Here's an idea to consider: If your school or school district has always ordered your athletic tickets (or even if you have allowed an oustide company to "provide you free tickets,") try to work with other surrounding school districts to do one large order. This will:
-Allow you the opportunity to work with larger advertising budgets since companies often can't spend more than a specific amount of money in smaller areas;
-Drive down the price of the per ticket cost. A good cost to shoot for is about a penny and a half per ticket.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Plan now for 2012
If your school is serious about advertising by next fall, you should be planning for these things over the next two (2) months:
Parent Guides (any beginning of school publications sent home that you can sell in to)
Fall sports (most districts have fall football where 80% or more of the total paid crowd attendance for the year are found so this is where your advertisers want to be)
Establishing your online advertising program (check past blogs for the things you need to know BEFORE you start an online advertising program)
Now go bring money into your schools :)
Parent Guides (any beginning of school publications sent home that you can sell in to)
Fall sports (most districts have fall football where 80% or more of the total paid crowd attendance for the year are found so this is where your advertisers want to be)
Establishing your online advertising program (check past blogs for the things you need to know BEFORE you start an online advertising program)
Now go bring money into your schools :)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Extinction Burst
In Behavioral Pyschology, they call it the extinction burst. Look for it when you decide to get serious about what outside companies have access to your schools and students.
For example, recently one of our high schools stopped a relationship with a company that was "doing the school a favor by providing free plastic footballs and other promotional items." The company claimed they were doing this to support the school and provide them with giveaways.
Here's the rub: Companies like this don't care about your students, don't care about you, don't care about your schools.
Companies that handle promotional items and want you to sign some poorly written fax giving them authorization to represent your school are going to start directly competing with your school fundraising. They are going to call the local businesses in your area and ask the local business owner to pay their company to put names on the footballs and they will most likely phrase it to the prospective buyer that they will be "supporting [your school name here]"
Companies that "provide" or claim "they are doing you a favor" are most often doing this because they make money off it. Big money. Don't believe me? Here's the response from one company that had an extinction burst in the middle of her email and lashes out at the school athletic director. I've provided her name and phone number in case you actually are looking for free promotional items to have to clean up after football games and not make any money off of.... Here is the well-played interaction of our athletic director (in order of the exchange)...
Hi
I have a client of mine that is interested in donating some souvenir footballs or squirt water bottles to the cheerleaders to throw out to the fans at the home games this fall. They're done in your school colors with your school name & mascot and the business' logo information. Please let me know ASAP if you are able to use these this fall, as we have a meeting coming up to budget for these.
Thank You,
Cheryl Stoker
Promotions Coordinator
1-800-245-6929
The athletic director is no dummy and probed her for who the prospect was....
"Do you mind sending us the name of that Client. I would like to clear that name before we ok anything like that."
The company actually tells the school without an agreement in hand (Well played by the school) and then shoots off this reply:
And, now...Wait for it.... wait for it... here comes the extinction burst. When you start bringing money back into your schools and out of the hands of misrepresenting companies, you too will get your own emails looking like this:
I have been working with xxxxx High School for numerous years, providing free spirit items and ensuring them from year to year. We handle all aspects from securing the sponsor, artwork design & layout, printing, shipping and invoicing the sponsor. We ensure continuity from year to year and when a sponsor no longer sponsors the item, we try and secure another sponsor for whatever the items the school is looking to do. I have worked hard to provide these items and secured xxxxxxxxx as the sponsor a number of years ago. I'm sorry you feel the need to be greedy and take money out of my pocket, but I will make a note in the file to not work with xxxxxx High School again.
Thank You,
Cheryl Stoker
Promotions Coordinator
1-800-245-6929
What we can learn: Companies like this more then often do NOT put a company name in their signature line because they change company names so fast and so often when things start to go bad. They also normally have an (800) number and a very common last name along with NO website and or accredidation from the BBB... and, for some darn reason, they normally stem out of Texas when you run the phone records.
For example, recently one of our high schools stopped a relationship with a company that was "doing the school a favor by providing free plastic footballs and other promotional items." The company claimed they were doing this to support the school and provide them with giveaways.
Here's the rub: Companies like this don't care about your students, don't care about you, don't care about your schools.
Companies that handle promotional items and want you to sign some poorly written fax giving them authorization to represent your school are going to start directly competing with your school fundraising. They are going to call the local businesses in your area and ask the local business owner to pay their company to put names on the footballs and they will most likely phrase it to the prospective buyer that they will be "supporting [your school name here]"
Companies that "provide" or claim "they are doing you a favor" are most often doing this because they make money off it. Big money. Don't believe me? Here's the response from one company that had an extinction burst in the middle of her email and lashes out at the school athletic director. I've provided her name and phone number in case you actually are looking for free promotional items to have to clean up after football games and not make any money off of.... Here is the well-played interaction of our athletic director (in order of the exchange)...
