How?

Signs in the morass of sponsor signs?

PA announcements?

Volunteers or staff on site?

More promotional giveaways?

Maybe some of these can work. A better way is get in front of participants – literally.  A new generation of outdoor decal products makes it possible to really own a space.  Using visually striking graphics or placing these decals where it is least expected  will garner the attention needed to break through the clutter.

Some ideas for consideration include:

1. Own the staging area,  entrances or parking areas at events like runs, sports stadium, shopping malls or fairgrounds where you can be first to  greet participants, fans, or consumers..
2. Own the starting line or finishing point for charity runs or walks.. Be dramatic and bold.
3. Own the first or last kilometer of a race or walk.  Provide words of encouragement , distance markers or directional  information in the middle of the street or pathway.
4. Own complete sections of a stadium seating area – walls, stairs, entrance ways, concourse areas.
5. Create interesting and unusual directional signage that leads to your display or exhibit. Ideal for fairs, festivals, zoos, amusement parks, golf tournamens or other events covering a large area.

Does it cost extra?  Some but to really leverage the investment in sponsorship fees and onsite activation, the cost is marginal.

Here are some examples to help you think about how you can dominate  the next  event you are sponsoring.  And properties might want to think about how to incorporate this into your proposals to provide a creative activation plan for sponsors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

CF Marketing Group  helps Canadian marketers be bold and dominate sponsored events using unique products to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Email  me at volker@cfmarketinginc.com to explore new ideas in sponsorship activation, retail promotions and unique OOH concepts.

And the major categories for OOH advertising in 2010 according to Out-of-Home Marketing Association of Canada include:

• Telecommunications
• Financial Services & Insurance Services
• Retail
• Entertainment
• Media
• Restaurants, Catering Services, Night Clubs
• Travel & Transportation
• Food
• Automotive
• Alcohol & Related Beverages

Continued growth in this sector is being fueled by new opportunities to place advertising in locations not previously considered.  The impact of technology is providing new specialty OOH formats including digital and new wide format substrates.

One of the new greenfield advertising opportunities are underground or covered parking structures.  The breakthroughs in wide format graphic materials allow high impact, full colour graphic advertising to be placed on concrete, asphalt or brick surfaces with easier installation and removal. This advancement turns non-revenue assets such as parking structure pillars, walls or floor areas into new advertising sales opportunities.

To capitalize on these new locations, requires a change in thinking by advertisers to take advantage of this new canvas.  Big, bold and dramatic visuals can be used to create your powerful brand or promotional message. Whether it’s launching a new luxury vehicle, tempting consumers with a new winter vacation hotspot or  tempting employees of a competitor with reasons to join your team,  parkade advertising offers a fresh, new approach to reaching a captive audience with targeted brand and promotional advertising.

The opportunities for property managers are equally exciting.  It allows an underutilized asset to be leveraged to generate significant new income streams. And  the concept of turning parking structures into an advertising medium is completely scalable and adaptable to virtually any physical structure or layout.

If there is a concern with this OOH format it is avoiding the creation of a visual nightmare with every possible area is covered with poorly designed and executed advertising.  Not only will this reduce the value of the advertising space, it will reduce its impact on consumers.  Property managers contemplating adding this new revenue stream should undertake an assessment of the space available and the value to advertisers.

CF Marketing Group has launched a new OOH concept – ParkadeAds.  Initially available in select Western Canadian markets, it offers property managers a single source for valuing the revenue potential of a parking structure and creating an independent sales channel.  For advertisers, the concept offers a new venue to deliver their messages that will get noticed and drive new impressions.  More details available by contacting us at 403.452.2699 or info@cfmarketinginc.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Despite being a traditional promotional format, the old fashion magnet still has plenty of staying power.  New product innovation makes it a viable, inexpensive retention piece for use as a coupon or calendar  tipped onto a direct mail piece.  Consumers hang onto these little brand reminders for weeks, months or even years.  I was amazed to discover that millions of promotional magnets are still produced every year for use in retail, fast food, real estate, and consumer services markets.

