New SSA YouTube Channel

The fact is that the SSA will eventually come to the realization that it probably needs to begin understanding the value of investing in production of its own marketing/promotional video's. Perhaps instead of a magazine a months video? This does not need to come at a huge cash price... What is a better use of time and money? Producing a magazine mailed to only our membership, or a public video released each month?

Change takes recognition and comprehension of the value, leadership & management and focus.

Communicating only with static websites, bumper stickers and other similar methods are about as effective as one might imagine. Short of that there are a tremendous number of great video's (personal, professional and throughout Europe, Australia, South Africa, etc) that tell incredible stories and inspire young & old (definition of inspi "to draw forth or bring out") to consider take action. This action could be as definitive as scheduling a glider ride or lesson to spending more time researching the sport and what its all about. Marketers call it an "impression!" We could call it survival (think 20 years down the road).

Sean
F2

how about an SSA sponsored prize each month for the best new video that promotes the sport? say $500 to motivate people?

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 2:36:59 PM UTC-7, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
how about an SSA sponsored prize each month for the best new video that promotes the sport? say $500 to motivate people?

Sean, Mat,

Both of your proposals were in my annual report to the SSA EXCOM which is on the SSA web site. I don't think it's a matter of not having the money, we don't have the expertise in production or hosting.

If you produce a professional quality video, the SSA will find a way to use it.

Great to hear! I look forward to seeing some changes in thinking!

My own personal experience:

25 years ago I took a glider ride at the Durango, CO Soaring Club and loved it. At the time I couldn't afford nor had the time to pursue it so eventually forgot all about it.

Fast forward to 2012 where I was searching YouTube for videos of Glider slope soaring (I was looking or R/C glider videos not real glider videos). The search returned a hit to one of Bruno Vassel's gliding videos. I watched that video, was mesmerized, and over the next several weeks I watched every single one of Bruno's videos, searched for and found a local club, joined, and here I am today.

I say all of that to confirn that in at least my case the "accidental" discovery of some great gliding videos on YT was definitely responsible for my entry into the sport.

Maybe something free and simple we could do is to just put a link to letsgogliding.com in the description box of all of the gliding videos we post. At least that way we provide casual viewers with a very easy way to get more information.

RS

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 2:57:27 PM UTC-6, Sean F (F2) wrote:
The fact is that the SSA will eventually come to the realization that it probably needs to begin understanding the value of investing in production of its own marketing/promotional video's. Perhaps instead of a magazine a months video? This does not need to come at a huge cash price... What is a better use of time and money? Producing a magazine mailed to only our membership, or a public video released each month?



Change takes recognition and comprehension of the value, leadership & management and focus.



Communicating only with static websites, bumper stickers and other similar methods are about as effective as one might imagine. Short of that there are a tremendous number of great video's (personal, professional and throughout Europe, Australia, South Africa, etc) that tell incredible stories and inspire young & old (definition of inspi "to draw forth or bring out") to consider take action. This action could be as definitive as scheduling a glider ride or lesson to spending more time researching the sport and what its all about. Marketers call it an "impression!" We could call it survival (think 20 years down the road).



Sean

F2

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 5:39:02 PM UTC-7, wrote:
My own personal experience:



25 years ago I took a glider ride at the Durango, CO Soaring Club and loved it. At the time I couldn't afford nor had the time to pursue it so eventually forgot all about it.



Fast forward to 2012 where I was searching YouTube for videos of Glider slope soaring (I was looking or R/C glider videos not real glider videos). The search returned a hit to one of Bruno Vassel's gliding videos. I watched that video, was mesmerized, and over the next several weeks I watched every single one of Bruno's videos, searched for and found a local club, joined, and here I am today.



I say all of that to confirn that in at least my case the "accidental" discovery of some great gliding videos on YT was definitely responsible for my entry into the sport.



Maybe something free and simple we could do is to just put a link to letsgogliding.com in the description box of all of the gliding videos we post. At least that way we provide casual viewers with a very easy way to get more information.



RS


Now, THAT is a good idea!

At what point does YouTube start charging an organization/company for hosting their videos? The SSA channel might take some care to not step over that line.

