[Stargate] Recruiting Ideas

[Thomas A Smith]

Good gentles all -

At this past Gulf Wars, one of the classes I attended was on the subject of recruiting for the SCA.  There were some good ideas I wanted to pass along.

The first part of the process is making contact - getting publicity and finding people that might be interested in joining.  Some ideas for this included:
  - Posting flyers (preferably color) in places where likely prospects can be found.  Libraries and book stores are good locations for this.  Apparently, someone looked into the sociology of SCA members, and the one consistent thing most of us had in common is that we read a LOT.  Gaming shops and costuming or fabric stores are also good locations.  Even local science fiction conventions. Just make sure you have permission to post them.
  - Post notices of upcoming events in the local "community events" calendar in the newspapers.
  - Get in touch with local arts newsletters and organizations, and let them know about guild meetings.
  - Holding meetings and practices in public places and in costume, to attract attention.
  - Have buisness cards, flyers, or brocures to hand out to interested people.  Bookmarks at a library or bookstore are a good idea.
  - Public demos (at schools, ren faires, arts fairs, sci-fi conventions).
  - Sponsor an event for the general public, like a free, mini ren-faire.  Be sure to advertise and invite the entire community.
  - Put a public service announcement on the local Public Radio station.
  - Stage a demo for the local TV stations, or invite them out to an event for a "human interest" story.
Once contact has been made, it is vital to make them welcome.  Notice newcomers, greet them, invite them to sit with you and explain what is going on.  If they are interested in X, Y, or Z, steer them to the people in the SCA that are involved with those things.  Get them to some sort of an event within 2 or 3 weeks, and get them into garb once they are there, to make them feel part of things.  Ask them to help out.

Above all, try to make a good first impression.

I hope these ideas are useful.  All this is better said in an article written by the lady who taught the class, in the Winter 2005 Tournaments Illuminated.

Regards,

Thomas atte Woode "Et, et, ðu eart to ðynne"
(Tom Smith)
Cell phone 281-782-3861
smithfamily at aspect1.net