Branding Initiative

[RiverAux]

From the Jan 2007 Ex's Open Cockpit:

CAP Branding Initiative
CAP is developing a strategy and a plan of action for branding Civil Air Patrol. In 2006 a survey of current and former members was conducted; then an internal focus group session was held; most recently a national survey was conducted. The results of this research are illuminating: 30% surveyed were "familiar" with CAP, but this familiarity was greatest (40%) in the West, and lowest in the Northeast (23%). Those aged 18 - 34 were less familiar and those 50 - 64 were most familiar with CAP.  Only 1 in 5 thought CAP was associated with any branch of the US military. Of those familiar with CAP 21% thought CAP benefited the community and of those not familiar with CAP, only 5 percent thought CAP was a benefit to their community.  Interestingly, the survey of former members showed that most left CAP because they simply moved! The majority had no difficulties with our organization nor were they disheartened, they moved to a new location and just had not reconnected in their new locale. This process is still in the early stages but we will use the data to determine our public "message" and to more effectively brand CAP

I'm very surprised that 30% of the people surveyed were "familiar" with CAP on a nationwide basis.  That is much, much higher than I expected though I suspect it only means they recognize the name.  Obviously from the other data given they don't know much about us. 

I'm a little suspicious of the statement about most CAP losses being to people moving. 

[ZigZag911]

I'm a little suspicious of the statement about most CAP losses being to people moving. 

Yeah, me too, especially seniors...with cadets it could be moving away to school, or moving on (part time job, sports, etc)

Seniors I think fall into two broad categories for leaving CAP:

1) Family/work responsibilities (and many of these maintain dues paying status, just go inactive)

2) conflict within CAP --lack of meaningful assignment or training, internal politics

[RiverAux]

Well, I'm sure we lose some people who joined but found out later that CAP just wasn't what they thought it was going to be and left with no particular ill-will towards the organization.  That sort of thing happens in all clubs.  No matter how informative the recruiting process you just don't know if you'll like a club until you're in it. 

Sure hope they make this survey public. 

[ZigZag911]

I'm sure you're correct, I meant to say "many seniors" fell into one of my two groupings

[RogueLeader]

I though you meant branding, as in cattle, not name recognition. . . . my bad.

[Pylon]

It's good to see NHQ starting to head in a positive direction in this regards.  Now they've completed a brand recognition survey, and a SWOT analysis no doubt, they can begin to formulate a comprehensive CAP public awareness and relations plan of action.

I look forward to more positive moves in this direction!

[DNall]

^ yep 

Doubt some of those numbers as well. Not sure they used the best survey techniques. Particularly, was this a pool of current, former members, & the general public... not three seperate surveys. Cause obviously current/former members are going to know more about CAP & our contributions.

There's probably a lot the can do on retention. Hell just an auto-mailer to emails with 90 & 30 days of expiration, and after expiration to give them another chance & ask if there are concerns they'd like to share or any way HQ can help them out getting associated with another unit, or find them duties w/ Wg/Gp that they can do remote from a unit, or if they'd like to go into patron status & hold their grade & such while they take a break, you're a valuable team member, yada yada. All real simple to do.

Far as moving, you know it made me thing of what is that directTV or something where you leave the dish, take the box & they'll meet you at the new house to install & update for free - just one phone call. That seems like something we could do. Submit this form in eServices & we'll hook you in with units in your new area & take care of any transfer issues for you w/ no hassle.

[RiverAux]

I'm sure the paperwork is an issue, but moving usually involves some other sort of major life change (new job, marriage, etc.) and I suspect that dealing with the life change rather than paperwork snafus caused the problem.  However, it would be nice to have a better transfer procedure. 

[DNall]

The paperwork isn't that bad, but if you are moving to a new city w/ a new job & we hook you in with some CAP members there that you obviously have some things in common with & they are able to make you feel at home & help you get settled in, then after you get your crap straight you're pretty likely to come back & get involved with your new friends. I know I'd sure like CAP to inform me when members move into the area so  I could make contact with them rather than put that off on them so that they get busy & by that time their membership is expired & then they don't know anyone or have any motivation to come out.

[A.Member]

It's good to see NHQ starting to head in a positive direction in this regards.  Now they've completed a brand recognition survey, and a SWOT analysis no doubt, they can begin to formulate a comprehensive CAP public awareness and relations plan of action.

I look forward to more positive moves in this direction!

I'd like to agree but I'll withhold my final opinion for now. 

These are definitely the kind of metrics that need to be collected.  However, if the actions of the last year or so are any indication - and even given the tone of the Open Cockpit quote,  I have serious concerns about the direction in which NHQ may try to take us.  I'm not even convinced that the necessary due diligence will be done.  Even the term "Branding Initiative" raises some flags. 

I wish I didn't feel this way. 

[lordmonar]

NHQ can't win for losing with you bunch.

They start to do something right to solve are real problem.  And all you guys can do is [censored] and moan and second guess everything they do!

Gods you guys make me want to scream sometimes!

