Local Club Marketing

[Sestock]

What do you or your local club do to attrach new members?

Looking for creative and proven ideas to market a local program.

[shred]

Gun show tables work OK. There's a bunch of good info here I'm sure a search will turn up. A decent web site can also bring in shooters.

[Rob Boudrie]

I've organized a group of local shooters to run a gun show display table for the past 4 years or so, and I have a few hints based on that experience:

1. Ask your Area Director to pay the table fee.

2. A video on the table is a traffic magnet. Reserve power, and bring a long extension cord and duct tape in case you have to run it from elsewhere.

3. Have some "next step" for visitors. Our next step was a 2 day course about 5 weeks after the show, but it could also be a new shooters clinic at a match, etc. - something.

4. Call or email USPSA asking for copies of the Front Sight Annual. These aren't cheap to USPSA (they're free to you), so you probably don't want to just leave a pile out, but you can hand them to people who seem to be interested.

5. Tell your buddies to leave their open guns home. Holster rigs with production, Ltd and Ltd 10 guns on the table are much more likley to result in people interested in USPSA matches (as opposed to just interested in looking at your guns)

6. It is very convenient to cable tie a holster rig, gun and spare mags together. This makes it easier to watch your guns.

7. Plan what you will wear so you look like a highly disciplined and cohesive unit.

8. Involve your other table workers on the organization of the event. That way, if your show coincides with the Shot Show in a future year, you will have someone who can take over the planning, staffing, etc. so you can go and enjoy the glamor and excitement of hanging around the USPSA booth in Las Vegas. I guess now would be a good time for me to thank Michael Chludenski .

[wide45]

5. Tell your buddies to leave their open guns home. Holster rigs with production, Ltd and Ltd 10 guns on the table are much more likley to result in people interested in USPSA matches (as opposed to just interested in looking at your guns)

Several years ago the club I was with did the gun show thing. The first time we ran video tapes (from Sedro?) of the open Nats. You could watch people get close, and hear the sound. The eyes would go to the screen, and hold there for 5-10 seconds. Head would shake and move on down the aisle. Next time we had video of the Lim Nats. Much better response.

[shred]

Yeah, but some people just think Open guns are cool. No point hiding them, or the newbies will just feel sandbagged when they show up at a match, but you don't want to push them either.

[wide45]

Not looking to hide anything. The guys who think open guns are cool know about USPSA. The idea is to draw people who don't know about it. The last thing we want to do is get them wrapped around an axle about equipment.

[EricW]

What Rob said.

All I know is that wearing my Limited rig with 4-140mm sticks at a gunshow generated pretty much nothing but negative "what do you need an assault pistol for?" responses.

[Flexmoney]

All I know is that wearing my Limited rig with 4-140mm sticks at a gunshow generated pretty much nothing but negative "what do you need an assault pistol for?" responses.

Maybe it was the "war paint" you wore...and the fact that you were constantly running from cover to cover yelling KILL-KILL-KILL.

[EricW]

All I know is that wearing my Limited rig with 4-140mm sticks at a gunshow generated pretty much nothing but negative "what do you need an assault pistol for?" responses.

Maybe it was the "war paint" you wore...and the fact that you were constantly running from cover to cover yelling KILL-KILL-KILL.

Jeez Kyle. You were there and didn't even say Hi?

[Flexmoney]

Jeez Kyle. You were there and didn't even say Hi?

I couldn't compromise my cover/position.

(I have said too much already.)