Event coordinators all over Australia will agree with me that 2009 has been one of the toughest years for sourcing funding and business support. Many businesses have evaluated their marketing expenditure, and unfortunately sponsorship is often viewed as an incidental, immeasurable item that can be easily sacrificed. However, sponsorship of an event or cause can be one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. Let me tell you why.
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Last weekend I wandered into a fantastic furniture and homewares store on a quest for inspiration for my under-construction home. Later that day, I saw the same store advertised on TV – which completely confused me. The ad portrayed this store in such a way that I would never dream of entering it, but the store itself was simply fantastic. As a customer potentially willing to spend an entire first home buyers grant on home furnishings, the ad was completely lost on me. From a marketing perspective, this is great example of why perception is everything when it comes to advertising.
I was delighted to be involved in a community tree planting event held over the weekend; a sentiment I’m sure was shared by my fellow volunteers. It was part of an event which Jack in the box, in partnership with GeoCatch, had been planning for months, and involved the sourcing and coordination of seven local sponsors to fund the supply of the trees and site preparation. I was actively involved in the planning and promotion of the event, and was so pleased to see it come together without a hitch.
Food manufacturers, supermarket chains and even the fast food giants like McDonalds have all tried the ‘where did my product come from’ tactic to either expel myths about overseas production, an overdose of preservatives, or to create a level of authenticity. The ‘fresh market updates’ we are all now seeing on TV are a prime example of Woolworths trying to break down the ‘national supermarket giant’ perception. I’d like to introduce you to one wholly Australian owned company implementing the grass roots concept so well that we could all learn from them, Woolworths and McDonalds included.
We’ve all seen the advertising for the digital TV rollout, and some regional WA residents have been lucky enough to experience ABC and SBS’s digital channels, but what’s going on with the commercial stations? We’re all waiting with baited breath for some form of formal announcement, but unless you really dig around for it, information about digital TV in regional Western Australia is very hard to find. Let me shed a little light based on my recent digging.
There is no denying that many businesses are feeling the ‘cash flow pinch’, one of the more obvious indicators of this economic crisis (not recession) that we’re all experiencing. One way to alleviate some of the problem is to look at ways to guarantee a steady monthly or weekly income from areas which require relatively no outgoing costs or maintenance. Many businesses know that advertising costs them money, but what about making some money from advertising for a change? Read on for some great ideas that any business can implement.
Businesses of any size in any industry have no doubt encountered the tender process. It’s convoluted, boring, and time consuming, but it’s a necessary part of securing new business. Like a brochure or website or any other marketing activity, tenders are a way to showcase your business. Whilst tenders are notoriously inflexible, there are many small things any business can implement and when combined, really make an impact.