[Archers] Interest to capitalize on

[John Atkins]

Sanada,
I get that we are both on the same page.  I was just voicing a
particular "issue" I have with SCA missionaries.  Years back, when my
lady and I were Trimarian, our local shire would do a demo at the Bay
Area Ren Faire, affectionately known as BARF.  It was a multi week
affair.  I was "autocrat" one year.  I set up a sign up book for folks
interested and was able to talk the faire folks into letting us have the
chess match field one weekend.  We called in all our markers and had
about 30 fighters there.  I realize fighting is a big draw.  I asked one
group, Dun Tir who look like a bunch of Middle Ages bikers, to walk
through the fair grounds in their armor to draw in a crowd.  The rest of
us went to the chess match field and began to explain who we are and
what we were doing, i.e. a hit to the knee means they lost their leg,
etc.  The Dun Tir gang was just behind the stands when I signaled them
in.  Their leader, who had done many demos before, said "Oh I get it.
You guys are having fun while we're out guarding the gate!"  The whole
crowd turned to watch.  The Dun Tir guys came into the ring and began to
pick "fights" with the other group.  I called them out and said "Let's
settle this fair" and turned to the leader of each group and said "Pick
you best five fighters".  The Dun Tir leader said "I'm a fighter, I
can't count".  I turned to the audience and asked "Are there any here
that can count to five?"  A precious blonde little girl said "I'm five,
I can".   Then Duke Bytor, a man who weighs about 350 without armor,
came over, set his sword and shield aside, took of his glove and went to
one knee and said "My lady, may I escort you to review my troops?".  At
that point I could have sold the entire audience swamp land in the
Everglades and they would have thought it was beach front property.
Needless to say WE HAD THEM!  
 
So out of all of that I gathered over 100 names.  We planned a one-night
get together just for the new folks about two weeks after the fair
closed.  I invited everyone that had expressed interest and gave us
their names.  Out of over 100 names 3, count them, THREE couples came.
Of that two left early and one didn't stay until the end.  That was the
last we ever saw of any of them.  So needless to say, I'm a bit over
being an SCA missionary.
 
But like you have said, if someone expresses an interest I'm all about
talking with them as long as they are interested.  If not, I'm not going
to jam it down their throat or pester them.  As we have said, it works
for some, not for others.
 
Just sharing experiences,
cog

-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica Mulligan [mailto:slaoen at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 5:45 PM
To: John Atkins; archers at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [Archers] Interest to capitalize on


No, I totally get that, you don't want to sell the SCA to someone who
isn't interested, just share it with people who are.  I've always said
that I am not a salesperson, but I will gladly share information with
someone if I think they would benefit from it.  I was actually thinking
about business cards after I sent my last message, something small and
easy to pass to someone who is interested.  That would work great for
the people who stumble upon us.  The harder people to reach are the ones
who would love the SCA if they knew it existed, but have never stumbled
upon it; those are the people I think could benefit from fliers posted
in places they might frequent.
 
Stierbach does do demos at schools and libraries, they just did one in
fact, I unfortunately have trouble attending due to my work schedule.
Safety and legality do make it more difficult to put on archery
displays.  My husband and I have found it easiest to invite people out
to Sunday practice, or bring them out to an event, to really see what's
going on.
 
Sanada Katsumi

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