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What Is SASS Doing To Promote Our Game Among The Over 55 crowd?


Bart Solo

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Question: What is SASS doing to promote SASS?

 

Answer: Not much.

 

Opinion: SASS should provide a "Education Kit" to every retail establishment that sells firearms, western clothing, or any other thing that has to do with the old west, I can't remember the number of time I've gone into a gun store (with one exception in this area) looking at pre 1900 guns and never a mention of cowboy shooting from the salesman. Big chains like Cabela's, Bass Pro, etc. should be promoting SASS. Sure a lot of local clubs will distribute information to these big vendors for their local shoots, but local clubs really don't have the resources to come up with fancy counter cards and information kits to help inform salesmen of the sport. Most salesmen have never heard of SASS.

 

Yes, local clubs can do some promoting, but their funds are usually limited and are used for target replacement or repair, and general maintenance items on their respective ranges.

SASS needs to advertise in all the popular gun magazines, and any other periodicals that has to do with "Cowboy". With the demise of the paper CC and no more TV shows promoting SASS, there seems to be very little information getting out there to possible new shooters other than "Word of mouth". Not actually sure just how many folks, other than CAS shooters, actually watched those shows.

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I agree.

 

A couple of years ago I posted the question in another online shooting forum, "Why aren't you a cowboy action shooter?" The main reasons were cost of the guns and don't want to play dress up.

 

 

They say that after dropping $2000+ on an AR, $1400+ on a shotgun, and $1200+ on a pistol for 3-Gun...

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A lot of the growth comes by word of mouth. We are fortunate to have a growing club. We have been talking a lot about advertising our shoots as well as considering more shooter clinics.

 

In a sense we do personal clinics in that we get anyone who shows up shooting a gun. One of the crew will engage them and then get them on a open bay after they have watched awhile.

 

I think if you aren't greeting and treating new visitors you are missing something.

 

I agree that youth is part of the answer, but I also think they don't have to be kids....least not 12-18....but we need to keep getting the younger folks coming in. We will continue to have the 50 plus...I hope.

 

I was just shy of 60 when I started and I'm still enjoying the ride.

 

KK

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Boon Doggle had a great idea! Awhile back several good shooters made a great video, and posted it here. Maybe a club could do that, and take it to cabelas, or like store and they could plug that into one of their tv monitors the folks are always walking by? Course you have to talk to the folks that actually drive out to a club to watch, and help them try it out.....

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Three Gun is today's cowboy. Look at what games are on PS4. How do you promote to a kid that can't own or transport a pistol until they are 21 ? If you expose enough kids, one in 10,000 or so may come back after school and girls/boys. No matter what SASS does it will never be as effective as our own self promotion.

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We are not going to win out over newer games like three gun BUT hopefully we can co-exist with them as their members age to our level of competition. Perhaps then they will seek us out for a sport more dedicated to the senior citizen. Remember those arguments about what happened to the SASS of fifteen or twenty years ago, all of the action and variety? The stock answer has commonly been that we are not fifty any longer, at seventy we needed an easier pace and, well, we made it by slowing SASS down (not the clock BUT the feet). But what we are doing is not going to compete with 3 Gunners for the 20 to 50 crowd, they love the physical challenge as well as the fast shooting glitsy guns of their era. What with all the talk about money, I notice that those younger shooters can and somehow do make any sacrifice necessary when it is for something that they really want, a new AR, a new HI-Cap 9mm or one of the high end $2,000+ auto loader shotguns!

 

Shux, I am the old guy who can not afford or justify a $100,000 motor home BUT an old $3000 covered work trailer, converted to replace tent camping, now that is right up my ally. Use it with a cot on the weekend and haul fencing in it the rest of the week! There was a time, ten years or so back, when local SASS did tend to reach out more in our area but that seemed to fade greatly as the game matured into what it is now. Perhaps we just got old and tired??? Problem is that often times becoming old and tired is a precursor to done and dead!

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I still think advertising aimed at other shooters is like Baptists trying to evangelize Episcopalians. It might work, but if you really want to grow a bumper crop, plow a fresh field.

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As a younger shooter (32 years old) I don't think SASS should target any age group. To be a succesful organization you need a little bit of everything.

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Advertising at gun shops, gun shows, shooting events is preaching to the choir. Word of mouth is the best way to get new shooters out, regardless of age. We all need to promote SASS as members if we want SASS to grow. Think out of the box, take a flyer to the hardware store, barber shop, beauty shop, feed store, etc. We're basically a bunch of old white guys, how do we get Latinos and Blacks, Native Americans, Asians, etc out to shoot with us? Right now SASS caters to retired people, those of us that have to work for a living can't travel every weekend. Then there's the political B.S. that goes on between clubs, that's probably run off more shooters than we currently have. Perhaps a schedule with shoot dates that don't interfere with other shoots. The governing body is doing a poor job at governing and marketing.

