Little Red's Big Ideas

Look for Aidans and Ameilias to Enroll in Preschool Programs

If it seems like more and more "Aidans" are registering for toddler and preschool classes these days -- they probably are.  According to Mallory Moss, co-founder of BabyNames.com, Aidan has been the most popular baby boys' name since 2003. 

However, on the girls' list there is a new #1 name: Amelia. Moss says Amelia follows the popular trend of giving girls "old-fashioned" names. The runners-up were Isabella, Ava, Sophia, and Olivia. Both Amelia and Isabella beat out the name Ava this year, which had been ranked #1 since 2006.

What creates baby-naming trends? Anything from celebrity babies to popular literature.

"This is the first year the name Vivienne hit the top 100 girls' names, and it's no coincidence that it was the name of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's baby girl, born last year," says Moss.

The Twilight book and movie series is also having a big influence on baby name popularity, as its character names Edward, Bella, Isabella, Emmett, Jacob, Jasper and Esme have all hit the top 100.

The full list of 100 top names of 2009 can be found on the BabyNames.com website: http://www.babynames.com/

 BABYNAMES.COM'S TOP 20 BABY NAMES FOR 2009

 Name statistics include alternate spellings of the same name

 

Top 20 Girls' Names 2009 Amelia Isabella Ava Sophia Olivia Madeline Lily

 Abigail Chloe Emma Charlotte Ella Addison Elizabeth Grace Audrey

 Emily Bella Hannah Isabelle 

Top 20 Boys' Names 2009 Aiden Noah Liam Caden

 Ethan Jackson Landon Jacob Caleb Lucas Braden Benjamin Gavin Connor

 Elijah Oliver Alexander Owen Gabriel Logan, 

Time Magazine Cover Story: The Growing Backlash Against Overparenting

While other publications were talking turkey (literally), Time Magazine's Thanksgiving Week cover photo (left) depicted a mom and her bubble-wrapped boy.  The story, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here,highlighted the growing trend of overparenting.   As camp and youth services professionals, you have seen, heard and dealt with "helicopter parents" for the past five to ten years.  Most have witnessed some of the hysteria mentioned in the article's opening paragraph:

"The insanity crept up on us slowly; we just wanted what was best for our kids. We bought macrobiotic cupcakes and hypoallergenic socks, hired tutors to correct a 5-year-old's "pencil-holding deficiency," hooked up broadband connections in the treehouse but took down the swing set after the second skinned knee. We hovered over every school, playground and practice field — "helicopter parents," teachers christened us, a phenomenon that spread to parents of all ages, races and regions. Stores began marketing stove-knob covers and "Kinderkords" (also known as leashes; they allow "three full feet of freedom for both you and your child") and Baby Kneepads (as if babies don't come prepadded). The mayor of a Connecticut town agreed to chop down three hickory trees on one block after a woman worried that a stray nut might drop into her new swimming pool, where her nut-allergic grandson occasionally swam. A Texas school required parents wanting to help with the second-grade holiday party to have a background check first. Schools auctioned off the right to cut the carpool line and drop a child directly in front of the building — a spot that in other settings is known as handicapped parking. "

Please share your best helicopter parent stories in he comment section below.  Writing about these experiences are good therapy and will help you realize you're not alone.  Eye rolling encouraged!

Great Rivers ACA is Great Group - Keynote Recap

Today's keynote session at the Great Rivers American Camp Association Fall Conference focused on the idea that marketing truly is part of everyone's job no matter what one's professional strengths or weaknesses.  While I tend to be high energy and mildly addicted to strangers, I rely on others to tackle the marketing details, timelines and administration.  As promised during my workshop I'm posting the PowerPoint slides for attendees to download or share with others in their organization.  Feel free to use them to guide a conversation with staff, board members or volunteers who can, certainly, become part of your marketing team.  Better yet, I'd love to help your camp or organization develop a "whole team" marketing approach.  Contact me to brainstorm ways I can help jumpstart this process.

Download Economy Stinks Keynote

What's Driving Back to School Marketing?

