This article first appeared in the American Racing Pigeon News, Volume 107, Number 12, March 1992. In times of recession, many hungry businesses go back to the basics when promoting and doing business. Simple ideas with a little leadership and 1/2 dozen volunteers can have a major impact in your local market. I know I'm asking a lot to have you read this very long Blog, but please indulge me. Thanks, Mike
Pigeons in the Mall ?
Publicity Writer
Bob Phillips
Box 218
153 E. Columbus
Lithopolis, OH 43136
I would like to take this first paragraph to introduce you to Ron Logsdon, a first year flyer with the Lancaster, Ohio Pigeon Club. I asked Logsdon to write in his own words his experience of setting up a very successful Mall Show. I would hasten to add that pigeons had not fared to well in the past with the local newspapers. This then is Ron Logsdons story and how he put on a splendid Mall Show reaping a bountiful windfall of publicity in the local news papers. The show also gained new members for the club plus enlightened the public.
Pigeons in the Mall? You're kidding right?? No way!! It'll never happen!! You outta your mind!! Fat chance!! & Good luck!! Are they gonna be flying around inside the mall?? Are you gonna set up a race track for them to race on?? These are some of the comments I heard when I first brought up the idea of having a pigeon show in the local mall.
It was at our November meeting that I made the motion that we see about the local mall letting us put on a show. I was immediately nominated to spearhead the project which I was all for. Since I brought it up I naturally should be the one to pursue it. No problem for this flier, I don't feel that I should just be a dues paying member. Every member should get involved in one way or another with promoting our sport and educating the public on all the misinformation they generally receive about pigeons.
This show had a two fold purpose:
1) Educate the public
2) Attract new members
I feel we accomplished both targets, the jury is still out as the show just ended but time will tell just how well we really did do. I have been reading with much interest this past year all the Updates stories about trying to bolster the number of fliers. With every Update I became more and more interested in the plan proposed by Steve Lawler called Project 2000. The attempt to DOUBLE the size of the AU. It sounds like an awesome task but with all the aids available from the AU it should be one that we could very easily reach. The Spring issue got my interest while the Fall issue got me charged.
So, here it is November and I'm in charge of putting together a show in the local mall that some people are doubting that it will happen. The first order of business is to reserve one of the three AU display booths for our show. I figure on having this show in January as the birds are fully feathered, not in training, most fliers have them separated and they just have that full plump good look about them. I got a display booth reserved and mailed to me (the booth was not in use since early December and I was the first to ask for it, I find it hard to believe that it was going to sit idle for over 6 weeks, some clubs are letting a golden opportunity go by them). The winter time to me is the ideal time to have a show. Our show is over with and now other clubs are scrambling to get a kit. I have to mail this one direct to Texas for them to get it in time for their show. So I have the booth, the blessing of the members to spend up to $100 on the show, so now its full steam ahead with all the coordinating and time for me to put on my PR hat.
First stop is the local mall. It was amazing to me putting this show together just how giving everyone was. I coordinated all the plans for this over the phone. Never once did I have to have a face to face meeting with the mall people, it surprised me. After hammering down a firm date for the show I then moved onto the media for coverage. I send out a news release a month in advance of the show to 7 area papers for some public service advertising. Much to my surprise, one of the papers started running the ad upon receiving it and ran it the entire 4 weeks for free. I also contacted two of the TV stations but never heard from them and no one ever showed up to cover the show. Next step was for me to set up a time schedule for the members to show and to also lay down some rules of my own. There was no problem getting members to show and everything came off without a hitch.
We all tried to show our most colorful birds. Bringing Grizzles, Reds, Silvers, Whites and white flighted and splashes birds. We even had a single cage for showing a rooftop bird. We trap birds from downtown and this little wild bird was for the publics comparison of a common rooftop bird to a true racer.
We started the show on a Friday and ended it on closing of the mall Sunday night. We had 5 tables to work with which was more than ample. We set up the AU display on the front table which is a real eye catcher. The local Sears store in the mall let us use a TV/VCR combination TV in which we ran the short and long versions of "MARATHON IN THE SKY".
We set up cages to show a total of 8 racers and the single for the wild bird. We showed with two fliers every 4 hours with each flier bringing 4 of his own birds. That way it should be less stress on the birds. Supporting the show was a map I made of all our race stations back to our town using pins and thread pointing out the miles raced for each race station. We also had a training basket, countermarking device, countermarks (we would let kids use their finger as the birds leg and snap a countermark on it to show its use and then let them keep the countermark) leg bands, baggies with feed and grit, a timing clock, the 1991 band list out of the Update, all the literature that came with the display booth, some of the members brought along their trophies and diplomas to show with their birds.
All in all, I think it was one great show. The local newspaper came to my loft the Monday before the show and did a front cover story on me and my birds with color photos and that appeared in the Sunday paper the last day of the show. The reporter doing the story took home with her the 60 minute version of "Marathon in the Sky" and wrote an excellent story to go along with great color photos. I did the coordinating of this show myself and if I can do it then YOU can do it. People are really interested in our sport if we give them the chance to ask about it. Its not hard to put one together, as a matter of fact, I had fun doing this one. I can't wait for next year.
PIGEONS IN THE MALL?? You Bet.
Your scribe will add the following information to this article. I know we will not have the final results of this mall show for some time however, I can tell you this we have three new prospects that we didn't have before the show. We also have two flyers that had left the sport 25 years ago considering returning and one new member as a result of the show.
The Fairfield County 4-H Group invited us to join with them in a Mall Show the first weekend in February. Like Ron Logston said we are ready to do it again only this time we are going to add more fancy birds to the show.
Use the "American Racing Pigeon Union" link on the right hand column of this Blog site for more promotional ideas and support.
Past sports promotions
Pigeon racing
Past sports promotions
Pigeon racing
