The two advertisements used in last year's national campaigns can be tailored to the needs of your club and made into a poster.  They would be great for raising awareness in your local area - eg place them on community notice boards etc. 

A poster could also be placed on the wall inside your club.  This would help to create your 'brand' with your members.

You can have your club's information placed on either poster.  I would caution you, however, not to put too much detail on them as people simply won't read it all. Don't make them cluttered with information!

Consider putting just your club's name, web address and contact number.  People can be informed about upcoming dates for beginner classes when they contact the club.  This way, the poster/s would not become dated and could be used all year round.

If interested a minimum order for 10 posters can be placed, together with your club details and advice as to whether you want the 'green' or the 'grey' poster, with Ben Trowse at Surge Media on (07) 3137 1171 or at ben@surgemedia.com.au .  Note:  Postage of up to $15 may apply.

Cost of posters on 150gsm glossy art paper (unlaminated) is:

10 x A1 = $175  (594mm x 841mm)

10 x A2 = $90 (420mm x 594mm)

10 x A3 = $84 (297mm x 420mm)

The ABF will be placing a full page advertisement in the March and September 2016 issues of the Health Times Magazine.  The theme for both these months is 'mental health'. 

The magazine audience includes nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.  It is distributed nationally to all major hospitals (63%), aged care facilities (15%) and healthcare facilities.  Readership is approximately 46,000.  Average age of recipients is 46 years.  Check out the current issue of this magazine by clicking here.

Plan now to capitalise on these advertisements by approaching any hospitals or facilities in your community after the magazine is distributed.  Let them know when beginner classes are starting (and ensure that you run them at times to suit people who work). 

Publication dates for these issues are 29 March and 26 September 2016.

Many of this audience group would be at a stage in life when they are considering strategies/ opportunities for transitioning to retirement. In my opinion, pre-retirement is the best target group for National campaigns designed to attract people to beginner classes.

The advertisement will feature the one used for the 2015 teachers' campaign (see above).

The recent Summer Festival of Bridge attracted some positive, free promotion for our sport. 

We were able to have a full page 'photo montage' in The Canberra Times showing some very happy people attending the festival.

In addition, Channel 2 included a segment on the festival (with a focus on our younger players) in their national news bulletin on Saturday 23 January. 

Click here to view this 2:03 minute TV film clip (see item 2).

Promotions of this nature:

• raise potential new players' awareness of our sport by generating interest;  and
• create brand loyalty amongst your members.

Remember to notify your local community newspaper, TV or radio station when holding an interesting event at your club.

The ABF website provides tips on how to obtain free promotion within your community.  Click here to access (see item 3).

An alarming story about two Australian bridge players being arrested in Pattaya as part of Thailand's foreign crime gang crackdown can be accessed here.

The President of the Contract Bridge League of Thailand travelled to Pattaya to provide further information on 'bridge' and how it is played for points and not money.

Thai people must rest easier knowing that these hardened criminals are a focus for their police!  All has now been sorted out, fortunately.

This story gained traction on Facebook, ABF radio, a couple of TV news programs and Channel 10's The Project.

(Also see video of 'raid' here.)

Keep up to date with information and news by clicking Like on the ABF Facebook page.  Click here to access.

The ABF National Teaching Coordinator, Joan Butts, will be conducting a series of workshops for bridge teachers over coming weeks. 

Contact your State Secretary if you would like one or more of your teachers to be registered.

Teacher Training Program - now 1 day only

Gunnedah : 5 March

Brisbane Water :  13 March

Orange :  7 May

Continuing Professional Development workshop (1 day)

Gunnedah : 6 March

Orange : 8 March

Geelong : 20 March

ERBA (Victoria) :  15 June

Thank you to everyone who participated in the marketing seminar in Canberra on 11 January. Lots of discussion was held on how to 'grow' a bridge club. 

Thank you also to the BFACT President, Roy Nixon, for organising the workshop on behalf of affiliated clubs in the ACT. 

Attendees came from Port Pirie (South Australia), the Canberra Bridge Centre and the Capital, Monaro and South Canberra Bridge Clubs.

Next seminar likely to be in New South Wales in May. 

If I can be of any assistance please contact me (Sandra Mulcahy) at marketing@abf.com.au.