Whether it’s your first year on the job, or you’re a seasoned pro at being a boat club kit officer, the start of a new season offers lots of opportunity to stamp your mark on how your club will look this year.
At Termaxx we’ve all been kit officers in the past ourselves and can reflect on a few decisions we’ve made (right and wrong!) to help provide a few tips you might want to consider -
It can be a daunting job - lay out some objectives and be pro-active.
After deciding on the all-important title (Kit Officer, Stash Sec, Head of Rowing Apparel), you’ll normally be conscious of how things have been done previously and you’ll have an idea in your head if that’s right or wrong. Either way, at the start of a season you can be pro-active by reaching out to suppliers, getting mock-up drawings created and comparing pricing/service. At Termaxx we like to help our boat club partners from the early design stage to end product, the earlier in the season you can organise yourself with a club catalogue and full range, the quicker you are likely to get your kit.
Get opinions, but make the decisions. You’re in charge!
I can already tell you that someone at your boat club won’t like something you’ve designed or included in the catalogue, that’s the way it goes! It’s important to have a consensus on items from your club before deciding on anything major but opening it up too widely will normally end in arguments that will slow down the ordering process. We usually recommend having a group of 4-5 (well dressed) people helping you make decisions, preferably 1 from each squad/group if you can.
Logistics, Logistics, Logistics
While the design process can be a lot of fun, and you start to feel like you’re at one with your creative self, there is no denying that the best kit officers are the ones who have the ability to handle the logistics and issues that can come with the role. Set order and payment deadlines, schedule reminders, find ways of making life easy for the buyers and if you’ve managed all of that then you could even use the kit order to help raise money for your boat club. At Termaxx we can offer various ways of giving back to the club via cashback deals, kit bundles and a small ‘boat club tax’ on top of listed prices to help you raise cash (ask for details!).
A few final pitfalls, and how to avoid them!
Alongside the tips above, its worth mentioning a few common pitfalls we have experienced both as kit officers and at Termaxx that you will want to avoid to make ordering as smooth as possible -
- Make sure all members pay you before submitting the order.
- Make sure all members pay attention to sizing guides.
- Set deadlines and stick to them. Work back from events where you need kit and give yourself and your supplier time to make sure it arrives on time.
- Ask your manufacturer questions about any concerns you have, it’s their job to help.
I hope this post can offer you a little bit of guidance this season and if you want to discuss your options with us this season then send us an email at info@termaxx.com
Cheers!