Have Your Cheez Doodle and Eat it Too

I recently was following a Wise Snack truck and on the back there was a "seal" claiming that they were the official "Cheez Doodle" of the Boston Red Sox. Who knew? This is not an uncommon sight in this location. I've seen the official yellow pages, office supplier, and tire company to name a few random ones. The Red Sox are very good at selling sponsorships for the team and there is obviously no end to what you can be the official sponsors of!

Non profits can learn a lot from this model. If you've got it--sell it! So often, the non profits that I work with on fundraising are afraid to ask for money or do sponsorship programs outside of the traditional. But I have found in my experience that by finding creative items to sell as part of a fundraising event you are able to cross several price points ($5K and $10K sponsors are harder to find) and make it more fun for the purchaser. Yes the companies purchasing are wanting to support a worthwhile cause, but why can't they benefit in the equation. In essence, have your cheez doodle and eat it too!

Here are just a few fun sponsorships that have been selling very well on our events:

Signature Cocktails--allow the sponsor to select and name a signature cocktail and team it with branded napkins

Photo Opp--create a large scale banner to have at the entrance of your event (who doesn't want to have a red carpet experience) and sell logo space on the banner. Their brand will be in every event photo.

Snack Attack--at an upcoming golf tournament we sold branded, reuseable snack bags that will be given to each golfer to nosh on during the 18 holes. You can sell water bottle sponsorship in addition.

Limelight--for potential sponsors that would enjoy time in the limelight, you can sell the ability to present an award or other on stage acknowledgment.

If in doubt, ask your potential sponsors what they would like to sponsor or how they would like to bring their expertise to your next event.

A Celebrate Chopper

Last night my husband and I were watching an episode of American Choppers: Junior vs. Senior. I'm definately taking Paul Jr.'s side these days, but I think that might be due to the slant of the producers...but I digress. While we were watching yet another "branded" bike being unveiled, my husband says, "I think you need to do a Celebrate chopper." When I was nine I had a traumatic "moped incident" and have been leary of motorcycles ever since. Mind you most motorcycle enthusiasts wouldn't put the moped in the same category! In any case, I don't think this is a good product placement for me. But it did get me thinking. If I were to do product/service placement where would it be? As business owners we have many opportunities to sponsor events, buy advertisements, brand products, etc. Some to benefit a good cause and others for promotion--covering all price points.

Celebrate's ideal client is an active entrepreneur or business owner of a mid sized company, in the greater Boston area, usually between the ages of 40-60 and preferably good natured with a sense of humor. So the question is, where are they and what are they watching? I could probably rule out The Bachelor! Two do come to mind. On a grand scale I could become the "Official Marketing and Event Planning Company of the Boston Red Sox" or I could offer my event planning services to a This Old House unveiling.

Any other suggestions? What about your company?

Go Big or Go Home

In the world of reality television I am an avid follower of culinary and design competition shows with a side of Amazing Race. As I've been catching up on my recorded shows over the holiday break one phrase keeps coming up. Go Big or Go Home. On Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker that means creating a cake that exceeds the 36" height requirement and including pyrotechnics, but what does it mean to you and your business? As you kick off the new year and put your goals down on paper where can you "Go Big or Go Home"? I would love to hear what you come up with and I'll let you know where and how I apply this to Celebrate in 2011.

Happy New Year!

It's Never Too Late to Start Over

Where did the year go? One minute I was preparing for the holidays and the next thing I know it's the holidays again! In this whirlwind year I had a baby (Mir, born 1/1/10), expanded my role with a long time client (we are now the Chapter administrators for the Boston chapter of the International Facility Management Association--IFMA), continued to work with some of our favorite clients (Maugel Architects, Elaine Construction, Let's Eat, Inc., Spaceworks AI and Precision Marketing Group), and work out the kinks of being a mom of two busy boys and a boss of four amazing women! During that time I moved "blog post" around in my tickler file from week to week. I had brilliant thoughts as I drove down the road that I wanted to share. But I never quite made it to the actual post! I've kicked myself for this on a regular basis and decided today--"it is what it is, make light of it and move on!" So that's what I'm doing. And that is my tidbit for today. I'm sure there is something that you resolved to do last New Year that you were going to do better this year, or a brilliant thought you wanted to bring to fruition, or something that you used to do better that you want to do better again. It's not too late to start over! We are our own worse critics and if we can let it go, so can our peers.

A Full Pencil Cup and Nothing to Write With

Is it just me, or does everyone else experience this phenomenon? I have two pencil cups at my desk, a “junk drawer” in the kitchen, and other random writing utensil stashing places and while there is always a plethora of items to choose from there is nothing to write with. The pencils aren’t sharpened, the markers are dry, the pens have lost their spring, and who writes with a colored pencil?

Do you experience this same phenomenon in your business? Are your marketing materials and/or website full of services and offerings that are only muddying the waters to the useful services? Take a look…it might be time to clean out the pencil cup!

Remember to always lead with the most complex and compelling services you provide. Once you engage your client you can then educate them on the wider variety. Sell the services that sell you.

The Holidays are Right Around the Corner

While I was cursing the grocery stores for putting out the mums before Labor Day and can’t fathom that Halloween is right around the corner (I better get started on Zain’s robot costume) I have to remind you that the corporate gift giving holidays will be here sooner than you think! In a perfect world you would have budgeted for the holidays last January and have a strategic thought in mind as to what you would like to do this year, but when have we ever experienced a “perfect world”?!!?

