I'd Like To Introduce You To Steward Donor

Oldie But Goodie #2 - May 27, 2008

With corporate dollars dwindling during the economic crunch it is more important than ever to make sure you are creating a strong relationship with each and every donor - corporate and individual.

On the heels of the Columbus Dispatch corporate giving article we feel it necessary to point out the importance of donor stewardship. If you have great donor stewardship you will have great donor retention. It is after all much more expensive to acquire a new donor than it is to renew a past supporter.

There are several ways in which you can work to retain donors and columbus imPRessions can help. But basically it's as simple as treating others the way you'd like to be treated. Create a heartfelt relationship, ask what they want, meet their needs, give good customer service andfollow-up.

Follow-up for anyone, but especially corporations, is essential. Corporate sponsors like to see what they got for their money - brand impressions, PR, and marketing benefits. But what keeps them coming back year after year is to see what their funds accomplished and how they personally made a difference.

Unfortunately, non-profits are so busy trying to raise money that when they have a donor committed they tend to move on to the next prospect before showing the committed donor the impactful end result. If the donor doesn't see their difference they don't feel personally connected and most likely will move on to another organization. It can become a very bad cycle, one that is hard to get out of.

Don't let this happen to your organization. Take the time to fully steward your donors - beginning to end. Be sure you are making a good imPRession with all of your donors all of the time. You'll find they will stick around. You'll have a beginning, but there really won't be an end.

Kid Rock Beer

That's right Detroit Rocker Kid Rock has extended his brand and now has his own beer - American Badass Beer. Being a true rock 'n roll party boy, I'd say he is staying true to his brand. The beer brewed in Michigan is an American style lager, smooth with no aftertaste. The beer was introduced to concert goers at two of his Detroit shows this week.

Next month, Badass Beer will be in stores all over Michigan and hits the retail market with 12 and 22 oz. beers coming to Ohio, Texas, Nevada, California and Tennessee next year.

This beer is being developed and marketed by Drinks America and Kid Rock under the name "The American Bad Ass Beer Company." It is said to be bringing almost 400 desperately needed jobs to Michigan.

Initial reviews from concert goers seem to be favorable. Most were pleasantly surprised. Some comments: "Good aroma, malty sweetness, corn flavor, low hops." I myself am more of a wine drinker so I'm not sure what this really means. I'm heading to Michigan next week for vacation so maybe I can find a bottle myself and give it a taste. If I do, I'll let you know.

Another great recommended beer brewed in Michigan is Bells Beer.

Free Food for an Entire Day

Over the last few months I have signed up for various restaurant e-newsletters. I did this basically for the free food offers - free appetizers, free desserts, and even gift certificates. With a tighter economy and lower income it really comes in handy when the family wants to go out to eat.

When signing up for the e-newsletters you obviously add in contact information and there is always a line for your birth date. Well, next week is my birthday and when I opened up my email I found a bunch of emails from various restaurants wishing me a happy birthday. All the emails were like little presents with various offers for my "special day."

So it looks like next Monday I have free food for the entire day. Here is the plan:

1. I'll start with my free coffee drink at Caribou Coffee
2. Followed by breakfast at MiMi's Cafe ($10 off $20 purchase)
3. I'll enjoy lunch either at at O'Charley ($5 of $20 purchase) or Red Robin for a free gourmet burger of my choice
4. I'll feast on dinner at Brio Tuscan Grille ($10 off with purchase of entree)
5. And I'll finish the night with dessert at Dairy Queen where I get a free 16 oz. Blizzard (with the purchase of another blizzard)

I'm full just thinking about it. Thanks to the Freebie Blogger for blogging about all these great offers.

Poppy: Coach Budget Friendly Line

The luxury brand for working, fashion-conscious women has adapted to the economic times. Meet Poppy, the new brand of purses and accessories from Coach priced for today's frugal customer.

Poppy has a youthful feel and is about 20% less than the original coach purse making the average price about $260. Here is a description for Poppy I found on the Internet:

The schoolgirl chic accessory line is handbag heavy using classic shapes with retro pop art colors like bright blueberry, daisy yellow, pale chalk gray, slick spearmint, and black licorice. The Poppy Girl has a little pep in her prep and sass in her class. This is what separates her from the expected Upper East Side boarding schoolgirl. Fresh and affordable (everything is under $400!), Coach’s new line appeals to a youthful audience.

