How to Recruit??

[talkToTheHat]

Re: How to Recruit??

Looks like my Sig went missing. Should be fixed.

It looks like you have an even harder time than we do over the guns, at least you don't have our knife laws and a government that's considering outlawing pint glasses...

[sf46]

Re: How to Recruit??

Outlawing pint glasses? Isn't that messing with tradition?

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: How to Recruit??

How exactly do units out there try to draw recruits? Posters? Advertisements? Open Bars? What strategy do you try to get interested people into the uniform? I'm asking because we're starting to despair here and are getting stuck in a rut of only doing a couple of public events per year with the rest private. Fun and as relaxing as this is, the hobby here, perhaps nationally, is imploding rapidly. We NEED 'new blood' so how do we get it besides the occasional dog-and-pony show?

Recently we've had pretty good results at local living histories. Three recruits at the last two events (within three weeks of each other). And it really is the best way to go belly-to-belly with the public even if the event is too "farby" for your unit's standards. Ask any salesman you know they'll tell you you have to go to the prospect and go belly-to-belly with them, they aren't going to come to you.

We are currently paying for a recruiting video that we can show on a computer at the "farby" recruiting station we set up at all the local events. And we keep the recruiting station manned with our best talkers to sell the unit to anyone who seems interested.

When at the event take a real interest in someone who asks a question. Don't treat people like they are dumb no matter how dumb the question seems. You never know when you are talking with someone who has an interest in joining you or getting into the hobby and you only get ONE chance to make a first impression.

We use a combination of other methods. A flyer that not only gives a description of the unit but also a sign up form as part of the flyer. Swing by a local dance or karate school and get one of their flyers to use as a guide as to how to do this.

Keep the old website updated and have someone check it at least once every three days. Get back to any inquiries IMMEDIATELY. An updated website shows the unit to be active and vital and an immediate return contact shows you are interested in the potential recruit. Bagged one through a website inquiry in August. This is especially important for getting younger guys, they hit the web looking for information before going anywhere else.

We do a lot of public events like parades, school programs, we just did the funeral for the NY Antietam soldier. That gets our name out into the public's mind and attracts recruits

If we get someone who seems seriously interested we invite them to come to an event as a guest and we equip them head to toe. Virtually everybody in the unit has extra gear so we can equip almost anybody. We even arrange to carpool them so they don't get "lost" on the way.

When we get them to the event we make sure they don't feel like a third wheel on a date. Someone is always with the newbie, talking to them, answering questions, leading them around, making them feel like part of the group. When an NCO grabs the newbie for drill a couple of old hands go along so the guy doesn't feel so conspicuous. Assign the person to a couple of details with old hands BUT not all the dirty details. This is a sales pitch not a hazing.

We found that long ago we tapped out the potential recruits in our circle of friends and acquaintances, we've been at this a long time. At best we pull someone back in from that group. But in order to grow we've found we have to get out to reach new people.

once you've got them keeping them is a whole different set of issues.

[jones56ga]

Re: How to Recruit??

Heck,
The easiest way i've found is to talk to people about the hobby. Once they express intrest invite them out to an event. Kit em up, give em some rounds, and turn em loose...and once they see if they'll like it, then begin on the finer points. Dont hit them all at once with the reality of the cost and time involved. Otherwise you'll scare em off. Just ease em in...

[D.W. Scalf]

Re: How to Recruit??

As we said in earlier posts....You can't "give em rounds and turn em loose" in Australia. We'll all end up in jail, and the hobby here gets another gut punch. That's part of our delima. The "burning powder" thing doesn't apply here. The only place we can do that(with new guys) is on private property with no spectators, with licensed shooters supervising. And we still have to be VERY careful. New guys are not even allowed to TOUCH firearms in public, without a license. Things are just so different here than in the States...you just can't imagine. Bob of the 125th NYSVI had some great ideas in his post. We'll try to take a little bit of all we've gleaned in this thread and go to work!! On behalf of myself and Paul, we thank you for your input so far!

D.W. Scalf