Event Pre-Reg... what to do?

[Native]

Adjusting event efficiency won't do anything about how quickly registration fills. Interesting ideas, though.

As Loren mentioned, I'm of the "it's the entrants' responsibility to remember to register" ilk, and I'm also not against a reminder email. If a "regular" gets bumped from an event for waiting too long, and the "regular" wants to make FAST a priority, then the "regular" will adjust and plan to register that much sooner...I know where I'll be March 15th...

[Jeremy]

Raise the caps, get less runs or get more efficient at running events and maintain the same number of runs.

*Off topic rambling about food and bathrooms or something*

I said raise the caps, not get rid of them. The last event I went to was 6 runs and done early. So there is some extra time in there to be extracted. I think that has been the case at every event since this new hard cap was implemented.

[Loren]

Slight tangent here...

Would it help anything to delay event registration to 2 weeks prior rather than 4 weeks? If it's gonna fill up in a week anyway, it doesn't need to be open for a month. Delaying it a bit might help those people who have trouble scheduling that far in advance.

Just a thought.

(and on the selfish front: As current pre-registrar, it would be nice to have 2 weeks out of every month to NOT have to think about pre-reg)

[Loren]

I said raise the caps, not get rid of them. The last event I went to was 6 runs and done early. So there is some extra time in there to be extracted. I think that has been the case at every event since this new hard cap was implemented.

Pffft. I miss the days where we were done at 2:30!

Maybe we can revisit raising the entry limit for SPC events. But, let's not do that in this thread. (in fact, let's wait until after the 70-75 driver "after school" event goes... we won't be back at SPC again until May after that)

[Jamie]

Would it help anything to delay event registration to 2 weeks prior rather than 4 weeks? If it's gonna fill up in a week anyway, it doesn't need to be open for a month. Delaying it a bit might help those people who have trouble scheduling that far in advance.

That could work for SPC events...for Brooksville, that would leave just a week for registration before you had to turn in the roster.

Originally, I think we had things set for a 3-week lead time, and people complained they never knew when registration opened. We started the "exactly a month before" habit to make it easier for everyone to remember...look at the event schedule, and back up the event date one month.

Maybe we mail everyone personalized invitations and a mint.

Actually, I wasn't kidding about the refrigerator magnets...stick it right at eye level among the kids' drawings, "Get Fuzzy" cartoons and pizza coupons.

[Loren]

Ah, there's always reasons for everything... whether I remember them or not.

Okay, 30 days is good.

Magnets would be cool... but occasionally event dates change.

The email thing will be free and easy, I just need to find time to set it up. It seems that ultimately that is the conclusion of this thread. Feel free to discuss further, but that's pretty much the resolution that I'm seeing. I won't have it implemented before registration for April opens... so be sure to email/text/call your slacker friends so that they don't forget to register.

[buddy bodean]

Our current Registration seems to run pretty smoothly 'cause you have a dedicated person doing it every month.

The current registration runs pretty smoothly because it's largely automated through MAE. The events are programmed in advance (we programmed the whole year in) and registration opens automatically. Unfortunately, the mass e-mail function is manual, and although you can add events to your personal calendar, I'm not sure it reminds you when registration opens. I'll test that out, though -- just dumped the year's events to my calendar, and will find out if I get a notification for April next week.

Yea, I forgot about that part. Its VERY easy to register using that site. But, please don't minimize John's efforts on the day of the event. First one there, last to leave, every event.

[twistedwankel]

Maybe we mail everyone personalized invitations and a mint.

Actually, I wasn't kidding about the refrigerator magnets...stick it right at eye level among the kids' drawings, "Get Fuzzy" cartoons and pizza coupons.

Keeping a sense of humor is a very valuable asset.

[shakedown067]

Just go old school here. Start a phone tree! Those of us with the event dates stamped in our head and ALWAYS on the forum at work (I get paid to be on the internet) can let those know the day before reg opens.

This does work in the reverse too. Because Chuck played around and missed registration, he won't be up an event on me going into April since I'll be missing March's awesome events. I think Chuck just wanted to keep it close, although it's not the first time he's missed registration.

