From Kimber Custom
Instructors, your preparation period begins now!
We are 3 weeks from our Patriots Day weekend. What are you doing for promotions? I'm afraid there is no 'secret sauce' but I'd like to throw out some ideas to help you fill your lines:
* Contact your shooters. TIPS offers e-mail addresses for currently registered shooters. Send them a note (send it to yourself and BCC the shooter) with some details on your event. Include a flyer that they can share with their friends, neighbors, co-workers and family. There are some example flyers here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=44245.0 Nero also has an offer to send you a full list of everyone you have worked with - reach out to them with an invitation.
* Most ranges have a newsletter that is dying for articles. Write something up on MOA and promote your event or ask to have your flyer sent to their mailing list. Our club has a public relations officer who is in touch with the local chamber of commerce. For $10 he sends my flyers to some 3000 locals.
* Contact your local PD/Sheriff. I send flyers to all of the metro law enforcement agencies. A few minutes on the web should get you an information number and ask for the public relations and/or training officer; both are good points of contact to the LE community.
* Contact local churches. Many of them have men's groups or youth who are looking for an organized event like Appleseed.
* Web forums. Most firearms forums have a section for Tactics & Training or Preparation. These are great places to start a thread about your event. For other forums find the Off Topic or General discussion to start a thread. For my KD last weekend I titled my thread 400 yard Marksmanship clinic - 52 replies and 2,077 views. I know I picked up 3 of my 28 shooters from that thread.
* Flyers can be put up anywhere but I find sporting goods stores to yield the best results. Rallies, sporting events, races - all good places to hand out or post flyers.
* Send a meeting request to your co-workers with the details for your event. Whit brought 4 ladies to a recent event with this tactic.
Don't worry about ammo shortages, people who don't have the time or national promotions. Do everything in *your* power to fill *your* lines.
In Liberty,
Kimber Custom