Sure I love Coach and think Poppy is energetic, chic and artsy. But I do have a few issues with it:

1. It is clearly targeted to a younger demo so I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to get one anytime soon.
2. Fresh and affordable? The 20% savings is really not that reasonable for the majority of their younger target audience.
3. My teenage daughter has already strongly hinted how much she loves this new line so the pressure to purchase one for my daughter has already started.
   Perhaps if Coach wanted to make an economic line targeted to teens and 20-year-olds they could have been a little more generous on the pocketbook. I'm just sayin' . What do you think? Am I being to stingy?
   
   
   Coach is using social media for Poppy promotion. You can become their fan on Facebook here.

Abercrombie & Fitch To Ruehl No More

After months of struggling, Abercrombie & Fitch's Ruehl brand will be history after only five years.  It was announced yesterday that 29 stores across the country will be closing by the end of the year. The brand's target demographic was supposed to be the 22-35 year old, college grad. Yet the brand never gained a strong following with this group. 

Perhaps it was because the merchandise was pretty pricey for this demographic. Sure A&F clothes are on the pricey side too, but teens have parents to buy their clothes.  Most 22-35 year olds don't have mom and dad purchasing their clothes and because they are trying to establish a life on their own they can't afford the garb.

Or maybe it's because the brand was lacking a solid identity. To me Ruehl really didn't make its mark and didn't come out strong. Personally I didn't think it had clear brand definition and came across a little to aloof. To me it seemed to never make a connection with it's potential customers therefore never establishing a loyal following.

Be on he lookout for a possible going out of business sale.  Even with the potential good deals it's very sad to see another business close it's door and more people out of work. 

Phasing Out the Pontiac Brand

It's no secret that GM has had its share of financial hardships.  But yesterday the economic noose got even tighter.  GM announced that by 2010 Pontiac, one of GMs longest running brands, will become history. 

Introduced by GM in 1926, the Series 6-27  marketed Pontiac as the

 athletic brand which specialized in mainstream performance vehicles.  However, the brand actually existed before its public introduction and dates back to 1893 when the Pontiac Bugging Company in Pontiac, Michigan was established.

It's sad to see Pontiac close its doors because a big part of America's history will be closing its doors right along with it.

Happy Earth Day!

Yes, every day should be Earth Day but today is that one special day of the year to recognize and act.  Think of it as a New Year's Resolution for the earth.  

On behalf of mother earth's new year I thought I'd compile a few easy resolutions to make a part of your daily habits.  

If any of these become routine we will be one step closer to making our planet a little greener and it might even save you a little money.

1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
2. When you go to bed turn your thermostat down a few degrees
3. Buy some reusable grocery bags and use instead of paper or plastic
4. Recycle the newspaper, junk mail or magazines either with your garbage company or look for a recycling dumpster in your neighborhood
5. Repurpose household items.  For some ideas click here to read an article I wrote for Gomestic.org awhile back.  If you like the article I'd appreciate it if you click I like it!

A Year in Retrospect - Happy Birthday columbus imPRessions!

This week marks the official birthday of columbus imPRessions. Even though the blog imPRessions started in February '08, columbus imPRessions the business wasn't actually born until April 1, 08. 

As birthday #1 approaches I reflect back on why the journey began, occurrences that happened over the year, and the evolution that has emerged.  What an amazing year it has been!  

As if fate was leading me, a year ago the unthinkable happened.  I was working at a job I enjoyed for a mission I loved when unexpectedly I was asked to leave the organization.  Not because of poor work performance but because I had a blog - imPRessions.  imPRessions was a blog a co-worker and I started on our own time to learn more about social media and to express our personal thoughts and opinions about the marketing and PR world.   I'm not sure if my boss at the time did not understand social media, was jealous, or felt threatened, but regardless of her reasoning I was forced to resign my position.  

After the initial shock I decided this was a moment of a life-time.  Instead of wallowing in self pity I decided to turn a bad situation into a great opportunity.  My co-worker and I decided to actually turn our blog imPRessions into a business - columbus imPRessions, a small marketing and communication business primarily serving small businesses, trade associations and non-profit organizations.  

With the help of social networking and the creation of a solid brand, columbus imPRessions became a successful business.  Our client base steadily increased over the months which lead to an extensive number of  brand marketing and PR projects that our client's valued. Things were looking prosperous!  

Then came the fall of the economy and after the first couple months in '09 activities started to slow down.  Because of the instability, my business partner decided it was time to pursue other more secure opportunities and left the business.  Now a year later I am the sole proprietor of columbus imPRessions.