Typically a time to weigh the merits of pens vs. pencils, markers vs. crayons and which after-school program to choose; this year's back-to-school marketing is dripping with a different type of message -- FEAR.  Today's AdAge.com features an article: "Swine Flu Fear puts Disinfectant Brands on School Supply List."

So what does this have to do with you?  A couple of things -- as you already know, what trends in schools often translates to changes in after-school and recreation programs.  Summer camps already know the impact of the real threat of swine flu -- as both a medical and economic malady. "Where kids gather, the flu is sure to spread," the media seems to warn.  So, as children, students and athletes return to your programs and head back indoors this fall, consider these three ideas: 

1. Keep lots of over-sized bottles of disinfectant on hand. You can even order half gallon bottles imprinted? How cool would it be to have that sitting on your school nurses desk ALL YEAR LONG?  Talk about a good use of limited funds!
2. Educate children and parents about the preventative measures you have and will be taking to protect children from all types of communicable disease.  The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has all sorts of information you can download, print, post and share.  They even have PSAs (public service announcements you can post right on your web site) as a measure of goodwill.
3. Order some personal hand sanitizer (with prices starting at about .25 each there's something for every budget) imprinted with your program name as a wonderful reminder that you are part of the health and safety team in your community.  Consider giving these as a back to school gift to teachers, school nurses, parents, students -- just about anyone who has a child or children in their lives.  To get some free samples or look into this timely idea call/email andy@advisorsmarketing.com or 1-800-IADVISU (800-423-8478).  He's at your service!

CBS News Report: Camps Slammed by Swine Flu

Last night Katie Couric featured an extensive story and video called, "Avoiding Swine Flu at Camp" on the impact of the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus on the summer camp season.  While many special needs camps chose to err on the side of caution, canceling camp altogether; most camps have opened and are in full swing without incident.  However, the report, which featured Blue Star Camp in North Carolina focused on seemingly mild cases of H1N1 which have broken out in their camp communities.  They featured nurses taking temperatures and doing "lice checks."  (I went to the Blue Star website today and was a little surprised that there wasn't a "front page" response to the news piece squelching some of the anxieties parents might be experiencing as they watched their camp featured on a story about the epidemic flu.)

Myson just returned from Camp Mountain Chai -- a residential camp in the mountains of Southern California.  There were no outbreaks of flu or any other illnessess during the two weeks Spencer was at camp.  However -- I have to admit -- after watching the report, I was kind of glad Spencer's residential camp season was over without incident.  I felt anxious.  Partly because the report asks the big question: will we continue to see outbreaks as children return to school in the fall? 

So, what's a camp to do? 

Educate yourself.  Read ACA's latest responses and educational pieces related to the H1N1 Virus here.  Besides good information from the health care community there are discussions and videos.

Monitor calls and conversations.  You know your parents better than I do.  While you never want to create unnessary panic especially, you don't want to ignore a potential problem either.  If you are getting even one or two questions or calls regarding the flu, you should probably go on the communications offensive.  Keep in mind, that for every question or call that you get about any issue at camp, chances are there are many, many more people (parents, grandparents funders) thinking or fearing the same thing -- but just not making their concerns known.  First and foremost let your parents know that  you are aware of the H1N1 risk and are taking extra precautions this year (assuming that you are).

Go to the ABC website and watch the video or read the story.  Then post a comment at the end of the video confirming the many ways you, as a camp professional, insure that kids stay safe and healthy while in your care.  There's power in numbers and it's important for a news outlet as powerful as CBS know that the camp profession is engaged and involved.

Please comment on this story by offering ideas or suggestions to others.

Are your camps listed?

I recently got a call from someone who had heard me speak at a Camp Conference asking if I had any last minute suggestions to help boost enrollment this summer.  After doing a bit of brainstorming related to offering premiums for referrals, attractive discounts for siblings or signing children up for additional weeks of camp, I happened to ask,"Are your camps listed on the popular Camp Directories?"  I was surprised that this savvy camp director was unaware of these types of directories and was enthusiastic about their existence. 