With new technology, the applications vary widely including  couponing, calendars, business cards, and dry erasable boards in just about any shape or size.  Add a QR code to turn the old fashion magnet into a measurable promotion piece.

We have joined forces with Norprint due to the high quality products they manufacture while being one of the lowest cost suppliers in the country. But just importantly is their responsiveness to customer needs and ability to create custom products.

If you are an agency, printer or promotional product distributor looking for a new source of ideas and products, check out the capabilities of Norprint today or contact me directly at volker@norprint.com.

I know she is not alone in feeling overwhelmed and ill prepared to approach potential donors or to create sponsorship opportunities.  Most not-for-profit Executive Directors I have met reach their position because of their skills and passion for the cause or purpose their organization is involved in.  Many don’t have the fund development training or a good understanding of sponsorships even though raising money is the life blood of their organization.

If this situation sounds familiar, it becomes even more important to attend conferences and workshops to understand the shift in private sector business approach in sponsorships and community investments.  Simply having a good cause isn’t sufficient in the world of business decision making focused on measuring return on investments.

For this reason, I seriously recommend looking at the value of attending this year’s Western Sponsorship Congress in Calgary in late October.  Based on my past experience at the conference,  I know there will be a wealth of knowledge shared, understanding of the current sponsorship landscape  offered and an opportunity to learn from organizations who have been successful in securing  sponsorships.  Just as importantly, you will have the opportunity to network with sponsors and gain an understanding what is important in their investment strategy.

This is a high value two day conference which will provide direct benefits to your organization including:

• Networking with professionals who can help define the sponsorship value offered by your organization ;
• Education sessions that will help you understand what works in sponsorship and explore the expectations of sponsors;
• Offering new ways to look at your organization to create new funding opportunities.

I’ll be there again this year and hope to meet you.  Feel free to stop and chat at anytime throughout the two days. As well connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter at any time.

Volker Mendritzki is President of CF Marketing Group Inc. My focus is to provide clients the tools and advice to ensure their promotional programs and sponsorship investments engage the target audience and generate results.  I search out cost effective print promotional products including promotional magnet products, engaging Interactive Print solutions, and engaging event signage options.  Through our consulting service, we aid organizations in finding new winning sponsorship opportunities.

I can be reached at 403.452.2699 or volker@cfmarketinginc.com.

The idea of the sponsorship scout has been borrowed from the sports industry and software industry.  Both hire individuals to search out talent not discovered through traditional recruitment processes.  The idea is to find undiscovered gems that can make a difference to a team or organization.

The difference of course is the sponsorship scout isn’t searching for new employee talent.  Rather the purpose is to find new sponsorship opportunities that sponsors don’t usually see through the inbound sponsorship process. These can be small events or properties who don’t have the resources to engage sponsors or are hidden gems that haven’t realized the potential sponsorship opportunities they can offer.

The sponsorship scout can be an existing member of the sponsorship team or an external resource contracted specifically to source new sponsorships opportunities.

The sponsorship scout has two roles:

1. uncover the gem opportunities not identified through the normal sponsorship process
2. work with properties to create a winning sponsorship opportunity.  Many of these properties need help to develop the right type of opportunity or help the property understand how the sponsorship can benefit them.

This proactive approach benefits sponsors by discovering new channels to reach target audiences at a lower cost than prepackaged or high profile opportunities.  As well, many of these will provide virtual exclusivity to the sponsor without the need to pay for this.

CF Marketing Group delivers retail and sponsorship promotions using unique, interactive  products that integrate print with digital apps to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors or consumer contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help create a customized multi- media solution that is both unique and generates better results for your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.

To encourage more creative and higher quality proposals it is necessary to add some  steps to the proposal process.  The goal is to encourage properties to refine their proposal and discourage those with a “throw it against the wall to see if it sticks” approach.

