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Patrysha
06-11-2009, 09:08 PM
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 (http://www.shopinwhitecourt.com) 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
06-11-2009, 09:12 PM
Looks good, Patrysha. Best of luck!

Patrysha
06-11-2009, 10:16 PM
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
06-12-2009, 12:44 PM
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
06-13-2009, 08:12 AM
This is great Patrysha - I'm interested in seeing how it turns out for you!

Patrysha
06-13-2009, 10:43 AM
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
06-13-2009, 11:41 AM
I'm guessing you'll get your 20 in plenty of time. Good luck.

Patrysha
06-13-2009, 03:02 PM
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
06-15-2009, 06:21 PM
That's the way to get things done. If you really believe in something, go all out.

So, how did today go?

Patrysha
06-15-2009, 06:46 PM
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.

KristineS
06-15-2009, 09:36 PM
Well, you knew some negative answers would show up in the process. Keep plugging away. You'll get it done.

Patrysha
06-16-2009, 06:49 PM
Oh absolutely, I don't have a negative attitude towards negative answers :-)

We are up to 17 sponsors now!!

KristineS
06-17-2009, 01:47 PM
8 away from the number you need. You go, Patrysha! That's awesome.

How big is your pool of prospective sponsors? If I remember correctly, you live in a pretty small town, don't you?

Patrysha
06-17-2009, 06:41 PM
Only six away now from my original target of 25.

I was going to do it after the 16 mark because that was the break even number...so I sent out the first press release this morning. And got coverage on one of the two radio stations - so that was running from 10:30am news onwards.

So three days to go before the initial deadline and almost there :-)

KristineS
06-18-2009, 12:38 PM
Wow, you're really making progress. You're also past the break even point, which is always nice. Keep rolling, you'll get to where you want to be.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Spider
06-18-2009, 01:41 PM
Only six away now from my original target ...
'Way to go!

Business Attorney
06-18-2009, 07:00 PM
Patrysha, what's the update for today???

Patrysha
06-18-2009, 08:33 PM
Sadly, I am behind today from where I was yesterday.

One of the participants had to drop out due to an unexpected expense...whatever that means...but I realize some businesses are close to the bone...if I had more committed I would have considered having her pay at the end of the summer (as most of the bills for the promotion advertising do not have to be paid until then) but-- I am not willing to take the risk of unpaid bills at this point.

I did get the posters and they look super hot.

Unfortunately, the video billboard proof came back not quite as I envisioned...so now I am working on that tonight. I know I am insanely picky about the image and every element has to flow..but they had basically cut the poster into three segments to create the three frames. It did not have a polished look at all and completely missed the whole point of the medium (in my opinion)

Hmm maybe I should put them both up and ask you all to decide if I am the nutjob they are sure to think I am...

I am fairly confident that I can pick up the final 7 I need to meet my original goal by tomorrow and hope to pick up a few over the top ones on the final day (Saturday) - that will give me time to get the website fully functional with all the participants pages done up the way I want them to be by Thursday (which is when the pre-launch ads will begin on the video billboard)

That will go for one week before the official start of the promotion on July 2nd. On the 6th the beginning of the radio spots will begin. Maybe...I still have to work out a deal with the second radio station.

And then once we give away the money at the end of the summer...I will collapse for a week...lol

KristineS
06-19-2009, 12:40 PM
It sounds like you have things under control. I'm like you in that I am very picky about things, which I think is the way to be. You have a vision for how you want this promotion to look and I don't think you should sacrifice that.

Keep up the good work and keep us updated.

Patrysha
06-19-2009, 06:51 PM
Well as of this moment - I have 20 on board. Tomorrow is the deadline - so there may be a couple that push it to the limit, but if not - I am fairly satisfied with 20. Not much of a profit after expenses for the entire project, but a good platform to work from when the campaign is successful and they're begging for the next one :-D

(Or there's always hope that once the buzz starts merchants on the fence will get in touch and want in...and I'll let them for a slightly increased cost because in order to accommodate them I will have to put in late nights to get everything ready for the 2nd and there will be some reprinting involved to add them)

I picked up all the printing today and I think it looks pretty hot for this dusty little town. I can't wait to see them on the streets :-)

KristineS
06-22-2009, 01:04 PM
20 is a decent number and you're right, there may be a couple who want in after the buzz starts going. There are always a cautious few who don't want to jump in too early. I think you also have the right attitude. Blow the doors off things with this one, and they'll be standing in line for the next one. Each project is a building block for the next project.

Patrysha
06-22-2009, 09:04 PM
It was a busy day today! Dropped off 16 of the 20 merchant packages today.

(2 are appointment only type places, and I didn't want to drop the packages off without talking to them first - so we're lined up for Wednesday - the other 2 are closed Mondays...so again I'll drop off on Wednesday)

There are another two that are rumored to want on board (as per the participants already on board), but I had no time to follow up today - so I'll do that Wednesday too.

And thank you...this is a shift in attitude for me. I have historically been much less of a risk-taker and a lot less aggressive. (To visit over 130 businesses over the course of two weeks...and I still missed some...but gosh darn it I tried)

I was right too...those posters look hot in the store windows :-)

And we have a nice mix in geography of the town - uptown (4), mall (4), downtown (9) and lower industrial (2) oh and the grocery store...and a nice mix of things that appeal to men, women & kids...

Feeling good, but the work has just begun...

KristineS
06-23-2009, 12:48 PM
Good for you! Trying something new is always a bit scary, but now you know you can do it. Do keep us updated on how things go.