POCI Chapter Building Tips

Tip #1: Make use of the POCI website on-line membership roster.

For POCI regional chapters, use the POCI website to search and list all members in your state (and surrounding states). Copy these names (they will have the city and state showing as well) to a Word document. Print this out and compare it to your current membership roster.

Develop a special invitation letter and mail to all of the active POCI members who are not signed up in your regional chapter. Include this letter with your most recent newsletter, a chapter application form and perhaps give an introduction rate for new members signing up from this mailing. Code the application form and track to see if the mailing pays for itself. Most likely it will. We did this in the Tomahawk Chapter recently with great success and we plan to make it an annual recruiting effort.

Note: Use the POCI website to help create your mailing labels. Call up the targeted POCI members in the roster, and copy their name/address to a Word document. Print the Word documents and then cut out the names/addresses and tape them on to the mailing, or copy and paste them into a program to create the mailing labels.

Tip #2: Where have all the Oldsmobiles gone? Do you have any local Oldsmobile clubs in your area? Are they using a GM dealer for an annual car show? If so, get a hold of them and see if you can partner up with them at a Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealer. We know that Oldsmobiles are no longer produced, and while GM dealers still want to support the loyal Olds enthusiasts, they may be really interested in getting Pontiacs and GMCs involved. The Tomahawk Chapter is pursuing this avenue in Minnesota, and so far, it appears to be a huge win/win/win for all three parties involved.

-Paul Bergstrom
Upper Midwestern Division Director