Market your branch and recruit new members!

[BSACHQ]

Meeting the demand from branches, the BSAC have produced a unique resource on basic marketing philosophy and a step-by-step guide. The pack is complete with great ideas on promoting scuba diving and recruiting more members to our sport and is sure to enthuse readers and provoke creative thinking.
Following the survey in 2003, members told the BSAC that:
They need more support from BSAC particularly with help in how to 'market' their branch and need to learn how to retain existing members
So here it is, available from August 25th, the BSAC Branch Marketing Pack. ? The pack is a result of hard work by BSAC members, from branches through to HQ, Image Wizard, the BSAC?s PR experts and co-ordinated by the BSAC Council Communications Team.
It is hoped that branches will find it useful in making promotion effective and easy, attract more members and retain their members longer.
This pack is provided free of charge on request to all branches of the BSAC.
This is only the start. Regular updates will be available.
To receive your copy, call 0151 350 6221 ? now! Or email on <a href="mailto:maryt@bsac.com">maryt@bsac.com</a>. Over 400 have been ordered already

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

I hope that one of these is going out to Council Mary ? I haven?t seen the finished version yet :-) But from what I?ve seen so far and the work that has gone into this IT IS VERY GOOD INDEED and I don?t think that there?s a branch out there that wont gain a little something from it. It?s all in there - guides, help, advice, strategies, ideas, support? things that have actually worked in real branches collated into one place for everybody to share. This is a recommended read for every branch!

Keith L

[john williams]

...will they all be getting one to show to their branches when conducting Branch Visits?

Something as important as this should be out there and being used to promote the BSAC and not stuck on the shelf either at HQ or in the Branch Committee Room!

This is the sort of stuff we should be USING!

John

[Neil R]

If this is as good as Keith says why not make this info on the website .

[PeteM]

If this is as good as Keith says why not make this info on the website .

One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

[Nigel Hewitt]

&gt; One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

What competitors? I thought that if it was pro-diving BSAC supported it.

nigelH

[PeteM]

:=&gt; One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

What competitors? I thought that if it was pro-diving BSAC supported it.

nigelH

We are talking about marketing materials for branches not for BSAC as the governing body, and believe me as chairman of our branch we *are* in competition.

Pete

[David Walker]

We are talking about marketing materials for branches not for BSAC as the governing body, and believe me as chairman of our branch we *are* in competition.

With who? Our club is mostly in competition with different sports like sky diving or sailing, and I can't see any of them caring too much about what we do. Other BSAC clubs get the same information, so no need to hide it just because of them. PADI schools are in competition, but different markets and nothing about the availability of BSAC marketing information would really reduce our attractiveness - PADI and BSAC are aimed at basically different markets.

I suppose i'll see it all soon enough anyway - I sent the little form back they sent me so hopefully it'll arrive in my letter box as soon as its available. :O)

David

[edward haynes]

I suppose we are in competition with the SAA, and in Scotland the SSAC. Do we want the money (our membership fees) spend developing this material to increase their numbers.

I think there are times we work together and times we don't.

Edward

With who? Our club is mostly in competition with different sports like sky diving or sailing, and I can't see any of them caring too much about what we do. Other BSAC clubs get the same information, so no need to hide it just because of them. PADI schools are in competition, but different markets and nothing about the availability of BSAC marketing information would really reduce our attractiveness - PADI and BSAC are aimed at basically different markets.

I suppose i'll see it all soon enough anyway - I sent the little form back they sent me so hopefully it'll arrive in my letter box as soon as its available. :O)

David

[Khaled Alwassia]

I think that brings up the topic of a members only area. Possibly even a Branch officers only area where this material should be posted.
That would as well reduce the production cost (Ok, it may be only a few silver pieces for a CD) but definetealy the distrubution cost should be considered.

My Grandpa always said

"Lots of small live stock make as well as lot of S**T."

Now a real new idea what about including it in the Instructor manual / CD? And adding some deicated time during the instructor course?.

Well that is all just some storm braining.

Have all fun diving.

Khaled

[will swift]

:=If this is as good as Keith says why not make this info on the website .