Often, similar to telephone directories, these on-line directories offer free basic listings.  Of course, they also offer many fee based enhanced listings and advertising opportunities.  Post a basic listing at the very least and explore paid listing options with a knowledgeable marketing expert.  Here are the ones that ranked highest when I did a Google search for Summer Camps.  I couldn't help but noticed how very few public and non profit camps are listed on these sites.  I'm sure you're welcome.  But, these directories can't list you if they don't know you exist.  Make yourself known by investing 30 - 60 minutes of your time and listing your camps on these sites:

http://www.summer-daycamps.com

http://www.summercamps.com

http://www.camppage.com

http://www.gocamps.com

And, if you have an opinion about any of these sites or have others to add, please leave a comment below!

More applicants than jobs? Here's an idea

I recent discussion on LinkedIn gave me an idea that I thought I'd share.  The economy has created a glut of people applying for jobs that previously attracted young, entry-level students or young adults.  Now, however, layed-off professionals, un-retirees and other candidates are surprisingly lining up to become camp counselors, maintenance workers and clerical staff.  All this is may be happening at the same time your budget and staff are being cut.  So, is there anyway to make lemonade out of these economically sour lemons?  Here's one ideas...

I suggest offering volunteer (unpaid) positions to qualified applicants who aren't offered paid positions.  As most people know, the longer one is out of a job the harder it seems to be to find one.  So offering people the chance to "work" even without a salary may be a win-win-win situation.  You get good help to supplement your dwindling staff hours, your customers are better served AND "volunteers" can fill avoid holes in employment history times-lines and beef up their resume with new experiences gained at your agency. 

Maybe you're already creatively recruiting volunteers at your agency.  Share your story below. 

Celebrities Love Camp

Congratulations to the American Camp Association on its new PSA (public service announcement).  "Because of Camp" is engaging and enlightening.  The diverse spokespeople tell a great story about the many benefits of camps. 

How is your life better "because of camp?"

Invasion of the Podcasters

Everyone's going so high tech these days.  Last week while speaking at the American Camp Association's Midstate's Conference I was given a tiny iPod-looking thing which turned out to be a tiny digital recorder,  Then I was reminded that my workshop, Fundwriting Letters That Get Results,  was being recorded and would be made available post conference as a Podcast via the ACA website.  Of course, I had agreed to this recording months in advance and was thrilled at the opportunity to try something new -- all in the name of the greater camp community. 

So sure enough, just days after the final curtain fell on the 2009 Midstates Conference, my session is now posted for all to access. Now you can listen on your computer or your iPod, cell phone or mp3 player.And while the podcasts are raw and unedited, it still is a very cool technology allowing those unable to attend a conference to stay up on the latest information. 

But, because I aim to please, I'm going to go one step further.  As a blog reader, not only can you link to the recording here; you can also download the handouts for the session below.  Now that truly is almost as good as being there.

So go ahead and listen to your heart's (and ears') content by following this link.  There's lots of other great sessions from the conference there, too.  

To get the most out of your podcast I recommend printing and following along with these high content handouts.  Download Fundwriting_2009_Enhanced

If you do decide to listen, please let us know.

Make Me an Offer I Can't Refuse

The American Camp Association's Tri State Conference is a highlight of my spring speaking schedule.  I love the east coast honesty, passion and confidence.  This year I participated in a pre-conference event aimed specifically at those in the day camp business, especially those in parks and recreation.  During regular conference hours I am thrilled to present two new programs, both which address critical marketing strategies for these tough economic times. 

For the first time ever, I've put together a program that focuses solely on one very important part of developing more effective marketing materials -- the offer or call to action.  I'm happy to share the enhanced version of these handouts from this session for those who attended the session as well as those who with they had. 

This document includes more than 60 specific compelling offers to inspire your prospects to try, buy and re-buy your products, camps and services. By incorporating just one of these ideas into your next marketing campaign you will likely motivate those that might need a friendly nudge (or a really big push) to check you out. 

 Download Make Me an Offer with Definitions

After reviewing the list, please add a few of your own! Sharing is good for the soul.