The process starts by requiring properties to submit a short written summary to highlight their concept.  This can be online but should include:

1. The purpose of the sponsorship – both for the sponsor and the property.  A winning sponsorship agreement requires clear understanding of what both parties.
2. A summary of how the sponsorship would meet one or more of sponsors’ business objectives.
3. Expected results for the sponsor. These would be high level but force properties to understand sponsorship is not charity but needs to deliver measurable results.
4. High level description of the opportunity – what, when, target audience, possible activation opportunities, and budget required.

The above requires more analysis on the part of the property and greater in-depth research of the sponsor’s business and objectives. It will discourage properties approaching sponsors where there isn’t a clear fit.

Based on the sponsorship team evaluation of this information, good ideas require a follow-up meeting to review key points, clarify elements of concept and provide feedback to the property.  This can be handled in person, over the phone or through video conferencing.

Properties with ideas that are worth pursuing are then provided the opportunity to submit a formal proposal based on the discussion and feedback provided.

The result?

Many properties will avoid this intensive commitment of resources without a clear understanding of the value they offer.  It would significantly increase the quality of their proposals and provide more insight on which sponsors are good candidates to approach.   Sponsors in turn can focus more of their resources on high quality opportunities and help shape high potential proposals to better meet their needs.

This suggested approach will require realignment of internal resources. But it will also positively change the sponsorship results as Pareto’s Law will come into effect.

CF Marketing Group delivers retail and sponsorship promotions using unique, interactive  products that integrate print with digital apps to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors or consumer contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help create a customized multi- media solution that is both unique and generates better results for your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.

While arguably a more “efficient” screening tool, what is lost with online, automated systems?

As someone who has had to endure the pain of submitting requests through online sponsorship  and community investment systems,  I believe these tools force properties to dumb down their proposals.  It is hard to demonstrate an imaginative, creative sponsorship concept when you have fill in the blanks or explain your idea in 50 words or less.

A consequence of the move to online screening systems is the impact they have on sponsors’ ability to attract new ideas or fresh sponsorship concepts.  The increased reliance on automated screening  tools, use of keyword searches and proposal scoring systems, can result in fewer, quality opportunities being identified.   Often properties offering out of the box thinking don’t score well within the rigid structure of these automated systems.  The result can be that sponsors get to chose from more proposals that are bland and innocuous based on their ability to fit the screening process criteria.

An additional unintended consequence of using an automated online screening tool is that it likely encourages more applications to be generated.  Why?

It is easy to create a template request as many of the online application systems are structured to request the same information.  It is easier than ever for properties to complete online request forms for more potential sponsors regardless of the alignment with sponsors’ goals.  The hope is that if enough sponsors are contacted, someone will respond favorably.

In a previous sponsor development role for a national not for profit, I avoided filling out these online requests wherever possible.   Instead, I worked diligently to target sponsors whose business goals aligned with what we could offer.  Most successful partnerships began by meeting with the sponsorship manager to identify unmet needs and funding criteria.  Based on these discussions, a proposal was submitted that addressed the objectives.

Sometimes I was forced to submit our proposal online. If I hadn’t a chance to meet with the sponsorship manager, my chances of being successful were slim to none.  Our program was unique and simply did not fare well in the harsh black and white automated screening process.

Is there a way to deal with the massive volume of requests that many companies receive while sourcing new, high value opportunities that won’t be found through an automated system?

There is but it requires a rethinking of what the proposal screening process is intended to deliver and adoption of a proactive approach to sponsorship.  It is possible to keep the automated system to manage the routine and small dollar requests.  But to find the high impact opportunities, a new approach is needed which  I’ll outline some ideas in my next post.

CF Marketing Group delivers retail and sponsorship promotions using unique, interactive  products that integrate print with digital apps to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors or consumer contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help create a customized multi- media solution that is both unique and generates better results for your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.

There are clear differences of opinion. Some studies suggesting the cost outweighs the benefits while others indicating they do generate new sales from customers a company wouldn’t normally see.

Who’s right?

