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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
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On 2007-03-05 22:54, Michael Taggert wrote: I have never had a client ask me if I belonged to the IBM, or any other magic orgainization for that matter. I get bookings because I offer a quality product not because I belong to a magic club be it local or National Quote:
Either join or go elswhere. The way I look at it the IBM joined our club, not the other way around. A number of our members were perfectly happy belonging to a local group and have no interest in belonging to a larger orgainisation.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
Yep...our members could care less about belonging to the IBM. We have gotten nothing from them, again, other than a magazine.
Yes, the magazine is wonderful and includes some great stuff. And yes, they now offer a free web page to those in need (we don't need it). Other than that, through a LOT of personal experience as a Ring President, the IBM is worthless when a Ring is in trouble and reaches out multiple times over a 6 month period for help and gets NOTHING! Like anything else, this is just MY opinion. Mark. |
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Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
The problem I see with that approach is that once a group (or individual) breaks away from IBM, the problem will continue and they have no recourse to do anything about it.
Sort of a "You can't win if you don't play" kind of thing. If there is a breakdown in communications, typically the TVP is the conduit you must go through. If the TVP themself is the breakdown, it's more difficult but not impossible. Dropping out just allows the problem to continue and eventually we all suffer. I see that attitude with modern politics too. People want the Government to stay out of their business, but at the first sign of trouble these same people are the first to start crying "Where are they, and why didn't they help?"
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Bill Wells Elite user Lexington, VA 457 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-03-04 20:36, drwilson wrote: Paul - I have been told that the headquarters office will supply the names to the Ring contact or President or the TVP if they request it. Try having your Ring President contact the Headquarters office and request a roster for your Ring. Please let me know whether or not you get any results. Thanks - Bill |
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Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
See? You just need to find the right people to ask.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Not only that, suddenly our TVP sent an OK to the International Office to release the names. Thanks again, Bill!
What would we do without The Magic Café? Yours, Paul |
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Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
Actually, what would we do without Bill Wells? He knows the inner workings of IBM enough to know what cage to rattle.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
Too bad you have to know someone who knows the "inner workings" and "what cage to rattle" in order to get anything done with the IBM.
Yet another reason the numbers continue to decline. After all, it's just a magic club and things shouldn't be that hard. Mark. |
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Steve Hart Veteran user Cocoa, FL 388 Posts |
Gentlemen,
Please Please listen to what you are saying? It is obvious to me that you really care about this or you would not be spending so much time and energy speaking out against the I.B.M. right? As Membership Chair it is my job to promote the I.B.M and its benefits, retain members and gain new ones. Those of you have given your support here, I applaud you! Those of you who feel you do not get your money's worth send me your suggestions in how the I.B.M can better serve you and your Ring. I will take your ideas and suggestions seriously. By the way Mark I have been in contact with you over the last few months. Your request is being addressed at this time. Steve Hart I.B.M. membership chair
www.SteveHartSpeaks.com
www.magic2motivate.com "Motivational Magicians are some of the highest paid magicians, find out why?" |
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-03-06 23:20, Steve Hart wrote: Don't get me wrong, I really don't have anything against the IBM personally. If I were to join my club today I'd willingly pay the membership fee as that's our clubs rules. Although I'd pay the reduced rate and not take the magazine as I already subscribe to too many magic publications. But because I was grandfathered in under the arrangement our club devised when we affiliated ourselves with the IBM I don't have to nor really have any desire to. Some people like the perceived prestige of belonging to a national organization. I am happy enough just belonging to a local group of like minded fellows.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Mark,
You don't have to know somebody who knows what strings to pull. I don't know Bill Wells, but he does a great job reading these posts, and now we have Steve Hart's attention. All you have to do is read the rules and try to use the existing structure. When that doesn't work, petition for redress of grievances in a public forum. Griping in print is a great American tradition! Remember, folks, none of these people in the International Office (except for one beleaguered secretary) is paid. Those of you who have been Ring officers know how hard it is to keep forty magicians happy. Imagine if you had to do that for 14,000 of them. I have never looked at the International Office as a group of people who had to "do something" for me. Instead, I try to imagine what our Ring could accomplish using the structure and the resources of the I.B.M. Yours, Paul |
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Steve Hart Veteran user Cocoa, FL 388 Posts |
Mr.Panye said, "Don't get me wrong, I really don't have anything against the IBM personally. If I were to join my club today I'd willingly pay the membership fee as that's our clubs rules."