NHQ is working the retention/recruiting/name recognition issue that you all have bemoaned as one of CAP's problems.

For once....can you all just shut up for a while and let's see what happens?

[A.Member]

NHQ can't win for losing with you bunch.

They start to do something right to solve are real problem.  And all you guys can do is [censored] and moan and second guess everything they do!

Gods you guys make me want to scream sometimes!

NHQ is working the retention/recruiting/name recognition issue that you all have bemoaned as one of CAP's problems.

For once....can you all just shut up for a while and let's see what happens?

I said I'm withholding final judgement.  I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.  But let's not sugar coat things here.  NHQ doesn't exactly have a track record that instills confidence. 

Chill.

[RiverAux]

I think it was interesting how they highlighted the fact that so few people linked CAP with any of the military.   Perhaps we can expect to see a little more focus on the AF Aux angle, though as we all know this raises certain problems since we're not ALWAYS the AF Aux. 

Performing missions for the Air Force since 1941....  Possible new tagline? 

[ZigZag911]

It is good to see some proactive movement on the recruiting and retention issue....while this is basically a grass roots situation, any and all help from NHQ on getting CAP known is going to be beneficial.

[Major_Chuck]

I know!  We get a NASCAR driver and endorse him, spend several million on related merchandise and we'll have droves of people knocking down our hanger doors to join up!

:: Splash :: Thanks for whoever threw the cold water in my face.  Was having a hot flash for a moment.

Seriously, NHQ has to take the lead on recruitment and retention to stem the tide.  We can only do so much out in the field.  They have the budget and the resources to promote CAP effectively, we can help by getting behind them and seeing that what they do is successful on our end.

[RiverAux]

National can do a whole lot on the recruiting end in terms of buying advertising, etc to get people to come in the door, but retention is primarily a local matter. 

[DNall]

I'm not so sure about that. You know what a national media buy costs? & even then you have no gurantee & frankly will probably have very small return for your investment. That's not the answer.

They just need to produce & supply appropriate recruiting brochures. maybe look to the military how they tailor brochers to dif jobs. We need to recruit people interested in aspects of CAP, not just the broad concept, and we need to target recruit people with specialized skills. We also need to recruit prior-service folks that want to continue their service in another way. Each of those things could easly have specialized brocures, videos, etc to sell the concept. They could make up a better front-end recruiting website. You see how AF does that very effectively w/ seperate sites.

Now retention, they can do worlds & worlds on. Seriously, you fix eServices to be user-friendly & functional that right there will keep hundreds of people from getting frustrated & leaving. You reduce the workload, cleanup & streamline the redtape that's not necessary, reduce the administrative load, that'll hang on to several hundred more. Grab hold of NIMS standards & get our people living up to professional rescue standards, that'll keep people busy & get them more work & respect, that'll make a huge difference. Push up the membership standards & bring on serious professional development & promotion standards like we've talked about over & over, that makes people proud to be a part of the org & what they've achieved, and respectful of the system, that'll hang on to lots of people and more importantly the right ones. Fix the integrity & communications issues across the governance levels & clean up the confusion, that'll keep people around. Get the DHS & DoD money to equip our planes for some more meaningful missions, that'll give people the chance to make a difference. clean up the disaster of ES qual administation so as to better organize, deliver, verify, & record training, that'll get more people into the field & loving life.

Yeah there's a whole lot HQ could do to fix the things that cause retention problems. What you get at the local level is trickle down.

[ZigZag911]

I'm not so sure about that. You know what a national media buy costs? & even then you have no gurantee & frankly will probably have very small return for your investment. That's not the answer.

own.

Agreed....this should not be a "throw money at it program"....but even so, marketing professionals could get CAP some national notice....I recall a drama TV show in the late 80s/early 90s called "Our House"....Wilford Brimley (the Quaker Oats guy) was in it, and Shannen Doherty played his teenage granddaughter...anyway, there was an episode in which she was taking flying lessons, there was some sort of accident on a cross country (can't recall if she was soloing at this point, and CAP was prominently featured in the rest of the story (I think it was a two part episode) conducting SAR operations.

I don't know if anyone ever did a study to see what impact that had on recruiting and/or membership inquiries....but with the blossoming of cable TV, it ought to be even simpler to get CAP some national notice without paying for it!

[DNall]

Well in that sense the military lends a hand to hollywood all the time. There's lots of stupid movies that involve someone going missing that CAP should be utilized as a resource to platy the search asset & take the face time. Probably a few other things as well in HLS type missions. They've done well int he last few years getting us on the history channel a couple times. That's all nice stuff & somebody sure should be on that, but I don't know if it does all that much good. Get the President on national TV saying they're going to spend a few mil putting rad detection gear on CAP planes to prevent nuclear devices moving across the border or around the country & you'll have an extra 100k volunteers to sort thru.

[Eeyore]

*side note to national*

Hey my company would be happy to set stuff like this up. In my non-CAP time i work for a national public affairs company. (If anyone from national reads this and is interested  PM me)

*end side note to national*