Advertising for club

[W. Richmond]

So I am trying to get a club going at my university and I have posted flyers and few banners around campus and in the halls and I am getting no turnout. I have thought about tabling in front of the cafeteria, with videos going and info on local salles.

What have you guys/gals done or would do to get people to come? I need creative advertising ideas.

[Stranger In Black]

If you've got a few people, or know some other fencers you could borrow, I suggests having a demo.

[VorpalCat]

When I was in a college club, our campus newspaper had a lively personals section. So in addition to flyers around campus, I also took out a three-day personal ad along the lines of 'Wanting to meet people interested in fencing, meet us at Club Location.' The night before the ad appeared, there were five of us at club. The next session after the ad appeared, there were twenty five. ymmv, natch.

[qatet]

At Smith we did posters and chalking. Had massive turnouts for the first few practices and then it would settle down to more manageable stuff. Chalking is delightfully cheap. The posters we put in lots of places - classrooms for when people were losing their focus, bulletin boards in larger gathering spaces, etc.

We sometimes did other things. "Pay a dollar, fence a fencer" stick in my mind. Although the name does not really get at the gist of the event, people would pay a dollar, learn a wee bit, and then fence a fencer (or a friend, if they had two dollars between them). Heh. The school was at the beginning of a huge fundraising campaign with the slogan "It's about Smith." We had a big sign that said, "It's a bout, Smith." Because we were big dorks. Alas.

Really, the chalking was the most effective and efficient way for us to do it. Of course, I have heard something about technology advancing beyond the days of mere chalk. Facebook ads cost money, but you could create an event. If there's a discussion board for your school (Smith was fond of The Daily Jolt), that's not a bad idea either.

[W. Richmond]

Those are really good ideas, the chalking especially. Thanks everyone.

[oiuyt]

I know Northwestern was very happy with a Facebook ad as a means of recruiting novice fencers last season.

-B

[W. Richmond]

That's good, and cheap

[Babs the Cat]

When I was in college, we used to have HUGE turnouts for our first meeting in the Fall every year.

The key is this: know your market.

Fencing is generally going to appeal to people who haven't already found a place with other more traditional sports. In other words: misfits, outcasts, non-conformists. Also, it appeals to people with a "romantic" side.

Make sure you post your flyers near the Theater department, the music and dance departments, the English department. Then look for people in the computer science and engineering departments.

If you have a graduate school/Law School/Medical or Dental school, go there too. You might find people who fenced as undergrads elsewhere.

Just keep in mind that this is college you are talking about. College-aged kids are always lookin' for love. Make sure that everyone knows that FENCING IS A CO-ED SPORT.

Then, do a nice demo, and don't skimp. Hook up the electrics. People like lights and buzzers.

[erik_blank]

From a 16 year veteran of a college club: (I just never managed to move away... *sigh*)

1. Posters - good.
2. "Chalking" - good.
3. Personal ad in school paper - good (better if your paper has a free section like ours had... it was a first come first served space available basis, and also was taken in alphabetical order so a lot of messages started our with 'AAAA!!!') - usually very good
4. Our school has an Activities fair every Fall that the club turns out for. We have equipment on display and the last few years we have had video playing on computers of our last few tournaments.
   • *OFFER FREE CANDY OR BAKED GOODS* nothing gets people to your table like free food!
   • We have also put on demo bouts. If yours is a three weapon club, remember - Saber flashy and eye catching; Epee Easy to understand, moves faster in explanation; Foil not so much, (but still my favorite weapon for some reason).
   • We collect contact information from this and send out e-mails (if given) and actual letters to addresses (inter-school mail is free).
5. LONG ago, our school used to have an intake survey that would ask about activities interests. The list would be available to all recognized clubs so that tye could recruit from it. From this we would send out a letter telling them about the club. One year we got over 50 people to turn out for our 'get to know us' meeting. Unfortunately, the school stopped collecting this data. *sigh*

I am not sure from your question if this is a previously established club that has gone dormant (but still has equipment) or if you are starting from scratch. If the former, then a big recruitment shouldn't be bad, but if you are starting from scratch, then beware of trying to bring in too many people if you do not have the equipment handy for them to start out with.

Good luck!