Doing something different

[Patrysha]

This week I have been out of the house for most of the day trying to get sponsors for a local promotion that I created.

It's been hard work, mostly the walking and talking, talking, talking, After a year of primarily sticking to home, I am not as used to that sort of constant activity as I was before (when I was in radio sales). I haven't calculated today's visits into my spreadsheet yet, but by last night I had visited 93 businesses in town.

In order to have the promotion work, I need to have 25 sponsors. So far I have ten confirmed. Only three solid no's in all that - so I know I am on to something. (Not that I expect all the "let me think about it" types to turn to sponsors...though that would be nice...but with radio sales I got a lot more no's in an average week than I've been experiencing)

I am so stoked and excited :-) If I can get all the sponsors I need and pull this off, this summer is going to really rock.

This is the boldest thing I have ever done and I'm excited and terrified at the same time.

The website I've been developing for the promotion is at Win Cash with Shopping, Dining and Entertainment in Whitecourt Alberta if you want to check it out.

Each sponsor is paying $147 + tax per month (so $308 altogether for the whole summer) and I've got everything ready to roll (merchant packages, poster templates, radio ads, press releases & customer cards) for July 2nd as long as I get the sponsors together by the 20th.

I am hoping to get the required minimum before the 20th though so I can give the go-ahead to the printer and distribute the customer cards to the participating merchants on the 22nd so we can start getting them out before school lets out on the 25th (lots of people head out of town for the first camping trip of the season as soon as school lets out...so I'd like to start promoting it before if possible)

[Spider]

Looks good, Patrysha. Best of luck!

[Patrysha]

Oh and as an aside - they were very nice no's

All three were purely budgetary decisions. The jeweler just bought two billboards, the Dollar Store was advised three months ago to cut back on ad spend and the stationer cuts his hours during the summer months and so curbs back on advertising (but he booked me for an appointment to work on their business website...content creation)

[KristineS]

That looks like a cool promotion, Patrysha. Good for you. Sounds like your having a good response too. Keep us updated on how things go over the course of the campaign.

[Blessed]

This is great Patrysha - I'm interested in seeing how it turns out for you!

[Patrysha]

Well so far I have 12 confirmed sponsors. Which is right on track for where I need to be if I am going to get 25 by the deadline of next Friday (the 20th) in order to pull the whole thing off. Honestly though, I am a bit disappointed in myself for not getting to 20 this week. Still only three confirmed no's - lots of callbacks to make next week!

[KristineS]

I'm guessing you'll get your 20 in plenty of time. Good luck.

[Patrysha]

I'm sure I will too, I am just being a bit hard on myself.

But I know that if I do happen to not make it for any reason...it will be for reasons beyond my control! I know I am putting everything into it that I've got :-)

Even made a couple of sales calls today and added to the list of Monday targets.

[KristineS]

That's the way to get things done. If you really believe in something, go all out.

So, how did today go?

[Patrysha]

Added one more to the count :-)

So passed the halfway point and only 12 left to go :-) No real connections made today though. Everyone of the bosses (that I haven't already touched base with) that I tried to connect with today were not in. Did get some turn downs in the follow ups so that list has grown to 8.