Why do we welcome new members?

[Ohmisterporter]

Just checked and there are over 34,000 members of RM Web; yet probably not more than fifteen or twenty of us bother to welcome new members. I will tell you why I do it. Several years ago I was a member of a society that became very "cliquey" and whenever a potential new member turned up at one of our monthly meetings I was probably the only member to speak to them. The others simply turned their backs and carried on chatting to their mates. Or else the new arrival would be asked where his interests lay and then given the cold shoulder if he differed from what the clique though acceptable. Inevitably they rarely turned up at the next meeting for another dose of humiliation. It was one of the reasons that I left that society. That is why I feel it is important to at least say hello and welcome to new members. How about you?

Edited September 3, 2018 by Ohmisterporter

[Coppercap]

I wonder how many 'members' there are who haven't even made a single post on any existing subject, let alone an introduction?  

I'm a member of a club (which has nothing to do with railways...) where members pay a fee to join. Anyone can join, and there are a couple of thousand members nationally. Members are sent a very good 'welcome pack' by the membership secretary, and during each year sent a good quality quarterly club magazine listing future club events and reports on past ones with photos in glorious colour! From the local representatives around the country it was noticed that virtually none of these new members ever turned up for meetings, so we didn't even get the chance to meet them, let alone be 'cliquey'! Those who ticked the box agreeing to being contacted by local representatives hardly ever replied to electronic communications, and those few who did reply gave bizarre reasons as to why they didn't ever show up (Why did they join?) Even odder was the fact that many of these unseen members even renewed their membership when it was due!   

Edited September 3, 2018 by Coppercap

[Edwin_m]

I wonder how many 'members' there are who haven't even made a single post on any existing subject, let alone an introduction?  

I'm a member of a club (which has nothing to do with railways...) where members pay a fee to join. Anyone can join, and there are a couple of thousand members nationally. Members are sent a very good 'welcome pack' by the membership secretary, and during each year sent a good quality quarterly club magazine listing future club events and reports on past ones with photos in glorious colour! From the local representatives around the country it was noticed that virtually none of these new members ever turned up for meetings, so we didn't even get the chance to meet them, let alone be 'cliquey'! Those who ticked the box agreeing to being contacted by local representatives hardly ever replied to electronic communications, and those few who did reply gave bizarre reasons as to why they didn't ever show up (Why did they join?) Even odder was the fact that many of these unseen members even renewed their membership when it was due!   

Maybe the magazine is interesting enough that they renew each year just for that?  As someone with work and family commitments I have little time to attend events even at weekends. 

[Coppercap]

Maybe the magazine is interesting enough that they renew each year just for that?  As someone with work and family commitments I have little time to attend events even at weekends. 

 

Just being a member for the magazine makes it cost about £6 per edition. Believe me, it may be good, but nowhere near £6 worth! If I were like you and had work and family commitments with little time to attend events I wouldn't spend my money on being a club member just for a magazine when the money could be better spent elsewhere! One of the bizarre reasons some members have apparently said they don't show up is that their local group doesn't appear to do anything (which is not true - all groups have some events). Well, they might do even more if new members were to show their faces!

Edited September 3, 2018 by Coppercap

[Brinkly]

Just checked and there are over 34,000 members of RM Web; yet probably not more than fifteen or twenty of us bother to welcome new members. I will tell you why I do it. Several years ago I was a member of a society that became very "cliquey" and whenever a potential new member turned up at one of our monthly meetings I was probably the only member to speak to them. The others simply turned their backs and carried on chatting to their mates. Or else the new arrival would be asked where his interests lay and then given the cold shoulder if he differed from what the clique though acceptable. Inevitably they rarely turned up at the next meeting for another dose of humiliation. It was one of the reasons that I left that society. That is why I feel it is important to at least say hello and welcome to new members. How about you?

 

I used to a while ago, but I don't post as often as some do. I do agree with you, RMWeb should be welcoming to new members and encourage them to share their ideas/project(s).

 

Must try better.

 

Kind regards,

Nick.

[Steamport Southport]

Just being a member for the magazine makes it cost about £6 per edition. Believe me, it may be good, but nowhere near £6 worth! If I were like you and had work and family commitments with little time to attend events I wouldn't spend my money on being a club member just for a magazine when the money could be better spent elsewhere! One of the bizarre reasons some members have apparently said they don't show up is that their local group doesn't appear to do anything (which is not true - all groups have some events). Well, they might do even more if new members were to show their faces!

