital and have had many discussions with
out product reps who have indicated they have funds nationally for
things like this.
-----------
I don't think the magazine needs to be high quality if it is only
sent to members. If, as I think it should be for continued
education to the general dog community, it is to be sent to judges
then it needs to be a higher quality. If it is an "e-zine" and can
be read by anyone on the website, then I think that is the best
way to go providing the back issues are forever available to read.
Those members who do not want to or are not able to receive it
electronically should be charged a subscription fee that covers
the expense of sending a hard copy.
-----------
Allow time for the new advertizing program to take hold and people
to participate in advertizing their dogs. Affiliate Specialty
Clubs could be give a group rate for having an repeating ad in
each issue at a set rate.
Strongly encourage keeping 6 issues per year, reducing it to 4
would make some articles or info "out of date" "stale", not to
mention hitting the deadline harder. Who would want to read
results or brags or ads from the previous National done in October
in the following July?
I treasure each copy that I receive and keep them all for future
reference. I like that you moved results to online where they are
less space consuming and can be easily read.
I especially enjoy the articles done in each section : Herding,
Agility, Conformation and the Handler Dog interview. I enjoy
seeing the winner of each Best of Breed , High in Trial, Obedience
Challenge etc at the Nationals interviewed. Maybe we could also go
back and interview past winners? To catch up?
Compared with other breeds our magazine is fairly inexpensive
compared to more voluminous, bigger sized breeds. I would like to
see the "Pre-National Issue" emphasized so that exhibitors would
know that their ads would reach all the attendees of the Nationals
which should be our "Showplace of Border Collies" Extra issues
should be available for sale there to reach New BC fanciers
attending the event. Encourage every Breeder with every puppy sold
to sponsor that person for membership in BCSA or at least give a
subscription to Borderlines with each puppy. Provide a free
subscription to every AKC Herding Group, Border Collie
Conformation, Agility and Obedience Judge to incentivize
advertisers that their ad would be seen by judges. Who better to
brag about that big win to? If we can't afford a full years
subscription to judges then how about the Pre- national issue at
least? How bout some info on "Announce" on how to submit an ad?
I've never done it, and find it daunting? How about a little help
? How about sending an "AD person" to each specialty or big show
venue. Someone who can sit with a potential advertiser, draw up an
ad with them, and preview what an ad in the Borderlines would look
like... Make advertising accessible. Run an article in
Borderlines, with a face and a name and a number advertisers can
contact, and show people how "easy" it is to advertise
Finally "GET OVER
YOURSELVES" Your "holier than thou "advertising policy has just
about killed the magazine. Thank goodness you have come to your
senses! ALL advertiser's Money SPENDS the SAME!! Put a disclaimer
that BCSA doesn't endorse or promote any advertiser and Let the
Buyer Beware. Ever hear of Free market, people aren't all stupid
and the ones that are stupid YOU can't protect from themselves
anyway! Take All advertisers money and use it to educate the
masses. Stop judging who you will ALLOW to Spend advertizing
dollars and look to your bottom line.
LASTLY I applaud
all the Changes listed above that you have MADE. NOW Give it a
chance to work. Please Please Give it a year before changing any
thing else. Thank you, Thank you the changes you have made are
great, If you "build it" They will come...
-----------
I am a new member, for me the content (information) in the
magazine is important.
-----------
1. My personal experience with advertising managers as a way to
increase revenue has been terrible - it takes quite a while for
them to cover their salary. Since this is commissioned, I'm
assuming the individual would get a % of the profit rather than a
flat fee - a much better way to go.
2. I personally have not found the new formatting/printing to be
much of a plus, if any plus at all. I think the importance of
Borderlines is in its content - as long as it doesn't look
unprofessional. If the "new look" attracts more advertisers, it
doesn't seem to be doing so in great enough quantities to cover
the cost. If it is done because no one wants the job, is there a
cheaper way to go?
3. I don't understand the comments that you hare undergoing a
trial period of suspending advertising requirements and as of
January you are suspending them permanently. I personally am very
much against suspending advertising requirements. I think it
compromises our desire to keep the BC a working dog.
3. I can't speak to membership dues since I am a life-member. I'm
going to think about paying dues anyway!
4. I would not reduce "freebies" at the Specialty too much - am
afraid it would drive people away. Could we make it more
profitable by seeking sponsors, such as agility equipment people,
sheep equipment - What about dog food companies if we are not at
Purina - or is that against the regs. I don't remember what
we did the year we were just about bankrupt, but we increased the
Specialty income substantially. I don't think the Specialty should
support the club, but I think it should be budgeted to make some
money ?? $10,000? Another thought - is the fact that the Board now
financially supports trophies one of the reasons that members
don't support them as much? Maybe we are being too good to the
membership. Can't we increase our vendors? Last year there
basically weren't any to speak of except for the head of the
vendor program. Maybe your advertising person could work on that
too?
