USFA survey

[veeco]

I got this in the mail today:

Good Morning,

You're invited to participate in a private survey developed by the United States Fencing Association about our beloved sport.

Our goal is to gather information from our key members that will help us promote the sport and attract new participants. Your response would be appreciated. Simply follow the link below - it should take no more than 10 minutes.

Here is a link to the survey:
- link removed -

We thank you in advance for your participation,

The staff of the USFA

I am a little bit surprised that I was chosen, as I don't really think I am a good "average USFA member" (I don't really live in the US, I have a membership in the USFA because I do travel there a lot and I like to support it and fence for my USFA club when I do fence in the US).

Anyway, I did click on the link and filled out the survey, happy to help... And then on the last page of the survey, I got asked several "interesting" questions, like "What is your favorite credit card company", "what is your favorite bank", "what is your favorite car manufacturer"...

I don't know how these questions really would help the USFA create a better awareness of fencing, and gather some ideas on how to increase the membership...

However, I hope I will not be targetted by ads coming from the USFA database for filling out this survey....

[Ordway]

I got one of those and filled it out. My take on the various "favorite brand of X" questions was that they're feeling out potential sponsors or advertisers.

[fencergal33]

I just logged on to fnet to see of anyone had made a post about this or not. I too got the survey e-mail. However, I've called a few friends, and none of them seem to have gotten it. I guess I do sort of represent your "average" USFA member, but at first, I figured they had sent it out to everyone.

I also thought the questions on the last page were interesting. especially "What beer brands do you prefer?" I guess maybe there is some hope for our sport in this country. National advertising would definitely be a great idea.....

Anyone else get the survey? Did you fill it out?

[esskreemr]

Does anyone have the headers for the email? If you pm them to me, I could try to trace the source to see if it is legit.

This is the time of year for phishers and now spear-phishing is on the rise.

[oiuyt]

Mmm, I wonder who's conducting the survey (specifically, not just "the USFA" or "USFA Staff").

Currently I'm aware of a survey in development for gathering information about what people want/like/desire/need from national tournaments, but that's still in a preliminary draft phase, so isn't what's been mentioned here. No "Brand X" questions in the draft I've seen.

-B

[fencergal33]

Well......I deleted it, but the address was something like: michael.massik@usfencing.org (but that may not be EXACTLY right)

Besides, it didn't ask for any really personal information like your address or SS#, or credit card.......do we really think it's phishing?

[esskreemr]

Michael is USFA staff.

Phishing, probably not. As long as it doesn't ask you to verify your login, password, account number or credit card number.

Wonder if it has something to do with the new credit card?

[oiuyt]

I'd assume that it's legit and is a survey from the marketing committee. Second guess would be fundraising committee.

-B

[Craig]

Seemed like a standard marketing survey. Asking how long I had fenced, amount spent annually on fencing and then a bunch of brands for different consumer products - I'm guessing to help them approach potential sponsors.

Here are the headers:

Return-Path: <michael.massik at USFencing.org>
Received: from xxxx by xxxxxxxx for xxxxx; Tue, 6 Dec 2005 10:43:02 -0500 (EST)
Received: from (helo=mail2.surveymonkey.com)
From: <michael.massik at USFencing.org>
To: myaddressdeleted
Reply-To: michael.massik at USFencing.org
Subject: Important Survey from the United States Fencing Association
Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 07:59:12 -0800
Message-ID: <20051206-07591254-bac@mail2.surveymonkey.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report
X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12]
X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - USFencing.org
X-Source: 
X-Source-Args: 
X-Source-Dir: 
X-ELNK-AV: 0

[oso97]

Nope, I didn't get it. I'm a pretty average "USFA consumer" and I know they have my email address, but I guess its a limited distribution thing?

