About a year ago, I began thinking, “What would it take to help Christian camps and conference centers fill more beds and maximize their ministry? What could we as an association provide that many would not already have access to?” I asked many members these questions and got good feedback – this became the genesis of “Marketing Plan in a Box.” I began dreaming and planning what it could look like, and how it could bless and benefit CCCA member organizations.

Originally, my thought was simply to produce a text-file document that was a template for building a marketing plan, which the user could work through by filling in blanks and attaching a schedule. I kicked the idea around with a seasoned marketing executive (who also happens to be my wife, Penny) and the idea began to expand – a lot. Then God provided CCCA’s new marketing manager, Julie Hill, who got the project moving ahead working with Penny, a team of designers, developers and experts.

This past Monday, Feb. 7, CCCA released Marketing Plan in a Box, now a web-based storehouse of marketing instruction, theory, practical ideas, quick tips and case studies. And the original idea is still part of the product—now a 20-some page “Build Your Plan” guide. In addition, there are four distinct modules (Social Media, Advertising, Public Relations and Fund Development) contained in hundreds of pages of helpful material, and a bonus module on foundational Branding and Marketing Basics.

Early feedback from a handful of users indicates they are impressed and excited about the abundance of helpful guidance packed into this tool. The product includes a year’s worth of updates, delivered quarterly.

My hope and prayer for this tool is that it will bless members for years to come by helping them fill more beds and maximize their ministry. It’s incredibly gratifying to imagine the impact of a tool that can be used by passionate camping people to grow their ministries and expand their impact. To order your copy of Marketing Plan in a Box, contact Julie Hill, CCCA Marketing Manager, at 719-260-9400, ext. 126, or jhill@ccca.org.