 

It possibly depends on what sort of organisation it is. If it's for a good cause for example. They may just be happy giving money to an organisation they like.

 

I'm a member of at least half a dozen societies at the last count, yet have no real intention of participating in any events. I certainly don't have the means to volunteer at any of them at the moment due to transport issues and giving up time. I haven't even visited one of the railways I'm a member of as it's well off the beaten track.

 

But am I happy paying a few quid every so often? Yes.

 

 

 

Jason

[sp1]

Some good points- will try harder!

[Coppercap]

It possibly depends on what sort of organisation it is. If it's for a good cause for example. They may just be happy giving money to an organisation they like.

I'm a member of at least half a dozen societies at the last count, yet have no real intention of participating in any events. I certainly don't have the means to volunteer at any of them at the moment due to transport issues and giving up time. I haven't even visited one of the railways I'm a member of as it's well off the beaten track.

But am I happy paying a few quid every so often? Yes.

 

Jason

 

No, the 'organisation' I'm in is not a 'good cause' as such, or even associated with any charities. Nothing is for the general public to enjoy such as at a preserved railway or museum, and there is no end product as it were. You pays your money, then you can benefit from what's offered by the club and its members. Sometimes there is even 'hospitality' for members only at events, paid for out of club funds (ie. membership fees), and if there are those who pay membership but don't want to partake of this hospitality, them I'm quite happy to enjoy it when I go! Over a year this has sometimes appeared to me to be worth the membership fee alone if you go to several events. Club management is quite happy to point out that the 'no show-ers' are subsidising the active members. They hope there'll be more active participation, but it doesn't seem to change...     

[Ian Smeeton]

I occasionally welcome new members, usually if I see the post and it has been on for a few hours in VNC without any response.Apart from that it bumps the OP to the top of VNC

 

Only good manners to say "hello, and welcome",but if one or two are in before me, and I have nothing useful to add, then I tend to skip to the next topic.

 

Regards, and welcome to any I have missed out.

 

Ian

[Enterprisingwestern]

34000 welcomes every time a new member joins would soon beggar the system up!

 

Mike.

[Steamport Southport]

No, the 'organisation' I'm in is not a 'good cause' as such, or even associated with any charities. Nothing is for the general public to enjoy such as at a preserved railway or museum, and there is no end product as it were. You pays your money, then you can benefit from what's offered by the club and its members. Sometimes there is even 'hospitality' for members only at events, paid for out of club funds (ie. membership fees), and if there are those who pay membership but don't want to partake of this hospitality, them I'm quite happy to enjoy it when I go! Over a year this has sometimes appeared to me to be worth the membership fee alone if you go to several events. Club management is quite happy to point out that the 'no show-ers' are subsidising the active members. They hope there'll be more active participation, but it doesn't seem to change...     

 

I take it it's an organisation that they are joining for bragging rights then.

 

"Oh I'm a member of the local golf club" attitude.

 

 

 

Jason

[Steamport Southport]

I must say that I hardly ever look in this section of the forum. 

 

 

But I was intrigued by the title "Why do we welcome new members?". 

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Coppercap]

I take it it's an organisation that they are joining for bragging rights then. 

"Oh I'm a member of the local golf club" attitude.

Jason

No, it's nothing special or prestigious at all, and certainly nothing to brag about! There's no club houses or other premises either. If I were to mention the name of the club in public I doubt anyone would even have heard of it, unless they had an interest already, despite it being in existence for nearly sixty years. Monthly group meetings in about twenty locations around the country held in places like pubs or other club's premises. It's reckoned only about 10% of members are involved or ever turn up for anything. We don't understand why, but if they want to keep paying their money to the club, it's their loss to our benefit.

[Stubby47]

I don't necessarily welcome new members on the New Members thread, but I quite often add a welcome note if a new member has posted a model/layout in their first couple of posts.

 

Having just joined another forum myself, I actually didn't post in the new members section, just started a workbench and showed a few new/newer photos of things I've recently built.

[Rivercider]

I don't make a point of specifically looking at the New Member section, I normally search RMweb using the 'View New Content' button.

If I see a topic that looks interesting I will have a look, if it is from a new member and I think I can make a useful comment I will do so, and add a welcome at the same time.

 

cheers