Over the last few weeks, we have been exploring the findings of our all-member survey.
We began by looking at what people seek from British Naturism and what they find here, identifying the importance of community and belonging. Last week, we turned our attention to BN Magazine and discovered that it is the tangible membership benefit that members use and appreciate most.
That positive view tells us that BN Magazine is already a strong product. But a strong foundation is precisely that: something to build on.
So this week, we're looking at what members would like to see more of in the magazine and where there are opportunities to make it even more interesting, useful and relevant.
Looking for change?
One of the free-text questions asked:
“What would make BN Magazine more interesting or useful?”
Because members could answer in their own words, this gave us an opportunity to see what people really thought without suggesting particular answers.
The strongest response, by some margin, was simply that members were happy with the magazine as it is. That response appeared twice as often as any other. This is entirely consistent with what we discovered last week: BN Magazine achieved the highest satisfaction score of any aspect of membership.
The message is therefore quite clear:
Members aren't asking for a revolution. They are asking us to build on something that already works.
That is an important distinction. Any changes we make need to preserve the qualities that members already appreciate while finding ways to make the magazine even more useful and engaging.
Opportunities for adjustment
We also presented members with a list of magazine features and asked whether they would like to see more, less or the same amount of each. To make the results easier to compare, we calculated a weighted average, with “more” scoring 3 and “less” scoring 1. A score of 2 therefore represents the point at which members are, on average, asking us to keep things as they are.
The good news was that every feature scored above 2.
In other words, there was no significant call for any of the features to be removed. There were, however, some clear favourites.
More travel
Travel reports achieved the highest score.
The free-text responses give us some useful context about what members mean by travel. It isn't simply a request for more stories about exotic destinations abroad. Members are equally interested in UK trips, excursions, holiday ideas, reviews and first-hand experiences.
The message seems to be less about where people travel and more about helping others discover places, experiences and opportunities for themselves.
More regional news
Regional news also scored highly, providing an interesting connection with the desire for more travel coverage.More regional information gives members greater opportunities to discover what is happening closer to home, including places to visit, activities to join and Naturist opportunities across the UK.
And this is an area where we have already started responding. Regular readers may have noticed that the amount of regional information has doubled over the last two issues. That change actually began before we had the survey results, but the responses provide strong confirmation that this is an area worth developing further.
More personal stories
Also in the top four was a request for more personal stories. This is perhaps the feature that ties many of the other requests together.
Members don't just want to know about destinations, events and activities. They want to hear from the people who experienced them. What was the trip really like? What happened at the event? What did someone discover? How did they first become involved in Naturism? What difference has it made to their lives?
These stories bring information to life.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, they take us right back to one of the strongest conclusions from the survey as a whole: what matters most is community and the people who make it up.
More campaigning and promotion of Naturism
The fourth of the most-requested areas was campaigning and the promotion of Naturism. Again, this fits neatly with what we have already learned.
Supporting Naturism was one of the primary reasons members gave for valuing their membership. They clearly want to understand what British Naturism is doing to promote Naturism, support its acceptance and address the issues that affect our community. The magazine has an important role to play in explaining that work and showing members why it matters.
Getting into the detail
The free-text responses also revealed some additional themes that weren't captured by the structured questions.
One particularly useful request was for more information about events before they happen, including practical advice from people who have attended previously. What should you take? What is the event really like? What can a first-time visitor expect? Is there anything you wish you'd known before you went?
These are questions we already see being asked regularly on the Forum, so it isn't surprising to find the same demand appearing in the survey. It is also something we can address. Better advance information, combined with first-hand accounts from previous attendees, could make it easier for members to take that first step and participate.
So, what comes next?
The survey gives us a useful set of observations and, importantly, some practical actions.
1. BN Magazine works.
There is no call for a complete overhaul or wholesale removal of features. The opportunity is refinement: building on what already works.
2. Make the magazine more visibly member-led.
Personal stories, experiences, photographs and contributions from members can help make the magazine feel even more like a reflection of our community.
3. Increase travel coverage, both in the UK and abroad.
Members want ideas, reviews and first-hand experiences that inspire them to explore.
4. Continue developing regional and club coverage.
More local stories can help members discover opportunities across the country and strengthen their connection with the wider Naturist community.
5. Build on campaigning and advocacy coverage.
Explain what we are doing, why particular issues matter and providing updates.
6. Expand event coverage.
Give members more information before events, as well as reports and personal experiences afterwards, helping people decide what they might like to try for themselves.
A magazine that brings our community together
When we put all of this feedback together, a clear picture emerges.
Members aren't asking BN Magazine to become something completely different. They want it to do more of what makes it valuable already. They want stories about people. They want ideas and experiences that will help them find an opportunity to be involved.
Put simply:
BN Magazine should inspire members to participate and help them feel part of the Naturist community.
That brings us full circle.
We joined British Naturism to find a community where we are welcomed. BN Magazine has the opportunity to help make that community visible, accessible and engaging for everyone.
The survey has shown us where we can take it next.And we're looking forward to building on that strong foundation together.
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