ally 0 #26 October 19, 2004 Recruiting is a dirty dangerous job. Everyone who skydives knows how enjoyable it is - putting that into words for non jumpers is difficult. I've just started recruiting for my University and its all a percentage game - at the freshers fayre got about 200 names interested - had an instrucotr come to talk to people the next week about 50 - if that turned up. Down to do jumps now <10. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #27 October 19, 2004 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1297504;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Here's what I do... works really well to just advertise like crazy that you're going skydiving and let them come to you. Quote We've got a club at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Basically there are 4 officers, myself and three others, jump #s <100 to >500. We jump together and organize "Leapfests": we organize as many people as we can to go down to SDC and do their first tandem. Then we throw a huge party. Lots of fun, but quite a bit of work to get all those people down to SDC and back. Totally worth it though, I've never heard of someone having a bad time. Even if they don't jump they can still party like a rock star all night. It's amazing we can keep it going, as we get no support from the UW. We have SDC to thank... Roger in his infinite wisdom gave us a great deal to help us out. $139 tandems (we get $10 of that), and discounts on all AFP jumps. Nice, eh? Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyRamone 0 #28 October 21, 2004 Skydiving is a business for all DZ'S. They need to spread the word and recruit people to jump, you need to keep the doors open, business 101 get more customers. I think it is a great idea, so what if people get hurt, that happens in every other sport... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZoneRat 0 #29 October 21, 2004 Go for it. If the idea excites you, explore it. There's a gal at my DZ that gets groups of folk together for discount tandems. She does it by sending out emails to friends and family stating the group rates, the date of the jump, and a firm confirmation date. It becomes a word of mouth thing. If someone expresses interest in doing a tandem to me I send them to her. She answers their questions, meets with them the day of their jump, whatever they need. Her emails are never pushy, nor are they frequently sent. More of a public service announcement. In the past year or so, she's had 6 or 7 groups of 40+ tandems run through. The DZ gets tandems they might not have otherwise got, The students get a cheaper jump, and she gets a pat on the back and maybe a free jump here and there. Everyone wins. No one asked her to start doing this. Like you, she got excited, saw the need and addressed it in a way that made sense to her. It's been a great success. So if active recruitment makes sense to you. What the hell, give it a shot.“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #30 October 21, 2004 QuoteRecruiting is a dirty dangerous job. Everyone who skydives knows how enjoyable it is - putting that into words for non jumpers is difficult. I've just started recruiting for my University and its all a percentage game - at the freshers fayre got about 200 names interested - had an instrucotr come to talk to people the next week about 50 - if that turned up. Down to do jumps now <10. Very similar experience at my school -- over 50 put their names down on the sign up sheet, about 20 responded to the email giving date/time, and 10 actually showed. I now ask for a $50 deposit the Wednesday before the trip, just to find out who is really serious. I think a lot put their names down just to appear macho in front of their friends.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstime 0 #31 October 21, 2004 If you have the sales skills to convince a whuffo to jump, you could sell sand to an arab & be a millionaire in a year. If you can pull this off, you would have every biz man bidding to hire you, including me.I like your enthusiasm, go for it!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #32 October 21, 2004 QuoteI think a lot put their names down just to appear macho in front of their friends. Having spent quite some time organising parties, you can expect to see about 50% of the people that promise on their mothers grave to show up. It's common in all forms of organised activities. Unless they've paid in advance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
