Ran across this little video produced by the British Gliding Association (BGA).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=UHr2Hxk-E8Q&feature=share
Wouldn't it be nice if the SSA produced a similar video which could then be linked on club websites?

Uli
'AS'

On Monday, June 20, 2022 at 11:14:52 AM UTC-4, AS wrote:
> Ran across this little video produced by the British Gliding Association (BGA).
> https://youtube.com/watch?v=UHr2Hxk-E8Q&feature=share
> Wouldn't it be nice if the SSA produced a similar video which could then be linked on club websites?
>
> Uli
> 'AS'
IMO, from a marketing and customer/prospect/public engagement perspective the SSA doesn't know what it doesn't know. There is no senior leadership at either the staff or board level whose core professional competence and career achievement is a strong track record in marketing and engagement (let alone in the sub-speciality of non-profit recreation).

Without senior leadership that has these skills and priorities (which would indeed require a real sea change in the SSA leadership) I fear it will remain the current disorganized mess. I remain astounded that the first thing shown on the home page to new visitors is a glider doing a loop, which at best is misleading about our sport and at worst sets the stage for irresponsible behavior down the road.

On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 04:53:53 -0700 (PDT), John Godfrey wrote:

> On Monday, June 20, 2022 at 11:14:52 AM UTC-4, AS wrote:
>> Ran across this little video produced by the British Gliding
>> Association (BGA).
>> https://youtube.com/watch?v=UHr2Hxk-E8Q&feature=share Wouldn't it be
>> nice if the SSA produced a similar video which could then be linked on
>> club websites?
>>
>> Uli 'AS'
> IMO, from a marketing and customer/prospect/public engagement
> perspective the SSA doesn't know what it doesn't know. There is no
> senior leadership at either the staff or board level whose core
> professional competence and career achievement is a strong track record
> in marketing and engagement (let alone in the sub-speciality of
> non-profit recreation).
>
> Without senior leadership that has these skills and priorities (which
> would indeed require a real sea change in the SSA leadership) I fear it
> will remain the current disorganized mess. I remain astounded that the
> first thing shown on the home page to new visitors is a glider doing a
> loop, which at best is misleading about our sport and at worst sets the
> stage for irresponsible behavior down the road.

Maybe somebody at SSA (or outside it?) should talk to the BGA to find out
how those UK gliding videos were made. IIRC they didn't cost an arm and a
leg because they were the result of collaboration with a young
professional or student film production group as well as being sponsored
by both individuals and gliding-related businesses. A book was also
produced along with the videos.

IOW, the BGA approach could be replicated in the USA.

It may also be useful to contact the AMA at Muncie (the model flying AMA,
not the medical one!) since they seem to be pretty much on the ball when
it comes to publicity. They publish an excellent magazine, support Special
Interest Groups, have a museum and run well-attended competitions at their
Muncie flying site.

--

Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 9:04:51 AM UTC-4, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Jun 2022 04:53:53 -0700 (PDT), John Godfrey wrote:
>
> > On Monday, June 20, 2022 at 11:14:52 AM UTC-4, AS wrote:
> >> Ran across this little video produced by the British Gliding
> >> Association (BGA).
> >> https://youtube.com/watch?v=UHr2Hxk-E8Q&feature=share Wouldn't it be
> >> nice if the SSA produced a similar video which could then be linked on
> >> club websites?
> >>
> >> Uli 'AS'
> > IMO, from a marketing and customer/prospect/public engagement
> > perspective the SSA doesn't know what it doesn't know. There is no
> > senior leadership at either the staff or board level whose core
> > professional competence and career achievement is a strong track record
> > in marketing and engagement (let alone in the sub-speciality of
> > non-profit recreation).
> >
> > Without senior leadership that has these skills and priorities (which
> > would indeed require a real sea change in the SSA leadership) I fear it
> > will remain the current disorganized mess. I remain astounded that the
> > first thing shown on the home page to new visitors is a glider doing a
> > loop, which at best is misleading about our sport and at worst sets the
> > stage for irresponsible behavior down the road.
> Maybe somebody at SSA (or outside it?) should talk to the BGA to find out
> how those UK gliding videos were made. IIRC they didn't cost an arm and a
> leg because they were the result of collaboration with a young
> professional or student film production group as well as being sponsored
> by both individuals and gliding-related businesses. A book was also
> produced along with the videos.
>
> IOW, the BGA approach could be replicated in the USA.
>
> It may also be useful to contact the AMA at Muncie (the model flying AMA,
> not the medical one!) since they seem to be pretty much on the ball when
> it comes to publicity. They publish an excellent magazine, support Special
> Interest Groups, have a museum and run well-attended competitions at their
> Muncie flying site.
>
>
> --
>
> Martin | martin at
> Gregorie | gregorie dot org
The AMA site is a really good site, and shows a lot of good marketing knowledge.