Day Sailer Boat Show Display and Video Tape

[Lee Peterson]

Fleet 132, the Muskrats, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin are looking into the possibility of displaying one or two Day Sailers at a boat show. Potential locations include Chicago, Minneapolis or LaCrosse, and it's likely that it will be early 2004 before we can get a space. I would like to hear from other members who have worked at boat shows to get their input and benefit from their experiences. I have also been thinking about putting together a video tape or DVD with scenes from DS events such as regattas, cruises or fleet get togethers to run at the show. Have any of you done this already, or do any of you have footage that you would be willing to copy and share? Also, if any of you have creative ideas about displays, I'd appreciate hearing them.

If you reply to this email, please include "DS" or "Day Sailer" in the subject line so I can easily identify the message. If you wish you can email me off-list. Thanks in advance for your help.

Lee

[Guest]

Day Sailer boat shows

Having worked Trade Shows and some boat shows for years, I’ve learned a few things that work:

If you can display the Day Sailer:
Show your best.
Completely rigged with sails up.
If the Day Sailer is on a trailer take off one wheel, so the boat will heel and people can easily see the how much room we have inside.
Be sure to protect the boats trailer tongue from peoples shins.

I have found that many large photo prints that are displayed at eye level, of Day Sailer activities attracted as much attention as a video. Photos should show people having fun with the Day Sailer and the fleet.

Call or Email Pat Skeen (skeenjp@aol.com) and ask if the Day Sailer Class has any of the class flyers that I designed and produce for Boat Show handouts. Only give one to that really interested person. Your handout should have phone numbers of fleet members and used and new Day Sailer boats in your area (and outside your area) that are for sale.

If you intend to get names of that really interested person and you need to ask them to sign up on a form that you have made up. Be sure to have the sign up table that is counter high (42 inches high). People find it much easier to sign if they are comfortable.

Greet every person with a question such as: Where do you sail?, Will your dog be sailing with you or What boat are you presently sailing? If you find out their name, use it. People like to hear their name.

A small reward works like hard candy or maybe imprinted button (like: DS fleet 132 for shared fun!) for visiting your Day Sailer display

Gus Heismann
Intermountain Regional Vice President
gus@heismann.net

Gus Heismann (gus-at-heismann.net)