(A Columbus Area Boardgaming Society press release)

In order to increase one's gaming circle one needs to RECRUIT !!! For us in CABS (Columbus Area Boardgaming Society) we do this in different ways.

We had a business card made up with our meeting times and locations and DIRECTIONS !!!. ANYONE walking into the game room gets one thrust into their hands. Any newbie that at nights end seems to have enjoyed themselves gets 3 or 4 thrust into their hand to pass on to their gaming friends. We are now getting second and third level gamers showing up. It's like a pyramid scheme. The local game stores have signs and the cards in them.

At local conventions we run games and anyone that lives CLOSE to our area gets hit. We run our own convention and we went from 50 to 100 in one year and are looking for 150 this fall. MOST of these are within a couple of hours drive. ORIGINS will be big for us ... Since this is in Columbus - we run many games, Our members spread our convention flyers and business cards like water ...

SEARCH the WEB !!! Go to the geek ... Check their opponents wanted section and email the ones that are close. Go to Access Denied email them ... Go to Wargamer Opponent Finder ... Search the web for other local clubs - email them ... Keep an eye out here and speilfreaks ... Post After Action reports ... Can't tell you how many people will email you and say HEY - I live in your area and I did not know there were other gamers in the area ...

We now have an email list of about 200 gamers. KEEP IN TOUCH ... I probably do too much keeping in touch but a bi-weekly email reminding people of the next meeting is helpful ... GET a WEB SITE !!! Anyone can do it and they are cheap .... Put pictures up after the meetings ... People love this !!! Check ours out ... www.buckeyeboardgamers.org ... I would love to have more content but if pictures are all you got ... go with it !!!

Get an article in the local newspaper ... We are working on this and expect to have one come out just before our convention.

You cannot expect gamers to find you - just like any business you have to advertise !!! Get your word out and if they like your product they will continue to come.

We had to move gaming locations from a free game store to a rental location at the beginning of the year and this year we are averaging 37 gamers per meeting. This is up from about an average of a dozen a year or so ago when I took over the advertising . We also have to charge dues ... A dollar a month covers our expenses and we have nearly 60 dues paying members..

IT TAKES WORK !!! But now on our gaming nights you can usually find someone willing to play ANY game ...

GREAT GAMES - GREAT FRIENDS - GREAT FUN !!!

George Sauer III
CABS Propaganda Minister