[Sciurus-Rex]

re credit cards: Organizations oftimes create "partnerships" with various companies for promotion purposes. I chose my credit card, for example, because 1 percent of financial transactions through it benefited the USFA. (Interestingly, the company told me a month ago or so that it had cut its ties with the USFA; our fencing organization has since found another partner, I believe.)

The same holds true for cars, shoes, soft drinks, etc. Any market trends the organization can present to Big Biz might help land sponsorship deals of some sort.

As for Veeco's comment about not being "average," and Oso being skipped over: Remember that a survey is just a sampling. Over the long haul, we all become 'average' in they eyes of statisticians.

(By the way, please do not share the link with other fencers or invite them to take the survey as well. Random samples are crafted as they are for reasons. And if the surveyors wanted you to open the door to everyone, they would have said so.)

[Peach]

I had heard they were going to do this. I think it's a good idea to at least take the first steps toward getting an idea of the demographic they serve.

It was a rude awakening to run a Quickbooks report and find out how much I actually spend on fencing

[Craig]

It was a rude awakening to run a Quickbooks report and find out how much I actually spend on fencing

Based on past surveys that I've run here at fencing.net, most people grossly underestimate what they spend on fencing when responding to surveys.

Craig

[fencergal33]

I agree! Now granted, I'm married to the coach, so I get free lessons....]

However, I came up with a rough estimate of tournament entry fees (both local and National), equipment, and travel expenses for a year, and it wasn't pretty at all!!!!!

[dekko]

Seemed like a standard marketing survey. Asking how long I had fenced, amount spent annually on fencing and then a bunch of brands for different consumer products - I'm guessing to help them approach potential sponsors.

I think this nails it. As the USFA, or US Fencing, grows and looks to different media outlets and sposorship possibilities this kind of info is useful and required by those media and sponsorship types.

If you got the email then respond to it as it will likely lead to other media or sponsorship opportunites for the national or even local level fencing.

Since I am guessing I would suspect that Ms. Bent/Findlay, if she is still in charge of that, likely put this together to find out info about 'us' so the next step can be taken from a media or sposonship angle.

I doubt there are any black helicopters circling.....

[annacattiva]

I got it, I currently live in a foreign country, and I'm not even a USFA member this year.

I found the Brand X questions a bit disturbing. What kind of liquor do I like? Come on.

I hate to say it, but this isn't a mainstream sport. Will I get beaten with a baseball bat out in the parking lot for saying that? Do we really think that people are going to join because we've got some partnership with Miller Lite?

[Elendae]

I got it too. I feel special.

The price of fencing related stuff really does add up, doesn't it?

[Craig]

I hate to say it, but this isn't a mainstream sport. Will I get beaten with a baseball bat out in the parking lot for saying that? Do we really think that people are going to join because we've got some partnership with Miller Lite?

If other respondents choose similar responses to those questions, then the USFA demographic will show to be different than the football or baseball demographic. My answers for beer were: Amstel, Guinnes, and a fill in for Pilsner Urquel.

Craig

[Peach]

My answers to the beer & wine questions were: "I don't drink."

We don't have to be mainstream to offer a market. We tend to have some discretionary money and we spend it--that makes us attractive to some, and gives the USFA a little more clout if they're trying to attract sponsorship, TV time, and venues.

[KD5MDK]

I got it, I currently live in a foreign country, and I'm not even a USFA member this year.

I found the Brand X questions a bit disturbing. What kind of liquor do I like? Come on.

I hate to say it, but this isn't a mainstream sport. Will I get beaten with a baseball bat out in the parking lot for saying that? Do we really think that people are going to join because we've got some partnership with Miller Lite?

1) No
2) No, but having statistical information on this might be used either to:
a) tell a particular brand "Fencer's tend to like your product, so advertising in fencing oriented way (buying ads in American Fencing or tournaments, sponsoring something, etc) may boost your recognition or
b) tell a brand "Fencers like you 30% and your competitor 25%. If you advertise with us and look more supportive of fencing than your competitor, you may steal some of their business from fencers.".