What Your Council’s Recruiting Strategy is Missing

Don’t bother telling the swarms of potential Scouting families what the Boy Scouts of America’s programs can add to their lives. Show them.

Your council is probably zoned in on capturing the attention of millennial parents who have kids old enough to join Scouting programs. That’s why we’ve compiled a few insights that squash traditional advertising strategy and help you communicate Scouting’s value to parents:

• Millennials trust brands and advertising less and less. They increasingly look to friends and other millenials who share their interests for input on buying decisions.  
• Millennial parents like Scouting but don’t always recognize it as the perfect fit for their own families.
• Emotion is king in parents’ decisions on how to best use the little time they have with their kids to make a positive impact.

So how can you tap into emotion-invoking messages that are effective and not just cheesy? Let’s take the below video, for example. Watch it, and then we’ll pick up with why this video works after the jump.

This testimonial comes from a source audiences can relate to. By featuring the true story of millennial mom, the video strikes a chord with fellow moms. But even more effective, this mom gives an emotional first-hand account of how Scouting makes the most of the precious time she has with her son. This kind of real story from a real mom provides a personal endorsement for Scouting that other millennials can trust.

If you’re wondering how you can elicit the same kind of emotional response in your area, we’re one step ahead of you. You can download this video and put it to work in your council by heading here. Be on the lookout for more videos resources like this to be posted in the next few months.

For now, share with us in the comments below: Why do you think this video is effective in reaching millennial parents? What other ideas do you have for genuine, emotionally focused content that captivates millennials?