I appreciate your response but don't stop there....tell what can the I.B.M. do for you, its members, and the local Rings. As leaders in the I.B.M we are here to serve you but we need your help. So throw some of that energy you were spouting out earlier and give me some positive ideas. Ask, what if? You mention that you are working as a magician. Do you have liability Insurance as a entertainer? If not, the price of what we offer as an I.B.M member is way beyond the amount of money spent. Before I had my I.B.M. liability Insurance policy I was paying over $400.00 a year. As an I.B.M. memeber I pay a lot less than that. I hope you have Insurance. Another suggestion, I took a look at your Website. I love your photos and the way you diversify your talents but if you were to add an I.B.M. member Website linked to your current Website....your ranking in the search engines would sky rocket and give you better exposure on the Internet. These Websites are free to all regular paying members of the I.B.M. I am eager to hear your suggestions. Steve Hart I.B.M. Membership Chair
www.SteveHartSpeaks.com
www.magic2motivate.com "Motivational Magicians are some of the highest paid magicians, find out why?" |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
We just got our lists from the International Office. It turns out, we have several "members" who have never been members of the I.B.M. Some of them have voted or attempted to vote on Ring matters. We will almost certainly deny them the right to vote or to participate in contests in the future unless they join the I.B.M.
Yours, Paul |
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evanthx Regular user Seattle, WA 197 Posts |
I have to admit I've also found it very curious that the IBM National level is totally completely 100% absent from all Ring events. I'm the sec/treasurer of the local ring, and other than sending in or checking on memberships, I really haven't ever seen the national level actually DO anything. Ever.
So since you ask, Steve ... here's some of the stuff I would love to see the IBM do. When members join the IBM and aren't in a ring, I'd love to have them get sent something promoting local ring membership and telling them how to find and join a local ring. At our monthly meetings, the IBM is TOTALLY absent. I have to admit to being bewildered for years now about why this is. So if you need suggestions about how to do this, here are some from the top of my head. A IBM newsletter we could read or make available about what the IBM has done that month. Not the same as in the Linking Ring, but something like our own business meetings - a note from the president, a treasurers report, the basics. Announcements about IBM leadership and changes in it. I have no idea who is running the IBM, how they got to lead the IBM, what they stand for, or anything. I recall there used to be elections, but there haven't been IBM elections in years as far as I can tell. So what's going on up there? I couldn't even find by-laws for the national group on the IBM website, I have no idea how the group is being run. For example, how is the TVP chosen? How did the rest of you guys get your positions? I have to admit to being really curious - I have absolutely no idea how ANY of that is done, and none of it is on the IBM website. Announcements about that, about what positions are open and how to apply for them would be really nice. How about some prizes to award? For example, we have a monthly competition, and so do most rings. Maybe periodically you could have a national-level theme suggestion, and make a nice little award available for those who win the local ring competition. Stuff like that is fun, and doesn't have to cost much. (We have a little pin, for example. Just a small token award is what I mean.) It'd also be fun to write up and read about what each club did in the Linking Ring afterwards. Arrange some friendly inter-club competitions? Get different rings to compete and have the TVPs judge? Or write in and let clubs vote on a winner or have an expert pick a winner? (Write the funniest joke about something, or design a trick that has some limitations and see who comes up with something clever.) If someone does something really good, maybe we could submit their names up to get some sort of "attaboy" from the national level. Again, that's five minutes of thinking. The real question is whether the national level wants to actually bother being involved with the local rings. It would be really nice just see the IBM actually DO something. And on your side - if the IBM is visible, it would REALLY help encourage members to pay dues to you. Right now the IBM is just a $55 per year magazine, no more. It has absolutely nothing else to offer most members. Insurance, etc, is only useful to the full time performers, and that's the very small minority of our ring. And trying to sell a $55 magazine is tough. If you guys did something to show a presence and benefit to our more casual members, it'd be a LOT easier to get folks to pay dues to you. |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
You raise many points that I am not qualified to address, but I can answer part of your question about nomination of the TVP. You can nominate your own. It is possible, but not easy. Please see:
http://www.magician.org/electionrules.pdf This is from a link on the "members" page: http://www.magician.org/members.htm Yours, Paul |
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evanthx Regular user Seattle, WA 197 Posts |
Thanks for the link!
