What camp can learn from the SI swimsuit edition

(Sorry…no pics!)

Earlier today, I was walking out of a local convenience store and noticed a rack full of Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition magazines, strategically placed near the door. The SI swimsuit issue is usually published in February and now…here it is April 1 and they are marketing it to me as a brand new issue. They can get away with this because the subject matter is timeless…it's not tied to a particular season of the year. After decades of publishing this particular issue, the marketing folks at SI figured out that to restrict this particular week's issue of the magazine to just one week was missing out on a huge opportunity…and a much longer shelf life.

Now (easing over to subject matter that I'm much more comfortable talking about) what about camp? If all you are marketing is summer camp then you've got a relatively short sales cycle. Springtime. You begin to ramp up the marketing in January, hit your peak months in late February and March. Then April you start (hopefully) filling weeks and by May you are in your final days of the selling season. Boom that's it. Your shelf life has just expired and you have to wait until the next year to start the process all over again.

But let me remind you just in case you forgot. You are not marketing summer camp. You are marketing changed lives. You are marketing character, integrity, new-found skills, increased confidence, a deeper spiritual walk and understanding, increased maturity, and, as you know, much much more.

And there is no expiration date on those things. If all you are is a destination or a "something for kids to do" then you've got lots of competition. But if you can show that you have a proven track record of changed lives over the years…now that's truly remarkable. The things you do make a difference. Never forget that.

Now just make sure that your marketing talks a whole lot more about those things and less about the water slide or the trail rides.