Thanks for the replies Paul and Tom,
Paul your first paragraph is interesting; I guess a good way to introduce non folkies is at a guest night. 200-300 leaflets is not much, no offence but marketing people will tell you that with direct mailing (the posh term for leafleting!) normally gives a return of 1-3% so if you delivered 1000 leaflets expect to get between10-30 people. I also know that how you word and present the flier has an impact on the percentage you will see. I do not want to tell people how to "suck eggs" but posters in shop windows leaflets in dellies, coffee shops, tourist information offices, hotels, B&B's, Libraries, churches and gyms/leisure centres may help.

I guess putting on flour singers is an issue. Personally I would want to put on anyone who can "Entertain" if that is a floor singer poet or baron player so be it! Especially if there are a lot of new faces/ non folkies. I guess that would be difficult as it may mean putting someone's nose out of joint (quaint northern expression) love the candles and lights thing…..creating an atmosphere or a sense of occasion is really important. (And it can also hide a multitude of sins!)

Tom points 1&2 ok….. point 3 I guess the bee in my bonnet is that leafleting other clubs just means that you are hoping people will come from that club and by definition the same people will be going round in one big folk circle. We are always looking for new gigs and venues to perform at and the way we explain it is like the bucket with a hole in it, you have to top up with more water than you loose through the hole. Folk clubs need to try and top up with new people if they can, to do that I guess finding people who will come to the club is a priority and then maybe educating them about folk music SLOWLY may mean they become regulars.

Point 4 if a folk club dose not have a mailing list I guess it is just a gathering of friends……

Point 5 I have a number of folk clubs as friends on our myspace page and what surprises me is that I get NO messages or comments from them. I guess you have to understand how to use myspace but if you have gone to the trouble of setting up the page and then NOT using the bulletin /messaging feature/ event invitation feature then I would recommend someone learns how to do so. Remember you can put video footage on there as well.

Point 6 I guess you are ahead of me there Tom………..


Thanks

Tony