Steve_Cony
Novice
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Nov 13, 2008, 8:48 AM
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What Summer Camp Can Learn from the Obama Camp
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Sen. Clinton said "Experience." Sen. Obama said "Change." Then Sen. Clinton said "Countdown to change." Sen. Obama said “Change." Next Sen. Clinton tried "Solutions for America." Sen. Obama repeated "Change."
Sen. Obama won his party's nomination.
Sen. McCain vacillated, from "Conservative" to "Maverick" to "Hero" to "Straight Talker" to "Commander" to "Across-the-Aisle Handshaker" to "Experienced Leader" to "Patriot." Sen. Obama said "Change," and the rest is certainly history.
Sen. Obama had a better marketing strategy. His campaign settled on one simple, compelling concept and never wavered.
There are only three principles behind good marketing: distinctiveness, relevance and consistency. Find something that grabs attention, make sure it is what people perceive as valuable, and then say it again and again. That is, indeed, the definition of a Bigger Idea. And too few camps have one.
Today's relentless flood of marketing messages requires the savvy advertiser to cut through with clarity and with endless repetition. Most camp decisions involve consideration of multiple options. Thus, your camp is not reviewed in a vacuum and you must stand out versus the others. Once your camp is included in the consideration process, each of your messages -- web site, brochure, video, direct mail, phone calls, home visits -- must reinforce your other messages.
If you are moving around between "mature, caring, professional staff" and "lifelong friendships" and "building physical skills," you are not only missing the opportunity to carve out a memorable niche for your camp -- you are promoting your competitors'. They're all saying those things, too.
OK, maybe your camp does not own equipment or do programming that would be seen as undeniably unique. Maybe you do not have a 2,000-foot-high climbing wall. Perhaps your trips program does not include five national parks in one long weekend. If yours is a solid and tradition-based program that does not mean that you revert back to "mature, caring, professional staff" or "lifelong friendships" or "building physical skills."
Cola marketers sell remarkably similar products. While Pepsi-Cola burned through 14 tag lines between 1975 and 2004, Coca-Cola called itself "The real thing." Now, try to recall almost any of those Pepsi lines. The lesson here: Even if your product itself is not remarkably unique, distinctiveness can be built by how you talk about that product.
Our current economic conditions require us to -- more than ever -- lock in on a Bigger Idea, and then stick with it. The more tightly that consumers hold on to their wallets, the more is required to get them to make even the vitally important purchases like summer camp for their children. If there were ever a time to sharpen your marketing message, it is now.
On November 4, the country made an important purchase decision in the voting booth. It was a historic day for American politics -- and for marketing. To prosper over the next couple of years, now is the time to find your version of "Change."
Steve Cony is a marketing consultant who assists camps with their marketing communications strategies and then moves on to fully develop Web sites, brochures, videos, direct mail campaigns, camp fair displays and more. He may be reached at 914-271-8482.
Visit Steve Cony's website: BiggerIdea.com
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(This post was edited by Steve_Cony on Nov 13, 2008, 10:49 AM)
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