Got an iPhone? Set the FAST events into the calander, then put a reminder 30 days in advance to alert you when registration opens. I already set my phone to alert me on March 16th (via my autoevents.com - Online Registration Open - 15-Mar-2012 10:00 PM EST) to register for April and can even put in the link directly to the registration page...mmm, I hope 3G service is much better this year in Sebring. Might just have my wife do it for me. Chuck, PM me your cell phone and I'll text ya when registration opens (well not at 10pm).

Just takes a little planning ahead.

[Native]

But, please don't minimize John's efforts on the day of the event. First one there, last to leave, every event.

Yup, John rocks! All hail John !!!

[garage west]

But, please don't minimize John's efforts on the day of the event. First one there, last to leave, every event.

Yup, John rocks! All hail John !!!

Bah! If y'all loved me you'd send my outta-shape ass out to shag cones and get some exercise every once and then.

[Loren]

Bah! If y'all loved me you'd send my outta-shape ass out to shag cones and get some exercise every once and then.

No problem, I can get you out there where the action is.

[Solar]

This issue reminds me of what happened when the Bucs started to get good in the late 90's. Use to be able to buy a ticket and see the game whenever you wanted. Then they started selling out, so the hard core fans bought season tickets.

Maybe fast could offer a season pass, 10 events in a year, $300 up front guarantees you a spot in every event. If you can't make it to a event you forfeit your spot, and you eat the cost or make it transferable. Either way, hard core fast guys could be guaranteed a spot. Just a thought.

[Loren]

I'd be okay with it if it were simple, but there's really no way to make it simple. You see, if YOU don't register yourself for an event, I have to register for you. So, doing "season passes" would actually create more work for the pre-registrar under our current system. And you can forget about making them transferrable! No way, no how! I don't need that kind of headache.

As I mentioned before, I think this issue has been resolved. We just need to implement an opt-in email reminder system. Anybody who wants a reminder will get one. The general concensus seems to be that we don't need to do anything more than that. (and we don't really need to even do that)

[Cpt_Rum-bo]

I'm a programmer, so if there's a way to automate (as much as possible) sending the periodic emails and you guys don't mind me poking around in the system. I'll be happy to look into it.

[Loren]

Our website is based on WordPress. I just need to find a plugin that handles an opt-in mailing list and set it up. Easy enough. I'll get to it after the school is done.

[Charles]

The other option would be adding downloadable calendar entries on the homepage for each of the major calendar formats out there(iCal, Gmail, Outlook, etc). This would only need to be done once/year after the schedules are finalized. You could even include a link to them in the MAE e-mail we get so even newbs would know about the reminder feature for future events.

E-mail might be easier, but I know the calendar entry with an alert would work better for me. It depends on how much e-mail you get I guess.

[Loren]

I like "universal" solutions. Everybody has email.

If you've got a calendar that you keep up with, I'm sure you can find a way to add 11 events to it by yourself!

[anachostic]

Since this thread is on the topic of the growth of FAST, has anyone run the numbers to see what th break-even point is to run an event? I mean, aside from the equipment, the labor cost is all in-house, community labor. So as long as there are enough entrants to cover the facility (and maybe insurance), there could be a FAST event bi-weekly.

I've seen the numbers grow just in the time I've been here. The unknown is how many people are being turned away. If there's enough extra to lower the number of drivers in one event and make a whole new event with them and the overflow, and it can be afforded by entrance fees, why not?

[Loren]

I've brought up similar ideas. Like doing a "feeder" series that would allow newbs and even walk-ups... and keeping our "championship" series separate and for "members only". I just don't think we're quite there yet. And... it's a lot of work to put on an extra event every month!

As to break-even (what? you thought we ran these events without a budget?)... it's around 40-50 cars depending on the site. As a second series, not having to cover the budget for major equipment and such, maybe a little less, but not all that much less.

The logical way to do it (budget-wise) would be to make maybe half of our events 2-day events with one day being "newb day" and one day being "championship points day". Our event insurance covers an entire weekend, so scabbing an extra day onto an event only costs site rental and lunch. No additional insurance or trailer transport costs. (saves a good $400)