To some degree both sides have a legitimate case. It really depends on how you view the costs (real dollars and forgone revenue) vs the results.  While it will vary by business type, the core issue is to determine if they can produce profitable results and if they should be part of your current promotion strategy.

The most significant advantage of these sites seems to be the ability to attract new customers.  According to a recent ForeSee study of 22000 consumers visiting 100 retail websites, 38% of respondents indicated they were new customers to the merchant offering the daily coupon offer.   From a direct marketing perspective, that is an incredible response rate compared to 2% – 5% you would typically expect from a well crafted direct response program.  And this is high compared to traditional coupon redemption rates of .5% to 1%.

But this result needs to compared to the cost of acquiring these new customers.  The cost of acquisition is high – I estimate it can cost up to two hundred dollars per new customer due to lost revenue (discount) and coupon provider fees.  The cost of goods and labor are not included in this estimate as this varies greatly based on your business cost structure.

The other factors to be considered are:

1. Impact on your existing customers regardless whether they redeem the coupon or not.

If you have limited capacity to serve the increased number of customers, this can impact service to your existing customers who aren’t buying based on a discount.  Any loss among this group can have immediate impact on your sales and profitability.

2. Your ability to convert new customers into repeat customers.

A major premise of these sites is the cost of acquisition will be covered by converting new customers into regular, repeat customers.  Unfortunately, you won’t know until after the promotion whether you have attracted mostly price shoppers who will never buy at your regular prices.

Moreover, much depends on the frequency of purchase of your product.  If you provide a product or service that is bought infrequently – 2 or 3 times a year – it will be difficult to recoup your cost quickly.

3.  Impact on future margins.

It is hard to believe existing customers won’t be asking for discounts, especially if they bought into a daily deal offer.  Why pay more when it is obvious you can “afford” to discount your products or services.  Even if you don’t discount, a competitor is likely to offer an exceptional deal you may have to match.

So do daily deals work?  It depends on the type of business you run. There seem to be some general guidelines to consider when deciding to run a daily deal on one or more sites.

1. Good for new companies with small existing customer base. Bad for companies with large established base with minimal customer loss.
2. Good for companies that have the majority of their business from products with limited competition.  These offers can broaden your base without having to discount heavily on future purchases .
3. Good for high margin products or services which provide room for potential discounting and recovery of the high customer acquisition costs.
4. Good for companies with excess capacity during slow periods.  Only caveat may be if you need to add additional staff or inventory – are you simply losing more money, faster?
5. Good for companies with high product turnover and frequent customer purchase cycle. Bad for companies selling products purchased infrequently,

As a consumer of these special deals, it is hard to argue they don’t stimulate sales.  The trick is to determine if the upside potential is greater than the high cost associated with these offers.  The experience of the retailer or service provider is critical to knowing if and when they really add value to your business.

CF Marketing Group delivers promotions using unique, interactive print products to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors or consumer contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help create a customized multi- media solution that is both unique and generates better results for your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.

Sponsor opportunity to engage fans

There is a lot of chatter in the sponsorship marketing media about how sponsor activation promotions can take advantage of mobile technology to increase engagement.  While there are some great new tools like SMS based contest apps and QR codes, mobile advertising is not new.  For years sponsors have used printed media to try to engage consumers using handbills, promotional magnets, T-shirts with logos, enter to win contests, event signage or other promotional items distributed at sponsored events, sports venues, charity events, or  through street marketing teams.

But now sponsors can take their activation programs further by using multi channel media formats to create new and engaging promotions for one to one customer contact opportunities.  I believe getting real engagement starts in the physical world which can continue in the digital world.  Even with a massive database, engagement happens at an event when you actually TALK to a fan, customer, donor, volunteer or prospect and can put a physical item in their hands to generate interest and action.

Through innovative use of new production technologies, sponsors can now integrate traditional print formats that provide tactile and visual engagement with digital response generating applications.  This combination increases the stickiness of passive printed promotional items such as loyalty cards, discount cards, promotional magnets, or brochures by incorporating interactive digital applications including SMS contests, QR codes for promotions or connection to social media content or music downloads to drive engagement.