And to be clear ... I very much like the IBM and like being a ring officer, so I hope my post doesn't come off as just bashing it. I'd just really love to see them get more involved with the rings, so when it came up here everything just kinda poured right on out. |
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Steve Hart Veteran user Cocoa, FL 388 Posts |
Evan, I appreciate your questions and suggestions.
I do not see your comments as bashing in fact this is exactly what I wanted to hear. I hope my response here will only be the beginning of a continued conversation as we define what has been done and what we desire. Most of what you have suggested is already happening for example your first request is, "When members join and they are not in a Ring, I'd love to have them get sent something promoting the local Ring..." Every new member is contacted by either the local TVP or an appointed I.B.M. rep. They sent a letter or email welcoming them to the I.B.M. and it is recommended they visit a local Ring. Contact information is provided. When I had this job I would copy the local Ring so they too could reach out to the new member. You also mention the need for, "an I.B.M. newsletter...something like our own business meetings (report) a note from the president, a treasures report, the basics." This is all reported in the Linking Ring and other news is reported on our I.B.M. Website. I guess you just have to know where to look. You asked for announcements and elections....these too are all printed in the Linking Ring. The I.B.M. Website does have our complete constitution and by-laws in a downloadable PDF file. It is located in the "Ring Resources" page under "For Our Members." We continue to have elections every year. The candidates are introduced through the Linking Ring. You asked, "what about positions that are open and how to apply for them." Just a few months ago Phil Willmarth our editor requested volunteers to contact him if they were interested in serving or heading up a committee. Phil is our incoming International President for this coming year. Next you mentioned, "How about some prizes to award?" This is something I have requested. It is my desire for the national office to award the Rings with items that could used as prizes or awards on the local level. This project is something I am working on. I will speak to you about this later. Next you suggested, "Arrange some friendly inter-club competitions?" We already have the Ring Quality Program. Over 20 Rings have already received this award. Also every year we have a Ring Website contest. Ring 9's Website has competed in the past few years. Last year we had over 40 Ring Websites compete. You last comment as "If you guys did something to show a presence and benefit to our more casual members, it'd be a LOT easier to get folks to pay dues to you." That has been my job since I carried on the chair position for the membership committee. I believe we are providing a greater presence and more benefits for the common member. Do you have our I.B.M brochures to pass out at your meetings? They do an excellent job of informing potential members why they would want to pay their national dues. One of the new benefits is the new I.B.M. member Websites. Even if you are not a working magician this is an opportunity for anyone to have their own Website for Free! If you read my monthly articles in the Linking Ring I give several reasons why a non working members would want to post his own member Website. This alone is worth the $55.00 membership fee. Take a look at what other members are doing with their Websites. The link can be found on the first page of I.B.M Website under, "Highlights." Yes the international officers and committees want to be involved in the local Rings. Our TVPs are your direct contact to the international office. Guess who is the current TVP for Georgia? Your buddy, Joe Turner. He could answer almost every question and address every suggestion you have made. I know Joe is a working professional magician and he may not make it to every local Ring meeting but he will help you get what you want in his spare time, just ask. Also the contact information for our headquarters, the board of trustees, and the executive committee are printed in the Linking Ring. They are there to serve you. Please I would like to hear more ideas, questions and suggestions for improving the I.B.M. Steve Hart I.B.M. Membership Chair
www.SteveHartSpeaks.com
www.magic2motivate.com "Motivational Magicians are some of the highest paid magicians, find out why?" |
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evanthx Regular user Seattle, WA 197 Posts |
Thanks for the response, Steve. And I know Joe well, and I think he's doing an excellent job as TVP. You said you continue to have elections every year ... I have one question, then. Who's voting in these elections? I'm not. I don't even recall seeing a ballot in years. (To be clear - I'm not complaining about who's in any positions at ALL. I just want to understand the process.)
