Travel and use online media/mobile advertising to create a broader awareness of the local issues that our communities face when it comes to conservation of our fisheries resources.
Background:
A survey performed by Trout Unlimited in the Western States posed a question, “Would you be willing to take on a leadership role with Trout Unlimited?” The target audience responded with an answer of “Yes” at 50% of total. The question becomes, “How do we engage them?” The answer is simple – start the conversation using the media and medium they use most frequently.
Operational Focus:
- This project operates as an independent fisheries advocate where business partners gain recognition for their support of those programs focused on fisheries conservation.
- Intent is to inspire and foster engagement, membership and leadership growth for the grassroots community organizations whose purpose is the conservation of cold water fisheries.
- The primary beneficiaries of this project are non-profit organizations respected and recognized for this work.
- The target audience is between the ages of 18 and 55 made up of men and women who actively engage in the fly fishing activity and lifestyle located in the Pacific Northwest – primarily Oregon and Washington.
Metrics used to gauge quantitative and qualitative results
- Increased sponsors brand awareness through additional social media following
- Membership recruitment
- Leadership/project engagement for Non-Profit organizations
- Lead generation for business sponsors
- Opportunities to create specific events and programs to drive lead generation
- Use of existing opportunities
Current measurable results to date:
- Leadership/member recruitment for Non-Profits focused on fisheries habitat improvement
- Conservation-based project development resulting in hundreds of volunteer hours
- Business memberships for Non-Profits
- Corporate Sponsorships of Non-Profits
- Direct sales of goods and services for businesses as well as direct-to-consumer
- 5-10k individual reach per month through social media with cooperative brand awareness for partners
- Engagement rates above statistical norms online
- Average 25-50k impressions per each travel day on road toward direct brand advertising
- Combined metrics provide over 250k individual impressions per month of potential lead generation
- Combined revenue generated for business partners and beneficiary organizations over 50k in first 3 months
.What does it mean to be a sponsor? Well it’s spelled out above, but more than that – it provides a unique opportunity that is available using my unique method of delivery.
I have thought about these potential sponsors long and hard over the past few months and discovered there are plenty of good fits:
- Manufacturers and retailers seeking to promote their products and services that are directly connected to the outdoors lifestyle
- Banking institutions interested in sustainability and looking to generate leads through public events and advertising
- Automotive dealerships interested in showcasing their vehicle capacity and lead generation opportunities
- Automotive parts, supplies, and tire businesses interested in mobile advertising
- Energy generation entities including public/private utilities and clean energy generation businesses
- Large format advertising/marketing businesses such as those providing vehicle wrapping
- Custom vehicle engineering companies that provide capacity building for off road/grid living
- Survival food services such as dry good manufacturers for long term storage and use
- Technology manufacturers who provide products for off grid living and communication
- Agencies whose focus is reaching the target audience in a non-traditional format to supplement their existing methods
- Non-profit groups focusing in natural resource education, support of their programs, and membership engagement
- Educational institutions whose focus contains natural resource instruction and programs geared toward outdoor lifestlye
With all this being said, it has been a struggle to find businesses and organizations who would be willing to fund such a platform. If you own a business, are connected to one, or can provide opportunity to meet and would want to help keep this project moving forward, please contact me as soon as possible. I am open to discuss any options that may be available.
What I have found so far in this journey is that the message of getting involved however you can has generated fundamental success for each and every group and business I have promoted. Whether it generated direct revenue for the business, allowed them to feel part of a bigger picture of sustainability of our natural resources, or simply brought a smile and sense of happiness to those individuals who have taken positive steps in their local area – the success is measurable and performing above expectations.
My goal is not to just represent the fly-fishing community. Simply because they are not the only stewards of the resources we enjoy in the wild. In fact, if I only focused on that industry the entire system would not accurately represent myself or the users who are out there doing what they can to provide for the future of these resources.
A sense of pride becomes associated with this program and I have seen it first-hand with the people who have gotten involved so far. But it takes more than just the few who have supported it so far. It takes a larger budget, it needs to become self sustaining so I can grow it. The future of this program will include creating unique opportunities for disadvantaged youth programs, workshops on social media engagement practices, and delivery of best practices for communicating methods which have found success with this program.
This is not a short term program. This program has the capacity to be introduced in a variety of methods throughout our country. Creating a package for delivery into other areas will provide opportunity to have the same success I have enjoyed so far. I can imagine a day where the Trout Bus is a program where each Bus is identified geographically.What it takes is the funding to start correctly and to be given the opportunity to grow.
