Re: [Harp-L] Bob Cohen for SPAH President and Warren Bachman for Vice President

[Bob Cohen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mar 18, 2012, at 8:51 PM, Robert Hale wrote:

> I am a skeptical voter.  I want to see measurable substance in the campaign. This list is appealing, but nothing I can hold you accountable to. 

If you visit bobjcohen.org, you will see that I have already acted on the Transparency issue. Visitors can now look at SPAH tax returns for the last three years, meeting minutes, and the bylaws.

Furthermore, the list of items in the vision statement are pretty specific. Accountability is built-in. (1) Either we attempt those things or we don't. (2) Either we are successful or not. If we are unsuccessful at too many things over a three year period, I will not run for a second term.

As to the how, The entire current management team focuses on the convention to the exclusion of everything else, including membership marketing. Step one is making a list and attempting as many items as possible. That is more than anyone has done in recent history and more than has been promised to date for the future.

But let's take marketing the membership and providing tangible benefits, which are items one and two on our list and go hand in hand. There are numerous things we can do to bolster our numbers that do not require the organization to spend money and will not take much time. E.g,

o Asking board members and members to:
  - create email signatures with links to spah.org and the membership page (see below for an example) 
  - commit to a specific number of personal membership invitations per month
  - participate more fully in the cyber harmonica world
  - contribute content to spah.org (currently no board member one writes for the web site)
o Setting up a membership drive contest in which the prize is a pass to the convention.
o Instead of asking the manufacturers for money, negotiate cross-marketing opportunities which provide a return for both parties.
o Likewise seek cross-marketing opportunities with vendors and other harmonica related parties
o Inviting prominent players to join and comping their memberships
o Creating an internet only membership that costs less money

There are similar things we can do for every item on that list. And with our commitment to transparency, you and all our members will have the tools you need to evaluate our performance.

--Bob

P.S., If I have your permission Robert, I will reprint your question and my answer on bobjcohen.org.
P.P.S. The same goes for anyone else who has questions.

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Vote for Bob Cohen and Warren Bachman for SPAH President/Vice President
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