I think we all agree that promotions have been our weak link 'forever'.
If you look back at the now ancient S Gauge Herald's you will see a
couple of wooden displays that held the original SSL&S castings and a
few miscellaneous items that traveled a few places. But for the most
part it's been a hit/miss kinda thing--I would bet in many years nothing
was done. This is because money wasn't there, ideas weren't there and
active volunteers sometimes are stretched pretty thin--Michael and
Brooks have talked about that.
However, when it comes to money, the all scale club that I am past
president of, does not only give out free tables, but if you have a
display you get paid to be there. Our S club sets up our modules and we
run our trains, a local live steam group brings in a static display, a
fairly large HO club with it's own, owned building sets up a
display--guess what--they all get paid, normally a couple hundred for
helping fill out the show with more than just garage vendors! I've
stated this before but the show operators are there to make money and
promote the hobby. I think the show operators would encourage more of
this thing, by realizing that these displays and modules just don't
happen without our initial investment and continual investment in time
and money. I'm not familiar with all the operators, but it seems the
WGH is guilty of this. It's lead by Kalmbach who is trying to keep the
hobby alive plus make a profit, while we often have to fit the bill to
provide the 'entertainment' for the show and only receive a cheap Xerox
'thank you'! I don't mind putting in my time rowing, but I really don't
like the operators/executives spending all their time beating the drums
and partying on deck--yelling--row harder! faster!
Getting modelers to join our S Scale group has always been an uphill
battle--probably like opening a Buddhist temple in Israel!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 2/19/13 1:47 PM, Michael Greene wrote:
This will probably get me in some hot water, but so be it...
When I see comments like:
"...At my local train shows, NMRA is always there. NASG nevershows up.
Oh they had a booth at Our Worlds Greatest Hobby Show, but we had to
get some of our local (my club, Lone Star Flyer, Hurst Texas, and the
Trinity Express S scale from Dallas) to m
I feel like S promotion is much like that -- there are many many ways
to accomplish promotion -- writing articles, build models and/or
layouts and getting people to see them, staffing a booth at a show,
etc. But in the end it is all about the volunteer and actually doing
it. Not whining about it, not talking about it, but actually doing it!
Honestly weekend train shows are a dime a dozen it seems. If someone
wants to promote S at the local train show, it's an easy 3 step plan:
1) Call show manager and request free table to promote S scale
2) Show up and setup S models, etc. at the table
3) Show up and staff the table during the show and talk to those
interested -- solicit some fellow S gaugers to share the load if
available.
But in the end it all comes down to volunteer(s) -- someone to contact
the show manager and ask for the free table (I personally have never
had a such a request turned down), set up the tables with props, and
then staff the table during the entire show -- show managers do not
like unattended tables ( perhaps save for the necessary bio break),
and of course foot the bill for the transportation costs to and from
the show. And quite frankly this is where it breaks down -- finding
people willing to give up a Saturday or even a Saturday and a Sunday
to promote S. That is what it really takes.
Sure our club does a few shows a year -- all supportive of promoting
the model railroad hobby, S gauge/scale, and our club's great layout.
We get a great response and S interest in every show we do. But at the
end of the day as a club we say we don't have the staffing or finances
to do more shows per year. And large modular layouts are a big
undertaking for shows. This creates opportunities for individual
volunteers to fill in the gaps.
The rest of the time most all of us go to other shows during the year
and lament the fact that no one is promoting (fill in the blank: S,
NASG, S Scale SIG, etc.) at the show. When the real question should be
(assuming promotion is important to you) -- why didn't I get a table
to do promotion at this show???? And what steps WILL I (not CAN I)
take now to make sure that there is a promotional table at the next 3
or 5 or 10 shows in my area???? Or if you feel you can't manage and
staff a table entirely by yourself, join with a buddy or two to do it.
Or join the NMRA and show up and staff the NMRA booth at the local
shows. Imagine if S scale modelers were a large participating group in
the local NMRA organizations, NMRA train show booths, etc. You'd be
surprised how much that alone would grow the visibility of S!
Alas much like armchair modelers, I'm afraid in reality most of us are
armchair promoters, and even the armchair is not at a show! It is only
when collectively WE as a group of volunteers step up that we will
actually make progress on this! Remember we are S, the S Scale SIG,
the NMRA, and the NASG!
Exactly what public activities (i.e., those activitie s which put you
in front of modelers in other scales) are you willing to commit to to
promote S? Will you write and submit for publication an article
showcasing S modeling? If you have an S scale layout will you host an
open house? Will you build S models and visit some local modeler's
meets with them? Will you contact the local show organizer
to arrange/staff an S table at an upcoming show (alone or with a
buddy)? Fill the blanks:
In the next (30/60/90) ______ days I will do the following to promote
S: ____________________________________________________________________
Imagine if everyone on this mail list would post in every 60-90 day
period one activity that each person did to promote S! Imagine the
increase in S presence that alone would generate!
Regards
Michael
Sent from my iPad
On Feb 19, 2013, at 12:00 AM, Alan Lambert <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
From: Alan Lambert
Fort Worth, Texas
Brooks,
I agree with you. I have at my side the July 2011 NMRA magazine. The
onen the NMRA, and help get the word out that we are here.
Alan Lambert
There have been a few postings recently about why the NMRA doesn't do
more for S gauge...sell track gauges, offer convention cars, etc. Dan
Vandermause and Gaylord Gil have commented on the value, and power,
of sharing S to other modelers through NMRA open houses, op sessions,
etc. From my experience, I agree completely. What I've always
wondered is why more active S gaugers aren't involved in the NMRA.
Brooks Stover
