When Times Are Tough, Sailors Get Going
Published: Monday, May 4, 2020
By: Beth Oliver Director of Marketing, Offshore Sailing School
2020 will forever be remembered for the accelerated rate of communication changes; not just in technology and “salty dogs having to learn new tricks,” but in how we have had to meld the “way we’ve always done things” with the way communication and personal interaction had to change.
Sailors and boaters are used to comradery, getting together on the docks, water, and watering holes. You know sailors are near when you hear all the laughter, good-natured ribbing, and jovial storytelling. When Offshore Sailing School recently learned to use new software systems to keep in touch while working remotely, core messaging became one of heightened customer service, education, and entertainment—simply trying to provide entertainment and educational service in uncertain times.
It’s unnerving to temporarily pause our busiest season of the year when our fleet was in full-swing and enthusiastic students were spending a week aboard with our instructor, learning how to competently and confidently skipper a big yacht, a sailing or power catamaran. Like so many companies, Offshore Sailing School had to get even more inventive to stay in touch and provide something positive and engaging for our prospects and graduates.
Here are a few things Offshore Sailing School did to leverage its social media channels and keep sailing hope alive:
Launched a Facebook photo contest. We received some great entries, which can be viewed at www.facebook.com/offshoresailingschool. Scroll through the posts to March 16, 2020, to view the submissions by clicking on “all comments” and “replies.” Offshore’s management team selected Offshore Sailing School graduates Amanda Ward (Outrun the Storm photo) and John Baute (Learning Aboard a Colgate 26, with dolphin photo) as 1st and 2nd place winners.
Launched a new #DocksideChatswithSteve video series, produced by Offshore Sailing School founder/owners Steve and Doris Colgate. The Colgates are producing these video stories themselves on their dock at home in Southwest Florida. The short vignettes will be featured in memoirs Steve and Doris are writing to be published in 2021. The series began Monday, March 30, and new episodes premiere on the company’s Facebook page every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The stories are also shared on the company’s YouTube channel, which also features more than 100 sailing tip videos, special event recaps, profiles of the six Offshore Sailing School locations, and historical stories about the company and its esteemed founders. View this content at www.YouTube.com/offshoresailing.
Last but not least, Offshore Sailing School collaborated with the BoatUS Foundation a few years ago to produce an Online Learn to Sail Course. It is now available for a limited time for FREE by completing Offshore Sailing School’s newsletter request on the School’s website, and stating “request free Learn to Sail code” in the comments section of the newsletter form found here at www.offshoresailing.com/newsletter-signup. Code requests will be fulfilled quickly and the recipient will use the code in the Online Learn to Sail Course enrollment process, found at https://bit.ly/2wQrkv0.
Offshore Sailing School looks forward to seeing you on the water again soon. You can always find us at www.OffshoreSailing.com, 800-221-4326.
This article first appeared in the Launch Issue (May/Jun) 2020 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Company Expansions, Coupons & Discounts, COVID-19, Education, Promotions & Giveaways, Sailing
