Greetings from your Membership Committee!
The results of the First Annual Club Membership Survey are in and are available for viewing below. Thanks to all of you who took the time to contribute to the future direction of the Club. The responses were enlightening and useful and we have already begun to act on many of them.
The biggest request coming out of the survey was for more events in respondents’ regions (46%). While CFA is looking into ways to help grow events everywhere, it is important to remember that CFA events are hosted for members by other members. So, if you are craving more events in your area, you may need to take up the challenge and try hosting an event yourself in order to increase the events in your own backyard.
The survey showed that many of you are not aware of the excellent Event-hosting information CFA has developed. Check out the online event hosting pages (http://www.clubfatass.com/host and http://www.clubfatass.com/host/resources ) to see what’s involved. Consider hosting a short event or a flash event (http://clubfatass.com/cfa-event-types) to get your feet wet. Event hosting is meant to be as informal and doable as possible. In the meantime, CFA is considering many of the suggestions members had about making Event-hosting easier. A big thank-you to all current Event Hosts for all the great events you make possible for the rest of us!
The next biggest request from our time-stretched respondents was for shorter events (36%). Again, since members are the event hosts, it is up to members to help meet this need. Wendy Montgomery has graciously accommodated our request to include a shorter 10 k route in her upcoming 20 k event, “Wendy's Get Your Fat Ass Off The Couch Run” (Saturday, October 21, 2006). CFA will continue to encourage Event Hosts to consider hosting short events or including a short course option as part of their event. In addition, participants can always opt to create their own “custom course” on the day of the event, as has been happening informally for some time.
Finally, many of you generously volunteered your services for various tasks through the survey, but since it was anonymous, we don’t know who you are! If you are still willing to get involved in some way, please get in touch with the club president or membership committee chair.
2006 Membership Survey - Highlights
• People join CFA to have fun, be part of a trail/ultra running community, and have cheap access to a variety of events.
• People don’t join because they are over committed to other activities (both running and non-running), or there aren’t enough events in their area.
• Most people are satisfied with existing member benefits, though sponsor benefits received less satisfaction or interest than the others.
• The most highly valued benefits are the events and camaraderie; the least valued benefit is the personal blog.
• People would like to see the expansion of member benefits in the following areas: more events in other areas (46%), shorter races (33%), more CFA branded clothing (31%).
• There is solid interest in, and support for, a variety of speaking events, whether these are information sessions, training clinics, or guest speakers (from various questions).
• The Speaker Series concept is well-supported (82%). People want to hear about the running adventures of members, but are interested in all speakers and topics presented. The commute should be no more than an hour. Fees should be free or discounted for members with a nominal fee for non-members (fees should fall within the range of $5-15). Most people will attend 1-3 events a year.
• If CFA expands into hosting other types of events they should begin with snowshoeing, adventure racing, road running, and mountain biking.
• Most respondents belong to formal or informal running groups, but there is no dominant group; there is some interest in initiating a regular weekly trail-running group.
• Roughly 90% of current membership plans to renew in October.
• Non-renewal is due largely to a lack of races in a member’s area or a lack of time to participate.
• People are open to event hosting but lack time and/or experience. Many would consider co-hosting with another member.
• There appears to be some lack of awareness about existing event-host resources and a sense of restriction or confusion about where events can take place.
Please find detailed survey data in the attachment below.
