PAO and Public Relations

[Pumbaa]

As a new SM and now the new PAO, I was wondering if there are any other PAO's here...

Even if there are no other PAO, I was wondering what other wings/ Squadrons are doing to raise the awareness of local CAPs.

Also fund raising...  Are you sticking with bake sales and car washes or are you going after corporate sponsors?

What other things are you doing for Public Affairs, I would love to see what others are doing.

[Pumbaa]

I wanted to add...

I would like to hear about your successful activities..

And yes I would also like to hear about your UNsuccessful ones too.  No better way to learn than by looking at what didn't work and how to make it work.

[CAP Producer]

Hi,

I am the MN Wing PAO. You are welcome to visit my website www.mncap.org/pa for ideas and how to stuff. We run regular workshops and the workshop pages may have some of what you are looking for.

Cheers!

Capt Al Pabon
MNWG/PA and MNWG/RS

[Pumbaa]

Thank You Capt.. I really appreciate it.. I will go over what I can and steal what I must

Would love to get one of the DVDs too

[PWK-GT]

I have been working with some other PAO's in the area, to see the same thing....What works and what doesn't. We are now planning a quarterly 'round table' to address plans of attack and the like.
As you probably have seen, different areas have unique problems and opportunities. In my area, I am in the lone unit that isn't even in sight of an airfield.  So, the opportunities from the aviation community are harder to find.......but we look for the bigger 'civic minded' groups to replace them, when neccessary. NETWORKING is one of the best tools around, providing other PAO's want to share leads and info. Keeping your toe in the pool of the aviation community is a great idea, providing you have some access to them.
Also, I never hesitate to use my membership in other activities to make new contacts and further awareness of our existence. Your day job can be a real source for funds (as well as recruitment), providing you aren't shy about talking it up whenever possible

[Pumbaa]

Well getting funds from my day job is not an option.. it is a non profit ministry   however, being that we have a network of radio stations I do have some nice resources avaiable to me in regards to equipment and people assiting in recording and such.

I would also love to network etc...  I can bring to the table my expertise in photography (23 years professional), Web Sites as a marketing tool (13 years Chief Technical Officer), and public speaking (Church teacher, Preacher, Public Speaker)

We are located in a War Plane Museum, I would like to see us tie in a little tighter with them and develop some synergy for both.

Add to that there are a number of local aviation companies and museums to go visit... A lot of ground work needs to be started...

At this moment I am building our web presence, and also working on a squadron, name and logo (shoulder patch).

My first goal is to have a good source of information for the public, thus the website and now build 'brand identity' and this will give the cadets their identity and feelig of belonging.. I mean just a name based on two county names is sorta boring

What I need to do also is put together a media kit/ information pack.. take a day off from work (I got 3 weeks vacation to use in the next 4 months!) and make my rounds introducing myself.  Gotta get my dress blues though, makes for a greater impression.

Are there pre-made media kits or is that something each group puts together theirself?  I need something to give these people I visit.

My goal is to build up a source of potential sponsors etc.... 

[Westernslope]

 :clap:

[arajca]

Take the AFIADL CAP PAO course. Some material is outdated (doing newsletters on a typewriter), but alot of it, esp Vol. 2, is applicable and informative.

[Kerrbie]

hello I am the PAO of the Germantown Composite Squadron.
We are fairly new and it is hard to get out a paper regularly. Right now they are only monthly papers and i plan to make them weekly as time progresses. I have a staff of 3 excluding myself. We have done few things to raise money for the time as our senior members are all very busy with work. Many of them work in Company's like NIST. The only thing i can remember is that around Christmas our squadron would go to Borders and giftwrap. Every weekend from 5 till closing. on Saturdays mainly. It was all for donations and after we counted all the money from all weekends we made about 5k. We are planning on doing Carwashes or something in the spring. I go to as many activities as i can and i will right about them. For others in the squad. who could not have gone. A lot of squadrons at the moment donate to us or it comes out of our Comanders pocket which is not good. I would like to try if possible get permission to have a little drill/ honnor gourd performance at the mall for donations. (I'm not sure if thats allowed) but i think that would be really fun for civilians and the cadets.

[Westernslope]

.

[SKYKING607]

If you are the PAO at the unit level...you should be the busiest critter on the face of the planet!   

Internal

Squadron newsletter.  Publicize unit activities and include promotions, missions, etc.  Mail to local government (city council, etc.) and other interested parties.  Create a new member packet to present to prospective members.  Include pamphlets, photos, general information, etc.

External

Belong to a speaker's bureau?  Get acquainted with your public speaking skills!
Visit civic groups (Rotary, Lions, Americal Legion, VFW, etc.) and present the "CAP Story!"  As time permits, visit Intermediate School and High School counselors. 

You are not limited by the PAO manual!

True story:

A prospective member visited a local squadron to learn more about CAP.  After five weekly visits...the prospective member did not join that unit.  Why not?  Only on the first visit did anyone in the unit greet and speak to the person.

Lesson learned:

Have a "mentor" style program where a prospective unit can be joined by an active member to "show-em-the-ropes."

Okay....I'm getting off my soap box now.   (Won't discuss the Mission PAO here!)

[flyguy06]

Recruiting cadets is easy. I used to pick out three good high schools in my area and make a presentation to their JROTC first and second year cadets. I didnt realy talk to their third years cadets because they are Seniors and are about to graduate from college. I usually get a lot of interest from this group. I also go to Bo Scout troops although thats kinda hard because they already do a lot of work withthe BSA its hard to convince  them and their parents to spend money onyet another orgnaization. But JROTC is the best way I think.

Now recruiting quality Senior Members is my delima. I need to find a way to get good quality SM's in my unit. Does anyone havew any suggestions of places to recruit?

[Kerrbie]

Recruiting cadets is easy. I used to pick out three good high schools in my area and make a presentation to their JROTC first and second year cadets. I didn't really talk to their third years cadets because they are Seniors and are about to graduate from college. I usually get a lot of interest from this group. I also go to Bo Scout troops although thats kinda hard because they already do a lot of work withthe BSA its hard to convince  them and their parents to spend money onyet another organization. But JROTC is the best way I think.

Now recruiting quality Senior Members is my delima. I need to find a way to get good quality SM's in my unit. Does anyone havew any suggestions of places to recruit?

I have a lot of friends in JROTC, I have talked to them about CAP and most of them have joined. Your right recruiting is easy. Now i can't say that SM are hard to find because most of the cadets parents have joined as senior members but only for the sake of the cadets. But for place too recruit I would go to the mall. Get presmission from the manager and set up a stand/booth. Or when schools have open houses set up a booth. Our Squadron did that a while ago got about 20 people to come only 5 have joined however from that list.