Hi
I have a client of mine that is interested in donating some souvenir footballs or squirt water bottles to the cheerleaders to throw out to the fans at the home games this fall. They're done in your school colors with your school name & mascot and the business' logo information. Please let me know ASAP if you are able to use these this fall, as we have a meeting coming up to budget for these.
Thank You,
Cheryl Stoker
Promotions Coordinator
1-800-245-6929
The athletic director is no dummy and probed her for who the prospect was....
"Do you mind sending us the name of that Client. I would like to clear that name before we ok anything like that."
The company actually tells the school without an agreement in hand (Well played by the school) and then shoots off this reply:
Yes, I think we will contact them ourselves, have the balls made, and keep the money in town.
And, now...Wait for it.... wait for it... here comes the extinction burst. When you start bringing money back into your schools and out of the hands of misrepresenting companies, you too will get your own emails looking like this:
I have been working with xxxxx High School for numerous years, providing free spirit items and ensuring them from year to year. We handle all aspects from securing the sponsor, artwork design & layout, printing, shipping and invoicing the sponsor. We ensure continuity from year to year and when a sponsor no longer sponsors the item, we try and secure another sponsor for whatever the items the school is looking to do. I have worked hard to provide these items and secured xxxxxxxxx as the sponsor a number of years ago. I'm sorry you feel the need to be greedy and take money out of my pocket, but I will make a note in the file to not work with xxxxxx High School again.
Thank You,
Cheryl Stoker
Promotions Coordinator
1-800-245-6929
What we can learn: Companies like this more then often do NOT put a company name in their signature line because they change company names so fast and so often when things start to go bad. They also normally have an (800) number and a very common last name along with NO website and or accredidation from the BBB... and, for some darn reason, they normally stem out of Texas when you run the phone records.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Stop Being Overly Nice To Your Sponsors
Don't be overly nice; be responsive. I see this situation over and over in schools and on school district levels.
A company arranges a deal with the school district to either give the district money, product, and/or services and, in return, they ask the school to put up signage for their company.
It's done all the time and - at it's core - it's a basic advertising formula.
All of this is fine and the school is set to benefit and then this happens and it only happens because, I think, people working in schools and school districts are genuinely very kind and thoughtful, people.... Somebody thinks, "You know what Bob. That was really great of Bilbo Baggins Ring Repair Shop to give us $1,000 to hang that banner in the lobby. Let's keep it up"
And then, like steam off the ground, your profits will start to disappear. When you leave something up longer than agreed upon, you are essentially doing the following and you are telling your paying sponsor, advertiser, whatever this without saying anything.
You are devaluing your inventory. Whatever property you are allowing them to post on, whatever medium you are providing them space in, or whatever events you are allowing them access to, you are saying to them that this wasn't worth the original price we charged you. They catch on to this and you'll never get that same money again. If somebody calls my company and tells me "Hey, you only paid for one month but we're going to give you the rest of the year as a thank you for free" I'm thinking... whoa, why did I ever pay anything for that. I'm also wondering who is in charge because why didn't they just parlay my business into another month by calling and saying:Instead, be attentive and responsive. Answer any questions truthfully. If the banner fell on the field for half of a televised game, tell them. Once your programs lose integrity you might as well just stop doing them.
A company arranges a deal with the school district to either give the district money, product, and/or services and, in return, they ask the school to put up signage for their company.
It's done all the time and - at it's core - it's a basic advertising formula.
All of this is fine and the school is set to benefit and then this happens and it only happens because, I think, people working in schools and school districts are genuinely very kind and thoughtful, people.... Somebody thinks, "You know what Bob. That was really great of Bilbo Baggins Ring Repair Shop to give us $1,000 to hang that banner in the lobby. Let's keep it up"
And then, like steam off the ground, your profits will start to disappear. When you leave something up longer than agreed upon, you are essentially doing the following and you are telling your paying sponsor, advertiser, whatever this without saying anything.
You are devaluing your inventory. Whatever property you are allowing them to post on, whatever medium you are providing them space in, or whatever events you are allowing them access to, you are saying to them that this wasn't worth the original price we charged you. They catch on to this and you'll never get that same money again. If somebody calls my company and tells me "Hey, you only paid for one month but we're going to give you the rest of the year as a thank you for free" I'm thinking... whoa, why did I ever pay anything for that. I'm also wondering who is in charge because why didn't they just parlay my business into another month by calling and saying:Instead, be attentive and responsive. Answer any questions truthfully. If the banner fell on the field for half of a televised game, tell them. Once your programs lose integrity you might as well just stop doing them.
