<VV> Lack of PR, was: Hank, the Book, the Canopy, and the Director

[Mark Corbin]

I've privately been talking to various members lately and this is what I've
been able to decipher. The whole problem is that CORSA doesn't have a
designated "PR Chairman" position, and particularly someone who would have
free reign in promoting CORSA. If anyone DOES do some  promotion, or even
tries to expedite some efforts in that vein, often times some of the board
officers take a "not invented here" position and get all ticked off about
it. They should be looking in the mirror to see who's dragging their feet
and hindering PR efforts, and who's trying to make some beneficial
contributions to the club. Any effort or idea to promote CORSA should be
pursued, as "there's no such thing as bad publicity."

One CORSA director has made some real efforts in getting museum displays
worked up, been working with Hemmings, and even made efforts to promote
CORSA. But what CORSA needs is for EVERYone to do the same, and for the
directors to enthusiastically ASSIST in that effort, and in a timely
fashion. But in truth, they don't. Instead, they throw cold water on such
efforts and/or sit on their hands and do nothing. And heaven forbid if they
don't like somebody or his idea.

We're all supposed to be on the same team here, people! Stop acting like
rulers of your own little fifedoms. Get over your egos and prejudices, and
stop shooting the messenger. CORSA cannot survive when this kind of
behavior from the board is what happens behind the scenes. 

BTW, to date, I have not heard from any board member (other than one,
concerning increasing membership via PR) as to their plans for bringing
CORSA to fiscal solvency, per my previously posted challenge. Maybe they
really DON'T have a plan.....

-Mark (resident lightning rod)

> [Original Message]
> From: Vairtec Corporation <Vairtec at optonline.net>
> Subject: <VV> Hank, the Book, the Canopy, and the Director
>
> In follow-up to a message posted on VV by Hank Kaczmarek I now write:
>
> Was the Corvair Basics book a good idea?  Indeed it was.
>
> Does that mean that it should have been automatically approved in 
> advance by all directors?  No, it does not.
>
> The one former director whose past decisions still irritate Hank voted 
> the way he saw fit.  The book was approved.  So it wasn't unanimous.  
> Most such decisions aren't.
>
> Since Hank noted that the director in question is a friend of mine, I 
> will expand:  He is a 35-year member of my local chapter, and a past 
> officer of the chapter.  We are friends, but we have disagreed, 
> sometimes greatly, on everything from club matters to national 
> politics.  But -- here's the key -- we respect each other's individual 
> thinking and opinions.  That enabled us, for example, to work together 
> on last year's 50th anniversary event, even though our thoughts on what 
> the event should be were wildly different.
>
> As for the CORSA canopy, it was then and remains today a good idea -- 
> executed miserably.  Did you notice this summer's "CPF Tour" conceived, 
> organized, and conducted by Pete Koehler?  The idea behind the CORSA 
> canopy was similar -- use it to put CORSA in front of non-CORSA members, 
> at non-CORSA events such as those Pete visited this year.  The problem 
> was then and is now, few are willing to do the sort of things that Pete 
> did this summer, so the canopy went to waste.  That's not the fault of 
> the individual who thought up the idea, it's the fault of the balance of 
> the Board that approved it without a plan of action and it's the fault 
> of all the rest of us who contribute to CORSA's naval-gazing mindset.
>
> The Basics book succeeded, but it was still badly underutilized.  It 
> should have been on display and available for purchase under that canopy 
> at major car shows and events such as those Pete visited this year.  It 
> should have been a prominent feature on the CORSA home page, so that 
> first-time visitors to the site would find this helpful resource right 
> off the bat.  It should have been offered as an available title to 
> auto-related booksellers.  Instead, it was rather routinely promoted 
> within the existing hobby.
>
> Pete Koehler this summer got more public exposure for the CPF, for 
> CORSA, and for the Corvair hobby in general than anyone has ever 
> gotten.  He sold a significant quantity of CORSA merchandise.  He did 
> these things to demonstrate that they can be done.  They should have 
> been done beginning ten years ago, with that canopy.  My fear is that 
> now, with Pete having completed his tour, the ball will now be dropped.  
> A cohesive plan for 2011 and beyond is needed.
>
> --Bob Marlow
>