There have been quite a few changes this past year.  But with every change has come adventure, understanding, growth and evolution.  I quickly began to understand that while I may not be able to control each situation, I do have the power to decide how I will handle anything that comes my way. Instead of becoming a victim of circumstance I decided to take some tough situations and turn them into positive occasions. It is through these occasions that I am continually growing both professionally and personally.  Every day is an adventure when you own your own business and I appreciate each thrill.  I have met so many remarkable people over the year and look forward to meeting many more friends, contacts, colleagues and clients.  As I enter my sophomore year, I realize this could be a tough one, especially with the economy, but I am ready for the challenge. 

columbus imPRessions is evolving and while I don't have a crystal ball to tell me where I will be next year at this time, I do know that I am 100% committed to columbus imPRessions, my current clients and my future clients.  I look forward to sharing more experiences, thoughts and opinions as together we create a distinct imPRession.

Business Helping Business

The other week I was introduced to Business Helping Business.  A very cool grassroots concept, website and daily eblast that works to bring businesses together, large or small, in cooperation rather than competition. In these economic times we all need to pull together to survive and succeed and this movement works to do just that.

How do you join the movement?  Go to the website and subscribe to the daily email.  You will soon start receiving a list of Needs and Haves.  This email is compiled from people all over the world who either need assistance or have something to offer.  You can give to the greater good with no strings attached, search for a need, barter, and who knows you might even make a few dollars down the road.  

If you want to list a Need or Have just visit the Business Helping Business website.  Last week I submitted a Have.  I listed the In-Kind Connection - my complimentary site that helps connect donors and non-profits with procurement items or awareness.  Within a couple days my Have was listed on the eblast and I immediately heard from a handful of companies and non-profits looking for assistance in making a connection.  I'm happy to report that a connection was made and a company who has some extra product will be donating it for a goody bag!  Success!

What goes around comes around, so why not throw a little good karma out there.  Sign up for the Business Helping Business eblast.  It will come back threefold!

Columbus' First Restaurant Week

Starting today and running through this week Columbus is holding its first ever Restaurant Week hosted by Dine Originals.

Forty-two independent restaurants have come together to create special fixed price menu ranging from $15-$30 (not including tax and tip).  Menus promise to be unique and exciting and reservations are strongly suggested.

Some of my favorite that are on the list of participating restaurants:

Barcelona

The Burgundy Room Short North

Due Amici

Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus

Figilo Wood Fired Pizza

Katzinger's Delicatessen

Luce Enoteca

Maca Cafe

Tony's Italian

Vino Vino Restaurant & Winebar

To see all of the other delicious restaurants participating click here.

So why have a Restaurant Week?  To celebrate, support and promote locally owned and operated independent restaurants by providing unique dining experiences for its patrons.  Also, to help stimulate the Columbus economy!

If you're going out to eat this week, why not support one of our own.

Looking for a New Job? Get Your Resume Printed for FREE

I learned some great info from one of my Linked In groups that I had to pass along.

Tuesday, March 10th FedEx Office is providing free resume printing.  During "FedEx Free Resume Printing Day" you can get 25 copies of your resume printed for free at any of its 1,600 locations across the country.

The Details:

• 25 one-sided black and white copies on resume quality paper
  
• Valid only one day - March 10, 2009
  
• Orders must be placed and picked up in store
  
• Resumes can be submitted on paper or digital file
  
• Find a FedEx Office location near you here

There is time over the weekend to update your resume and get it ready for Tuesday's free print day.

Good luck!!

Peanut Butter Mess

The peanut butter scare has spoiled a staple in American comfort food.  Because of the tainted peanut butter at the Peanut Corp. of America in Georgia sales have dropped 23%, a number of schools across the country have stopped offering PB&J sandwiches, and pantries in households everywhere no longer stock creamy or chunky jars on their shelves.

Cause and Effect Can Have a Real Affect

Because of this serious action, makers and sellers of peanut butter from organic brands to commercial brands like Skippy, Jif and Peter Pan have had to become very reactionary.  In order to boost consumer confidence and defuse the situation, all makers had to put a crisis communication plan in place.  

Creating key messaging, maker web sites offer immediate statements reassuring the public that they do not use ingredients from the tainted company and that their product is safe to consume. Today, I even heard a new commercial for Jif where they immediately used messaging to put the viewers mind at rest letting them know their peanut butter is safe.  They had to use advertising dollars that either weren't planned or planned for something else.

All of this reminded me of my days in my past job.  Even though we were in Ohio, if something happened in another part of the country that was in any way comparable to our organization, we would feel the effects and needed to diminish the situation is quickly as possible.  Because of that uncontrollable threat, I created a crisis communication plan to handle any possible scenario - one we created or one that was handed to us because of the actions of someone else.

Crisis communication plans are so important.  I'm sure the peanut butter makers can attest to that.  These plans help keep you organized at a time when everything else around you is not so organized.  

