[MR] demos and recruitment

[Iain Menzies]

My first contact with the SCA was actually through Duke Logan's Demo, as I was a senior in high school and my jazz band was performing at the festival, my first thought was that the entire society focused around heavy combat (until I noticed the group of minstrels in the corner and the assembled arts and sciences) 

I had picked up the information, and probably would have joined then, however I had not gotten up the courage to talk to anyone and thought that the local group was only in Charlotte...  it wasn't until 3 years later when I was digging on the internet for some Historic Heraldry information for an AD&D character's coat of arms that I found a link for the main website and found out there was a group in the Hickory / Statesville area.    Fighter Practices are VERY good, they draw the attention, but we need to have something else quickly visible there or remind them that there's more than fighting...  (Though I've never gotten good at anything outside of combat myself *LOL*)  and often the people who pause and watch won't say anything, they are intimidated (how would you feel if someone walked up to you in full combat gear and you where in street clothes w/o a sword *L*)  I've often found taking off some of the gear and showing it to them or letting them wear it is a great ice breaker!

Demos with schools and around kids are great, they often won't build membership, but they will build interest and curry favor with the local officials.  Festivals are the best places, especially when you get up and out there getting out to the people is the major key!  I was with a group that did a bowling party in garb...  often we are asked when we hit restaurants after practice *in garb* who we are and what we do.   Going out in public in garb is a good pickup to get them to talk to you!  Just remember follow-up... When someone talks to you, keep talking to them until you get them involved, make yourself available to them, mentor them into the society, get then involved in your projects ("Hey, we are going to be making some armor this weekend...")   I was very lucky to have been "picked up" by a couple who mentored me and taught me the ropes in my first few months...   Politics where unkind in some of those situations, but much of what they taught me is important stuff that no one else made available.  

Be they SCA or Mundane, dispense with advice and ideas freely (but not condescendingly) and get them involved!
I've often talked with people who would not be "into that sort of thing" but then we talk about antiques, art, history... and I wind up working it into something that's here...  be it heraldry, military history, philosophy... 

Find that which you enjoy, and share it with others... you shall find them gathering with you in abundance in your new pursuit.
I know this weekend at Golden Moon I had a team whom was not greatly experienced in melee fighting.  I gave them what advice I could and encouraged them to fight their best and made a point of emphasizing that we may well lose every fight, but we came to have fun, not to win.  It was my first time captaining a team, "Maggie's Marauders*."  Yes we may have only come away with a handful of chickens, but those chickens where worth more than gold.  I met two fighters I'd never before seen and encouraged them to use have fun and welcomed them to extra equipment I brought.  Victory or no, I would not trade the smiles and merriment we shared that day for all the silver in King John's Coffers.  

Just adding my two shillings ;)

Lord Iain Menzies

*No sheep where actually injured in any combats  *wicked grin*

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Thorgrimm at aol.com 
  To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org 
  Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2001 9:24 PM
  Subject: Re: [MR] demos and recruitment


  In a message dated 09/16/2001 7:04:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, dukelogan at directvinternet.com writes: 



    ps  fighter practices held in public view seem to work very well.  anyone 
    else find that to be true and, if so, how do you capitalize on that? 



    Public fighter practices are without a doubt one of our best recruiting tools. You just have to remember to be aware of new people coming up to watch and be friendly and informative towards them. I can't imagine a better time for a highly motivated, friendly, informative chatelaine to be around to do their stuff. The one problem I have seen in the past is that we as fighters tend to be involved with the practice itself and generally talk to each other. I think we need to keep in mind that we might be just a wee bit intimidating to someone who is seeing us for the first time and they might be reluctant to walk up and say "hi". I rarely see a fighter be impolite or nonreceptive toward someone with questions, but often we don't take the time to initiate conversation. A HUGE key to recruitment I have found is to keep loaner armor available. Once folks have the opportunity to strap on some armor and give fighting a shot we have usually found a convert... 

  Hrothgar 
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