 

Ass

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I still think advertising aimed at other shooters is like Baptists trying to evangelize Episcopalians. It might work, but if you really want to grow a bumper crop, plow a fresh field.

 

 

But you still have to pick the right field to plow.

 

Not all fields will grow a good enough crop to get a return on your seed money.

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But you still have to pick the right field to plow.

 

Not all fields will grow a good enough crop to get a return on your seed money.

I totally agree. That is why I asked for ideas.

 

For a bunch of good reasons most local clubs have taken a low profile concerning advertising and have relied mostly on word of mouth, but I wonder if there is some targeted way local clubs can raise awareness without spending a lot of money. We should also figure out who we might easily attract to our game.

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SASS has a booth at both the SHOT show and the NRA Convention. They get a lot of traffic. They sign up a bunch of new members at both shows. I don't know if any of the new members actually become active shooters though. With the disappearance of the Chronicle I think it hurts recruiting across the board.

 

+2

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What is SASS doing o promote our game among the less than 55 crowd?

 

The SASS Facebook page gets updated about every two weeks.

The SASS Twitter page gets updated about the same frequency.

 

My local club has neither. Most club websites I've seen look like something out of Geocities. There should be more videos, instagrams, etc at both the club level and the SASS level. Things that get retweeted/shared by different people, spreading the word.

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I manage a very small business with limited budget for advertising

Word of mouth (GOOD) word of mouth advertising is priceless in its rewards

 

I feel it is every shooters job to spread the GOOD word about SASS

 

Promoting to over 55, is a good idea, they my sponser their very own grand kiddies :-D

 

OPINIONS MAY VARY

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A lot of the young shooters I've shot with have left the game. When they hit 16 or so they're outta here, girls, cars, part time jobs. Only a few young ones hang in there. The dedicated really good young'uns :)

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A lot of the young shooters I've shot with have left the game. When they hit 16 or so they're outta here, girls, cars, part time jobs. Only a few young ones hang in there. The dedicated really good young'uns :)

 

+1 This is one of the problems we've experenced at the local clubs.

 

Only a few of the young shooters that started CAS stick around. The ones that do stay have a strong family engagment in the sport and it is a family hobby.

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I totally agree. That is why I asked for ideas.

 

For a bunch of good reasons most local clubs have taken a low profile concerning advertising and have relied mostly on word of mouth, but I wonder if there is some targeted way local clubs can raise awareness without spending a lot of money. We should also figure out who we might easily attract to our game.

 

 

I found it through a flyer at the gun shop.

Those work great. IF, BIG IF, it is a good one and not done stupid.

Think those could also be put up in feed stores, and western wear stores also.

 

Another good way is set up at the gun shows. Make a GOOD video of the club and people shooting.

PLEASE DON'T MAKE A STUPID ONE.

 

Those like the FL boys put out would work great. Loop it and have it playing all the time.

 

But again. Those are all done by the local clubs. SASS? Not so much.

 

I wear a few SASS T-Shirts around. Have been asked about it a time or two from those also.

BUT. Again. Think there T-Shirts are lacking as far as appeal goes.

They need someone better to do the design work.

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What is SASS doing o promote our game among the less than 55 crowd?

 

The SASS Facebook page gets updated about every two weeks.

The SASS Twitter page gets updated about the same frequency.

 

My local club has neither. Most club websites I've seen look like something out of Geocities. There should be more videos, instagrams, etc at both the club level and the SASS level. Things that get retweeted/shared by different people, spreading the word.

 

 

SASS could make better use of Facebook and Twitter.

Should update and have stuff on there every other day at least.

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Another good way is set up at the gun shows. Make a GOOD video of the club and people shooting.

PLEASE DON'T MAKE A STUPID ONE.

 

Those like the FL boys put out would work great. Loop it and have it playing all the time....

Hi Folks,

 

I recently saw a video made by a young lady from FL. The thing I liked about it, in an advertising context, is that it showed shooters of all skill levels. I've enjoyed videos of fast shooters and think they would appeal to many folks; however, showing a variety of skill levels is more welcoming to a variety of people.

 

Also, it should show a variety of costumes, again minimal to maximal, even Steampunk :ph34r:

 

Regards,

 

Just Allie

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Why not try getting both the young and the old? I think the rv mags as well as aarp would be good ideas as well as helping the kids of the 4H and scouts. The young adults don't have the money and are trying to start families then as the have kids the priority should be providing for the kids. Then like the op said the empty nesters are the idea demographic for sass. If you think about it , it really is a empty nester lifestyle.

