New Additions to DCA?

[jeff danchik]

If a corps has a solid business plan and a steady revenue stream they will get the numbers they need at some point.

I don't think anyone doesn't have a plan.The members have to execute it.The staff has to make it happen.The board has to belive in it and want it to work. We had two revenue streams in 2005 dues both were more than we needed, so shortfalls didn't hurt.

[flamparadiddlediddle]

I would certainly be satisfied with a Skyliners return. Yup!

[Austin Stars]

Austin Stars WILL compete at Rochester in '09 even if I have to sell my soul.

[84BDsop]

If a corps has a solid business plan and a steady revenue stream they will get the numbers they need at some point.

I don't think anyone doesn't have a plan.The members have to execute it.The staff has to make it happen.The board has to belive in it and want it to work. We had two revenue streams in 2005 dues both were more than we needed, so shortfalls didn't hurt.

Having a revenue stream is very important...but having a REALISTIC one is ALSO important...if you're only doing local shows with plans to stay that way, you don't need t be working on a monster bingo game....it's just as easy to overreach onfundraising as it is on touring...and with the same potential fallout.

Sure, money in the bank is great....but if you only need $5 to operate for the year (as an example), you don't necessarily NEED to raise $50K....$10 is more than sufficient not only for the current year, but also to throw at the next year budget.

[Jeff Ream]

Sweat equity! The goals outlined are obtainable this year.

how logical! do you have a blame DCA excuse built in too?

[virtualdefender]

Don't be surprised if you see Defenders making the trip. After our MCA experience and receiving a very positive reception, I wouldn't be surprised if we seek more opportunities to play competitively. I think we may have caught the bug!

[jeff danchik]

how logical! do you have a blame DCA excuse built in too?

Well not all of them

[Jeff Ream]

shame on you

[Rap48]

"Defenders" you gave a great first time competitive performance in Albany. Dale says you have alot more personnel. It would be great to see you in DCA or at least in Rochester.

[Robert Kirby]

Sun Devils as has been told to you a zillion times, had other reasons. and I believe Cincy and DCk did as well.

From my perspective, as just one member at Cincinnati Tradition, we had some challenges we met well and others we met less well. Here are some general principles, followed by examples. I hope that some of this will be helpful to others.

1) Put first things first. Rights and clearances uber alles. No permissions, no arrangement. I believe this so strongly that I just moved this paragraph up in my post.

2) Keep recruiting. If your goal is 42 overall and you've got 42, keep recruiting overall. If your drill is written for 24 horns and you've got 24, keep recruiting horns. If your book is written for 4 mellos and you've got 4, keep recruiting mellos. You're goig to lose people, and you're going to lose them long after you thought you could count on them. We lost half our guard between one Sunday and the next. We went from six middle voices to two in three weeks, after we started learning drill. We lost something on the close order of fourteen folks between the middle of June and the middle of July. Keep recruiting.

3) Focus recruitment energy. High school and college aged members are great! They can bring tremendous enthusiasm to a corps. That being said, they are subject to external factors more than adult members. A change in custody, a change in a parent's employment or other matters, a change in school functions etc can unexpectedly affect a members ability to make some performances, or even to remain in the corps. We had great kids in our corps this summer; some could stay all year, and some couldn't, some could have made it to Rochester, and some couldn't. If everyone remembers these facts of life it may help them to keep recruiting.

4) Focus recruitment energy even more. Recruiting high school and college aged members is terrific! Perhaps focusing this recruitment at schools that don't have marching musical programs, schools that won't have a football game on Labor Day weekend, will produce unexpected results. Focus on folks who've been to a rodeo or three in their day. There are junior corps, including dead junior corps, in all parts of the country. Do you have alumni of those corps available to you? Use 'em! Use the junior corps' alumni association, if it has one. Use corpsreps if the junior corps doesn't have an alumni association. Think laterally. Seek out like-minded groups of people, bagpipe bands and English brass-bands, and do joint music festivals/recruitment fairs.

5) Conduct recruitment that attracts members. If recruiting for a corps making away trips, the corps and the recruit must be clear, from the beginning, whether the recruit will make plans to go. Don't ask "Do you want to go" or "Would you like to go," but "Will you make plans to go?" All members, rookies or vets will have to make plans at some point. It is well to be clear on this from the outset. Depending on ones estate in life, this may mean scheduling vacation, checking with the spouse, checking with the parents etc. Help recruits by having specific information available and by asking specifically if they will go. It is good to remember that sometimes changes in plans are outside the control of the member, especially a younger member. On the other hand, sometimes they aren't. On the third hand, sometimes no plans were made.

6) Conduct all your affairs such that you retain members. See item 1. Statements like "Dues are x amount, payable any time before y date," "Our next rehearsal is such-and-such date at such-and-such time" inspire confidence in members of all ages, and are especially welcome to parents of minors. "See me after rehearsal if you haven't paid your dues" and "Hope to see you next weekend" are self-defeating statements.

7) Diversify leadership. If you ask around, you might find that Frodo the n00b cowbell player has been a director of an exempt organization with a seven-figure annual budget. He might possibly be ready, willing and able to take a flyer to the print shop and then a stack of flyers to the band contest. Especially if you offer him a ham sandwich. But you won't know unless you ask.

I'm going to stop here for two reasons. First, because I got to seven. Second, because nobody is still reading. Before going, I just want to say that none of the negatives practices in this post should be imputed to Cincinnati Tradition except for this: we didn't recruit as smartly as we could, and didn't really keep recruiting.

Robert