[Missouri-l] MCB Connect

Tue Aug 4 09:27:50 CDT 2009

We are pleased to announce that we will have a very special guest on the
next MCB Connect.  Tony Gallagher, who is the national director for the 40
and 8 Voiture will be on speaking to us about public relations.  I am
posting below one of his morning messages with Tony that he sent out a few
weeks ago.

The MCB Connect is on the third Sunday of each month at 2:00 PM.  This month
it will be on August 16.  The number to call is: 616-712-8000 and the pass
code is: 250486#.  As always, if you do not have unlimited long distance and
would like to participate, please let me know and I will make sure you are
connected to the conference call.

Thanks to Chip Hailey for setting this up and to Susan Sanderson for
recommending Tony.

Tony will be our first guest at 2:00 and we are hoping to have another
special guest at  3:00 but we will announce that later.

Here is Tony's Morning Message.

Why Is Building a Voiture So Difficult? 

This is an easy question to answer. 

In the past 4 years Voiture 333 du Missouri has grown from 15 members to 163
at the close of fiscal 2009. In July our attendance at Promenade was 94. We
have been averaging 86. Why?

Because we market our voiture. If you do not constantly market your
organization, you do not grow!

It became glaringly obvious to me over the years that most people are still
not practicing the simple art of marketing with any degree or hint of
consistency. Because there was (is) so much print on the subject, people
were not being introduced to the finer (simple) points of marketing in a
fashion that was being taken seriously. 

Marketing is just another name for public relations My focused observations
confirmed that people either did not know enough to be concerned about
public relations, or they thought they had already heard all there was to
hear on the subject. That happens to be a popular error. We feel that since
we have heard it more than once, we know all there is to know. 

The truth of the matter is that knowing is not doing. And until we do, we
don't know. 

"Knowing" might get you a gold star in the classroom. "Doing" pays the
membership bill. 

So this lack of appreciation, and lack of marketing/public relations
activity introduces what I consider to be an enormous opportunity to educate
the masses in the Gallagher-Style of edu-tainment ... 

that's' entertaining education. For the rest of you, you can categorize it
as business-building content with a giggle. 

Copycat Marketing One of the reasons marketing gets a bad rap is because
many folks opt for the easy way out. 

And the easy way is to copy others who call whatever it is they are doing,
marketing or public relations. 

If you want a textbook example of what I am talking about, focus on your
favorite airline - if there is such a thing. 

I'll never understand why each airline has a Marketing Director. 

Exactly 24 hours after one guy/gal makes a creative marketing decision, all
247,000 airlines follow in step and do the exact same thing. 

Incredible! Prices up. Prices down. Wider seats. Narrower seats. Penalties
for this. 

Penalties for that. Charge for bags. Sell the napkins. If one does it, they
all do it. (I think I just made myself sick.) If you simply copy what isn't
working for others, you are going to be disappointed while finding yourself
without any new members in very short order. 

Use your imagination. Be creative. 

If you don't.you will find the time to watch all 227 episodes of Seinfeld
reruns. Twice! 

As entertaining as this may be, it is not a sound formula for a bright
future in recruting. 

Allow me to say exactly what is on my mind. 

MARKETING and PUBLIC RELATIONS represents 95% of our problem. 

Or should I say, LACK OF MARKETING and PUBLIC RELATIONS. 

With this in mind, I want you to succeed. It is all about MARKETING and has
nothing to do with MORONS. (If the truth be known, even a moron can work
his/her way through public relations. 

If you have any intention of making this new year a worthwhile endeavor for
your voiture and grand, I strongly suggest you "get in the game." Or, "get
back into the game." 

Don't you want to succeed? 

Don't you feel that you and la Societe are worth the investment? 

I have no intention of "begging" you to heed my advice. 

I just have a hard time understanding why some people feel their lack of
success is a foregone conclusion. 

You can be doing better ... recruiting new members ... having more fun. Take
a chance. Take a shot. Trust your instinct. 

I'll be looking for you. 

Please go to my web site and look for the"Public Relations Manual". It is a
guide to help you get started. It is being reposted for the next few months.

In 2009 we have lost a few voitures just as the Legion and VFW have lost
posts. For La Societe there should be nothing but growth.

Our membership is open to all veterans with an honorable discharge. They
want to be part of an organization that DOES ...but they are not going to
come to you. You have to seek them out.

In Voiture 333 our membership crosses all lines and occupations, both blue
collar and white collar. We have one thing in common: 

We are all VETERANS who love our country and still want to serve.

Tony Gallagher, National PR Directuer, 40 & 8 Chef de Gare, Voiture 333, 40
& 8 President: Press Associates La Societe, 40 & 8
http://www.voiture542.us/pr_news.html Faith - Family- 40 & 8

Denny Huff - President

Register for the MCB 2009 convention - www.moblind.org/convention

Missouri Council of the Blind

5453 Chippewa

St. Louis, MO  63109

Phone: (636) 262-1383

Toll Free: (888) 362-1383

Phonecast: (816) 298-8969

FAX: (636) 629-1710

DHuff at MoBlind.Org

www.moblind.org

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The purpose of Missouri Council of the Blind shall be to promote the general
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support or participate in other programs promoting the best interests of
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