Fwd: [Psml] RE: America's Boating Club - another perspective

[David Howe]

Go, John!  Well said.

Some detail about product positioning in the world's most convenient and 
powerful media:

If you Google "boating safety course", the first ten non-redundant results 
are:
-- www.boatsafe.com (American Sailing Association)
-- http://www.boat-ed.com (they don't say who they are; phone # 214-351-0461 
in the Dallas TX area; offer exams for 34 states; NASBLA and USCGAux 
approved)
-- http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse (BOAT/US)
-- http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/courses.htm (USCG Office of Boating 
Safety: mentions USPS plus eight other organizations offering basic boating 
courses)
-- http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/ (Nautical Know How, Inc.)
-- http://nysparks.com/boating/edu_boat.asp (New York State Dept. of Parks, 
Recreation, and Historic Preservation)
-- http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/index.asp (Virginia Dept. 
of Game & Inland Fisheries)
-- http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/safety (Maryland Dept. of Natural 
Resources)
-- http://www.dbw.ca.gov/boatsafecourse.asp (Wisconsin Dept. of Boating and 
Waterways)
-- http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/enforcement/safety/boated.htm 
(Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources)

Our "America's Boating Course" appears halfway down page 4, as if anyone 
would ever look that far.

If you Google "boating safety" USPS does not appear in the first 10 pages.  
I did not look past that, and I suspect that nobody looking for training 
ever would.

If you Google "boating course" USPS appears on the first page, describing 
itself as "The world's largest non-profit boating organization, stressing 
community service, continuing education, and social activities among 
members."

We have become small fish in the basic boating pond.  I think we have 
several options:
-- We can fight the crowds offering basic boating courses.
-- We can emphasize social activities and be a big boat club, stressing the 
benefits of membership.  But we must expand and energetically defend those 
benefits.  See the compaints about insurance in the latest issue of The 
Ensign.
-- We can focus on advanced education (my vote).
-- We can emphasize community service, a duty which will not attract many 
new members.
-- Or any combination of the above.

Whichever tack we take, I concur wholeheartedly with John that we need to 
get out there and spread the word.  But I think we should start with the 
Internet because it is cheap, powerful, and wide ranging.  My own squadron 
lost its website, and our webmeister says National has been un-helpful and 
unresponsive about restoring it.  Can anyone say why a long-term and very 
valued member should feel ignored or "snubbed" (his word) by National?  Are 
we that big and busy?

I also think we must EARN first place by excellence, not merely marketing.

I did not join and do not remain in USPS for its benefits or for friendship 
(and obviously am not making any new friends by criticizing the 
organization).  I joined for education, as a family tradition (my father 
joined in 1932), and because USPS has a reputation for expertise.  But that 
reputation is faltering.  It should be defended and fostered, and it must be 
continually earned.


----Original Message Follows----
From: John & Judy Gill <twojscom@quadnet.net>
To: USPS Power Squadron Mailing List <psml@usps.org>
CC: John and Judy Gill <twojscom@quadnet.net>
Subject: Fwd: [Psml] RE: America's Boating Club - another perspective
Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 15:43:57 -0400

I would like to expand on David Howe's recent post about another  
perspective to America's Boating Club.

I agree with David, because the "product positioning" is completely  wrong.  
For Squadrons like Pennsway which is not near any single  boating area, it 
is very close to being false and deceptive  advertising.  Why try to be just 
another boating or yacht club?

USPS membership is decreasing and has been on a decline for many  years.  
USPS used to advertise its public boating courses, we used to  advertise the 
benefits of membership, we used to advertise the good  works of our members. 
  We used to be a visible and widely recognized  organization whose members 
were held in great esteem, but today we  are largely an unknown in the 
boating community.  Why, because USPS  does not believe in promoting 
ourselves, we spend zero advertising dollars in the boating magazines and 
then wonder why they don't run  articles about us?  The young editorial 
staffs of local newspapers  and boating magazines have little or no idea who 
or what USPS is, and  for good reason -- we don't contribute one thin dime 
towards their  paychecks!

People know about the USCGAux.  Why?  Because their members talk  about the 
Coast Guard this and the Coast Guard that.  They teach  Coast Guard Courses, 
do Coast Guard Vessel Safety Checks, go on Coast  Guard water patrols, etc.  
Rarely will you hear them use the word  "Auxiliary".  A recent case in point 
was when our SEO contacted the  editor of our local newspaper asking him to 
include our courses in  his boating column -- he stated that they only 
published courses  taught by nonprofit organizations like the Coast Guard or 
the State  -- he had no idea who or what USPS was or did!

The sole promotional effort by National is the "Power of One" -- to  someone 
like me who has been in the advertising business (35 years)  is that simply 
means we do no advertising beyond "word of mouth" and  membership is solely 
a local Squadron problem (no ad slicks or copy  is provided).  When was the 
last time your District newsletter  contained an article by a National 
officer OR when was the last time  your Squadron newsletter contained an 
article (other than reservation  forms for a District or National meeting) 
from your District officers  or National?  Responsibility and blame are 
pushed downward, but help  from above is not forthcoming.

I have been preaching for several years that the KEY to membership  and 
member retention is FRIENDSHIPS.  People join a local Squadron for one or 
two reasons.  They either have a particular need for advanced courses OR 
they have a Friend in the Squadron.  Joining has  virtually nothing to do 
with joining a prestigious organization (you simply can't be prestigious if 
no one knows about you).  Don’t believe me, ask 10 of your Life Members who 
their best friends are and whether or not they are USPS members (exclude 
their friends who  are not in your squadron).  Of those 10 Life Members who 
have their SN ask if they have really put to use ALL their USPS education, 
or  which courses they honestly could have omitted and not put their boat or 
lives in jeopardy.  Go up and down your dock and ask fellow slip holders 
what their perception of USPS is or does.

Many on this list have said that it is STATURE that is important to  
membership, but the reason for my becoming a Life Member is because of the 
many FRIENDS I have in the Squadron whom I respect and want them to think 
likewise of me, not any personal stature I’ve gained  through membership!

Todays young people are often vilified as being non joiners and not  civic 
minded.  But, that simply does not jive with our current  military service, 
without the draft.  The problem, if there is one,  is that it now takes two 
salaries to make ends meet.  The only  negative I have seen is that some of 
our young members go on the  bridge, not out of commitment to the squadron, 
but rather as a resume  builder (to show that they have leadership abilities 
- in a civic  service organization).

If we were really serious about promoting membership, we would have a  
Benefits Brochure with ALL the DISCOUNTS and who, what, when, where  and why 
questions answered and/or Discount Order Forms Enclosed.   Publish a 
brochure once a year -- let the Membership Committees have  unlimited copies 
and watch our membership grow.  Run a few  advertisements in national and 
regional magazines about USPS, our  advanced and elective courses and member 
benefits and watch our  membership grow.  Watch our prestige, stature, 
image, and membership  soar!

The number of boats is increasing and membership in USCGAux is  increasing 
while USPS membership is decreasing - therefore it stands  to reason that WE 
must be doing something wrong.  Status Quo no  longer means to remain the 
same.  Like any business venture, you  either grow or you go out of 
business!

John R. Gill, AP
Pennsway (PA) Squadron
Life Member
Ch/Mem/Com, Ch/ABC, Ch/VSC







________________________________________
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email address?  See 
www.usps.org/mailman/listinfo/psml for details.