From: DANERUD MARTIN TELIA COM> Date: 15 jan 2000 Subject: Another magic night Dear shogi friends, This evening we arranged a second mass distribution of our Swedish shogi leaflet on the occasion of the second basketball match in Sweden with Mr Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Mr Carl Johan=20 Nilsson and I distributed 600 leaflets to entering spectators in=20 Goteborg. Since I think that this is a good way of spreading knowledge of=20 shogi, and I hope that similar methods for the popularisation of=20 shogi will be used in other parts of the western world, I would like to share some pieces of advice with you concerning shogi actions=20 like these: * Include something valuable in the leaflet! We have included a brief history of shogi, the shogi rules, information about the Swedish Shogi Federation and our activities, and shogi on the Internet. Try to minimize the number of slogans. * A good type of leaflet is a folded A4 (or US letter) paper giving a = four page leaflet. It is something handy to hand over and to receive. The = smaller size increases the probability that the receiver will keep and read the=20 leaflet. * Choose a non-ordinary event! People should have some extra = expectations about the event. That means that the event will attract people from a = wider=20 area, who are willing to travel far. That also means that their minds = are more=20 open than for an ordinary event. And that will be needed if they happen = to receive a shogi leaflet! * Look into the eyes of the receiver and do not hold out your hand with = the=20 leaflet constantly! Rather stretch out your hand when the receiver = approaches you and look confident. That will result in a reflex action, and in most = cases the receiver will grip the leaflet. * Be happy and keep smiling! Do not lose your temper even if you will = receive=20 some strange comments. What you do is the right thing! * If some people will through away the leaflet despite of all your = efforts, then stop the distribution sometimes and pick up the thrown leaflets from the = ground. If=20 the ground is littered up with leaflets, then people do not like to = receive a leaflet. I can really recommend you to make a shogi action like this. It is very = interesting to study the reactions of people, and after a while you will be able to = estimate the probability for a successful distribution of a leaflet very = accurately from the way a person looks, moves, is dressed etc. Finally then, does it work? Is this a good way to popularize shogi? = Well, it is not expensive, neither in time nor in money. More people will definitely know what = shogi is after the=20 shogi action than before. In the end you will find that some persons = will reach all the way to contact you. Sometimes they want to buy a shogi set. Sometimes they = just want an answer to a question. And sometimes they want to become an active shogi = player. Definitely, you will take one step towards making shogi more popular in = the west. Sincerely yours, Dr. Martin Danerud President of the = Swedish Shogi Federation Acting president of = FESA