Tomorrow I will post some crisis communication ideas to help you in a possible time of need. Until then, I'm going to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because Jif reassured me that everything is just fine (and delicious) with their product.

Ways to Have a Charitable Valentine's Day

Give a gift that is truly from the heart.  Charities all over are feeling the economic pinch so why not help ease their burden this Valentine's Day. Here are some ways you can share a little piece of your heart with those who will truly love you for it:

1. The holiday of love sparks thousands of wedding proposals.  Getting married?   Why not register through the I Do Foundation.
2. Not engaged?  You can still get engaged in your community.  Columbus' City budget has been slashed.  That means, rec centers and senior centers are closing.  Why not look into ways to help the children and elderly who will be loosing the places they've come to enjoy.
3. Will you be my Volunteer?  Sign up to volunteer for a non-profit organization.  You can find volunteer needs at Volunteer Match or The Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio needs volunteers for their Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras event.  Details here.
4. Spring Cleaning is just around the corner.  Why not start a little early and donate old clothes to The Salvation Army or Goodwill.
5. Need to buy flowers or a Valentine's gift for your loved one?  Why not shop on-line through Good Shop where the charity of your choice will receive a percentage donation from the sale.
6. Even though the environment is green, show is a little red and love the environment. Start recycling, pick up trash on the street, conserve water and electricity.
7. Give Blood.  There are plenty of blood drives in Columbus Valentine's week.  Find out where here. 
8. We all love our four legged friends.  The Paws to Party event might be sold out, but you can still adopt an animal at the Winter Adopt-A-Thon at the PetSmart Stores on Polaris Parkway and Sawmill Road.

These are just a few ideas to show support and love for non-profits in our community.  Any other ideas?  Send us a comment, we'd love to hear them.

Social Media, Is it the New Marketing?

The other day I had lunch with a friend who I haven't seen in quite some time.  It was great catching up and sharing stories about our families and busy lives.  Also, because we are both in marketing, we spent quite a bit of time talking about marketing and social media.

My friend is the marketing director for The Diamond Cellar.  Over the years The Diamond Cellar has relied heavily on traditional media, mostly radio to market their message.  While this has been successful, they are now beginning to look at non-traditional avenues, mostly social media.

The Diamond Cellar is experimenting in Facebook and just recently built a products page.  You can see it here.  While there, why not become a fan, we did.  They are linking their page with the Facebook pages of the product lines they carry in their jewelry store to maximize their exposure.  Smart move!

I told her about Twitter and the benefits it has brought columbus imPRessions.  By burning our feed through twitterfeed, we direct more visitors to our site, and create awareness to our media followers on stories we want to get in the news.  It's almost like having a PR coordinator on staff sending out press releases on our behalf.  I highly recommended it for the Diamond Cellar.

I also talked to her about having a blog.  We strongly feel blogs are important for business. Because of the economy, potential client's are becoming more cautious about signing a contract so quickly.  With this in mind, we always encourage potential clients to visit our blog.  This is where they learn more about us.  Not only professionally but personally as well.  On our blog we share our personality, our styles and our feelings.  Potential clients start to develop a personal relationship with us on-line which makes them more comfortable and confident to do business together.  

I think a blog would be a great opportunity for the Diamond Cellar too.  They could include personal stories from customers, introduce staff, highlight product lines and the designers, use polling to get customer feedback, advertise exclusive promotions, and provide special offers to blog followers.  This would develop deeper customer relationships, give customers an interactive experience and can also serve as great market research.

We both left the lunch charged and ready to tackle the social media world. So charged it prompted this post and the word of mouth marketing for The Diamond Cellar.  The opportunities are endless and we continually learn new things each day.  

Jen, if the Diamond Cellar needs some social media pointers, let me know.  Would love to help and learn of other social media opportunities with you along the way.

Know Any Brides? ....

Isn't it amazing how so many in the online world "check out" for the holidays... blog hits are down, emails slow, and you hear a lot of "we'll look into that after the 1st of the year."  It is truly wonderful that some take time to focus on non-virtual friends and family, but I also want to make sure none of our readers missed the announcement about... the Sample Sale at La Jeune Mariee this weekend!

So many  engagements happen  between Thanksgiving and New Years (why is that, dudes?) and the 40 - 60% discounts on designer gowns should not be missed by any those new brides to be!  I won't even mention terms like "brides on a budget" or "recessionista",  as so many (including the media) are inundated with these "econonowns." (I clearly just made that one up).  But see our La Jeune Mariee Dispatch mention on Jan. 1 -fashion reporter Kristy Eckert explains this trend and mentions the sale at our favorite Worthington boutique.

