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Post by drizzt04 on Jun 1, 2013 0:36:30 GMT -5
Ok, here is a new thread that I think is important.
How do we get new recruits?
Simple question, apparently not that simple of an answer. We have all read comments about how it has been tried to find recruits, but are they the right places?
The reenacting community has been tapped into. It has yielded very low results. The reasons why have been discussed multiple times. so no need to rehash. Lets just agree that it isnt going to bring a boon of new players.
Modern airsofters have been approached. From what I hear, it doesnt bring in a flood of new blood either.
So where do we look? Where do we find people who are kid enough to want to play airsoft, yet serious enough to love ww2? Because I believe that is what it boils down to.
Jeff has suggested hanging flyers at colleges for reenactors. Think itll work for airsoft?
Has putting ads or articles in airsoft magazines been tried? Would it even help?
There has been alot of mention about using facespace, or twiddler, but do people really search for ww2 airsoft that often on those things?
There is a whole section for recruiting right here on this site, but if you are already on this site, are you looking to be recruited? How does an outsider find it?
Throw out those suggestions. How do we find those that want to play?
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Post by The Legacy on Jun 1, 2013 8:52:56 GMT -5
There has been alot of mention about using facespace, or twiddler, but do people really search for ww2 airsoft that often on those things? I do. As of now I have only found WWII groups in Florida and Georgia on Facebook, and have joined them both. I am going to start one for Illinois as I am starting to find a little bit of interest here. The thing about social media is that it is instant. When going on forums you often have to spend more time searching and sorting through off topic garbage than it's worth to find what you're looking for. Also, the more WWII groups we have on FB the more likely that they will show in search results. I personally do not use Twitler so can not offer any opinions on that other than I find it to be an obnoxious thing #thisthat #pleaseshutup #etc lol. Once I get the Illinois FB page up I will post a link here, even if I am the only member..
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ScottCollins
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Post by ScottCollins on Jun 1, 2013 9:33:59 GMT -5
I think just going to a normal game with 2 or 3 other guys is good. It doesn't bring a flood but it does get everyone interested and sometimes you can pull away with 3 or even 4 new recruits
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Jun 1, 2013 18:57:13 GMT -5
My friends all play either paintball or airsoft, so I invite them over and show Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers and get them wanting to be like Damian Lewis or Tom Hanks. As of now one friend has bought an Echo 1 BAR and another will buy a Marushin M1 Garand and an ICS Garand.
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ScottCollins
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Post by ScottCollins on Jun 1, 2013 20:04:14 GMT -5
Your second friend has very deep pockets shifty if he's buying both...
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Post by insterburger on Jun 2, 2013 12:17:48 GMT -5
The comments here about showing up to games and/or nudging friends toward the hobby are spot on. I will go one farther and say to not give up on re-enactors, but to perhaps approach them in different ways.
Bottom line, if we're looking at recruitment as making a big push, getting a bunch of guys and we're done, we're looking at it the wrong way. It's not blitzkrieg, it's attrition. Go to standard airsoft games in full kit. If no recruits come from it, go again. Keep up dialog with re-enactors you know. If it's been a while since someone tried it and found something not to like, ask them to try again. If they say no, keep asking.
It's a long-term battle and bringing people on board might be a slow process. I started getting involved with this about a year ago. Even before I did, I was constantly pestering a friend of mine that we should get into it, I finally gave up and did it myself. Since then, I've invited him to every event, and he declined every time. I kept inviting him, and he kept saying no. I even had extra kit to lend him, but that didn't matter. Then suddenly, a few weeks ago, he turned a corner, got excited about WWII airsoft, and started accumulating kit. He's 100% ready and is just waiting for his first event. Sometimes you need to get the right guy at the RIGHT TIME. Because of this, we all have to just keep at it, simple as that. Don't try something, say it didn't work, and move on. You never know when someone might be in the right place to join up.
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Jun 2, 2013 15:23:16 GMT -5
Your second friend has very deep pockets shifty if he's buying both... Indeed he does. I usually approach airsofters or paintballers and show them the CYMA Thompson.I am currently creating a squad.
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Post by insterburger on Jun 2, 2013 19:24:40 GMT -5
I would add another idea: Anyone who wants to grow this hobby and can afford to do so should try to accumulate enough extra kit to create at least a basic "loaner" outfit. These can somewhat build themselves as you get deeper into the hobby and upgrade to better stuff, though sometimes it may be necessary to actually go out of your way to purchase a few specific things to put together a simple impression. Yeah, events often do have opportunities for maquis to come in civilian garb (or in the case of the Hurtgenwald, civilian German resistance), but there's nothing like being in uniform and being part of a bigger fighting force to really immerse people into the hobby. Having a spare impression can provide that opportunity. Sure, sizing may sometimes be an issue, but sometimes it might not, and putting someone into a half decent impression and getting them in the field may be enough to hook them.
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Post by SNAFU on Jun 2, 2013 20:23:29 GMT -5
Going off of those ideas my recommendation would be for airsofters in the same state to link up on a facebook group and start attending modern games in force to drum up interest.
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Sgt_Tom
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Jun 4, 2013 19:18:34 GMT -5
Make a good website, something very informative with a lot of pictures including ones of your group in action. I've got a lot of recruits through my website. Have games with lenient authenticity rules so guys can come and see what it is all about before investing a ton of money on gear.
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