Back Issues and Olga?s Survey
Hello AGAers,
Erik, your summary of the AGA items under discussion was magnificent! All
you need now is to record each
officer's vote on each item under discussion. (Yes, No or Abstain). I can't
think of anything that would
encourage the AGA to make quicker and clearer decisions.
Back issue sales have really picked up since we advertised the Grab Bag of 10
issues for $15. For example, in
Feb and March (pre-Grab Bag), I only sold $7 worth of back issues. However,
with the Grab Bag, I sold $88 worth in
April and already have $60 for May. This makes profitable use of what might
have been ?dead inventory? and just
taking up precious storage space in my 800 square foot home. It also allows me
to ?even up the issues? so that I
don?t have 70 of one and 2 of another.
Please encourage people newly interested in TAG to order the Grab Bag. Why?
They get their issues soon after
their order. New members don?t have to wait 2 or 3 monthes to get their first
TAG issue and start harassing Jack
and me about their membership. New members can sit back reading 10 back issues
while they wait for their first
TAG!
Right now I have a complete set of back issues minus two volumes. Perhaps we
use electronic copies for those very
few people that want a complete set? (I get only about 1-2 requests a year
now for a complete set.)
Olga's Survey
As to survey, I have a few suggestions that I?ll let Olga and Paul K. run with
if they want. I?ll not bring this
subject up again! I would shorten the 6 page survey to two pages in
preparation for printing in TAG. It?s fine
for the Internet as is, though I doubt that few people will respond to such
detailed questions. And then you?re
really not getting a broad picture, because you?re selecting for the
?obsessive-compulsives? that would take the
time to respond to such a detailed questionnaire. You?re not going to hear from
the average hobbyist that would be
put off by so much detail.
For a print version, I would delete the request for information on testkits.
Just ask people what they routinely
test for and then give them choices (ammonia, nitrite, iron, GH, KH, pH, etc).
What they test for will give the
AGA information on what concerns them most. And I don?t see the need for so
much detail on CO2 injection. Just
ask people if they use CO2 injection, and if so, what kind?
I would definitely delete all that stuff about growth rates on individual
plants. Rather, I would generalize: Are
you satisfied with the plant growth you?re getting in your tanks? How often do
you have to prune your stem
plants? What is the fastest growing plant in your tank and about how long does
it take to double in size?
I would also not excude people who?ve had tanks less than 6 monthes. You want
<everyone> that is a member of the
AGA to respond.
As to formatting, people should be able to circle their choices for filters,
lighting sources, etc, so you don?t
have all those ?yes? and ?no?s taking up print space. I would also leave out
the numbers. Right now it looks like
an SAT or GRE exam. Scary! I would opt for making the survey ?user-friendly?
even if it means that it will take a
little longer and require some thought for the surveyor to organize and compile
the information.
Of course, there should be questions included that would give the AGA good
specific information: ?What was the
article in <this> issue that you liked the most? Why? What kind of articles
would you like to see more of?
Beginner- Technical- Research- Natural Aquariums- Ponds- Other_________ ?
Once the SC (and MC?) agree that the survey looks good, it can be printed in
TAG. The two page survey would be on
a single sheet of paper as a ?pull-out?. Anything longer than two pages will
turn people off. I would also
include a stamped, self-addressed envelope in TAG. This makes it <much> easier
for people, compensates them for
their time, and signals that the AGA is seriously interested in hearing from
them. If I got a TAG with an
intelligent, well-thought out survey as a pull-out with a stamped,
self-addressed envelope included, I would feel
positively <obligated> to answer.
Before printing this up, the members should be assured that the results of this
survey will be published within a
given length of time (year?). This puts a great responsibility on Olga to
compile and consolidate the results from
perhaps 500 responses. She must be willing to do this big and important task.
A good survey would be a great way to encourage member participation, get
useful information about TAG readers,
etc.
Diana
------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, e-mail majordomo@thekrib.com
with "unsubscribe aga-mcm" in the body of the message.
To subscribe to the digest version, add "subscribe aga-mcm-digest"
in the same message.
Old messages are available at http://lists.thekrib.com/aga-mcm
When asked, log in as username is "aga-mcm", and password "incorporate".