Bill, On targeted promotions -- you're absolutely right -- that was mis-worded in my earlier note. They do work and we should use them to get new S modelers from numerous avenues.
On where new S converts will come from -- I believe that now and in the future we need to look to the smaller scales for new converts -- that's where the largest opportunity is -- both in numbers and rationale. And for those we will need targeted promotions, for those modelers are more likely to look for the "scale" aspects of S... As to the other avenue I mentioned -- I do see a steady decline in new S converts coming from the aspect of what they had in their youth. But I think the decline is not nearly as steep as some think. I could have easily been in that camp, had my Dad bought AF instead of Lionel as my first train set (? his first one :-) as I think I was 1 year old when we got it ) and I'm only in my mid-fifties. So I hope that decline (due to the mortality rate) is not too steep :-) -- just a personal interest! And at the same time I think back over the last several shows our club has done, and the interested people the club talks with (some of which turn into new club members) who are gravitating to S because they had AF as a kid. So I think that avenue still has some prospects. And in many cases, when these folks see the much improved products we have today in S, they will (and are) actually gravitating to the newer products, new technologies like TMCC & DCC, and will more than likely end up in Earl Henry's High-Scaler group -- looking for and enjoying much more realism & detail in their models, even while retaining some things like hi-rail wheels and such. And the fact is that manufacturers such as Lionel will really help with that -- with their more detailed models and plug and play electronics. (It seems to me that their new SD70ACe is the first S friendly model, in terms of power & electronics, on the market -- it seems it doesn't really matter what control system you prefer, the SD70ACe just plays nice with all of them. And it allows the modeler to use one system at home and perhaps another system at their club -- all with the same loco.) Regards Michael Sent from my iPad On Feb 20, 2013, at 10:44 PM, "scale S only" <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Mike -- > > As always, good to have you chime in. > > My only question is: How many more people are there that are likely to come > to S because of the American Flyer they had as kids? It seems to me (and > I am NOT an authority here) that the era in which this occurred now makes > most of these people senior citizens. > > I think that we need to really start looking towards the day when our new S > scalers are brought in from the more currently used scales, much as you came > from N and I from HO (though I will admit to always having a liking for S, > just not the ability to have it). I think your comment about targeted > promotions was misworded -- it seems to make more sense, to me, if we DO > have targeted promotions. Any suggestions from anyone on how to do this > better would be nice to hear. > > Have fun! > Bill Winans > ---------------------------- > (edited) > > I want to echo this comment (below) from Bill Winans. To move S forward we > need to pull together as much as we can. ...it seems ... many S modelers > have a genetic trait to look for divisions as often as possible. In this > case "divide and conquer" will IMHO not work to grow the scale. > > That doesn't mean we should have targeted promotions -- people will come to > S from many different avenues. And what will appeal to someone coming from > HO or N will not be the same as what appeals to someone coming to S with the > goal of wanting to re-live the fun of their AF experience as a kid. In fact > targeted promotional work will be key in some areas -- much like the S Scale > SIG is doing. But one targeted promotion does not mean we need to exclude > others. ... > > Best regards > Michael Greene > > --------------------------- >> I would also add that is does not diminish the need for S modelers of all >> persuasions to participate in the NASG, if they want the organization to >> survive and be a force for the advancement of the scale. > Bill Winans > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
