|
Post by Cib on May 20, 2009 19:15:18 GMT -7
Ok so, we need to do some recruitment and promo and see if we can't grow some for the summer. So lets try and brain storm some ways to get some more members.
Some ideas that have been mentioned are: -Sandwich board at practices. -Hang out in garb at café's after practices -Run some demos (any ideas where we could do this?) -
|
|
|
Post by Darr on May 21, 2009 10:38:36 GMT -7
When we do our weapons building day go an a shopping spree first. I now that whenever I go into the Canadian Tire to buy glue I always have at least somebody stare. That is, when I have my garb on.
|
|
|
Post by Moginheden on May 21, 2009 11:27:46 GMT -7
-craigslist, and similar sites -community newsletters, CTV "In Touch", any other "what's going on in your community" type media
|
|
|
Post by Darr on May 21, 2009 11:37:11 GMT -7
-community newsletters, CTV "In Touch", any other "what's going on in your community" type media Yeah I actually saw CTV advertising that and remember thinking that that would be a good way of promoting us.
|
|
Niall
Recruit
I like swords.
Posts: 43
|
Post by Niall on May 22, 2009 3:11:19 GMT -7
My plan for Red Deer is to make a few different posters, and put them up wherever they'll let me. I will be placing one in West 49 in the shopping mall - right alongside all the live music advertisements, as well as in trading card shops and the local library. I might go so far as to put them up on grocery store billboards, but I worry that the elderly will show up if invited.
Senility and roleplay, not good bedfellows.
|
|
|
Post by Cib on May 22, 2009 16:53:40 GMT -7
Today Dar and I were talking (wile he was waiting to get unlocked in to his van) about how to recruit in Airdrie. We began to ask the question, what is the over all culture of Airdrie... there is not a lot of game shops, or martial arts studios.... What do we see the paper... stuff like that. We were wondering if it was small league sports town, and fitness town. We have a lot of sports fields, a lot of minor leagues, and minor sports teams, a GIANT rec-center, and fitness groups. We were wondering, if that is correct, how do we recruit Airdrie people? One of our thoughts was to start saying "uniform" rather then "Garb". Things sports people can identify with. Anyway, it reminded me of a bunch of SCA videos on recommitment I had seen a wile back. There were really good, defiantly worth the watch: board.belegarth.com/viewtopic.php?f=128&t=27584I will have to watch them myself again and get a re-fresh.
|
|
|
Post by Cib on May 22, 2009 16:54:06 GMT -7
SirMADOG:
|
|
|
Post by Darr on May 22, 2009 21:39:15 GMT -7
I'm sorry but the videos didn't show up for me not even when I clicked on the link.
|
|
|
Post by Cib on May 23, 2009 9:16:31 GMT -7
|
|
|
Post by Darr on May 23, 2009 19:17:09 GMT -7
Okay now it works. Those are very awesome videos. I definitely think that we need to do some demos. I also think that promoting Belegarth as a sport in Airdrie is crucial for us.
|
|
|
Post by Cib on May 23, 2009 20:35:24 GMT -7
I was also thinking last night, Airdrie is a bedroom community, a community full of families, especially young families. Which explains all the kids sports and rec programs!
Not sure how that helps us... But it is something to think about.
|
|
Niall
Recruit
I like swords.
Posts: 43
|
Post by Niall on May 23, 2009 20:43:13 GMT -7
Hardest thing about being in that sort of community and trying to promote Belegarth is the age restriction on combatants. You almost need to expand what your group offers in order to bring that younger audience.
I've actually been thinking about it for a while, and your only real option is to occasionally offer a sort of Renaissance Fair environment, where you one or two volunteers could teach the kids about leatherworking, or different historical bits while the adults go out and have fun.
Obviously not something you could do with 4 or 5 people, but a year or so down the road it might not be all that far fetched.
|
|
|
Post by Cib on May 24, 2009 14:09:58 GMT -7
That kind of ideas has crossed my mind more than once...
|
|
|
Post by Moginheden on May 25, 2009 10:19:10 GMT -7
The biggest recruiting problem I've come across is the stereotype of LARP and the "Lightning bolt guy".
There is a video that was pretty popular recently about a full LARP group and one person kept throwing balls at the "orc" or giant or whatever and shouting "lightning bolt". This was widely ridiculed and when you bring up foam weapon fighting it is often the first thing people think of.
Because of this, it is important when talking to most people to refer to Belegarth as a sport and not as role play. LARP has a pretty bad repution, we need to distance ourselves from that.
|
|
|
Post by David of Doell on Jun 3, 2009 16:41:41 GMT -7
Page 21 of the Calgary Sun: "Alberta school kids fight inactive trend". Basically it talks about kids not getting enough exercise. I think you should try and target the parents of youth. There are many times where my mom is the one who has told me about something in the paper and I checked it out. Parents WANT their kids to be more active and get off the computer. YOU informing the parents will provide better understanding than the kids attending telling their parents(they are not the best at communication). If the parents fully understand what their kid is getting into they might be more supportive than if all they know is "hitting people with foam weapons". You can tell the parents about the strict safety rules and the large organization you are apart of. It will look more professional. You could make up a handout specifically for parents highlighting what they want to know about what their kid is getting into. (and hey maybe you'd even recruit some parents)
Maybe check into getting a small ad in a local paper. (moms telling kids idea)
Try talking to some high schools. See if you can put a poster up or do a demo. If you give the sales pitch about how this gets kids active I'm sure you'd get some sort of opporunity.
Again regarding parents. Why not put parent geared posters up in those fitness centers. If they are there they obviously care about fitness so they'll want their kids to be active too.
Maybe we should do photo shoot during a practice where we combine all the best armour for the coolest looking pictures to get people's attention or promos. You could "script"(set up) some pictures instead of having all real action pictures. Get some epic looking poses.
To sum it all up: get to the parents of teens, if you get them on board they will encourage their kids to go.
I'll help with any ad or promotional writing.
|
|