Pilot International LOW-COST, NO-COST MARKETING FOR YOUR CLUB

TESS HARPER + NANCY WHITE, 2017 PI CONVENTION

Good News from Pilots

Pilot Club of Chatsworth hold Bicycle Helmet Safety Day for local third graders

Middle Georgia-area PI Clubs walk in the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

What We Will Cover

Ways to Put Your Pilot Club on the Map!

Marketing and Promotion via:

-Social Media

-Branding

-Building value for your club

-Community engagement + events

-Newsletters + other creative methods

Marketing and PRThe Pilot Marketing Concept:

• When you market, you consider the customers’ needs and then adjust your product

to meet them.

• For Pilot, our marketing efforts are member-oriented. We must always be alert to the

needs of those we aim to serve.

• Analyze your club – does it meet the needs of its present membership?

• How can it meet the needs of future members? Consider projects, time & location &

format of meetings, speakers, etc.

Social Media: A MenuFacebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

YouTube or Vimeo

Social Media

Game plan – Social Media (cont.)Know Your Story. Know Your Audience.

PLAN – A yearly summary of ideas

BUILD – Your brand by selecting 1 or 2 “media managers”

DEFINE – Individual campaigns

CREATE – An Editorial Calendar

CONNECT – Tag community partner’s in your posts

SHARE – Your club’s story

Use HashtagsExamples:

#PILOTPROUD

#CullmanPIClub

#PIConvention

#PilotLovesMacon

BrandingPilot HQ is here to help!

-When promoting your club, please follow the branding guidelines provided on

pilotinternational.org. You will find all of the most current logos for club use as well as font,

pantone color and additional materials. This is essential when sending press releases,

community news, and any print promotion.

-Website: Link your site to the PI website; ensure it has the 5 W’s of your meetings.

-For individual club promotion, including t-shirts and other apparel, we encourage you to

stay within the PI “look” but be creative!

Branding – The Pilot Store

Building Value• Do prospective (or current) members complain about the cost of membership? Then they do not

recognize its value! Build quality into your club programs; draw comparisons with other clubs; etc.

• Celebrate your history! Create “Membership Minders” (as seen in the PI HQ Newsletter)

• Have an annual or twice annual Prospective Member Informational Meeting – make it a VIP

event and promote, promote, promote. Use professional letterhead to write invitations; follow-up

with phone calls; set room for fewer people than you expect; do not allow meeting to last over

one hour; have nametags and a door greeter; emcee must be dynamic and professional;

welcome and ask each guest to introduce themselves; introduce the Pilots in attendance;

present an overview of Pilot activities and membership benefits; distribute/collect member

applications.

Community EngagementBrainstorm how you can connect!

-Social Events + Gatherings that promote Pilot

-Sending media alerts, press releases or monthly newsletters to a media list

-Obtain Proclamations from government – proclaim a Pilot Day, Week or Month – go to

City Council meetings for its presentation; press release it, etc.

-Partner with like-minded civic groups and influential leaders (Double the publicity!)

Events

Pilot’s Marketing Mix:

Our programming – i.e., meeting speakers, service projects, leadership training

Our distribution system – the time and location of our meetings – how convenient are

they? (Morning, lunch, evening, parking, etc.)

Our price – how much are members expected to give in addition to dues?

Our promotion – the key to our clubs’ future growth! Advertising, public relations,

membership campaigns, personal contact, etc.

Club Spotlight: Cullman, Alabama

Cullman Club Ladies sporting their creative and club-specific t-shirts

Their Pilot Club Board lists fundraisers + community service projects

Administrative Professionals DayFashion Show – Cullman Pilot Club

Successful turnout (450 place settings total!) Women in the community modeled local apparel

… did you notice?

• Exhibit – they take it everywhere!

• T-shirts – they wear them everywhere!

• Those 450 guests – they all had a Pilot fact sheet and membership application at their place setting!

Club Spotlight – Jacksonville Pilot ClubAntique Show

The Cullman and Jacksonville events bring hundreds of

community members annually into Pilot’s circle who otherwise might not have heard of Pilot!

Newsletters + PressSpread the Word!

-Tips for sending newsletters including

• Constant Contact

• MailChimp

-Set up Google Alerts (“Pilot Club Honolulu”)

-Local News: regularly submit photographs of club events and speakers! Make sure

each club meeting is listed with a time, location and contact name/number or e-mail.

Newsletters + PressPictured here:

(L): Monica Nix, Pilot Club of

Warner Robins president-elect

and executive director, Nancy

White, at a Share Pilot meeting.

R): Members of the Palatka

High School Anchor Club

donating a mural to Haven

Hospice in Palatka.

In Summary

• You are responsible for your club’s growth

• Grassroots level elevates Pilot Club locally AND nationally

• Make each of our suggestions unique to your club

• Already doing each of these? Cheer louder! Brag a little!

Make sure people know Pilot.

Call-to-Action

Set goals and hold yourself accountable!

CONTACT US!

TESS HARPERDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

tess@pilothq.org

NANCY WHITEEXECUTIVE DIRECTORnancy@pilothq.org