Dear folks
I can tell you something from experience. Back in his youth King Inman got mad at an individual and banished him, Unfortunately he was the autocrat of Defender. Everyone got mad and walked out and I as a good Pelican took over.Well, I had my peerage and if things went really wrong it would not hurt by standing in the SCA. The problem is we hadn't gotten into the Black Star. Now back in those days we thought we were doing good if we got 125 to Elfsea defending and now with no PR we really were in a fixed. I got the group together and told them people don't go to an event because of the flyer. They mostly go because someone they know invited them. We are as a group shy folks and  we don't want to go somewhere where we don't know people. I told the group to go out and talk to as many people as possible. People of rank and people without rank. Just talk to everyone. We not only met our 125 goal we had more people than ever, around  250. In those days it was an huge event. Right now we are facing a lack of funds.  People are even being more careful on where they are going. It is a easier to go to a new place if we know we will have someone to talk to. 
willow