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[rhoidahl]

Home Depot was a good location as we were able to draw more people from southern NH and MA. But Hooksett is a bit more central for our members in NH. One of the problems with Home Depot was that we had no place to store the sound system, so it had to lugged back and forth every week, where now Advance Auto lets us keep it in their store. Our current location also offers what I think is a big plus -- 20% off your purchase at Advance Auto.
If Candia can consistently draw 130 cars on Thursday nights (over 200 at their charity cruise event), I would think we should be able to consistently draw 70-80 cars on a Saturday evening.

Any other recommendations to increase cruise night attendance??

[SVT10th]

...I don't think this is the cause of low turnout on cruise night. Not sure what it is, but I posted "reminders" nearly every week on both the Forum and Facebook about going to cruise night. But you are right Kevin; it's always the same 10-12 members who show up somewhat regularly. ....

In the nearly 10 years I've been a member, we have had several Cruise Night locations:
Londonderry (BK) - consistently over-filled the lot
Derry (Ben Franklin) - 100 cars regularly
Manchester (Henry's Autobody) - rarely more than 50 cars
Londonderry (Home Depot) -- nearly always 75-100 cars, occasionally hit 200
Litchfield (Mel's) -- rarely more than 50-75 cars
Hooksett -current location -- 50-60 cars.

The Derry/Londonderry locations ALWAYS pulled more cars. There's something about going north of Exit 4 that kills the attendance.

I don't see the 20% discount as having any impact on draw. Not that it's not a generous discount or that people don't want to save money, but unless you're regularly buying big ticket items, it just doesn't add up to that much money.

Other than moving back to Derry/Londonderry -- I don't have any suggestions.

[ToplessPony94]

I don't see the 20% discount as having any impact on draw. Not that it's not a generous discount or that people don't want to save money, but unless you're regularly buying big ticket items, it just doesn't add up to that much money.

Other than moving back to Derry/Londonderry -- I don't have any suggestions.

I agree. I've been saying this for years.

[390gtconv]

In the nearly 10 years I've been a member, we have had several Cruise Night locations:
Londonderry (BK) - consistently over-filled the lot
Derry (Ben Franklin) - 100 cars regularly
Manchester (Henry's Autobody) - rarely more than 50 cars
Londonderry (Home Depot) -- nearly always 75-100 cars, occasionally hit 200
Litchfield (Mel's) -- rarely more than 50-75 cars
Hooksett -current location -- 50-60 cars.

The Derry/Londonderry locations ALWAYS pulled more cars. There's something about going north of Exit 4 that kills the attendance.

I don't see the 20% discount as having any impact on draw. Not that it's not a generous discount or that people don't want to save money, but unless you're regularly buying big ticket items, it just doesn't add up to that much money.

Other than moving back to Derry/Londonderry -- I don't have any suggestions.

Add to that location list was Walmart (old location) on Londonderry/Derry line.

Also to Randy's comment: If Candia can consistently draw 130 cars on Thursday nights (over 200 at their charity cruise event), I would think we should be able to consistently draw 70-80 cars on a Saturday evening." , is the debate some folks may want/have to spend weekends with family vs kids sports during week nights. Numbers speak for themselves.
I've asked before what about Walmart in Salem, although some members bit north, there are a lot of car guys/gals in Salem area. a thought.

Maybe it comes down to we have to mix up cruz locations say every 5 yrs or so to satify folks from diff locations.

[TorchredSVT]

The whole reason for my post was to say that the PERCENTAGE of the users on the forums who attend NHMC events IMO is higher than the PERCENTAGE of those that use FB. (even if you subtract the dual users like yourself, ED etc.)
True, the audience of FB will be far larger than that of the forum because once you sign up as a FB member you will automatically "see" all club stuff. Not that the people who see this stuff ever come to anything.
If FB is so huge and everyone on it is in the club and in the know.... Then why is cruise night terribly attended? Maybe it's true that those on FB with a 1000+ contacts are those that really have no friends, are socially inept and this whole game called FB is BS. Just a thought.

