[Ansteorra-announce] Demos - Newcomers

[Erik Langhans]

A bunch of groups did some great demos over the past month or so.  Good job, ya'll.  

As a follow up I wanted to pass along a thought from my modern job, Marketing and Research.   A truism of the marketing world is to strike when interest is high.  Data shows that in just one week a decision to try or buy can change dramatically.  What's my point?

We went through all the effort to attract new people.  The next step is to follow up with them especially if they left us contact info.  I am tasking the local seneschals to make certain that 7 days after a demo is done that all who left their contact info are followed up with.  This can be simply an email thanking them for their interest, welcoming them and inviting them to a local event, newcomer's meeting, fighter practice or populace meeting.   Include links to the local web site as well as the Kingdom and SCA web sites.   Local seneschals can delegate this to the local hospitaler as is done in many groups or to the demo deputy but the final responsibility resides with the local seneschal.

A couple of final thoughts.  When you are dealing with these newcomers, understand people make their first impression within the first 15 minutes (sometimes the first minute).    Talking about SCA politics, your personal travails, the latest SCA gossip would not be optimal.  I have a recommendation.  Do the following.  Send out a special letter via mail or email inviting them to the next local event.  In this letter let your newcomers know that if they bring the letter with them they can get ½ off admission to the this their first event.  Please do this only with the local seneschal's and autocrat's permissions.  ½ off site only not feast.  They still need to pay NMS.  At the event make certain you have someone tasked solely with looking after and making the newcomers welcome.   

A simple smile and a greeting can go miles.  So when you see a newcomer or someone looking lost, walk up to them, introduce yourself, and welcome them.

Thanks again for all of your efforts.

Modius
Seneschal