Luring In The Masses

[+EleriandBlade]

I think PNWWizard over in another thread has got a good idea... a geocaching 'event' within a larger event. Like having a booth about geocaching at a county fair. This got my brain rolling a bit, so bear with me...

 

I think booths like that are a great way to promote geocaching. You could have the booth, with display materials and such, and pre-arrange with the fair or event organizers to put some temporary caches up on site.

 

Then, experienced cachers would volunteer throught the event in shifts, manning the booth, and taking fair-goers out to find the on-site caches.

 

While this doesn't fall under the existing guidelines of an event cache, being BY cachers FOR cachers, it should be something people would want to know about. SO maybe what's needed is a special cache designation "Promotional Event", where the idea is not geocachers socialising, but geocachers Getting The Word Out.

 

There could be special guidelines for getting to use that designation, like using a Geocaching.com authorised press pack, and having proof of event consent, and stuff like that.

[+TeamK-9]

I hate to play "Devil's Advocate" but I feel like I need to..

 

Lots of local groups have done "events" very much similar to what you're proposing. Very few, if any have been posted on geocaching.com

 

My theory is that, if you're setting this up, you undoubtedly have at least a small, local group formed, and if you have a group, you undoubtedly have a web page. So just post it there, and on the websites of any other fairly close groups.

 

Sure, this is a cool idea for a new cache type, but I don't think it would be used nearly enough to warrant the actual adding of it to the databases, and I fear that it could probably be abused in some way or another...

[+Mopar]

I think promoting our obsession is a GREAT idea; but why do you need to add to your cache find count to do it?

The masses you are attempting to lure won't see the cache event page. The only people who WILL see it are people who are already geocachers. If you want to round up help to man your promotional booth, use the regional forums, use your local caching org, use email, use word of mouth. That will get you the type of help you really need; people interested in helping promote caching; instead of people just coming out to tack a smiley onto their find count.

[+Jeremy]

I have to agree that it would be putting the cart before the horse (using an old cliche). However, you could take this idea one step further.

 

How about putting together a booth and later in the afternoon host a picnic somewhere for geocachers. That would work as an event for geocachers by geocachers that has an attached first event that relates to it.

[peter]

Lots of local groups have done "events" very much similar to what you're proposing. Very few, if any have been posted on geocaching.com

Presumably one reason why they haven't been posted to geocaching.com is that the current guidelines/rules make it hard to do so.

The masses you are attempting to lure won't see the cache event page.

I think there are two groups of people you would be trying to reach: 1) people who aren't yet cachers who would be coming out to the overall festival and become interested when they see the displays and people at the booth, and 2) people who are already geocaching but may not be aware of or participate in the local group. Getting the second group of people to visit the event and meet other local geocachers would be much easier if it were publicized as some type of Event Cache.

[+EleriandBlade]

My only thought behind having it as a 'cache', is not upping your cache count, but having a way for it to be easily found on the website, without having to dig deep into the forum. Since event caches show up on the main page, I thought it'd be nifty if things like this did, too. If there was a way to do that without it being a loggable 'cache', and without giving the webmaster the screaming fits, that might be something to ponder

 

Tangentally, what about the idea of a Promo Kit? Could be as simple as downloadable PDF flyers and posters, to as elaborate as (like another group I know has) a rentable display kit.

 

If it's a matter of having the time to come up with something, I'll volunteer. I'm in the area, and I need to put my copy of Creative Suite 2 to use somehow!

[+sbell111]

I like Jeremy's idea. It would allow a practical application of the ideas that you communicated in the booth. You could have the meet-up at a nearby park and give any noobs that show a quick geocaching tour using temporary caches. I wouldn't use 'real' caches for fear of muggling (or is that pirating? I'm not sure)

[+JMBella]

I have to agree that it would be putting the cart before the horse (using an old cliche). However, you could take this idea one step further.

 

How about putting together a booth and later in the afternoon host a picnic somewhere for geocachers. That would work as an event for geocachers by geocachers that has an attached first event that relates to it.

See, now that's thinking. Just make sure the admins know to approve that sort of thing.

[+tabulator32]

I think booths like that are a great way to promote geocaching. You could have the booth, with display materials and such, and pre-arrange with the fair or event organizers to put some temporary caches up on site.

 

Then, experienced cachers would volunteer throught the event in shifts, manning the booth, and taking fair-goers out to find the on-site caches.

How about a booth with a fairly good-sized television and a few chairs where you can have that Geo-DVD rolling on a loop. Nothing attracts attention like a television screen!

 

You could have fliers and answer questions and have a laptop set up to show people the website for discussions and quesions & answers. (You could even have the laptop display on a larger screen to draw more people.)

 

You could also become an authorized Garmin and Magellin dealer and sell a ton of the less expensive models at the fair...with a discount if they sign up as a geocacher right there on your laptop.

 

I wouldn't have people volunteer to guide them to a cache. I would spend ten tor twenty minutes hhaving them watch the video and talking with them, make sure they understand all the rules and guidelines, have them sign up as a geocacher, and then let them pick and choose from stacks of printouts of local caches for them to find just to get them started whenever they felt like it.

 

They could do it after they left the fair or the next day...whenever.

 

You could also sell tons of swag. Sell the little fishy keychain from L & O and put up a sign saying "As seen on TV!"

 

 

Seriously, though...that's what I would do.

 

Oh, and sell bottled water and some kind of snack.

[Find Now, Log Later?]

Hmmm .... I could see "introducing the masses to geocaching." I could understand "enticing" people to explore geocaching. But "luring" them in? Would that be under false pretenses or on false promises?

[+EleriandBlade]

"as seen on TV" LOL

 

Yeah, there's all sorts of things you could do at a booth, geared to the size of the crowds, the fair enviroment, that sort of thing.

 

I love the swag idea. Swag is always good Pencils and pens, little compasses, those cool little fake tattoos, hee!

 

It'd be a great way to send travel bugs on their way, too...because we could clearly explain the concept to them.