The problem is that you put everything in the Linking Ring, which is great, but then that becomes the excuse for ignoring ring meetings. When I suggested a newsletter, that's why I said NOT the same as in the Linking Ring. Since the IBM uses it only, that goes back to the national organization being ONLY a magazine. The point of most of my suggestions was to break out of you guys being limited to inside that magazine. So that's why I suggested a DIFFERENT newsletter for Ring Meetings. For competitions - I'm aware of the Quality Award, which is nice, but I'm suggesting something completely different focused on fun which could be done inside a club meeting and then sent up - my suggestions of a joke around a certain topic or designing a trick aren't the best, but any club can enter and they don't have to be a large organized club, and they can compare their entry to others later. Maybe in that newsletter sent to the rings. In other words, I'm suggesting something simple, small, and fun come around a few times a year that any club can enter with a fair chance of winning. I guess the overall point of what I'm trying to say, if you'll forgive me repeating myself, is that the IBM needs to break out of being nothing more than a magazine. Yes, you can use the magazine to do everything and you are, as you pointed out, but then you can't claim to be more than a magazine - and I really wish that the IBM WAS more. I just want to see it have a beneficial presence in the meetings, and as things stand I just don't see that. And I'm sorry, but I just don't see the websites and insurance addressing that concern. They're great - I have the insurance and really appreciate it - but me having insurance, or someone having a site, does not really give you a presence at club meetings. Nor does it really help me convince someone to send you a sizable check! |
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Steve Hart Veteran user Cocoa, FL 388 Posts |
Evan, Once again I appreciate your ideas and suggestion.
I hear what your are saying about giving a report or newsletter just to the Rings. Plus I see the need for something like this. I would like to think about this and pass it along to others in leadership and get their ideas. Are there any other I.B.M. members who have some ideas and suggestions that would help in keeping our organization strong and healthy? Steve Hart I.B.M. Membership Chair
www.SteveHartSpeaks.com
www.magic2motivate.com "Motivational Magicians are some of the highest paid magicians, find out why?" |
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Michael Taggert Special user Fredericksburg Virginia 656 Posts |
Where we would be with out the Café' is an example of what great foks like steve and Bill are doing to help make our International organization a close and friendly organization. Several of us from the Café' had discussion on this subject recently at a gathering and came to the general conclusion that we are communicating more to the local leveland being able to get our thoughts and needs to the international level in an open forum.
I know that I personally had stayed away from National organizations for many Years because of a Them and Us sentiment. Back then you had to travel thhousands of miles to communicate with the interational board. Now when we travel we meet folks we know and feel comfortable talking too. We can express our needs without having to get on the phone or write detailed letters to people we never see. Use this to help shape our organization into what you whant and need it to be. Our ring is blessed with a very active TVP, A Past International President, and many people who work behind the scenes of international magic. but if you come to a ring meeting we all are treated as equals and more importantly Friends. BTW whos coming to Magi whirl as Tickets will be going up shortly. getem while they are hot. |
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