If the club continues to ignore the forum folks, then it will become just an FBNHMC for the cyber masses and maybe then you can FB PM yourselves and call it a "cyber show" and see how that one goes. Haha. You might get over 100 cars then.

Take a deep breath lol and your point is heard, the club isn't going to ignore the forum..BUT cruise night's terrible attendance is a totally different subject and has zero to do with this.

there's a few reasons why, and none of it has to do with FB or the forum. In my opinion the biggest two are location and frequency. The location is not ideal and the fact the cruise night happens EVERY saturday is a bad thing. That saying "keep them wanting more" comes to mind. The reason cruise nights like Skips and Mann's are so well attended is because they only happen once or twice a month.

This should be a discussion that is touched on this winter. In my opinion, there is no need for a weekly cruise night, should change it to bi-monthly

[ToplessPony94]

I think we need to decide on the goal we are trying to accomplish.

Are we trying to achieve a big cruise night with lots of attendance? If so then it doesn't matter who attends, just that lots of cars show up.

Are we trying to achieve someone's idea of fairness and locate centrally to a group of club members that may or may not show up regularly? Then we probably give up attendance from those in MA and in the Amherst, Nashua, Hudson, Londonderry, Derry, Salem area (which has a lot more concentration of car folks IMHO).

Do we really want to give up half or more of the attendance over a sound system? If the sound system is the big issue, maybe we need a newer, smaller, lighter sound system. Technology has advanced and I've been to cruise nights where the whole sound system was an iPod, a small amp and a couple of shoebox sized speakers, and it sounded great. My personal opinion is that I don't care about the music much. I find it inhibits conversation to some extent in the areas where it is loud. But we do need the PA system aspect in any case.

Draw is a curious thing. Once it falls below a certain level, even those who are committed show up less often because they always see the same few people and familiar cars. It becomes a self-fulfilling thing.

[ToplessPony94]

In my opinion the biggest two are location and frequency. The location is not ideal and the fact the cruise night happens EVERY saturday is a bad thing. That saying "keep them wanting more" comes to mind. The reason cruise nights like Skips and Mann's are so well attended is because they only happen once or twice a month.

This should be a discussion that is touched on this winter. In my opinion, there is no need for a weekly cruise night, should change it to bi-monthly

Ian, I respectfully disagree. Holding cruise night less often would decrease my attendance, not increase it. Sometimes I can make it, and I can when I do. When I don't, the reason is mostly that other things in life get in the way. I attend every time I can actually do so. If there's something else happening that prevents it, I don't go, and that won't change by holding it less often. Obviously, if I can make it on a Saturday when there is no cruise night, I won't be there. Actually, if I have to keep track of which is an on week and which is an off week, I'm less likely to go if it ends up being a last minute decision. Nothing about every other week will make me show up more, only less.

As for location, well, yes.

[TorchredSVT]

Bruce...totally cool no worries. You are 100% right on the sound system though, no need to lug that big thing around.

All I can tell you, is this is how us younger folks feel and part of the reason you don't see a ton of the new generation NHMC members showing up. Any given saturday night of the summer theres a billion cruise nights to choose from.

[whtmare]

I love a weekly cruise night if someone wants to go they go.. If you don't go you don't go.highly doubt that location by a few miles is going to change things. It's the same core group of people in hooksett every week, there are some members that have only been , 1 or even zero cruise nights this year. I don't think is location,it's due to cars being down,family commitments,or just a lack of general interest. Of course this is just my 2cents...

[LILBLKSNAKE]

Personally, I don't mind the new location.
Is it just a completely unheard of expectation for a CAR CLUB to actually DRIVE somewhere???
Crazy thought????
My attendance hasn't been great at cruise night with Outlaw Racing, but the few times I did go I really enjoyed the cooler temps on the 30 minute or so ride home, occasionally with that yellow nuisance Jibber xoxo