10 Easy Ways to Market Your Unit

1. 10 Easy Ways to Market Your Unit That are free or close to it! Presented by Linda Hogan Lindanhogan@msn.com

2. Introduction: In our new paperless world sending out the traditional flyer through the local schools is no longer a viable option. It takes more creativity to attract new Scouts to your unit. Here are some quick ideas on alternate ways to market your unit that are either free or close to it.

3. USE YOUR SCOUTS • The best marketing source you have are your existing Scouts. Have them recruit their friends, invite them to meetings and offer the boys incentives to do it. • Have your Scouts read an announcement in the morning at school. • Ex: Good Morning ________ school my name is _____________ and I’m a ______ Scout with Pack/Troop __. If you would like to sleep on a battleship, go camping or hiking you should join Scouts on ______ at _______. • Have everyone in your unit pitch a tent in the front yard to promote the recruitment night and put one up in front of your meeting place. • Have all of your current Scouts wear their uniforms to school that day. • Council will provide you with BE A Scout yard signs for free to place around town as well. For a small fee you can print up flyers from council or make up business cards with your information. This way the boys can hand them to recruits that are interested.

4. GO TO THE CLASSROOM • A lot of schools will let you come into the school and do a short presentation during lunch. You may also be able to go to the individual classrooms. Once you get the boys excited the parents will follow. Your unit commissioner can also do this for you as long as you set up a time and date.

5. SEND AN INVITATION • Your school system may have a directory that parents can opt to have their contact information in. Send a letter to those families directly. Once you take out any grades that don’t apply and all the girls it’s not as hard as you think. The post office will let you bulk mail it and you can send to the same list the following year. Don’t forget any private schools in your area. • This can be really helpful if you are light at a particular level. Maybe you need Bears and only want to mail to the 3rd grade students. • Also send a thank you letter and your current calendar to anyone that does come to your meetings to check you out. They may not join the first year but join at a later time. Sometimes they come in after Football season is over which is plenty of time to make up any requirements.

6. BULLETIN BOARDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY • As you drive around your town there are most likely community bulletin boards. These are great ways to market your unit for free. Check with your Recreation Dept. or town council for information. Sometimes you may see a company name at the top and that is your contact for that particular board.

7. BULLETIN BOARDS AT YOUR LIBRARY • Electronic bulletin boards are more and more common in libraries and public buildings. If you make up a simple flyer and e-mail it to the library they will usually post it for you for free. • Use the same flyer for an electronic bulletin board at your local school.

8. USE YOUR CABLE COMPANY • Call your local cable operator. In NJ it’s most likely Cablevision, Comcast, Verizon Fios, Time Warner or Service Electric. • Ask for the Community Bulletin board. They will broadcast your events for you for free and once you establish contact with them it’s very easy to change your info monthly.

9. USE YOUR LOCAL RADIO • Your local radio stations all have a community bulletin board available online and sometimes on air. This is also free. • If you have a website for your unit they will link from the radio station page right back to your website. • Ask your local radio station to come and cover an event for you.

10. LOCAL & REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS • Your camera should go with you everywhere. Take action shots of your Scouts and send in simple press releases. Keep the articles short and the pictures fun. It can even be info with just your den’s or unit trips. • Use the around town section to your advantage. Promote not only your unit events but your weekly or monthly meetings. • Make sure you always include contact information regarding joining your unit in everything you send in.

11. DO A GOOD TURN DAILY • One of the things units forget to promote are all the good works that we do for our community. Make sure that you get pictures of your food drives and civic events published in the local paper. It reminds your community that Scouting is not only a great organization but it gives back as well.

12. MARCH IN A PARADE • Anytime that you can put your unit in front of a large group of people you should. Your local parade or community events are great ways to do that. • If your town has a day when Santa or the Easter Bunny comes to town volunteer to collect food or help out. Exposure to the community is a great way to recruit new Scouts.

13. BONUS IDEA, YOUR CHARTERING ORGANIZATION • Make sure you’re listed in any bulletins that your chartering organizations have. • Join them for Scout Sunday or New Membership drives if they are a religious organization. It gives you more exposure and also shows their members that they support scouting. • Have a link from their website to yours.