Sound ideas.A consistent challenge in marketing summer camps is finding new and exciting ways to attract significant attention to your camp's message. Camp marketing packages almost always involve two primary tools, the brochure and the video. Over the past several years, many camps have added a web site as a third significant technique to reach prospective families. Some camps also rely on direct mail. However, when you want to add a unique strategy to your package, consider the audiocassette. The cassette A removable magnetic tape storage module that contains supply and takeup reels (hubs) in the same housing. Most audio tapes and videotapes use cassettes as well as backup tape technologies such as DAT, 8mm and Magstar MP (see below). remains a strong conveyor Conveyor A horizontal, inclined, declined, or vertical machine for moving or transporting bulk materials, packages, or objects in a path predetermined by the design of the device and having points of loading and discharge fixed or selective. of the spoken word. If you add an audiocassette to your marketing package, the uniqueness of the medium itself will set your camp apart from competitors. In addition, this surprisingly cost-effective cost-effective, n the minimal expenditure of dollars, time, and other elements necessary to achieve the health care result deemed necessary and appropriate. item can help solve the common marketing problems that many camps face. Testimonials Parents rely on the sincere referrals of other parents, and children respond positively to hearing other children's affirmations about their camp experiences. Because not all parents and children personally know members of your current or recent camp families, you can help bridge the gap by recording testimonial statements and offering an audiocassette of glowing praise for your camp with your brochure. Post-tour Follow-up Most camps encourage prospects to tour the facilities. Unfortunately, tours often take place out of season when camp is desolate and devoid de·void adj. Completely lacking; destitute or empty: a novel devoid of wit and inventiveness. [Middle English, past participle of devoiden, of all the sights and sounds that can help close the sale. A cassette filled with the sounds of camp can provide needed enhancement. Negativity Neutralization neutralization, chemical reaction, according to the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases, in which a water solution of acid is mixed with a water solution of base to form a salt and water; this reaction is complete only if the resulting solution has neither acidic nor Consumers have a natural tendency to want to find fault. Many camp directors believe that the ride home after a camp tour gives family members a timely opportunity to recount the isolated negatives that they might be feeling. Since most cars have cassette players, tapes can be given as souvenirs of the visit, and families can be encouraged to listen to one more creative and supportive message on the way home - at the very moment when they would otherwise be inclined to criticize crit·i·cize v. crit·i·cized, crit·i·ciz·ing, crit·i·ciz·es v.tr. 1. To find fault with: criticized the decision as unrealistic. See Usage Note at critique. your camp and program. Guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. for Producing Your Camp's Audiocassette Producing a professional-sounding audiocassette is not for the uninitiated un·in·i·ti·at·ed adj. Not knowledgeable or skilled; inexperienced. n. An uninformed, unskilled, or inexperienced person or group of people. . But if you or your staff members have had experience with recording, the following guidelines are suggested to help you add this new medium to your package without excessive effort or expense: * Use high-quality recording equipment. There is no substitute for capturing quality sound, and you need a good quality portable recording device to do it. * Take control of interviews. When you go for effective testimonials, do not be afraid to ask respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. to say it one more time. Coach them about the things you might have heard them say before and record multiple versions of their statements for later editing. * Make sure to record enough information for efficient editing. For a superior finished product, you will need to be able to choose from various statements and various expressions of those statements. * Review your recordings to confirm you set the volume controls correctly. Listen for clarity and expression. If you aren't pleased and if the speaker is still available, do not hesitate to re-record. * Watch carefully for excessive background noise. Do not hesitate to bring an important respondent In Equity practice, the party who answers a bill or other proceeding in equity. The party against whom an appeal or motion, an application for a court order, is instituted and who is required to answer in order to protect his or her interests. into the quiet atmosphere of a cabin or your office. * Use camp songs and cheers as excellent sound effects sound effects Noun, pl sounds artificially produced to make a play, esp. a radio play, more realistic sound effects npl → efectos mpl sonoros . You will be delighted with the real sound of your camp, as long as you remember to capture it while it is happening. * Rely on a professional to help you edit and prepare the master tape. Check the Yellow Pages in your local telephone book under the subject Recording Service - Sound and Video. These studios can edit your tapes and then add music and sound effects to give the tape a professional image. Make sure the service specializes in recording and editing of spoken-word tapes rather than music. * Order a large quantity of copies of your tape from a professional duplicating service. The professional recording service can recommend a duplicator who will make your tapes sound and look very professional. The duplicator adds a label to each tape, either on paper or by printing directly on the tape cassette See cassette and audio cassette. . You have several options as well, including color labels, foil labels, various types of cassette boxes, and shrink shrink Vox populi noun A psychiatrist wrapping of each boxed cassette. A Valuable Staff Recruitment Tool A recruitment tool is an advertising method that aids in creating interest in and getting people for a typically political organization. The term can not properly be applied to commercial advertising. In a marketplace where camp directors find staff recruiting more difficult every year, the audiocassette can serve as a powerful recruitment tool. Young adults and high school students still view cassettes as one of their favorite media. A cassette featuring interviews with your staffers can be an excellent give-away item at college summer job fairs. Have a select group of counselors and specialists talk about the personal rewards of camp employment, and make sure they emphasize the belief that their summer experience at your camp will serve them well in their upcoming job searches and career. Consider adding this unique communications tool to your marketing program, and you will be surprised at how efficiently you can tackle your camp's marketing problems. You will come to recognize the audiocassette as a very sound idea. Case Studies in Neutralizing Negativity Putting Fears to Rest The owner of a day camp in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, ran a tight transportation program. His training of bus drivers was extensive and effective. However, families would attend open houses and then immediately drive down a winding canyon road, all the while thinking about their children being bused by people whom they perceived to be young and inexperienced in·ex·pe·ri·ence n. 1. Lack of experience. 2. Lack of the knowledge gained from experience. in college kids. The camp owner produced an audiocassette that ran for six minutes, the approximate length of the canyon drive. As families left the open houses, they were handed cassettes and told, "Your tour isn't quite over. Be sure to listen to this when you get in the car." As you can guess, the message reinforced the safety, security, and fun of the day camp bus trips. Listeners were told all about the driver training program and the vehicle maintenance standards. The tape included a camp chorus singing bus songs, too. The Power of Testimony Another promotion-oriented camp uses its own audiocassette to put a productive spin on the American Camping Association's "World of Good" message. The owners acted as narrators, talking convincingly about the positive values of the summer experience at their camp. Then several articulate articulate /ar·tic·u·late/ (ahr-tik´u-lat) 1. to pronounce clearly and distinctly. 2. to make speech sounds by manipulation of the vocal organs. 3. to express in coherent verbal form. 4. camp parents were interviewed as a group. They made an important point: the final camp decision is too important to be handed over to the young child. Instead, the parents talked about how they guided their children toward choosing the camp - and how glad they were that they did so. Steve Cony is a marketing consultant who assists children's camps with the development of strategic plans anti the execution of marketing materials. Camp directors may contact him at 914-271-8482. |
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