DCM Membership Committee Meeting
Saturday, September 20, 2008

Present: Aubrey, Gretchen, Pam, Robin

1. Memberships to date: 123 with 6 in process (128). Goal is 300 by October 31, 2008
Aubrey asked what happens if we don’t reach 300. Robin replied that we don’t yet have our costs for analyses as well as income taxes so we don’t know what we need. The finance committee needs to advise us on this.

2. Farmers Market. (Pam)
Pam said that Debra is there today with our new tent and banner. Pam will return to take pictures. Slow traffic this am. (Cold weather) Pam will contact Stephen to see if he talked with Camille for future FM dates.

3. T-shirts and other promos. (Robin)
Additional t-shirts are at the FM available for pick up.
Other promo items from Ad Spice: vegetable peeler; shopping bags, leftover kits, sweet potato.

4. Founders’ Celebration and Community Potluck. (Pam and Robin)
Sunday, October 26th 5-7pm. Trotter Building, 410 W. Geer Street (Bob Chapman’s place).
Pep rally with information (rather than a presentation.)
Ideas: Visuals - map of area, funding goals (with sweet potato vine), timeline with vine;
Gretchen on Rentals. Best Rent-All. $75 delivery and pick up. 8' table $8 each; chairs: $1
Chairs on the perimeter.
Power Point: Gretchen will set up photos (needs: digital photos, songs,
Musicians: send mp3 to (gshaughnessy@hotmail.com).

5. Press Release.

6. Brochures. (Robin for Kerry)
Kerry called in to say she has taken the holders to eight area businesses. She will send Pam the list of where she placed them.
New ones for next initiative? (Larger print?)

7. Email lists/ Newsletters/ Ads. (?)
Kerry asked if Leslie Frost is in fact the contact for ONDA. Robin will ask Kerry to ask Leslie if she will serve as a contact for DCM news.

8. Web site and IT.
Report pending.
Tasks it should perform: print addresses (to put into googlemaps for locations)

9. Business Plan. (Aubrey)
Capital
Venture capitalists require at least one person on the project to have deep experience in this business. Therefore, we need to have at lease one person on our board who knows groceries and cooperatives.
Aubrey is putting together projected:
Balance sheet
Income statement
Cash flow statement
1-2 years, monthly figures
3-5 years, quarterly

Aubrey is using standard numbers and formulas for his projections.

Grocery is 63-75% is cost of goods; the remaining goes to pay for fixed costs (rent, wages, licenses, loan servicing...)

Aubrey’s numbers: 300 customers/week @ $75 per person weekly.

Marketing Section
3 C’s
Company
Customer
Competition (in groups rather than by name)

4 P’s
Product
Price
Promotion
Placement (store location)

If we do the market and demographic analysis ourselves we could contact Gretchen for name of someone in her office.

Pam: Survey as supporting documentation. Deborah Wallace set up Survey Monkey. She is pulling together the results from Survey Monkey (“the Collector”). Pam and Deborah will communicate.

10. Next Phase.
We could shift the membership fee to a higher amount starting January 1 and use Nov 1 - Dec. 31 as the “final opportunity” to join at the one-time $100 fee. After Jan 1 we implement a new structure - $140 one time fee (like WSM) or higher amount, or this amt until store opens and thereafter a set amt, or once store opens an annual amt.

Task List:
Pam: Kerry’s brochure holder places; Pam will ask for volunteer to re-stock brochure holders Pam to email Stephen about Camille and FM schedule; add’l FM volunteers; local musicians;

Kerry: Ask Leslie Frost if she will serve as a OND contact for DCM news;

Robin: Board concerns legal permission for music usage; Finance committee escrow and report on what we have in hand; next phase, names for add’l board members w/ grocery experience; draft press release; newsletter article for OND and send to Pam

Gretchen: projector possible (?); local musicians?
Aubrey: Co-op 500 for projections/numbers; conference call w/ Bill Gessner and Robin about CSA analyses.

Next Meeting: 8:30 - 10:30am, Saturday, September 27, 2008 Parker & Otis