This fast paced session will move at the speed of MTV on adrenaline! Join the fun as we explore over 100 ways to promote your agency’s camps, image and events with little or no money. Tough economic times require that you turn up the marketing heat and attract new customers to your doors, while increasing current customer loyalty and repeat business. This workshop is continually updated with the latest techniques and examples from both the private and public sector.

Duration: 1.25 to 7 hours

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• Over 100 actual ways to promote camps, program and events with little or no money.
• How to transform every customer contact into an opportunity to add value and increase participation.
• How to write a Five Minute Marketing Plan for any product, program or service they offer.
• How to partner with local businesses to boost exposure through advertising and promotions
• How to easily create a secret and valuable “sales team” or advocacy network
• Ways to use technology to drastically reduce print and paper costs.

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

In this sound-bite savvy society, your logo, slogan and tagline speak volumes about who you are and what you do. How strong is your agency's brand, reputation and image? Is it celebrated for 'creating community', known for its 'endless benefits', or recognized as the 'happiest place in town?' Learn how to use branding tools such as taglines, graphics, color and themes to quickly and permanently improve public perception. Learn why some brands stand the test of time and others fizzle and fade.

Needs Assessment: As park and recreation agencies strive to increase value and relevance in an increasingly competitive marketplace, they must consistently position themselves as 'branded to be the best in class'. Today's young, creative, fast-paced leaders rely on quick sound-bites, consistency and imagery to make choices about where to spend their time and money. Park and recreation agencies can stand out from their competition, boost credibility and update their public perception by creating a branding strategy such as Nike's 'just do it', AT&T's 'Reach Out and Touch Someone' and GE's 'We Bring Good Things to Light.'

Duration: 1.25 to 3 hours

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• Craft a branding message in 10 words or less that tells a persuasive story about your agency's purpose and value
• Create slogans, graphics, names, fonts and colors that convey the right message for the your programs, events, facilities and agency.
• Apply and identify characteristics of the world's most powerful brands, slogans and taglines.

Session Format: Lecture combined with hands-on learning, group discussions

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

Is the customer always right? Not exactly, but the customer is the boss and must be treated like a valued guest. With the right skills and attitude, internal and external customer problems, disputes and complaints truly can be transformed into opportunities.

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• The real reason why problems arise
• What an angry customer really wants
• What to do if a customer is irrational or abusive
• Nine simple steps to handle a customer who is miffed, irate, upset, or just plain mad.
• How to handle the special needs of internal customers such as co-workers, bosses,   other divisions and departments
• Win-win negotiation solutions for each and every problem
• Follow-up techniques to turn a disgruntled customer into your best ally
• What to do when you're at the end of your rope (It happens to the best of us!)

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

Now you’ve built it? Will they come? For years you’ve planned, designed, redesigned and created what you hope will be the greatest facility you community has ever seen. Whether your opening day is just around the corner, in the distant future or in the recent past, you will benefit from a solid, written promotional plan. This session will explore all types of strategies – advertising, publicity, direct mail, on-line marketing, trade shows and special events.

Duration: 1.25 to 3 hours

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• Dozens of free and very low-cost ways to attract customers to your new or “improved” camp or other facility.
• Tips and secrets to get the media to cover your grand opening
• When to begin promoting your facility to maximize results
• Three ways to make sure your promotions work to reach your goals

Session Format: Lecture, small group discussion, audience participation

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

This seminar will focus on the first and most important steps when looking to secure corporate sponsors and agency partners. Using out-of-the-box ideas, you'll leave how to secure dollars, in-kind contributions, media coverage and other valuable resources. Hear and see examples of how to use e-mail, direct mail, personal visits and phone calls to tell your story to valuable contacts and potential prospects.

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• Match single or multiple sponsors to specific projects and programs to maximize ROI (return on investment.)
• List and complete the steps necessary to develop a sponsorship campaign and timeline with little or no "seed money" or budget
• Create an unforgettable sponsorship package that will grab the attention of the most sought-after sponsors.

Session Format: Through small group work and large group sharing participants will create a plan to find, engage and attract sponsors to their programs. They will write an outline of a sponsoship proposal for their specific agency or program.

How to Write Better Brochures, Advertising and Publicity with Benefits Lingo and Language

Do your promotional materials draw crowds or yawns? Could your flyers and brochures use a dose of imagination and innovation? Then, don’t miss this “creative clinic” where you will learn tricks of the trade sure to add new life, dimension and effectiveness to all your communication tools.

Duration: 1.25 to 3 hours

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• 50 benefits power words which can be used to instantly improve response and results
• 220 places to put the benefits logo to create greater ongoing recognition within your agency and in your community
• Secrets from the worlds greatest advertising and marketing legends such as P.T. Barnum, David Olgilvie and, even, Madonna!
• How to make sure your existing tools work to promote your agency’s value
• How to use the benefits to get the media to cover positive stories about your agency

Session Format: Lecture, small group discussion, audience participation

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

An Explosion of Ideas to Promote Your Camps

This workshop goes beyond theory and explores practical hands-on tools and tactics to build public awareness and promote your parks and recreation agency, programs and facilities. The BAM! Formula will improve everything from brochures to trade shows, signage to customer service.

Duration: 1 hour to full day

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• How to become a BAM! Superhero and to instantly improve response and results
• Tips to keep staff and volunteers motivated with ongoing benefits information
• Over 225 places to put your logo or slogan to create greater ongoing recognition within your organization and in your community
• How to use benefits and solutions to get the media to cover positive stories about your agency

Session Format: Lecture, small group discussion, audience participation

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

Your campers, parents, customers and donors may seem happy; your programs are good; your camps and facilities are well maintained. But, are you doing everything you can to attract an ONGOING pool of new clients? What can you do to reach new, even hard-to-reach audiences ranging from ethnic minorities, “too-cool” teens, active older adults, sedentary families or isolated seniors?

Duration: 1 to 3 hours

Learning Outcomes - You will learn:

• How to speak the marketing language of ethnically diverse audiences
• Where to go to find new customers who will never read your brochure
• Ways to incorporate “KidSpeak” and “TeenTalk” into promotional materials
• The world’s easiest way to quickly increase participation
• What seniors need to know when making a buying decision

Session Format: Lecture, small group discussion, audience participation

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

Marketing is an integral part of every manager’s job. Whether you need to “sell” a project, budget or idea, this workshop will give you ready-to-apply creative tools and insights in a high-energy format. Join Jodi Rudick, the leading park and recreation marketing expert, as she teaches ways to apply basic marketing skills to everything you do from staff motivation to building political support.

Duration: 1.25 to 6 hours

You will learn:

• How to develop a simple five step marketing plan for every strategic and master plan goal and objective
• How to improve customer service and motivate every member of your team with a three phase marketing formula
• How to add life and excitement to every written communication tool – even agendas, meeting minutes and reports
• Verbal communication skills critical to management and political success

Speaker: Jodi Rudick