Increase tactile and visual impact

For example, instead of simply distributing a discount card on its own that has limited branding opportunity or engagement,   create an appealing promotional package with strong branding, interactive components and immediate call to action using a SMS register to win element.   This approach will appeal to multiple senses and offer a variety of tools to get your message to the target audience, fans or customer.

The mix of printed media formats combined with digital applications provides a richer experience for consumers.  Promotions by their nature need to interrupt consumers’ attention, engage them, and offer a payoff in terms of curiosity, potential for reward or fun.  And one format doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.  By layering tactile, visual and interactive elements, the opportunity to get active participation by your fan or customer increases. Otherwise you risk being ignored or worse never seen.

Not only does this approach deliver more punch, new production technologies allows a range of relatively low cost options to grab attention and engage the interest of your target audience.  After all isn’t this why you are investing in the sponsorship opportunity to begin with?

For example, as a fan attending a sporting event, which would grab your attention more?  A printed $5 discount card or a high quality, high impact promotional card that includes a collectible magnet with a photo of the teams star players, a luggage tag with your team logo and a chance to win multiple prizes through a SMS contest?

Never before have there been so many options to appeal to multiple consumer senses to create engagement and deliver your brand or product message.

CF Marketing Group delivers promotions using unique, mixed media products to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports sponsors or consumer contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help create a customized multi- media solution that is both unique and generates better results for your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.

I developed a short presentation for her to outline some of the advantages we believe make this promotion format worth considering for sports, retail or auto  promotions or sponsorship activation programs.  I thought it might be of value to share these ideas as you may be wondering if there are advantages to this contest format or you might be considering testing the application in your next promotion.

Following are some of the advantages I think text to win contests can provide.

1. Universal Access to consumers. At the end of December 2010, there were 24.5 million Canadian wireless phone subscribers.  Virtually every Canadian consumer has access to a
   

   Mockup of text to win promotion

   text application on their phone, regardless of the operating system used.

2. Measurable.  Text to win contests offer direct measurement of how many consumers participate in your promotion – no guessing   Since access is so easy, response rates tend to be much higher than other promotion formats.
3. Easy to play. Since Canadians send 163 million text messages per day, we know consumers are comfortable with the technology.  They don’t need to be provided any special instructions on how to enter.
4. Immediate response.   A major advantage of text to win promotions is the immediate response they generate.  And they are not tied to a specific location so are ideal for event promotions at sports venues, sponsorship events or retail locations.
5. Build your mobile database.  You can build your database of mobile users for future campaigns by providing an opt-in provision in your text to win contest.  This provides the opportunity to engage consumers with future messages, product updates or contests.
6. Low cost. It is really quite easy to implement a text contest program using existing platforms from suppliers like ourselves.  This allows for quicker implementation, no need for any IT infrastructure investment or ability to test as there aren’t long term commitments required.  WE simply cost each campaign based on the volume of text messages and format of the program.

While text messaging has been adopted as a primary communication tool by younger consumers, recently published US survey results suggest 30 – 49 year olds have widely adopted the technology.  Even more surprising is that the over 65 age group is the fastest growing segment of the population adopting text messaging.  These changes suggest text to win contests apply to a wider cross section of consumers than previously assumed.

I am recommending that clients test text message promotions and compare results to other formats.  They are easy to setup , immediacy of results and generally high response rates are compelling  reasons to consider adding this element to your next promotion.

CF Marketing Group delivers promotions using unique, innovative products to increase the stickiness of promotional messages for auto, sports or retail contests, events or sponsorship activation programs.  Stickiness means your promotion will be noticed, have interactive elements and deliver measurable results.

Call 1.888.215.8315 or email volker@cfmarketinginc.com to discuss some ideas on how we can help with add a text to win or QR code promotion element to your next promotion or sponsorship activation program.