[InHam] Amateur Radio Club Marketing

[Jay Sissom]

I hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready for the new year.  I
would like to pass on a little idea that one of our club members had.  He
suggested that the club purchase magnetic signs that listed the club's
name and web address.  These signs can be put on the member's vehicles
when the club is participating in an event.

I think it is a great way to give some publicity to your club and it's a
great way to have members get involved.  Quite a few of our members chose
to purchase the signs.  We have used them at the Hilly Hundred bicycle
tour and a few other events.  Our club marked up the price slightly so the
club has a few signs that it can sell to future members.  We have already
had non-hams contact us after viewing our signs.

Now for the advertisement part.  We did research and found a company that
made high quality signs and didn't charge an arm and a leg.  I've had
these signs on my car while I drive 60+ MPH down the highway and they
stayed on the car.  They also look very nice.  We chose an 18" by 6" sign. 
Here is a sample of one of our signs:

http://www.bloomingtonradio.org/barc_sign.gif 

The company that made them is at www.magneticsigns.com.  It was a pleasure
doing business with them.  If you decide to purchase signs for your club
and chose to do business with this company, I would appreciate if you
could put my email address as the referer.  They have a referer program
and by using it, you can help the Bloomington club a little.  My address
is jsissom@indiana.edu.  I looked at their client list and we are the only
amateur radio club customer listed in the whole country.  That's why I
decided to send this.  It's a great idea and others should know about it. 

Thanks for reading this.  I hope your clubs are successful in all your 
events this year. 

73 
Jay Sissom 
KA9OKT 
President - Bloomington Amateur Radio Club