brian,as you don't seem to check your pm's:
re: our conversation on recruiting. a thought. what about poaching directly from the beginners ranks of other outdoor sports? kayaking and such. they are already self-selected as far as the type of person, lifestyle yada yada yada.
also, instead of kite festivals, what about something like amusement parks or some such thing? military bases or recruiting offices? the military has tv spots appealing to people involved in 'exciting' outdoor activities. they've probably done research so the converse may apply. once again, the idea of the self selected group. gary
be all you can be... no funny haircuts
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
be all you can be... no funny haircuts
garyDevan
Well, now that it's public may as well reply publicly.
Sure we could target other adventure sports. Most efficient way is to find when they have some kind of festival and then lobby to be a part. But there's a problem: can you think of any hang gliding get-together where a group of sky-divers setting up a booth wouldn't seem totally out of place? These types of things are usually inward looking, not outward looking.
If you can think of some venue where sky-divers (or surfers, etc) could recruit us without seeming a superflous annoyance, then we can turn it around and use it to recruit them.
Perhaps the best way is the one-on-one tradeoff. I've got a cute little skydiver I'm working (seems to have a boyfriend in the next state, drat her), who is interested in hang gliding. I'll go out one day to take a skydiving lesson, she'll come out to either watch hang gliding or take a lesson. People are so proud of what they do they want to show it off. Fine....if I have to endure jumping out of a plane or paddling through some rapids to get the HG seed planted in someone, I'll do it. 'Specially if she's cute.
Sure we could target other adventure sports. Most efficient way is to find when they have some kind of festival and then lobby to be a part. But there's a problem: can you think of any hang gliding get-together where a group of sky-divers setting up a booth wouldn't seem totally out of place? These types of things are usually inward looking, not outward looking.
If you can think of some venue where sky-divers (or surfers, etc) could recruit us without seeming a superflous annoyance, then we can turn it around and use it to recruit them.
Perhaps the best way is the one-on-one tradeoff. I've got a cute little skydiver I'm working (seems to have a boyfriend in the next state, drat her), who is interested in hang gliding. I'll go out one day to take a skydiving lesson, she'll come out to either watch hang gliding or take a lesson. People are so proud of what they do they want to show it off. Fine....if I have to endure jumping out of a plane or paddling through some rapids to get the HG seed planted in someone, I'll do it. 'Specially if she's cute.
Brian Vant-Hull
be all you can be... no funny haircuts
>>...if I have to endure jumping out of a plane or paddling through
some rapids to get the HG seed planted in someone, I'll do it.
'Specially if she's cute.
Oh, the sacrifices that you'll make for our cause - it just make me so
proud!
<g>
~Ralph
some rapids to get the HG seed planted in someone, I'll do it.
'Specially if she's cute.
Oh, the sacrifices that you'll make for our cause - it just make me so
proud!
<g>
~Ralph
well gheez...didn't know i was supposed to have put a detailed proposal togetherbrianvh wrote: But there's a problem...
If you can think ...
just trying to generate some ideas (probably all been thought of before).
i'm just sitting around waiting for my back to heal so i thought i would bug you. how about an armed forces appreciation day. i'd spring for the cost of a tandem ride for someone who thought they may be interested.
i might not be flying but i still think this sport is the coolest thing going. i sold a t-shirt for you didn't i ?
garyDevan
-
John Simon
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:33 pm
be all you can be... no funny haircuts
I'm sure it's been discussed before, but I'd think big (Andrews... etc) and
maybe medium sized airshows would be a good place to give it a go. They
usually "pay" you to come and it might even be fun. Also, how about county
fairs or other very big crowd events. Large Ski resorts in the winter
maybe? If we could fly the site during the promo that'd be the best. Have
the Fairgrounds County fair fliers ever set up a booth? It's probably been
tried before?
When I landed on the beach I had lots of people come and ask me about it,
but I didn't have any cards to hand out (I won't make that mistake again).
Stock car races? Dover? Football tailgaters? Well maybe college football
'gaiters, more young folks there?
I'm constantly puzzled as to why more people don't want to do this. Sure
there's a group who will never even consider it but the folks who kayak and
ski and ride motox or mountain bike... etc. I think they don't know about
it or don't think they can do it. I think they feel it's like skydiving...
you do it once and it's not a sport (that's what many folks think of
skydiving) it just a thing to do some day. They don't know about soaring
and climbing and cross country and ridge riding and so on. I don't know.
OK... I'm done now.
John
maybe medium sized airshows would be a good place to give it a go. They
usually "pay" you to come and it might even be fun. Also, how about county
fairs or other very big crowd events. Large Ski resorts in the winter
maybe? If we could fly the site during the promo that'd be the best. Have
the Fairgrounds County fair fliers ever set up a booth? It's probably been
tried before?
When I landed on the beach I had lots of people come and ask me about it,
but I didn't have any cards to hand out (I won't make that mistake again).
Stock car races? Dover? Football tailgaters? Well maybe college football
'gaiters, more young folks there?
I'm constantly puzzled as to why more people don't want to do this. Sure
there's a group who will never even consider it but the folks who kayak and
ski and ride motox or mountain bike... etc. I think they don't know about
it or don't think they can do it. I think they feel it's like skydiving...
you do it once and it's not a sport (that's what many folks think of
skydiving) it just a thing to do some day. They don't know about soaring
and climbing and cross country and ridge riding and so on. I don't know.
OK... I'm done now.
John
You'd actually pay for a tandem? Whoa, there, there's plenty of army types who'd say they're interested in anything if it's free....they don't scare easily like the rest of the population.
Combine it with gambling: they come out and take a lesson, and afterwards they can roll dice to see if it's free or not. Might get more people trying it for less money - might even get hooked on the gambling aspect if not the flying.
Combine it with gambling: they come out and take a lesson, and afterwards they can roll dice to see if it's free or not. Might get more people trying it for less money - might even get hooked on the gambling aspect if not the flying.
Brian Vant-Hull
be all you can be... no funny haircuts
was there supposed to be a smiley face in there somewhere ??
>You'd actually pay for a tandem? Whoa, there, there's plenty of
>army types who'd say they're interested in anything if it's
>free....they don't scare easily like the rest of the population.
>
>Combine it with gambling: they come out and take a lesson, and
>afterwards they can roll dice to see if it's free or not. Might get
>more people trying it for less money - might even get hooked on the
>gambling aspect if not the flying.Brian Vant-Hull
>301-646-1149
>You'd actually pay for a tandem? Whoa, there, there's plenty of
>army types who'd say they're interested in anything if it's
>free....they don't scare easily like the rest of the population.
>
>Combine it with gambling: they come out and take a lesson, and
>afterwards they can roll dice to see if it's free or not. Might get
>more people trying it for less money - might even get hooked on the
>gambling aspect if not the flying.Brian Vant-Hull
>301-646-1149
Promoting the Sport
With halloween coming up, you might try going as a HG pilot, suited up in your harness. Just think, PLENTY of pockets to stuff candy in. And don't forget to take some business cards in trade for the candy you get.
Rance
PS: And for Kevin(who has so much energy), you could even tote your HG (in its bag of course). I expect to see a big influx of new students just from this one idea.
Rance
PS: And for Kevin(who has so much energy), you could even tote your HG (in its bag of course). I expect to see a big influx of new students just from this one idea.