Fish Have Clubs, Why Can't I? Part 3, by Schuyler Sloane

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)

ŠSchuyler Sloane 2005