[Stargate] The Elephant in the Room

[John Hirling]

not an "either/or" but a "both/and

Whether we are talking about recruiting, how to have more fun and make our
activities more fun for others, or where is the best place (and what is the
best time) to gather for Populace, the more information, opinions, and
angles the better.  Even what might be deemed by some as a 'bad idea' can be
helpful.

ihon
Baron of Stargate

On 1/11/07, Michael Silverhands <silverhands at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> On Jan 11, 2007, at 9:01 PM, Thomas atte Woode (Tom Smith) wrote:
> > ...  Let's start a conversation.
> >
>
> Ok, I'll bite.
>
> > I have been thinking about our recruiting problems.  It seems to me
> > that in the early days, the SCA was pretty much the only game in
> > town for those interested in "having fun in a medieval manner".  We
> > were the original.  Since then, the number of choices have
> > multiplied:  Ren Faires, Amtgard, Live Action Roleplaying (LARP)
> > groups.  All of these groups put a different spin on things, but I
> > think we are all tapping in to the same general ethos - creating a
> > pretend world of chivalry and adventure.  As a result, we are
> > competing with each other for the same resource - new people that
> > might be interested in our games.
> >
> > In this kind of situation, it is worthwhile to ask what these
> > groups do that we don't.  Is there some way of making the game more
> > fun and attractive to prospective young members that we can learn
> > from them?
> >
> > I'm not saying there is.  Just that there might be.  It may be that
> > the best we can do is maintain our own distinct identity, and
> > accept that we will attract a certain share of the population for
> > which we are the right "fit", and other will go elsewhere.
>
> You're right that each of those groups offers something different,
> and to somewhat the same pool of potential members. But it might be
> more worthwhile to ask what *we* offer that *they* don't, and figure
> out how to promote *that*.
>
> In business, it's attractive -- sometimes fatally so -- to focus on
> what the competition's doing, and try to "one up" them at their own
> game. This can work when you're selling a commodity head-to-head
> against others who are selling essentially the same thing (e.g. fast
> food).
>
> But it can be a disaster when you sell a specialty product.
>
> There's a saying in business: "Compete or innovate." We don't really
> want to compete head-to-head against Ren Faires, Amtgard, LARP, etc.
> -- nor do I think we need to. In terms of that saying, we "innovate"
> -- i.e., we offer something(s) that they don't.
>
> So... let's figure out what stands us apart (and hopefully above, in
> the eyes of our potential new members) and "sell" that when we do our
> demos.
>
> *passing the cup* Somebody else's turn to play. :-)
>
> Michael
> _______________________________________________
> Stargate mailing list
> Stargate at lists.ansteorra.org
> http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/stargate-ansteorra.org
>



-- 
Rev. John F. Hirling
Interim Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Angleton, TX 77515
(979) 849-5722