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The Most Requested Magazine Articles

"Gary, you should write a book!" I hear that all the time, but when I ask camp people the last leadership book they've read, most can't think of even one. (Most under 30 haven't even heard of "Good to Great.") But these short (usually 2 to 3 page) articles that I've written for Camp Business Magazine, Perspective, or Camping Magazine have proven extremely popular for their focus on one key issue each, the writing style, (some humor!), and photos. I encourage you to look here first when you've got an issue you're dealing with, and print out the articles in color that you'd like your board members or top staff to read. You'll find a "book group" is much easier to get full participation if they only have to read 3 pages a week! The issues and the discussions they will generate are critical to your success. Let me know what you think, and if there's a topic you'd like to be included next.

	Reading List for Camp Leaders Suggested Reading List.pdf Are you a Camping Professional? Then you constantly improve your knowlege of our field through independent reading. Nothing's faster, deeper, and more affordable. If you want to be able to tell parents you’re actually an expert in child development (which they think you are), there are books you must read. Marketing? Management? Ditto. They're the secrets to success & an exceptional career.
	Building a Camp That Builds Friendships Building Camp Friendships-gf.pdf There’s really only one reason kids will want to return to your camp: they made friends. And some basic facility improvements will help make that happen on purpose.
	The Elevator Speech The Elevator Speech-gf.pdf Every day we sell our camp; and most of the time we blow it. Until you have this task finished, don’t spend ANYTHING on brochures or web sites.
	Making Memories Last… and Spread Making Memories that Last-gf.pdf When summer is over, some of your campers will ask their parents to sign them up again for next years. And some of them won’t. Some parents tell all of the friends about your camps, and others don’t. Here’s why.
	Camp Web Site and Brochure Design Brochures and Web Sites-gf.pdf Tailor your image to fit the concerns and expectations of your number-one registration group; otherwise you’ve not only wasted your money, you’ve handed the customer to your competitors.
	Avoid the Big Mistakes Avoid the Big Mistakes - gf.pdf Preventing the oh-so-common new facility disasters you’ve seen at “that other camp” when good intentions have unintended consequences.
	Camp Revenue: Feeding the goose that lays the golden eggs Camp Revenue - the donut -gf.pdf If you don’t have a financially successful summer camp, focusing on ANY other time of year first will actually prevent you from ever breaking even.
	Incremental Improvement Incremental Improvement.pdf It’s a powerful, deliberate philosophy of frequent, small improvements to keep your campers and guests delighted with your concern for their well-being.
	YMCA Camping – Is Quality a Priority? Is Quality a Priority-gf.pdf You go into any YMCA that is having financial problems, and you can immediately see it in the facility and feel it from the staff: “This place has a quality problem.” Many camps give off that same vibe.
	Evaluating a Camp’s Facilities and Site Site Evaluation-gf.pdf Here’s the question we should be asking: "Is this place effective at doing what parents send their kids to camps for? And if it is, what are the components that make it successful?"
	So You Want a Master Plan? So you want a Master Plan.pdf You can’t buy good results. Period. Homework on your part is the difference between “Great Plan!” and “useless.”
	Teaching the Skills of Friend-Making Three Wishes - Making Friends.pdf Now, it doesn’t "just happen" at camp, that’s why it doesn’t happen for every camper. But it could…