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Marketing Boys' Life

 

  1. Market Boys' Life for its value to promote GOOD READING, GOOD SCOUTING AND LONGER-TENURED UNITS. Scout subscribers stay in Scouting longer than nonsubscribers; they advance in rank faster and more often than nonsubscribers; and, subscribers are more active in unit, district and council events. Remember, 100% Boys' Life UNITS do not drop!
     
  2. Market Boys' Life by ASKING all new Scouts to subscribe. A youth who subscribes WHEN HE FIRST SIGNS UP FOR SCOUTING will usually renew his subscription each year. The number one reason nonsubscribers give for not taking Boys' Life is: "Nobody asked." Help each unit to get on the Unit Budget Plan—that way leaders "automatically ask" for Boys' Life at each new-Scout signup and unit recharter. Interestingly, the top two reasons adults give for Scout not taking Boys' Life: "We don't use it," and "It costs too much." Boys don't say either one of those; they say "Nobody asked."
     
  3. Market Boys' Life by USING the magazine at every opportunity. Spotlight Let Boys' Life Be Your Program Helper at all Cub Scout and Boy Scout roundtables. Use cartoons and jokes from Boys' Life for skits, ceremonies and speeches. Read "Scouts In Action" every month.
     
  4. Market Boys' Life by RECOGNIZING chartered organizations and leaders of 100% Boys' Life UNITS. At banquets. In your newsletter. At roundtables. Saying "Thanks" is appropriate, it generates interest, and repeat business. That little 100% Boys' Life UNIT ribbon can a very valuable promotion tool.
     
  5. Market Boys' Life by COMPARING it to comic books. Comparing Boys' Life to a comic book is one of the most popular, and most often used, promotion techniques: Remove the staples from a comic book, then tape the loose pages end-to-end. Then, do the same thing with a Boys' Life magazine. Roll them out side-by-side. Boys' Life is demonstratively the superior value—even if you just count paper and ink. Plus Boys' Life cost 1/2 to 1/3 less than the comic book.
     
  6. Market Boys' Life by using THINK & GRIN for skits and openings. Have Scouts or adults take the parts of characters in the Think & Grin exchanges. It's a lot of fun! It great at pack meetings and at campfires.Boys' Life Joke of the Day
     
  7. Market Boys' Life by promoting the THREE DEMOGRAPHIC EDITIONS of the magazine. Make sure that Cub Scouts and parents know that there are two (2) editions of Boys' Life just for them and that Boy Scouts understand that their Boys' Life edition is written with the Boy Scout-age reader in mind.
     
  8. Market Boys' Life by reminding Scouts and leaders that Boys' Life regularly receives AWARDS for the quality of its stories. Recent awards include the International Reading Association Paul A Witte Award and several distinguished achievement recognitions from The Association of Educational Publishers. This year Boys' Life is a finalist in five categories for the Maggie Awards (given by the Western Publications Association). Boys' Life is good reading. Boys' Life is quality reading.
     
  9. Market Boys' Life on the basis that ALL FAMILY MEMBERS READ all or part of the magazine each month. Over 5 million family members read Boys' Life magazine each month. The BSA's concern for good reading and good Scouting is reflected in the pages of Boys' Life which goes into the homes of 1.3 million subscribers each month.
     
  10. Market Boys' Life on the basis that Scouts ADVANCE IN RANK FASTER and more often than nonsubscribers. Rank advance is the BSA's program delivery system. Boys' Life fully supports this process with many articles and stories that relate directly to rank advancement requirements. (See Let Boys' Life Be Your program Helper in each issue of Scouting magazine.) Boys' Life is not to be considered an extension of the Boy Scout Handbook, but Boys' Life is "thematic"—many articles in each issue focus on recommended monthly themes from Cub Scout Program Helps and Boy Scout Program Features.
     
  11. Market Boys' Life for its PUBLIC RELATIONS value. What else do we have that goes into the Scouts' homes 12 times a year telling out story, singing our song? Surveys show that almost all members of the family read Boys' Life and, thus, become stronger in their support of Scouting because of Boys' Life. It's a monthly reminder of their involvement in Scouting.
     
  12. Market Boys' Life because it is "PART OF THE PROGRAM." Make Boys' Life a part of the program. Just do it. All councils that successfully promote Boys' Life say that Boys' Life is just part of the program. They say it is an attitude thing. Leaders should expect that new Scouts will take Boys' Life and act accordingly.