One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

Like no one will ever distribute this material to the other agencies. Buy 'The Business of Diving' and see how PADI do it.

The benefit from all members being able to see this is more important than trying to stop 'competitors' from getting a copy - that will happen anyway.

Come on BSAC put it on the web - even in a member's area if you must.

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

Hi All

Thanks very much for the comments! All noted, we?ve already actioned some. We?ve decided that this isn?t going on the web as yet, there?s several reasons for that the primary one being that I haven?t got my act together on the members only section yet. I know, it?s on my ?ToDo?, that one?s my fault. Also it would be a HUGE document and whatever printer you?ve got it wont do justice to it, they?re coming back from our printers next Wednesday I?ve been told.

We?ve put up an online request form, see the link I?ve provided, the online form is for branch officers (yes, we will check!). There?s nothing top secret or anything in any of this but it is specifically designed for our branches and we want them to get the full benefit from it before we make it public domain, it?s something that we?ve done for our members and we want them to see it first.

Regional coaches ? you will be sent a copy anyway, we want you to have one to hand. Area Coaches ? on request, ask Mary, any Area Coach who wants a copy only has to ask. You folks are probably going to see the finished version before I do, Mary?s bringing them to the Council meeting on 4th September and I wont get my copy until then :-)

Keep the comments coming!

Kind Regards

Keith L

[Steve Walker]

Hi All

Thanks very much for the comments! All noted, we?ve already actioned some. We?ve decided that this isn?t going on the web as yet


In the meantime, there were some very constructive and erudite suggestions, in respect of better branch marketing, posted recently by a "lost" potential member.
<a href="http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/genforum/posts/5887.html" >http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/genforum/posts/5887.html</a>

[David Walker]

Just got mine this morning - looks good.
Haven't had time to have a proper look though yet, but looks like some good info in there. Having done some marketing at degree level some of the bits I already know about and are just reminders of what I already know, but I imagine a lot of that stuff will be really good for those without a business background. There were a lot of bits of good advice though, looks like it'll give some good ideas to try - nothing radical, but its things that I wouldn't have thought to bother with before (ie something very very simple like a leaflet about the club).
Overall, looks very useful - worthwhile project, well done!

One little thing - if we're going to make promotional material, it'd obviously be good to be able to put the BSAC logo on, yet there aren't any good quality ones available. There's a few on a clipart page on the website, but they're small and mostly 'non-standard', ie you wouldn't recognise them as being BSAC logo's but instead just something someone's written that happens to have 'BSAC' in it. I'm thinking mainly the 'neptune' logo, if we could have a large version of that made available that'd be really good.

Cheers

David

[BSACHQ]

There are neptune files in EPS (Encapsulated Post Script) format readily available from BSAC HQ if you ever require them as artwork for your branch promotional material.

Please email me a request at <a href="mailto:maryt@bsac.com">maryt@bsac.com</a> if you would like one sent to you.

Mary Tetley
BSAC Operations Manager

[Alan Taylor]

:=If this is as good as Keith says why not make this info on the website .

One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

Who's That then?

[Alan Taylor]

I think that brings up the topic of a members only area. Possibly even a Branch officers only area where this material should be posted.
That would as well reduce the production cost (Ok, it may be only a few silver pieces for a CD) but definetealy the distrubution cost should be considered.

My Grandpa always said

"Lots of small live stock make as well as lot of S**T."

Now a real new idea what about including it in the Instructor manual / CD? And adding some deicated time during
the instructor course?.

Me thinks this marketing comes into the branch secretary area of responsebility, aided by all members of course, rather than adding it to the IM you don't have to be an instructor to sell on the market and not all instructors make market traders.

Keep on BSAC Divin'
Alan

Well that is all just some storm braining.

Have all fun diving.

Khaled

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

:=One reason is if it is good we don't want it pinched by our competitors

Who's That then?

Virtually EVERYBODY! We are in competition with virtually every influence in modern society and to survive in that society we need to get people to give us some of that most precious resource - their time. That is what all of this is about, it's not just about diving, this is what you have to do nowadays to survive.

Think wider than just diving Alan.

Keith L