[Psml] More Exposure

[jeff at usps-atlanta.org]

Tom, We've had similar success after we aggressively started to market
ourselves.  Like you, we attacked the problem on several fronts:
 
1.  We found two local neighborhood papers who were desperate for
publication quality articles.  They have virtually no reporters or writers
that they can spare to write about us, but if we were willing to write,
edit, and proof the article so that all they had to do was publish it, they
were glad to have it.  One of our associate members (who is also a USCGAux
member) began writing boating safety articles with a by-line at the bottom
touting our classes.  Boaters and prospective boaters read the articles and
are learning who we are and what we're about.
 
2.  One of our members took on the challenge of producing a brochure,
specific to our squadron, and our area.  He identified over 50 boating
stores, outdoor stores, boat dealers, marinas, etc. in the area.  We
approached each of them asking them it distribute our brochures.  When they
agreed, we assigned that store to one of our members in their area to keep
the store stocked with brochures, flyers, etc.  In most places they're in a
rack with other brochures, but that's OK--they're reaching people who didn't
know about us.  One of our members works at one of the stores and actively
pushes the brochure on customers that he thinks need it (new boat owners,
etc.)
 
3.  Another member approached a Boaters World store about teaching 2-hour
seminars (before national started producing them).  He wrote four
presentations in Power Point, borrowed one of the squadron projectors and
does 1-2 seminars each month.  In that effort alone, we've gleaned 6-8 new
members.  We're wanting to expand the effort to the other boating stores,
boat dealers, etc. in the area, and the new seminars from national will be a
great resource in doing that.
 
4.  We moved from teaching Boat Smart in three sessions on weekday evenings
to teaching an intensive, all-day program on Saturdays in a picnic shelter
at one of the local marinas.  We provide pizza and drinks for lunch, and
many of our members attend to make it almost a family atmosphere.  The
marina publicizes it widely, but we also put 11x17 posters in the 50+ stores
that I mentioned above.  We also schedule a raft-up afterward and ask the
students to go with us, either on one of our boats or their own.
 
5.  We take every opportunity to push the squadron and what we're about.
Most of us carry spare flyers in our cars and boats--you never know when you
end up in a conversation about boats with someone.  I was in a doctors
office the other day and the doctor saw that I was studying for my Captains
license.  He commented that he had just bought a runabout...I immediately
got him a flyer and he's now signed up for Boat Smart.
 
6.  In the same vein, we made a 4'x20' banner with our name and contact info
on it.  Actually, it says in big red letters, "Atlanta's Boating Club" and
in smaller print our actual squadron name--people who don't know who we are
are confused by what a "power squadron" is, but they understand the big red
letters.  We make sure the banner goes with us everywhere--it's across the
end of a dock where we overnight on trips, it's across the picnic shelter,
it's even strung across the bows of boats at a raft-up.  We want people to
know who those people over there having fun together are.
 
You're right, Tom, sitting back complaining about local exposure doesn't
solve the problem.  It takes pro-active people and ideas, energy and
enthusiasm, and most of all commitment.  National can't do it all for us.
While some national-level advertising would help, people won't beat a path
to your door for the mousetrap if they don't know that you make mousetraps.
There are some inexpensive things that we could do on a national level that
would help:
 
    We were lucky enough to have an associate member who could write
publication quality news articles for us; buy why should he have to?  And
what about the squadrons who don't have a professional writer on staff?  A
national library of publication-quality news articles could be used by every
squadron as a resource--all the squadron would have to do is find a
newspaper willing to publish them.  We have the material in our courses--all
we need to do is distill it into a series of articles.
 
    The same for a national resource of production-ready Public Service
Announcements.  A CD of 15- and 30-second spots about various boating safety
issues that conclude with "Produced and provided by your local boating club,
a member of the United States Power Squadrons, the nation's largest
recreational boating and educational club.  One spot about having your
12-and under wearing lifejackets, another on carbon monoxide, another on bow
riding, another on a single aspect of right-of-way, etc.  Many radio and TV
stations are willing to show PSAs if they don't have to do any work to
produce them.  In fact many are required to play a certain number of PSAs
each week.
 
    This rant has gone on long enough--you get the idea.  Tom and D-19 have
taken action.  Atlanta took action.  Many of our members are retired
business owners.  They know how to market and how to sell.  We need to use
their expertise and ideas and take action.
 
Congratulations and cheers, Tom.
 
Jeff Wise
P/C Atlanta
 
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