What about buying some targeted advertising on YouTube?

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:14:12 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
At what point does YouTube start charging an organization/company for hosting their videos? The SSA channel might take some care to not step over that line.



What about buying some targeted advertising on YouTube?

Never. In fact, if your channel gets popular enough YT will offer revenue sharing opportunities to the channel owners! There are literally thousands of internet businesses who's whole business model is based off of puting their content in YT using their "private links" feature and then selling those links to their customers. They make the content, YT pays for the bandwidth and hosting, the 3rd party makes money selling their links, YT makes money selling the advertising. Brilliant model!

Ill bet Bruno has received a check or two from YT for ads on his video's. That is great. His video's are phenomenal. He deserves all the accolades we can give him.

Look at GoPro (the company). Look how powerful GoPro has become as a tool for so many sports and support organizations. Look at adventure sports in general. Look at the companies that market to people interested in these sports. Some clues in these observations I imagine.............

Every great organization, corporation, company, individual is using video aggressively to share their message and market their products and services. To share "their passions." This is what customers and people and general want to consume on subjects today (more and more every day). Static is dead, has been for many years.

The goal of the SSA is simple: to GROW ITS MEMBERSHIP by making soaring available to as many interested parties as possible. Simple really. A numbers game. What causes someone to go from having no idea about soaring to becoming a member of the SSA? What are their goals? To go for a ride? Or to do more? How do they learn this? How do you take this person who has interest and best use that opportunity to inspire them? A website with low def photos?

Why are kids not showing up? How do we address that?

We have alot of money sitting in SSA accounts.........

Alot of SSA members cranking out video's. Alot of clubs and FBO's and instructors and contests are interacting with customers and students. How do we best leverage and share these assets? What's our strategy? How are we measuring our progress? Is LetsGoGliding working? What are the demographics in that project? We don't have all our eggs in one basket do we?

The SSA has not even begun to scratch the surface of social media. If they truly did focus on it I would almost guarantee a measurable, positive impact.

PS...if you want kids in soaring, where are the pictures, video's, camps, parties, events with soaring kids in the USA? Kids love adults but REALLY LOVE OTHER KIDS! Who is going to the upcoming Jr. Worlds from the USA? Where is the website? What kids recently soloed? Where are these stories? Oh... that's in the BACK of the SSA magazine huh? Hmmm?

Best,

Sean

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 11:19:40 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:14:12 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:

At what point does YouTube start charging an organization/company for hosting their videos? The SSA channel might take some care to not step over that line.







What about buying some targeted advertising on YouTube?



Never. In fact, if your channel gets popular enough YT will offer revenue sharing opportunities to the channel owners! There are literally thousands of internet businesses who's whole business model is based off of puting their content in YT using their "private links" feature and then selling those links to their customers. They make the content, YT pays for the bandwidth and hosting, the 3rd party makes money selling their links, YT makes money selling the advertising. Brilliant model!

On Friday, February 22, 2013 12:03:35 AM UTC-5, Sean F (F2) wrote:

PS...if you want kids in soaring, where are the pictures, video's, camps, parties, events with soaring kids in the USA? Kids love adults but REALLY LOVE OTHER KIDS! Who is going to the upcoming Jr. Worlds from the USA? Where is the website? What kids recently soloed? Where are these stories? Oh... that's in the BACK of the SSA magazine huh? Hmmm?

My club has a program where 'kids' perform 'chores' in exchange for flying lessons (and tows).

One of these chores is 'maintain club website'.

It comes as no surprise that a bright 15 year old who has been surfing the web since he was 4.5 years old is incredibly effective at creating web-based content. Making the right moves on the web comes naturally to the talented young.

My suggestion would be to pay a team of 'kid glider pilots' in tow coupons, and let them run the SSA web-based recruitment campaign (to recruit both kids and adults). Maybe get a young adult pilot (less than 25 years old) to oversee the 'creative team'. The team can be web-connected and scattered all over the country (world?)

With this approach, any money that we invest in web based recruitment, buys tows for young pilots. Two birds, one stone.