States Program – Marketing Made Easier for All States Stephanie Hussey, RBFF ACI Conference - Marketing Day July 10, 2007

Retention & Recruitment Opportunity State Program State Product Working Group States Program – Marketing Made Easier for All States

Priority for this year: taking the pilot state efforts to the next level with a nationwide program that all states can use Revenue associated with license sales is critical to the future sustainability of state agency conservation and management programs Retention & Recruitment is a priority

12% decline in participation in 2006 from % of anglers renew their license every year over a 5-year period There is a significant decline in renewals of fishing licenses

Opportunity is clear: –85% of anglers who have previously obtained licenses are ripe for a targeted direct response effort Our immediate focus: –Reaching these lapsed anglers Opportunity

RBFF is developing a how-to guide to enable state fish and wildlife agencies to implement a direct mail marketing program to increase fishing license sales This guide will serve as the first component of a multi-year project to enable state agencies to increase fishing license sales State Program

Develop the program by December 2007 Goal: 25% of the states to implement the program in 2008 Results of the marketing effort will be evaluated State Program

Pilot State Program Learnings Pilot programs with state fish & wildlife agencies to increase license sales among lapsed anglers in Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Utah, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Idaho and Iowa Proven that declining license sales can be reversed by utilizing an integrated, best practices approach

How-to guide for agencies to implement an integrated, direct mail marketing program, which will: Target lapsed anglers to increase fishing license sales Provide case study examples and instructions Include customizable marketing material templates Focus on a core program with local variations State Product

State Outreach Working Group Roger Fuhrman, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Michael Gray, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources Debbie Lininger, Colorado Division of Wildlife Monica Linnenbrink, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Ed Parker, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Lydia Saldaña, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Julie Tack, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Bob Wattendorf, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Purpose: Gain a better understanding of the challenges facing state agencies in implementing an angler recruitment and retention marketing program How to best address these challenges in order to develop a product that can benefit all state agencies Working Group Meeting

Product in place by December 2007 The Working Group will continue to be engaged throughout the product development process And we want to hear from your state. Program Development

Helping people to discover, share and protect the American legacy of recreational boating and fishing Stephanie Hussey Manager, State Outreach RBFF (703)