How do you motivate the indifferent?

[tplyons]

I'm in my senior year at college, and am the president of our Society of Marketing Entrepreneurs. The problem with my college is a lack of motivation for anything that doesn't involve beer or grades.

First the people complain that there's nothing going on, and then when I find them work to do, they don't want to do it. I don't get this... apparently nothing is good enough for these guys.

Out of seventy clubs, I can think of only a few that are truly active. Our investment club offers course credit for participation. Our ice hockey club involves students that have already invested hundreds of dollars on gear. Other than that, most clubs have a whole bunch of indifferent people.

I guess people join clubs so that they look good on a resume, but complain when we don't do anything, but then complain when there is work to be done.

Any advice for motivating the indifferent people?

[IconBasser]

as a marketing entrepreneur, I would have thought you would try a business approach.

offer some sort of incentives for becoming involved, whether it be contests, lottos, whatever...

[Time Monkey]

motivate them with beer.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

as a marketing entrepreneur, I would have thought you would try a business approach.

offer some sort of incentives for becoming involved, whether it be contests, lottos, whatever...

Forgot to mention that's the catch-22.

I need a budget to do stuff like this, which I don't have.

But I need active membership to increase to get that budget.

[MatticusMania]

Have club parties. With beer.

/suggestions

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by tplyons

Forgot to mention that's the catch-22.

I need a budget to do stuff like this, which I don't have.

But I need active membership to increase to get that budget.

What are the purpose of these 70 clubs? Throw a show or something, see which club can throw the best party!

[wabbit]

threaten them with beer

[NJL]

Originally Posted by tplyons

I need a budget to do stuff like this, which I don't have.

But I need active membership to increase to get that budget.

/life

i hate it, i have some of the same issues where i'm at

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

What are the purpose of these 70 clubs? Throw a show or something, see which club can throw the best party!

Clubs ranging everywhere from professional clubs that work in a field to educate and network, such as my marketing club and investment club, to political clubs supporting either party, or green initiatives, to athletic clubs such as boxing, rugby, or ice hockey where we don't have a team.

We have an issue with budgeting, we cannot be reimbursed for parties, we cannot be reimbursed for alcohol, and we haven't the budget to throw a show.

I've been banging my head up against a wall for three years trying to figure out how to gain enough momentum needed to get the budget in order to keep going as a successful organization.

Unfortunately our faculty adviser (only marketing professor at the school) is rather useless and knows nobody in the field locally.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by NJL

/life

i hate it, i have some of the same issues where i'm at

Professionally? Or an organization outside of work?

At least at a job you can hold a paycheck over their head and demand a certain level of performance.

In my case, demands will only push them away.

[Thor]

Try the 'You're Fired' approach. Break them up into 2 teams
to do a project. Get some free publicity from the school paper.

Winning team gets free beer. Losers buy the beer. Losers wear an 'I am a Marketing Entreprenuer Loser' placard for a day.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by tplyons

We have an issue with budgeting, we cannot be reimbursed for parties, we cannot be reimbursed for alcohol, and we haven't the budget to throw a show.

I've been banging my head up against a wall for three years trying to figure out how to gain enough momentum needed to get the budget in order to keep going as a successful organization.

You don't find it funny that the marketing club has a problem marketing themselves.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

You don't find it funny that the marketing club has a problem marketing themselves.

We can market ourselves fine... people know we exist and people want to join. They just don't want to do anything when they get there.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

You don't find it funny that the marketing club has a problem marketing themselves.

Not at all.

They are not sales guys. Marketing guys don't hustle and
close deals and make things happen, they talk about it.

[IconBasser]

try to elicit support from local businesses that are sympathetic to your aims. Youth sports teams do this, why couldn't your clubs?

[tplyons]

I've found that the Pareto rule comes into effect here at this school:

80% of the students do 20% of the work
20% of the students do 80% of the work.

I happen to be in the latter, really involved portion.

[MatticusMania]

Yeah, have your clubs find some sponsers to endorse fundraisers or something. Make participating at club events mandatory to stay in the club. Force those inactive clubs to do something for themselves or they'll be dismantled. When people see they may lose their precious clubs they might actually be more motivated to do something about it.

But dont listen to me, I work in marketing. I just talk.

[sarcastro83]

I am the indifferent.

I like chicks and beer.

[nortonrider]

I could tell you how,
....but I really don't care enough to put forth that much effort.

[BlacksHole]

Farmers have dealt with this problem for a long time - try a cattle prod.