Methods for recruiting Schutzhund Club members? - Page 1

I am a member of a solid USA associated club - approximately 8-10 regular participants - and enjoy experienced positive training leadership and helper work.

Am interested in understanding methods others have used to recruit active members to their clubs.

We have a good website, I have created a FaceBook page - and am working on a CraigList ad. I suppose we could setup informational tables at local dog events. Any other ideas which have yielded good members?

thanks

Maybe try getting in contact with the breeders in your area (GSD, dobe, rotts and others) invite them to come watch training or do a demo for them. Some of them might be interested themselves or can make suggestions to their puppy buyers (if sold locally).

Where are you located? Sounds like a nice club.

submit a story to the local newspaper - focus on historical importance, obedience and less protection  

create an add and place it with all the local breeders

post advertisement in events of this and other boards - maybe a "open house" with "free evaluations".

go to local and regional trials and had out fliers and business cards.

have a open house, a "learning trial" or mock trial where visitors are paired up with club members so the evet can be explained to them. 
 
send club info to the local police department, fire department, and search and rescue organizations.

post your club information on all local internet sites

ask to post ads at all local boarding and training facilities.

hide business cards in all the german shepherd books at the library and in bookstores (must be sneeky).



if you're willing to do the work, there are plenty of ways to get the word out.


with our club, the members do most of the recruitng, anyone that has a decent german shepherd is invited to come. If all it can do it the obedience, then it's still a win-win for the owner and the dog!

Yogie, 
you are exactly correct!
maybe that one that stays a while will go to the nationals!
and then again, maybe not.

you never know until you try!

Not only that, don't GO to schutzhund training that you found listed on Craigslist!!! Hopeless!

I forgot to mention offering free food and beer might help too  

Thanks for the responses. Some good ideas SitasMom. And you are all correct - certainly not trying to line the bank account with dues or solicit business from Petsmart training classes.

Think about your clubs - as you suggest maybe 1 in 10 visitors understand and ultimately commit to the sport. I believe another 5 or so club members would be good for us - and the website alone doesnt seem to draw many our way.

I too am relatively new to the club - owned a GSD for a few years and never knew much about Schutzhund or the local clubs. I suspect this sport (like many others) needs a good infiltration of "newbies", and simply wanted to present ideas to our BOD / volunteer surrounding low cost options to encourage interest in those who appreciate working dogs and may eventually become valued members.

BTW - i have actually seen a few well written CraigList ads for USA clubs in other areas of the country. Free advertising doesnt have to equate to bad advertising in my opinion.

Thanks again for the ideas. Will post any successes . . .

I posted on Craigslist looking for a club a few years back and actually got some good leads from some good trainers/competitors.

I'm trying to find someone who can come to our club and do the ATTS "Temperament Test".  It's not like a SchH title or anything but a lot of people like to do it and the only place I know of is over three hours from me and just does one a year.  We could charge a little extra to make some $$ for the club and get some new people visiting.

I do our web site and I try to mention the nice things about our facility.  We have a pretty large building that is heated/air conditioned and has a "normal" bathroom.  That's a big draw for the ladies, lol!  The property owner also sells everything anyone needs from top quality dog food to medicines and supplements to training equipment and toys.  We have two training fields, one that is smaller and setup like a ring for conformation or agility but is perfect for hosting a real show, and our club training field which is huge, definitely trial size and has the permanent blinds built.  We also have awesome tracking grounds.  I've been spoiled and I know many other clubs are not so lucky.