Publish or Perish!

Publicizing your Scouting unit

Why bother?• Brand image of Scouting (recruitment & retention)

– Letting the public know Scouting is alive and well– Letting them know what Scouting is all about– Tell them about all the positive things Scouts are doing—

Service Projects, Community activities, Pinewood Derbies, Camping, High Adventures, earning Eagle…

• Pride in your unit’s accomplishments (recruitment & retention)

• Raise the bar & spread best practices Scouting (recruitment & retention)

• In other words Scouting NEEDS you to publicize!

dissuaders• Time & volunteers

– (well-worn topic not for today!)• Knowledge

– (that’s what we’re here for!)• Red tape

Red tape• Talent release forms (medical form part B)

– Need to track the “no” responses and cross reference to photos!• BSA guidance internet safety:

– Guide to Safe Scouting (under Youth Protection): “Do not give anyone online your real last name, phone numbers at home or school, your parents’ workplaces, or the name or location of your school or home address unless you have your parents’ permission first.”

The knowledge…• Linda Hogan - Cable TV Advertising

Associates, Inc.– “10 ways to market your unit”

• Barbara Rybolt – Independent Press – “Photos – the good, the bad & the

ugly”• Howard Lee – Troop 368

– “Writing for attention (so someone might actually read it)”

Spacer…• Yes this slide has been intentionally left

blank

Writing FOR ATTENTION

!(so someone might actually

read it)

What are we trying to achieve?

• COMMUNICATION• If it isn’t published nobody will notice it

– Channels for publicity (handout)• If it isn’t noticed nobody will read it

– Make it eye-catching (photo, headline)• If nobody reads it nothing is communicated

– First line should raise interest– Less is more – Key info only

Channels• Handout has details• Independent Press

– Online version nj.com• Star Ledger “Scoutpost”

– Online version nj.com• Patch (online)• Alternative Press (online)• Courier News

– Online version mycentraljersey.com • Local TV• Town/School/Church Noticeboard• Do more than 1!• Leave plenty of lead time

Alternative Press

patch

Follow on-screen directions

Getting noticed• Photo

– Can’t stress this enough!• Suggest catchy headline

– Paper/website likely to change it, but doesn’t hurt to suggest

– Find an angle– Action words

Getting read• What do you want to communicate?

– Recruitment• Parents show up here, at this time• WHY should you sign up?

– Pinewood Derby• Look what our kids achieved!• Look how much fun/creativity!• You could have some of this if you joined!

Getting read• What do you want to communicate?

– Service project• Scouting values, contributing to community

– Eagle• Prestige of award• Leadership, project management experience• Valuable in college/career applications

– Campout/High Adventure• Look what fun our Scouts had!

• Subtext = You could get some of this good stuff if you joined Scouts!

Getting read – HOW TO• First line is key – people will want to read on• Action words• Less is more – what is your key point?• No Scouter Jargon• Basics – grammar, spelling, punctuation• 5Ws – Who What When How Why• Always include:

– Scouting talking points (to explain what Scouting is)– More information at…

• beAscout.org• Your unit website• Phone number (for recruitment and similar)• Email/phone of author for editor follow up questions if any

First line• Use a quote - “We’ve had to move some of the

towns because we don’t want to lose any Scouts in snow drifts!” said Joe Bloggs, organizer of this year’s Boy Scout Klondike Derby.(Klondike Derby)

• “Westfield’s own Boy Scout Troop 72 lived up to the Boy Scout Slogan: “Do A Good Turn Daily” by saving the Watchung Mountain District Pinewood Derby Race this year.” (District PWD)

• Cub Scouts of Pack 368 Blasted off their Spring program on Friday, April 30. (accompanied by rocket launch photo)

First line (2)• Josh Tankel is approaching his birthday, and

when planning began for his birthday party, he decided he wanted a bigger event—one that could welcome nearly the whole town.

• "For my Mitzvah project, I am going to throw an un-birthday party," Josh said. "An un-birthday party is like a birthday party but it is really not celebrating anyone's particular birthday.“– Credit: patch.com

action wordsAccomplishedAchievedBlazedBuilt CollectedCompletedConceivedConductedCoordinatedCounseledCreatedDelegatedDemonstratedDevelopedDirectedDistributedDocumented EarnedEstablishedExpandedFacilitated

FoundGainedGatheredGeneratedGraduated HandledImplementedImprovedInitiatedInnovatedInstalledInstructedInterviewedIntroducedInventedLaunchedLed MaintainedManagedMasteredModernized

Motivated OperatedOptimizedOriginatedOrchestratedOrganizedOversaw ParticipatedPerformedPinpointedPlannedPreparedPresentedProducedProgrammedProvedProvidedRecordedRecruitedReducedReinforced

RepresentedResearchedRevampedReviewedRevisedRevitalized SavedScheduledScreenedServed Set upSimplifiedSolvedSteeredSupervisedSupportedTaughtTestedTrainedWon

You get the idea – they add interest

Key point• What is your 1 key point?• Deliver information from the most to least

important

Greater New York Councils

No Scouter Jargon• Klondike Derby, Camporee, Winteree, Totin-Chip,

Webelos, Akela, Watchu experience, Operation Zero…• Nonsense words to general public• Pack/Troop/Den/Patrol/Crew/Venturer -confusing• Avoid or explain in plain words, eg

– “Hundreds of warmly-dressed Boy Scouts converged on the Watchung Reservation to take place in the snowiest Klondike Derby anyone can remember. The event, in which Boy Scout patrols drag sleds loaded with equipment and supplies from “town” to “town” in search of gold, is an annual tradition for the Watchung Mountain District of the Patriots’ Path Council of Boy Scouts”

Scouting points• “Cub Scouts provides a boy-friendly program of character-

building and citizenship for boys in grades 1 to 5”• “Cub Scouts is open to boys in grades 1 to 5 and offers a

unique fun-filled program of character development, citizenship, environmental stewardship, and personal fitness”

• “Cub Scouts is a values-based program that has been thrilling boys aged 6-10 for over 80 years. Parents and Cub Scout leaders deliver a program of fun activities and “go-see-its” which gradually teaches boys life skills like communication, self-reliance, tool skills, first aid, nutrition, citizenship, community service and working cooperatively. With the motto “Do Your Best!” Cub Scouts emphasizes character development in a unique, positive program”

Cub Scout samples

Scouting points• The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest

and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness. (scouting.org)

• For over a century, Boy Scouts of America has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through over a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society. (scouting.org)

Boy Scout samples

Scouting points• “Boy Scouts is an unparalleled adventure program that

teaches team-building, motivation, delegation, problem-solving, communication and other leadership skills. Men who were Scouts often credit Scouting with setting them on the right path to college and their careers”

• “Boy Scouts is a ‘leadership lab’ where boys learn successful habits of leadership and self-reliance they can call upon as men”

Boy Scout samples

Submitting via email• Use the contact details on handout• Cut and paste your text directly into the

body of the e-mail and attach photographs in color as jpg with caption information in email.

• Include a daytime phone number & email in case editors have follow-up questions.

Just Do It!• Don’t stress - Just write!• Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the

good!• Don’t be too discouraged/angry if an

article isn’t printed, try, try again.• Don’t hide Scouting’s “light” under a

bushel!

handouts• Local area media outlets/contact details• Sample press release• Greater New York Councils press release guide

– Checkout their website: – http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/

vieworgpagelink.aspx?orgkey=1161&linkkey=48175• Cub Scout recruitment press release template• Today’s talks

Q&A (the end)• Thanks for coming – now spread the word

about Scouting!