Last week I received an e-mail from Paul Nickel, the President of Pride Marine Group in Ontario entitled “Boating for the Cure“. Most of the e-mail I receive from Pride pertains to DockMaster, so I must admit that I was intrigued. In the e-mail, Paul describes a fund raiser they are having on June 27th, 2009 to help fight breast cancer and prostate cancer. What I found refreshing was that Paul’s message did not come off as a promotional gimmick that masked a sales event inside of a fund raiser. Sure Pride Marine will benefit from the promotion they will receive by sponsoring this event. But the delivery was heartfelt and Paul openly described this in his e-mail by saying that he wants “to give back to those that are less fortunate or suffering”.
So here is my take on how promoting a cause and one that truly his meaning for you can be a win-win for everyone.
Find a cause you truly believe in and tell the story
Picking a cause to get behind simply because you think it will help sell boats or whatever it is you are marketing is a recipe for disaster. You’ve got to get behind something you are passionate about. Promote a cause that has affected you personally or someone you know. Your passion and drive will show through in not only how you promote your event or fundraiser, but your sincerity will come through during the process, stimulating creative ideas that will make the event meaningful.
Connect with people
Once you decide the cause you want to support, you’ve got to connect with your customers, friends, and the community at large; especially those effected by the affliction that you are trying to raise awareness for. In the case of Pride Marine Group, they partnered with Edgewater Boats and the Town of Gravenhurst.
Lead the Movement
To get the word out and generate excitement you’ve got to do what Paul did and make a personal commitment to the cause and the event. This goes beyond “marketing” whether you use traditional or web-based techniques, but it means that the business owner truly puts some skin in the game. In the case of Pride Marine Group, Boating for the Cure will be a one day event held on June 27th, 2009 in the format of a family boating rally around Lake Muskoka. Participants will be collecting treasure maps to guide their journey and tokens which will be turned in at the end of the day at an awards ceremony and reception. All monies raised by pledges from supporters will be donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Prostate Cancer Research Foundation in support of cancer research. The event is being paid for by Pride Marine, with sponsorship from Edgewater and the Town of Gravenhurst.
Make a compelling offer that truly adds value to your customers, the charity and the community
On top of the fund raiser being held on June 27th, Edgewater Boats will be running two special editions of their 145cc boat – one pink, one blue, to represent the fight against cancer. For every special edition “Boating for the Cure” 145cc sold, $1000 will be donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (pink boats) or the Canadian Prostate Research Foundation (blue boats). I am a prostate cancer survivor. If I were in the market for a 15′ boat, you’d better believe Edgewater would be at the top of my list. This is an enduring statement on the part of Edgewater in that once June 27th, 2009 has come and gone, these themed boats will live on as a symbol of one’s desire to stamp out a tragic illness.
If you are having a fund raiser that is tied to your business and would like us to promote it on www.marinemanagementtoday.com, please e-mail camsblog@dockmaster.com with more details.