[Psml] What's in a name? -- Boating School & Club!

[RichTerry at aol.com]

John,
 
Good points regarding the school name as not the right name. Also the  
remarks about who we are and what we do are certainly an area we need to refine  as 
you stated. relationships are what drives business and we are no different in  
that aspect. However, as we have stated many times in the past 10 years that 
I  have been associated with the this group, many many people have no idea who 
we  are how we stated and what we do. Even some USCG personal do not 
recognized the  USPS Ensign. With that said, what is required to do the proper market 
study and  get our organization recognized?
 
P/C Richard J. Terry, JN 
Great Blue Hill Sail & Power
D12
 
 

 
 
In a message dated 4/20/2008 5:43:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
twojscom at quadnet.net writes:

Rich and  list,

There are lots of Captains License Schools who promote their  products  
at the boat shows.  I really do not think that USPS  would be well  
served to compete with them.  Why, because we go  far beyond what they  
offer for those who want a USCG 6-pack  license.  Also because holders  
of a USCG License are held to a  higher standard and in many cases  
their boat insurance is increased  as a result of their "professional  
status".

I am also  personally opposed to the USPS UNIVERSITY Seminar Series  
name which  denotes that this excellent lecture series is of "college  
or  university level learning" and not for the "average middle class   
boater" who joins their local Yacht Club for boating  friendships.   
That said, my wife Judy and I have contributed to  both  the USPS  
University  "Trailering Your Boat" and  "Inland Boating / Navigation"  
seminars to be released in the near  future as well as writing and  
producing our "Locking Through" lesson  for the USPS Cruise Planning  
Course.

The problem that USPS is  having as you will learn from this thread  
which is brought up every  couple of years is simply this:

United States Power Squadrons does not  know what they are are or what  
they want to be.  Marketing a  product which has no clear use or  
benefit is virtually an impossible  task.  Before we can begin to come  
up with a "modern name that  the public will understand and accept" we  
must first define who we  are, who we want to be -- or become; define  
our mission; our vision  for the future.  Then and only then, can we  
properly define our  target audience and who are potential customers /  
members  are.

Presently, USPS does no National advertising or Marketing   
Communications, but instead relies on the "Power of One" which  simply  
put means "Word of Mouth Advertising" -- this means that  there are  
more than 50,000 different views of what USPS is all about  -- no  
wonder the public is confused with that many conflicting  messages  
being told - some new and some very old!

If you ask  any of your Life Members, many whom have gotten out of  
boating  because of advanced age, why they remained in the Squadrons  
and  ACTIVE for so long, you will hear from many, like myself, that  
the  primary reason is simply FRIENDSHIPS.  A great many of my best   
friends are Power Squadron members who I believe would think less of   
me if I didn't renew my membership and remain active.

Bottom Line  -- if you want to increase membership, the name of the  
organization  is not nearly as important as are the Friendships  
Developed between  members - work on that!

D/Lt John R. Gill, AP
Pennsway Power  Squadron, D/5
a Life Member and
Ch/Mem/Com, Ch/VSC, Ch/ABC,  Ch/CP

Members of the Orillia Power Squadron, CPS-ECP
America's Great  Loop Cruisers Association -  LOOPERS

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