Final plea for help!!!! L@@K

[P8ntballerAK]

Ok guys, I have spent months trying to get a local association of paintball up and running. I am now out of resources and ideas besides AO. I need ideas to get people together and sign up. I got a few dealers that will give discount rates on paint and stuff for members of the association, but I can't seem t figure out spread the word, or get people rilled up about it. I have talked to a few people about donating markes for the newbies to play with, and that is one Idea that just might work. Im on my last leg, you guys are it.....
anything and everything you can input post here. Remember money is very scarce, I have even gone the last 2 months without pay.

ok, thats it. Let the ideas fly!!

Thanks for your time

Will Newnham

[ShooterJM]

You might organize a small tournament or scenario game. If you got a large field to host it, it shouldn't be much in the way of out of pocket expenses. Especially considering that the field should stand to make a decent sum on paint and air sales alone.

You could include a flyer and get email's as a part of registration. There's your mailing list.

Also, post stuff in and explain everything to local fields and shop owners. Got any paintball tech god's up there? See if you can get them to help promote it. Even just a quote of support.

Also, I know you said your strapped, but a memebers only field would help probably.

Good luck

[magman007]

also, talk to restola on here, he works with the college paintball stuff and could prolly help you out

[P8ntballerAK]

A members only field is my ultimate goal. with tournaments to get people toplay here, the only problem is getiing people that dont know much about paintball the crrect information to get ahold of me. I likde the mailing list idea, what do I do about tournament prizes?

[ShooterJM]

Originally posted by P8ntballerAK
A members only field is my ultimate goal. with tournaments to get people toplay here, the only problem is getiing people that dont know much about paintball the crrect information to get ahold of me. I likde the mailing list idea, what do I do about tournament prizes?

Hmm couple ways:

1) Chances are this will be a realtively low level tournament. Are there any established, well known teams in the area? Ask them if they would consider giving up an hour or two on a weekend to help the winning team(s) out. (ie show em how to walk a field, look for shooting lanes, work on communcation, drills, etc.) This would be great PR for the teaching team and their sponsors (giving back to the community, etc) and it'd be relatively cheap. Heck give the teaching team a couple cases of beer and throw some steaks on BBQ after their done teaching. You're out maybe a hundred bucks.


2) Well it sound as if you're an established company, that doesn't have a customer base. Call up larger, generally entry level companies. IE give kingman, tippy, and JT a call. See if you can get a donation of a set of markers or something. In return, throw up a big banner and PR crap they can give ya.

You also might try to convince local airsmiths and tech gods to give a short lecture for the BBQ thing. I know there's at least ONE crazy good tinkerer up in Alaska (not sure where, granted it's a big state :) )

Also, the field stands to make a pretty good chunk of money off the tourny. Depending on how much you're gonna take of the registration, ask them to put up some prizes.

That's all I got for now man.

[halo13]

well one thing you can try to do is send out fliers or cupons to local sporting goods stores, schools, colleges and places like that. I think schools would be the best places to start.

[P8ntballerAK]

well schools out for now, and dpoesn't start till september. the teams we have up here would do the teaching for free. I know i would have to make the tourney for new players only, not people who play every weekend. there are no techs up here, everything is sent down. I want to be the tech , I just need the training. I can solder motherboards and i build all sorts of electronic devices, so i think i hav the nack to be atech. Fliers is one thing im gonna do.

Another big question, how much would you pay to be a member to an association like this? say we get 10% off at local stores, and members also recieve a special email.

I need as much input as i can get, Ill call the big dealers and such right now.

[ShooterJM]

Originally posted by P8ntballerAK
well schools out for now, and dpoesn't start till september. the teams we have up here would do the teaching for free. I know i would have to make the tourney for new players only, not people who play every weekend. there are no techs up here, everything is sent down. I want to be the tech , I just need the training. I can solder motherboards and i build all sorts of electronic devices, so i think i hav the nack to be atech. Fliers is one thing im gonna do.

Another big question, how much would you pay to be a member to an association like this? say we get 10% off at local stores, and members also recieve a special email.

I need as much input as i can get, Ill call the big dealers and such right now.

Huh. For some reason I thought Doc Nickle was up there.

Price is a touchy issue. Are you giving a percentage of the dues to the fields who signed up to give discounts? I'm hoping you didn't, not at first anyway. Also, is this for a monthly membership (quarterly, yearly, etc)?

If you're looking to get newbs you'll want a short(er) commitment time period then if you're trying to get rec players, or people who play a lot.

I'd go with two or three packages. Like a one or three month trial membership, a 6 month, and a year.

I can't give you straight numbers to charge, I'd need a lot more info for that. As a rule of thumb you want to make it possible to get their money's worth. Say your average customer plays twice a month, spends 130 on paint and 20 on air and 40 on field fees. Charge around $15 a month and they're saving money.

Another thing to watch for is equipment discounts. Especially if you're kicking money back to the shops. Have it be another level of membership.

Paint/Air/Field is maybe $15 a month or whatever

Equipment is maybe $30 a month for at least 3 months.

ie you don't want a guy paying you 15 bucks a month for ONE month then going and buying $5000 worth of equipment.

Now once you get a field. Totally different story.

[Kaiser Bob]

Rather then going for a members only field which is a huge undertaking, get a field to let you have a members only day of the week, where all the rates are discounted or even BYOP. If you could supply the refs, it would make that even easier to do. And people love being able to play cheaper :D

[P8ntballerAK]

up up and away!!

[ShooterJM]

Gotta agree with the Kaiser on this one. Here in colorado there are quite a few fields that are only open certain days (ie fri-sunday). If that's the same around you, ask to have a memebers day on a day the field is normally closed. If you can provide the refs it shouldn't be that difficult getting someone to agree to it.

[P8ntballerAK]

I like that idea, now I am gonna need to make a new thread for donations for my first tournament. I will use the donations as prizes. after that I should be able to keep it going.