CA Le Mans Guide 2008

[Werner]

Le Mans 2007 is history now and that applies also to this years CA Guide. We had app. 3000 downloads, slightly more than last year, and one can only guess how many copies were printed. Our call for donations collected £380.08 from 71 people - thanks to everyone.

It's time to think about 2008, we had already some feedback. Some people asked for a earlier publishing date. I'd prefer that too, but I think this is not an option. Entry list, support race information, bus schedules, scrutineering schedule, pit allocation and much more becomes available just 2-3 weeks prior to the race. And we have to wait for pictures from the test day for our entry list, so 2-3 days after the test day will be the earliest we can publish.

Another point mentioned was the sheer volumne of the guide (123 pages), e.g. not everyone needs directions for the journey by car or campsite information or other information. Well, that will be easy to solve: next years edition will have a page break after each chapter - so you can print out only the chapters you actually need.

I've set up a new project page at the usual URL: www.clubarnage.com/caguide and I'm confident that we will have as many contributors as we had for the last edition. The next edition will be less work anyway, it's mostly updates we have to do

Cheers

Werner

[Leftie]

Werner,

Within the 'history' sections.  How about one about the beer walls etc.

I've got a few goodies (pics).

Jerry

[Werner]

Werner,

Within the 'history' sections.  How about one about the beer walls etc.

I've got a few goodies (pics).

Jerry

Sounds good

[nickliv]

I can do a piece about staying at home 

[Lawnmower Man]

Easy for me to say this not really sure if it's practical.

Some stuff doesn't change much each year.  So how about a "Static Information"  part and then a "Race Week Suplement".

T.

[Werner]

Easy for me to say this not really sure if it's practical.

Some stuff doesn't change much each year.  So how about a "Static Information"  part and then a "Race Week Suplement".

I already thought about this, Tom, it would make life much easier. But from the 2006 to the 2007 edition hardly any chapter was static. Sometimes there were only little changes, but even those were important and I expect the same for 2008.
- The campsite chapter had to be changed because of the zoning - it needs to be changed for next year when they have probably numbered pitches, new prices, HA doesn't exist any more ...
- The class reglement and the race regulations both had changes, most likely the same next year
- race week schedule, entry list, support race, pit allocation, scrutineering schedule, bus timetables, who when where ... all of this needs to be changed every year

The only real static part is probably the introduction chapter - le Mans for dummies

[Lawnmower Man]

Sorry thats not what I ment really.  I meant parts like how to order tickets, campsite information, how to get there, Supermarkets and so on could have an earlier dead line and be published say in time for say PQ.  then the Entry list and other late breaking info could be published as a supplement.

I personaly don't see that you/we really need it earlier.

t.

[JDS]

Probably not much that I can add to the content but I'd be happy to spare some time to proof-read etc. if it would help ?

[termietermite]

I've had the same kind of thoughts as L/M.  Especially re "how to get tickets" and the merits of the various campsites etc - things which people are already discussing for the '08 race!  The Fundraising Committee is looking at some "Welcome" pages for the site - to replace the old stuff that used to be here and recently got dumped because it was always out of date.  Maybe some links to the pages which are less seasonally sensitive, could be established from there? - not to the whole guide, just the stuff which might be useful year round, otherwise it would impact on guide downloads, which nobody wants.

[smokie]

That's actually quite a neat idea Termie - would work as "sneak previews" to the guide and encourage people to download the whole thing.

Werner - I can proof read again when the time comes if reqd...

[Andy Zarse]

We had app. 3000 downloads, slightly more than last year, and one can only guess how many copies were printed. Our call for donations collected £380.08 from 71 people - thanks to everyone.

So only 2.4% of people downloading made a donation? 

That's a shockingly low percentage. I think we'd do well to consider what can be done about that and how we can increase the "participation".

[nickliv]

Sell it  on ebay (that word again, sorry), with a 'buy it now' of £2.50 or whatever is decided to be an appropriate amount.

Then it can be attached to an email which is sent to the buyer.

[JDS]

The other option is to put a Paypal button on the download page. These can be pre-programmed with a cost etc. and once 'through the checkout' it takes youu to the download page proper ... Of course there will be some people who 'share' the direct URL etc., there always are but I'd guess quite a few would be willing to contribute if 'persuaded' to ?

[Lawnmower Man]

We had app. 3000 downloads, slightly more than last year, and one can only guess how many copies were printed. Our call for donations collected £380.08 from 71 people - thanks to everyone.

So only 2.4% of people downloading made a donation? 
That's a shockingly low percentage. I think we'd do well to consider what can be done about that and how we can increase the "participation".

Another way of looking at it is £0.15 per download.    The guide has to be worth £1 of anyones money.  But if you force people to pay some won't pay on principal some won't pay since they don't have paypal and it's too much bother to set it up just for the guide.    It would be relativly easy for me to set up a method where by making a donation would trigger an email to the person giving them a user id and password to them to download the guide .   If someone really doesn't want to pay then we could email it overnight or make free downloads only available a none peak times.

t.

[paul-collins]

Werner, can you shoot me a link for the paypal donation?  I'd like to berate the people in ten tenths a bit about it.