Alright, Geoff finally got back to me today, he didn't go into as much detail as I'd hoped, but he did answer the questions. Here's what he sent me:
> Hi Geoff,
>
Hi, Katie.
> Hope all is going well.
>
Couldn't be better. I just booked the Midwest Magic Jubilee in August and Magic in the Rockies in September.
> I have a friend, on a forum that I joined, who is trying to start a Vaudeville club in Seattle, and he is wondering how the other major clubs for magic and other specialty groups got started and gained members.
>
> These are the questions he posted on the forum (copy and pasted from the forum):
>
>
> Currently I am not interested in charging people to join the GOPVA but I would like to start building a membership, plan an introductory meeting and do all the other things needed to get a group like this off the ground. So here is where I am asking for advice.
>
> * How do these other organizations work?
> * How did they begin and what sort of benefits do they offer that entice people into joining them?
How did they begin? Usually a small group of enthusiasts start meeting together regularly. In the case of nationally-established magic groups, this has pretty much been already done.
> * Did they start with a business plan of sorts?
No, usually just a charter that says who they are and what they're about.
> * What could I offer to members that would be of value to them?
Instruction, historical info, a chance to witness the craft performed by others more skillful than themselves (or sometimes worse than themselves which can also be a learning experience), to perform for peers (and, in the case of public shows, for actual humans), door prizes and giveaways, special discounts to local merchants and events. In some instances, it also leads to networking with others, sharing tips & techniques as well as referrals.
> * What sort of media if any do these groups offer members? (Magazines, mailing lists membership, forums etc.)
Depends. Monthly newsletters/magazines are usually a thing of the national organizations (since they take so much in the way of time & resources). Local newsletters are rather rare with people opting for electronic news.
Hope this helps somewhat. I'm sure it's rather obvious advice and stuff that you already knew but it sometimes helps to see it listed out.
Geoff
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