"We thank you for supporting Little Elf School District this month. Would you like us to continue posting your corporate logo and signage in our main lobby that sees 4,000 people per month. Please let us know. For your convenience, I'm attaching an invoice and a picture of your sign from last month."
Follow the simple paths... Offer to keep the partnership going (in yellow), give them a supporting statistic to show it's effective (in green), make it easy (in orange). Sure, I know you are busy, but so are they - very busy - and, think of it this way, who is giving who money here? Take the extra minute and put together an invoice and take a picture of the partnership. It shows initiative. It shows you care. And, in the business it is a proven close. It's called the assumptive close. You can call it the Hallmark close or whatever you want. It works and it's easy so try to use it when you can.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
The New Year projections
In 2012, many school districts will make the jump into allowing advertising in schools. Whether it will be something as natural as putting ads around athletics or as unnatural as putting ads around their sacred lockers and on liners of the food trays of students who are trying to eat their lunches.
I hope that greed doesn't sneak in. There is a great saying when something is done in the wrong place ("This isn't the venue") and I worry that schools will allow charlatans to walk in and convince them that the money they can earn is worth more than their sleep at night.
I've been lucky to work with a school district that has maintained an absolute sense of balance and we have been both ethical and profitable. I wonder if in 2012 there will be some sort of regulation pushed through by the government or a major lawsuit surrounding price discrimination or free speech protection.
There are a lot of companies claiming to have a background in how to best utilize advertising in schools. If you ever need any questions answered or want to get an objective opinion, you can always call me on my cell phone at (410) 960-1089 or email me.... Happy New Year.
I hope that greed doesn't sneak in. There is a great saying when something is done in the wrong place ("This isn't the venue") and I worry that schools will allow charlatans to walk in and convince them that the money they can earn is worth more than their sleep at night.
I've been lucky to work with a school district that has maintained an absolute sense of balance and we have been both ethical and profitable. I wonder if in 2012 there will be some sort of regulation pushed through by the government or a major lawsuit surrounding price discrimination or free speech protection.
There are a lot of companies claiming to have a background in how to best utilize advertising in schools. If you ever need any questions answered or want to get an objective opinion, you can always call me on my cell phone at (410) 960-1089 or email me.... Happy New Year.
Monday, November 7, 2011
No Trapped Environments
You're school board is worried about using advertising as a non-traditional revenue maker for your school district? Here's the fastest way to ease the mind of your school board, parents, and community groups.
The school districts putting ads up in schools where students can't leave are breaking the Cardinal rule.
No Trapped Environments - as a general rule, follow it and it will keep you out of trouble with parents (and, frankly, you'll just sleep better at night).
Do not put up advertisements in schools where the students can not leave. Obviously don't ever touch the inside of a classroom but also do not go inside of buses, cafeteria, and - if you are asking me - stay off lockers.
There's plenty of ways to make money off of advertising to parents, employees of your school district, and (with care and discretion) students.
If your district decides they want companies to reach students, explore your game nights. This works because:
Say it with me: No Trapped Environments. This is Edunomics 101.
The school districts putting ads up in schools where students can't leave are breaking the Cardinal rule.
No Trapped Environments - as a general rule, follow it and it will keep you out of trouble with parents (and, frankly, you'll just sleep better at night).
Do not put up advertisements in schools where the students can not leave. Obviously don't ever touch the inside of a classroom but also do not go inside of buses, cafeteria, and - if you are asking me - stay off lockers.
There's plenty of ways to make money off of advertising to parents, employees of your school district, and (with care and discretion) students.
If your district decides they want companies to reach students, explore your game nights. This works because:
- It's outside of school hours
- Students pay to be there
- People are used to athletics having corporate sponsors
Monday, October 24, 2011
PA announcements
While school districts are allowing for advertising to sneak into classrooms, hallways and on lockers, Orange County Public Schools has done a great job of keeping the advertising outside of those areas.
One of my favorites: PA announcements.
Offering a package of two (2) PA announcements has brought in a lot of revenue with zero cost to the school district. PA announcements can also be great added-value benefits to your other packages.
Check out the PA announcements in the video and tell me it doesn't add to the atmosphere.... nobody likes dead air. Not on the radio and not in a stadium:
One of my favorites: PA announcements.
Offering a package of two (2) PA announcements has brought in a lot of revenue with zero cost to the school district. PA announcements can also be great added-value benefits to your other packages.
Check out the PA announcements in the video and tell me it doesn't add to the atmosphere.... nobody likes dead air. Not on the radio and not in a stadium:
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