3. The recruitment event(s)

3.3. Using social media

There is a lot of talk about social media as a means of getting people into towers and increasing awareness of ringing in the local community.

If social media isn’t quite your thing, why not delegate this to a member of the band who “gets it” and has the time required to do it properly?

Social media is a vast communications network that is now so intrinsic to our way of being, so embedded in our world that now it is the normal way to find information, learn something new, buy goods, be entertained, look at what your friends are doing and catch up with family. World networks are nothing new they have connected the world for a long time now. First came the telegraphs, telephones and then televisions. Now there is the Internet.

Worldwide there are now 5.05 billion people worldwide using social media every day with 90% accessing it via their mobile phones.

What is social media?

We are social creatures, we need to communicate with each other, gather information and learn from each other. We network naturally with our extended families for support and keep in contact with our friends to nourish our experience. Social media facilitates this easily and at lightning speed. Social media is another way to network and facilitates this easily and at lightning speed.

But, just like our homes, our online lives need to be secured too. An understanding of what constitutes online safety is really important. What makes passwords secure, how to strengthen existing ones, what to say, when, plus what pictures to NOT post are all part of good security, just like not leaving your front door open. 

This vast communications network is so embedded in our world that for business and publicity you ignore it at your peril. Imagine, with mirth, now baulking at using a newly invented home telephone ‘when letters have been written for centuries’ or a century later ‘why use my landline when I can use my smart phone and message right now?’ Millions of us use our social media platforms to create colourful pictures, write stories, network, promote business and charities or create communities. Bell ringing can only benefit from social media's ability to make us more visible, more colourful and be more accessible for when we recruit to help our numbers grow. » Intrigued?

Find out more about social media and what it can do

How to guides

If you’re new to social media here are some quick guides to get you started:

Various guides are also available on the Internet, which give more generic, but more detailed information on getting started on social media:

Social media flyer

If you need to explain why and how to use Facebook to a social media novice then this 2-page tri-fold flyer could be just right for the job.

Download flyer

New recruits via Facebook

"RINGERS WANTED! Have you thought about ringing the largest musical instrument in the world? You don't even have to be musical! Bellringing develops your rhythm and physical coordination as well as keeping your mind sharp and active. Contact Nick Hiams on Facebook if you'd like a look around the Crick Bells and to have a go."

We got 2 responses both from adults between 35-55 (probably, we were polite and didn't ask) so perfect recruits in that respect in my opinion anyway. We've had one session so far and they were both really well-coordinated , keen and enjoyed the session. Possibly word of mouth will encourage other friends of theirs?

The point though was that you have to go out and look for recruits and the "Village Noticeboard" on Facebook may be another place to try. It looks like these notice boards have a lot of traffic (ours is around 1250 users) Very little effort and zero expense.