4 replies to this topic

[Michael Wolfe]

For 2013 we have had:

• 643 NANFA Guests log on at some point (that is not just the lurkers, but people who actually created a Guest account/name)
• 132 NANFA Members log on (not members of the forum, but actual dues paying NANFA members)

If we refine that a little to just the people that have posted in 2013:

• 331 NANFA Guests have posted something
• 111 NANFA Members have posted something

And looking just at new users. People that have created a forum account in 2013:

• 355 people have created new NANFA Guest accounts on the forum this year
• 30 people have created new accounts and become NANFA Members

So it seems that there are 5 times as many Guests using the forum than there are members logging in. There are 3 times as many Guests posting as there are members. And there are 10 times as many new people joining the forum, but not joining NANFA.

Why haven't you joined us yet? Please head over to the main NANFA web page at www.nanfa.org and join? There you can see that we are so much more than a forum discussion group. We are a non-profit that is funding research and education about Native Fishes. We are a service group that is helping local environmental and educational organizations because of our interest in Native Fishes. And more ...

[Michael Wolfe]

I have gotten some feedback about the way I asked my question. It was not my intent to berate or insult anyone. I am honestly just asking a question about why there are so many people out there, but so few that have joined NANFA at this point? Please tell me your reason for not joining.

I can also tell you lots of reasons to join (pulled from a previous post):

The North American Native Fishes Association, Inc. (NANFA) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation dedicated to the appreciation, study and conservation of the continent's native fishes. Check us out at http://www.nanfa.org
Membership costs:
USA= $20 / year. Visit http://nanfa.org/join.shtml to join.
AMERICAN CURRENTS
A quarterly, 40-page (approx.) publication featuring articles and news items on collecting, keeping, observing, conserving, and breeding North American fishes.
REGIONAL NANFA CHAPTERS
State and regional aquarium groups where members may get together to collect and discuss native fishes, remove exotics, and perform conservation and stream restoration work.
NEW MEMBER PACKET
An 8-page newsletter that's sent to new NANFA members introducing them to NANFA, and to the fascinating world of collecting, keeping and conserving North America's native fishes.
ANNUAL CONVENTION
Where NANFA members from around the country meet for lectures, collecting trips, auctions, fun and “finship.”
GRANT FUNDING
Only NANFA members can apply for NANFA's Conservation Research Grant and Gerald C. Corcoran Education Grant programs. For details, see NANFA's website (www.nanfa.org)
WEB FEATURES
Only NANFA members get access to member-only sections of the NANFA Forum and membership is required to utilize the NANFA Gallery Archive.

[littlen]

I feel that so many guest accounts are created in order to ask a couple 'free' questions as Irate points out. These guests then have the info they need, never to return. Or, inadvertently, we scare them away when they have an at-home ID question. (I am ok with this as I agree with NANFA policy--none the less, that poster has his/her feelings hurt and doesn't come back). I admit I have also created an account to an online forum, asked a few questions, and never returned. I think it comes with the territory. On one hand we cannot close the forum to members only as we would not be as successful as we are now. On the other hand, we should be able convert a lot more of those guests to members. Following the forum pretty closely the last few years I think that we're "doing it right". By that I mean there are always MODs or long-time forum members asking a guest to join NANFA. Additionally, there is a LOT of great info being posted/shared daily that should encourage people to join. I guess that's the catch-22. Why join when you can get all of that info for free?

Even if I weren't on the forum as often as I am, I would still pay NANFA dues simply because of my passion for natives. I know that my [albeit small] contribution goes towards something that I care about. Now, how do we instill that passion into more guests? Again, as I see it we're doing things right. But as Michael points out--we're not getting enough guests converted to members. I could go door-to-door.....