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Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and rec leader has to leave his or her desk and “wander around” the area of operations, talk to people, ask questions, and kick around ideas with the individuals in the thick of delivering services to the public. So the author will bring up issues and ask the leaders among the readership to share their knowledge and experiences.
I haven’t conducted a poll or even an unscientific survey, but I’d be willing to bet that there are many recreation departments--especially in smaller population centers with fewer than 100,000 people--that don’t have a separate marketing division. If someone has a source of empirical data that addresses this, please enlighten me.
Yet marketing recreation programs, classes and activities--especially in these fiscally constrained times--is more important than ever. What we do as recreation specialists is helpful to communities trying to cope and come out on the other end intact as viable and vibrant.
Study The Competition
For some time now, I’ve been researching and studying various aspects of marketing public services offered by governmental recreation programs versus commercial services offered in the private sector. I’ve asked the question: If I was owner of this “business,” would I be marketing my programs differently?
