20 April 1999

Subject: Success Story - Significant New Members

The following is submitted based upon your request for information on what Cape Cod Squadron did to increase the number of new members:

A. How did you attract people to your Boating Course or Boat Smart Courses?

• Setup and manned a professional caliber Boat Show Booth at all local Boat Shows.

• Had sign up sheets at the Boat Show Booth for interested people and followed up with phone call to all prospective students.

• Advertised that a Basic Boating Course would start in very near future and passed out flyers with date/time/place.

• Posted flyers at local marinas, Yacht Clubs, commercial establishments (malls, super markets, etc. and sent a flyer to all squadron members plus Harbormasters in area requesting they disseminate as appropriate.

• Advertised in local newspapers and on radio/TV stations.

B. What did you do to encourage students to join?

• Bridge Members called all prospective students to remind them of time and place of course and encouraged attendance.

• Once students were in course, continued to enlighten them as to benefits offered by USPS membership.

C. How many Boating Courses and/or Boat Smart Courses were offered? Is it more or less than in the past?

• We have always offered 3 Basic Boating Courses per year in January, May and September.

• Have a strong instructor cadre and present only the full Basic Boating Course, no Boat Smart Courses.

D. How many students enrolled and how many passed the course exam?

• A total of 88 students enrolled and 88 students passed.

E. Would you change anything or do anything different next time?

• On first night of the Basic Boating Course the Cdr welcomed new students.

• Cdr plus many Bridge Officers and P/C's attended classes though out the course and acted as proctors.

• During proctor sessions they talked up squadron/USPS and its educational/social/fraternal aspects.

• Instructors pointed out positive aspects of squadron/USPS during their podium time and the opportunities for members to take advance/elective courses.

• On exam night, just prior to students taking exam, Cdr congratulated students on completing course and pointed out that upon passing exam they were eligible to join squadron/USPS and take Seamanship Course.

• Seamanship Instructor was then introduced by the Cdr and explained benefits of taking Seamanship.

• Upon completion of exam students were invited to partake of refreshments supplied by Membership Committee while tests were being graded.

• Membership Committee and Bridge Officers were present to sign up students who had passed the exam for membership and for the Seamanship Course (scheduled to begin that next week at the same place/time).

• Students were encouraged to complete membership applications that night and allowed to send a check later to squadron, if necessary. Squadron withheld completing membership processing until check was received.

F. Would you change anything or do anything different next time?

• We would get more members involved in the above. Because of the success of the program, more and more of our members want to be a part of this entire process.

Hope the above may be helpful.

Sincerely,

(signed)

Carl H. Johnson, AP
Commander