We want to show the world who, what and where people sail - to do this we need your help getting the world signed up and sailing!
We sat down and gleaned SEVEN TIPS from conversations with Summer Sailstice organizer and rockstar Mary Greblunas. Mary first read about Summer Sailstice in 2004 while at a West Marine - ten years later she’s still “making waves” - between the two events she’s organizing (Hamptons Yacht Club Summer Sailstice and Hampton Roads Fleet 30 ) - she’s generated more event sign ups and participants than any other event! How does she do it?
1. Plan early! (we admit this will be hard to do for this year!)
“ We got to talk about the Summer Sailstice at a sit down planning dinner for the year the first of February. I was able to talk about the Summer Sailstice to everyone, we had pictures from last year, plus the two people who had won prizes last year showed of their winnings.”
2. Organize in-person planning meetings (they can be fun and productive!)
“The first Friday in April we had a Summer Sailstice Potluck sign up, just to get together to plan for our Summer Sailstice and helped people sign up, plus gave away some of the Summer Sailstice t-shirts as prizes.”
3. Recruit helpers! Take photos and document your first year so you can show the results and get people excited for the following year…
“After our first event it was easy to get people excited about the longest Saturday of daylight. On opening day, the following year, we put together a table about what we did the year before. It became easy to organize after the first year, everyone was stepping up to help with the event.”
4. No need to start from scratch...combine Summer Sailstice with other events already happening….
“Earlier this year the Hampton Yacht Club had a meeting for members who were interested in going on weekend cruises together. I noticed they had June 21st– June 23rd on the calendar as a target weekend for a cruise. I raised my hand and told them about the Summer Sailstice celebration and of course, we volunteered to be cruise captains for the Summer Sailstice.”
“In fact, there were so many different things already happening that weekend, I decided to have a Summer Sailstice potluck Friday Night, so everyone could all gather and talk about how each of us are celebrating the Sailstice.”
5. Make it easy for people to RSVP for the global Summer Sailstice by bringing a computer to your event or collect their names and log it in yourself.
“We had people sign a sheet of paper this weekend at HYC and we entered their information for them on you website.”
“I’m also planning on having a computer at our event for the people who had no time to sign up to win the prizes. I know of two different people who had won prizes when we were with SHYC.”
6. Send your “event link” to friends, sailors, members, etc. inviting them to RSVP to your event in an email or newsletter. For example you can look at the Hampton Yacht Club event.
“We put the invitation, from your website under ‘Organize an Event’ in our March Newsletter.”
Edit, cut, and paste the following Email to your sailing friends:
Dear XXX,
I’ve just registered (name of yacht club/organization)’s Summer Sailstice celebration on the website here: (Link to your event, i.e. http://www.summersailstice.com/event/hampton-yacht-club-summer-sailstice-2014). I’m writing to invite you to our event and to ask that you RSVP online so we can get a headcount of who is going. In addition, by registering online, you:
- Become eligible to win prizes from the prize list
- Can see who else is attending and coordinate with other sailors and friends
- Help make us eligible to receive America's Cup apparel and Summer Sailstice burgees (for the club with the highest registrations)
- Help showcase our organization and how we choose to celebrate sailing!
Just click on our Summer Sailstice event (link to event, i.e. http://www.summersailstice.com/event/hampton-yacht-club-summer-sailstice-2014) and RSVP. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
7. And finally.. “Just talk it up, who wouldn’t want to be a part of this global holiday celebrating sailing…. I love how it connects sailors all over the world. Just think, we are out there with 19,000 other sailors doing what we all love to do!”
Use these seven tips and help make this Summer Sailstice the BIGGEST and BEST yet.. and be this week's TOP REGISTERED EVENT and WIN early-bird prizes (AC gear and burgees!).
- Each Sunday from now until June 21, we will be sending out a Summer Sailstice burgee to the club/organizations with the highest registered participation.
- Get five new RSVPs and we’ll send you some America’s Cup gear to hand out as prizes!
To learn more from Mary, check out her award as Hobie Sailor of the month from US Sailing.