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Hi Folks,

 

I recently saw a video made by a young lady from FL. The thing I liked about it, in an advertising context, is that it showed shooters of all skill levels. I've enjoyed videos of fast shooters and think they would appeal to many folks; however, showing a variety of skill levels is more welcoming to a variety of people.

 

Also, it should show a variety of costumes, again minimal to maximal, even Steampunk :ph34r:

 

Regards,

 

Just Allie

 

That girl is Hawkeye Gin. She has a natural talent for creating, ediiting, dubbing and videographing the folks in Florida participating in matches. In my opinion a good video showing people, of all ages/skill level, having fun shooting a SASS match is the best marketing that you can get.......she has done that and continues to do that.

 

I don't know the name of her Utube channel.....just Google Florida Crackers or Roughshod Raiders. You'll see what Allie is saying.

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Why not try getting both the young and the old? I think the rv mags as well as aarp would be good ideas as well as helping the kids of the 4H and scouts. The young adults don't have the money and are trying to start families then as the have kids the priority should be providing for the kids. Then like the op said the empty nesters are the idea demographic for sass. If you think about it , it really is a empty nester lifestyle.

AARP, does NOT stand up for our second amendment rights, it would be interesting to see their response to a pro gun shooting organization like SASS REQUEST to advertise with them

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AARP, does NOT stand up for our second amendment rights, it would be interesting to see their response to a pro gun shooting organization like SASS REQUEST to advertise with them

+1

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My fellow Crackers have a great video. Every time I watch it I smile and wish I was shooting with 'um.

 

 

Roo

I'm pround to be an honorary Cracker

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AARP, does NOT stand up for our second amendment rights, it would be interesting to see their response to a pro gun shooting organization like SASS REQUEST to advertise with them

 

 

+1

 

AARP? That's not going to happen. With limited dollars to spend on advertising. You can not afford to waste it.

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That girl is Hawkeye Gin. She has a natural talent for creating, ediiting, dubbing and videographing the folks in Florida participating in matches. In my opinion a good video showing people, of all ages/skill level, having fun shooting a SASS match is the best marketing that you can get.......she has done that and continues to do that.

 

I don't know the name of her Utube channel.....just Google Florida Crackers or Roughshod Raiders. You'll see what Allie is saying.

 

 

I really like that she shows the fun people have with each other in those.

 

SASS could use videos like this.

 

Have a few like the one Chuckaroo linked up to run for little while. Have that playing on a screen for people to watch

as they go by.

BINGO.

Just wait and see how many stop to watch that thing.

Attention grabber.

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+1

 

AARP? That's not going to happen. With limited dollars to spend on advertising. You can not afford to waste it.

Plus 1. Their publication is too expensive. No point getting worked up about some group we can't afford.

 

Love the videos. How do we get them distributed?

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My real point was that AARP is anti gun

Some gun owners that do not know or believe that, are members of both SASS & AARP

I was trying to bring up that point without getting the thread locked

SOME TIMES WE NEED TO PICK A SIDE TO SUPPORT

I will support my second amendment and NOT SUPPORT AARP

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As several people have mentioned, a specific age demographic as a target probably won't work. It appears to me that SASS is driven proimarily by the 50+ crowd. Some folks think tat's too small a group and we can never grow. We forget that people are turning 50 every day. Lots of them. They usually have fewer family commitments onweekends and possibly more income. Most of our young shooters are brought into the sportnby their older relatives.

I think SASS simply needs to target the family fun nature of the sport. Don't concentrate on retirees or youngsters neither group, on it's own, will significantly increase membership. They need to reach out with an add campaign that stresses friendship, togetherness, American values, and fun. Guns shows? NRA Convention? I doubt we get a lot of new shooters from them. The general public needs to be reached. Anybody ever seen a SASS commercial on a major network? Naa.

Ad campaigns are expensive. And you have to really hit it hard for results. And alas, I don't see that happening in the near future.

 

But whatever we discuss here is just good for stress relief and mental exercise I reckon. ;)

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Last year our club moved from the back side of a farm way out in the boonies to an established gun club range with about 80 mimbers and more central to the three large cities. I figured the new location and a base of existing shooters, we would gain new members. But our numbers appears to be about the same. We've gained a few local shooters (not dues paying members yet that I know of) and some old shooters are not showing up for some reason or the other - maybe because the move added 50 miles to their drive.

 

A couple of members of the gun club have showed up to watch. They have been invited to shoot. None have. Several of our SASS members always attend the monthly gun club meeting and tell what's going on with the CAS program and invite the audience to come watch or predicate. So far there has been no cross pollution.

 

One way to generate publicity would be to invite the local news paper or TV station to do an article on a SASS event.

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