Have you ever noticed that in communities without big
universities, high school sports take on an even bigger
importance?
That's what it's like where I live.
But like everywhere else in the country, our high school sports
are always looking for ways to make a few extra bucks. Enter the
high school baseball sponsorship program.
For a nominal fee (really nominal) businesses can display a
banner around the baseball field for the season.
To me, this is a perfect example of a win-win situation for
everyone.
Businesses get to advertise to parents (who are currently
purchasing adult products and services) and kids (who soon will
be purchasing adult products and services). They are able to
control their message because they choose the banner (one of the
strengths of advertising). And, because the parents and kids
viewing the ads know the proceeds are going to help high school
sports, they tend to view those businesses more favorably (one of
the strengths of community relations).
Best yet, high school sports benefit from an influx of cash.
See how this works? As a business owner, you get the best of all
worlds: Control of your message (advertising), frequency of your
message (advertising), affiliation with a good cause (community
relations) and the good feeling knowing you're supporting a
worthwhile cause (community relations).
Creativity Exercise -- How to find win-win advertising and
community relations opportunities
Grab some paper and pens (I'm partial to the fun gel pens) and
let's start with some brainstorming.
First, start by making a list of everything you're looking for.
I would include:
* What advertising opportunities does the association offer?
For this purpose, make sure they offer some sort of
advertising or sponsorship package.
* Is it a cause near and dear to your heart? (Or even just
something you believe in?)
* Does the cause reach your target market? This is important.
In the above example, as cool as I think that opportunity is,
I'm not racing to sign up. Why? Because chances are, I'm not
hitting enough of my target market to make it worth my while.
And since there's a limited number of these opportunities, I
could potentially be taking something away from a business
that could really benefit from it.
However, here's something else to think about. Basically when it
comes to target markets, this is what you have to decide: Is the
cause more important than you getting business out of it? The
more closely aligned the cause is to your target market, the more
likely you'll see results from your participation. But again, if
this is a cause you're passionate about and it reaches absolutely
no one in your target market, you may still want to participate
simply because it is so important to you. (I would still look for
ways to get something out of your investment -- see (LINK TO) How
to Use Community Relations to Grow Your Business for more ideas.
There's nothing wrong with reaping some reward for your time
and/or money.)
Now that you know what you're looking for, start digging around
for opportunities. Start by calling the local Chamber of Commerce
and networking groups like the Rotary and Kiwanis and other
organizations that have their fingers on your community's pulse.
Ask about both high-profile events and ones off the beaten path.
Make sure you research them both -- high-profile events may seem
too pricey on the surface, but dig deeper and you may discover
it's perfect for your business. And you may strike gold with
smaller venues.
You can also try calling your local area school sports coaches,
band directors and fine arts program teachers -- all frequently
offer programs that might include sponsorships and/or
underwriting and/or various forms of advertising. Ditto non-
school run sports programs like dance, gymnastics, Pop Warner
football, AYSO soccer, Little League, YBL Basketball, etc.
With any luck, you'll discover your own win-win situation.
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