Last year, I waited to the last minute—yes, I know better—and selected a very “green” gift of ginkgo tree kits from a wonderful garden company in the Pacific Northwest (http://www.pottingshedcreations.com/). They were packaged beautifully, and the trees are beautiful (in about 35 years), but it wasn’t until I sent them all out that I opened the package and started the kit myself, that I found out that the planting of the ginkgo tree is an arduous one with so many steps that I’m sure no one actually did it. So take it from me—do your research now!

So with that said, take 15 minutes right now to really think about your corporate gift strategy for this year. What have you done in the past? Was it well received? Was it expensive and/or time consuming? Have you always done the same thing and worry about it getting old or have your clients grown so accustomed to it that they look forward to it?

Make a quick list of your clients past and present. Now put a star next to the ones that are currently generating the most income or have the most potential—this is your “A-list”. Next, put a dot next to all that you are currently working with that you want to make sure you recognize, but not at the same level as the stars—this is your “B-list”. The remaining clients and a list of colleagues/vendors go onto your “C-list” or “card list”.

Determine your total budget for gifts, which should include shipping/postage if appropriate. Then play with that number as it relates to the number of clients/colleagues on each list to determine the budget for each tier gift. Equipped with that number, begin to research potential gifts for the A’s and B’s and cards for the C’s that fit within your company brand or message. Also remember that you need not select the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas as the gift giving holiday. Surprise your clients with a pre-Thanksgiving or Halloween package or Chinese New Year or Valentine’s Day.

The days of elaborate and over the top gifts have passed (at least for most companies) and now it is more important to recognize those that have helped you build your business through work, referrals and/or assistance without breaking the bank. A personal note should always be included and I would avoid individual “promotional” products. I would chose instead to include a “branded” corkscrew or wine topper with your favorite wine, versus just sending the branded item.

Ideas to get you started:

From the Kitchen: I’m a true believer in the concept of winning someone over (even a client) through their stomach, so more times than not I do home baked gift baskets (and occasionally outsource) of all of my favorite goodies that I hand deliver throughout the holiday season.

The Experience: Give the gift of an experience that the client/colleague can share with their family like tickets to a local museum or exhibition, your favorite game or movie. Often times you can buy bulk tickets from museums at a discount.

The Donation: I am a huge proponent of non-profit support, but am not a big fan of the “in lieu of a holiday gift we have made a donation in your name to XYZ organization”. As an alternative, you could facilitate a “drive” or “project” with your favorite nonprofit and involve your clients as participants, or show your clients the work you and your staff did on their behalf.

The Network: Instead of sending out individual gifts, you can host your clients for a lunch, breakfast, or cocktail event where you can thank them personally for their business and support and provides them the ability to network with others that utilize your services. I would steer clear of the busy holiday season to schedule this, perhaps mid November or early January.

It’s Not Easy Being Green: Giving “green” gifts at the beginning of the winter isn’t always practical—as my past experience has proven. But there are great organizations out there that give you the opportunity to “purchase” a tree to be planted in the name of an individual and they get a certificate, etc. (http://www.savebiogems.org/costarica/ or http://www.jnf.org/support/tree-planting-center/) You can also provide the individual with a seedling, as long as they have a way to plant it indoors until spring. I read where a law firm calculated the number of reams of paper they used in a year and calculated that value in trees, and then replanted that many trees—that’s a great message! Another great “green” gift is bulbs that can be forced in the holidays such as Amaryllis or Paper Whites.

A Brand Runs Deep

Someone recently said to me, “If I decide to brand myself, I’ll give you a call” and it got me thinking. A “brand” is so much more than a logo that finds itself on your letterhead, business cards and envelopes or the name of your business. If you are operating a business currently you have a brand, even if you are without a logo. It really is every aspect of your business. For examples:

When your clients contact you for the first time, what do they experience?
• A receptionist, you personally, music on hold voice mail, a scratchy answering machine
• A website that is clean and orderly, an “under construction” page, pages put together by your 7th grader
• A reception area that reflects the energy level of your business or a “time out” chair in the corner

When your clients are given information regarding your business what do they look like?
• Professionally printed, printed on your office printer, or 4th generation photo copies
What impression are you and/or your employees giving to your clients?
• Professionally dressed, uniforms, or “Saturday morning right out of bed” casual

What is your response time for client requests and are they articulated?

When you provide a product or project deliverable how is it presented, or packaged?

Do you invoice on a timely basis and are the invoices clear?

Do you send thank yous to your clients for work completed, finished, or “just because”?

Do you send your clients articles of interest or keep them abreast of new and timely information that would be of interest to them?

Do you remember your client’s birthdays, anniversaries; know how many children they have, etc.?

Do you have a formalized process for finishing a project with a client and staying in touch with them in the future?

Do you ask for referrals and/or testimonials?

Every action you take towards your employees, clients, vendors and colleagues is part of your “brand” regardless if you are conscious of it or not. Actions speak louder than words. As we approach the “back to school” season, it’s a great time to “renew” our businesses and fine tune areas that have been neglected.

What are your answers to these questions? Is it time to retool your “brand”?