The Tidewater Council Marketing & Communications committee supports the council’s strategic plan by helping spread the word about Scouting to our community and to keep our members informed of news and coming events.
While devoted to council-wide and district-wide efforts, the Marketing & Communications committee is always looking for ways to help our staff, volunteers, and Scouts expand the reach of Scouting’s voice and share all the wonderful things happening within Scouting.
To help our units with the marketing and promotion of your Scouting events and recruitment, we are sharing a variety of marketing tools. These links, information, and other assets can help you with your Scouting-related marketing needs.
Tidewater BSA Marketing Toolbox Assets
Free Tools and Design Software
Here are some commonly used free tools and design software that are relatively easy to use. Many are drag and drop. Most offer customizable templates that lessen your design time.
Please note: As with any free, free-to-try, or open-source software use, please be aware of the terms of service, the information you are asked to share, and the security of the software or website. Tidewater Council and the Boy Scouts of America do not endorse or sponsor any of the resources listed. This information is provided solely to share suggestions from fellow volunteers.
- Adobe Express: “Easily brings words and pictures together, creating beautiful flyers in multiple formats. No design skills necessary.”
- Canva: “With the drag-and-drop flyer maker, it’s easy to create a professional flyer, even without any graphic design skills.”
- Figma: “An online UI tool to create, collaborate, prototype, and handoff.”
- Inkscape: “Open-source vector graphics editor used to create vector images, primarily in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format.”
- Pixlr: “An easy photo editor created for designers, photographers, and social media influencers.”
- Poster My Wall: “Thousands of templates and free downloads. Create professionally designed flyers to promote your business or event.”
- SmartDraw: “Design great-looking flyers, brochures, leaflets, and more.”
- Snappa: “Whip up graphics for social media, ads, blogs, and more without Photoshop or graphic designers.”
- Vectr: “Free graphics software used to create vector graphics easily and intuitively. It’s a simple yet powerful web and desktop cross-platform tool to bring your designs into reality.”
- Vista Create: “Easy-to-use design tool for creating stunning visuals. Use free templates made by professionals and customize them for your projects.”
Best Practices
DO
Become familiar with BSA Brand Identity and all that it encompasses. Use brand guidelines when customizing a stock piece or designing something new. The more cohesive our branding is across the country and around the world, the more recognizable our programs become. Visit scoutingwire.org/bsa-brand-center/brand-identity.
DON'T
Recolor, distort, or otherwise change the brand. Instead, let the brand elements stand proudly and do the work they were designed to do.
DO
Find and use images and collateral displaying activities and people that reflect those you serve and what they do. Put these images in your marketing pieces and show the way Scouting truly looks.
DON'T
Forget that Scouting is a diverse youth movement that intersects with many cultures—even and especially those in our area. Instead, display the diversity of Scouting and make sure you capture the full reflection of those in our region to make your recruiting drive or event successful.
