My oldest who graduated high school in May has been at two days of orientation at Texas A&M University. He was spending the time signing up for classes, learning the campus, reviewing programs, dorms and the like. To my great surprise, he decided and did, join the Corp of Cadets. Wow. I am proud and excited for him.
As a former student (not of the Corp), I know something about the Corp. The Corp is great for opportunities, a stable study environment with upperclassmen for assistance. Yes, there will be early mornings, drills and group activities. Yes, he will have to, in some ways, sublimate his personality part of the time to be a part of the team. But the Corp is world-renowned in the leaders they built and he will always have some great memories and true buddies.
As recently as two days, he was anti-Corp. His father was Corp, had been pushing him all along to join, and my son didn't want to join. As recently as two days ago, he was still finding out about costs and dorm living, stating he didn't want to be in the Corp; he didn't want to be involved. Yesterday, he went from outfit to outfit to choose between his the two he liked best. My son is a part of Squadron 12 Talon. He was walking the dog and breaking in his combat boots this morning.
All I can say is that the Corp, along with the active students promoting the Corp at orientation, did an excellent job of marketing to turn my son in to an active part of their organization. I wasn't there so I don't have a first hand knowledge of what went on, but if they can convert my son to a believer, then it must have been solid with fact and people to back it up.
That's really the key to marketing. Have a great product to market with facts to back it up, know your audience and be enthusiastic, and get them involved (mentally, physically) in the product. The Corp is one of the best in the nation... check. Let's have our enthusiastic, intelligent, charismatic Corp members tell possible recruits all about it... check. And let's give him part of his uniform (they also sized and gave him his dress shoes) so he's got something to think about, do and look forward to. The product (The Corp) is so beneficial that the positives, which he just learned about yesterday, outweighed the negatives (early mornings and drills being cons to a teenager).
I am proud of my son for the ability to look at something in a new way, even against his set beliefs, and making an informed decision that will carry with him for the rest of his life.