5. I agree reducing content by putting minutes, titles etc on the
web is a good idea.
-----------
Approve more regional clubs and have them hold Regional
Specialties and other fundraisers for the National Specialty like
other breed clubs do.
I am very much against reducing spending on the National
Specialty. The National Specialty should be very special and is
not a place to cut costs. I do *not* think that prizes need to be
very expensive glass knickknacks. But placement ribbons should all
be rosettes (qualifying "greenies" can be flat ribbons) and there
should be high quality souvenir exhibitor bags with nice goodies
inside. I feel it should be more like the very first National
Specialty. It should be a celebration and not just another show
with only BCs in attendance.
I also think that
BCSA should work with the AKC to expand the definition of what a
regional club can be. I think this would allow the formation of
more regional BC clubs and this could help with more Regional
Specialties and fund-raisers to help support the National
Specialty. For example, there used to be a Great Lakes BC club
which was really only southern lower Michigan because AKC would
only approve of regional clubs from smaller geographic areas.
(This club eventually folded.) A very small geographic area might
work in Northern CA because that is a highly populated area . A
lot of people with BCs live in rural areas. I think if the Great
Lakes BC club had included MI, N.IL, and WI (for example), it
could have kept going.
-----------
My obedience club offered our newsletter online and allowed each
member a choice on how they wanted to receive it. Most members
with computers chose to receive theirs online and print their own.
It has saved our little club considerable money.
-----------
Continue with new advertising policy.
I am also a member of the DPCA (Doberman Pinscher Club of America)
and they only publish 4 times a year. It may be prudent to go that
route to start to stop the "hemorrhage of money" and then work on
what could be done to recoup the costs. It seems that the lifting
of the advertising restrictions (and charging an advertising rate
that would aid it the budgetary crunch) would probably do the
trick. I know of a lot of folks who do not advertise because of
the restrictions. Maybe different sections for herding, agility
and obedience ads (maybe even conformation?). Just a thought -
seems like those who participate in other sports (i.e. other than
herding) may also not have felt as "welcome" to advertise in the
past.
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I THINK MY FIRST CHOICE WOULD BE MAKE IT AN E-ZINE, OR SECOND
REDUCE THE # OF ISSUES, 3RD SEEK LOWER COST PUBLISHER WITH
POSSIBILITY OF LOWER QUALITY AND LAST PLACE CHOICE REDUCE SPENDING
ON NATIONAL SPECIALTY
-----------
I feel that Borderlines is very important for the BCSA. A very
large percentage of our membership lives far away from the Natl
show site, only show their dogs locally, do not want to get
involved in helping with the Club etc...but do want to see what is
going on with the Breed, check out the breed listings, and read
about the Border Collie. Borderlines is the only thing most
members get from their membership. I would not read BL online as I
do not have the time or the inclination and a lot of our
membership do not have computers. Rather than charging for BLs, I
could see an increase in membership fees. I do not feel that
glossy colored pages is necessary and feel that the cost for these
features outweighs the necessity.
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Put back in newspaper format
I do suggest moving the scoreboard to the internet, and that way
we can go back to listing all of the dogs and owners again. There
is no way we should have every allocated this much money, for
publishing borderlines with a membership this small. We also need
to stop printing out dated and repeated old information in
borderlines.
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I am disappointed that Borderlines no longer lists new titles. The
top 10 dogs is not representative of all the members who have
worked hard with their dogs and deserve recognition for the hard
work. What else do the members receive for their membership dues?
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Charge for brags, as in partial page ads. The full page cost is
too high for average folks and the big breeders don't need to
advertise in Borderlines as they are in the "show mags"
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I think that increasing membership fees won't give you what you
want because I believe that you will lose enough members to make
up the difference. This club is primarily a performance club and I
think it always will be because of the nature of this breed (and
because of the BCSA's start with the original group of board
members and the original membership). Performance people love to
see rankings, brags, and performance articles and the more you do
this, the more members you will get supporting the club with their
dues.
I personally do not
like the way the color ads were done in this last issue, anyway.
The quality was terrible and I got some complaints (in private)
from two of the people that put the ads in...I asked them to write
to the board or the editor or use the BCSA Suggestion Box. I know
that neither of them went through the suggestion box (because I
monitor it), and don't know if they did complain to the board or
the editor.
While the
color/glossy newsletter is classy and fancy, I don't think the
performance people need this type of fancy forum. If you went back
to a cheaper type of newsletter, you could try doing some
discounted ads (say for finishing any type of championship) to
draw in extra ads or some other tactic to draw more ads from
performance people.