Even if you are not a bride, doesn't everyone love to give useful advice when it comes to weddings, or is it just the ladies who are reminiscing their own wedding planning days? Anyway,  hurry and send this link to any brides you know- they'll be so happy you may be invited to be in the wedding party....  http://www.LaJeuneMariee.com/samplesale

2009 NonProfit Marketing Ideas

A new year is here. A time for change, new beginnings, re-organization. New marketing ideas.

It's now more than ever that nonprofits need a strong marketing and PR strategy to stand out above the rest and capture the public's attention. There is a way to do just that and it doesn't have to cost much. You just need to be willing to think beyond the box, dive into social media, and come up with multi-media campaigns that simultaneously attract more individuals for a greater ROI.

Need an example: OK, here's one - a multi-media campaign idea. In our past life we worked for the local chapter of a very well known nonprofit organization. It was summer of '07 and we were preparing for our next fiscal year which would start in September. The regions were struggling to make budget and something was needed to create buzz and excitement in the organization. So Colleen and I put our creativity to work. We needed a call to action with a hook and excitement. During our brainstorming, we realized our chapter would be celebrating its 25th anniversary. We had it - buzz, excitement and a call to action!

A multi-media campaign was born inviting everyone to "become a part of the celebration" giving them a handful of calls to action in which they could do that. The messaging, and branding became the center for every facet of the organization - volunteer, outreach, program, development/fundraising, and of course, marketing and PR. Various targeted and strategic marketing pieces were delivered through Internet, social networking, PR, mailings, email, word of mouth, and events all simultaneously so various groups were hearing the same message but in a variety of ways.

Success! So successful, the chapter continued the campaign after our departure using the exact same strategy, messaging and branding we created. In fact, they are still using the campaign, well past the 25th anniversary mark. However, we would have recommended concluding the campaign when the 25th anniversary truly came to an end in September '08. Continuing something passed its point can be misleading or become tiresome.

All of this is easy, achievable. affordable and fun. Need assistance? columbus imPRessions can help. Just email us at info@columbusimpressions.com.

La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique Sample Sale - Mark Your Calendar

We just sent out a mailer to central Ohio soon to be brides notifying them of our client's, La Jeune Mariee Bridal Boutique, Winter Sample Sale.  You are invited too.

Mark your calendar for January 9th and 10th 2009.  Appointments are needed.

Click here for more details

Money Tight? Feed the Pig.

It's an expensive time of the year on top of a tough economic time.  Feeling frustrated and not sure what to do.  Feed the Pig can help!

We found a great site sponsored by the AICPA (America Institute of Certified Public Accountants) that gives you great tips on saving money, provides financial resources, financial discussions and podcasts.  They even have a site to help tweens with money questions.

"Spokespig" Benjamin guides you through the site making it interactive.  You can also find your inner under saver and learn how you can slightly change your habits and save money.  Add the application to your Facebook (like we did) and keep track of your saving commitment through social networking.

Want a daily reminder text keyword "feed" to 83484 for free reminders to feed the pig.

Sponsored by the Ad Council this campaign is targeted to Americans 25-34 so they can take control of their finances by reducing debt and increasing savings.

Great resource at a time when it's really needed.  Go ahead, check out the site and feed the pig.

Did you Get Your Newsies Paper on Saturday?

Saturday morning, while stopping for a red light on Old 315 at the bottom of Worthington Hills, a man in a white jumpsuit came up to my car window.  Charity Newsies was again selling their special edition newspaper for charity.  I happily rolled down the window to give a donation for my paper.  

It wasn't until later that night that I actually had the opportunity to read the paper.  I was fascinated by the history and story of the organization.  I've lived in Columbus for over 20 years, bought many Charity Newsies papers but never really knew the story behind this 102 year old charity.

What is the story behind Charity Newsies?  

According to the paper, it was a cold day in December 1907 when a young newspaper carrier with ragged clothes was trying to sell papers on the corner of Broad and High.  Inside a restaurant three men came to his aid, taking him inside to warm up. The men then took the papers and sold them saying it was for charity.  They sold every paper and gave the money to the boy so he could buy himself some warm clothes.  From that, an idea was born.  That same year before Christmas 50 business men took to the streets with a special edition paper to sell for charity.  They raised about $700.00 (quite a bit back then) and used 100% to buy clothing for school children in need.

From that day forward and over 100 years later, Charity Newsies still takes it to the streets during the holiday season, every second Saturday in December, to give 100% of the proceeds to buy clothing for Franklin county school children in need.

I was fascinated by the history and very glad I gave, and will continue to give to such a wonderful organization.  Click here to learn more about Charity Newsies.

Non-Profits Should Use US Census Suburban Reports

Non-profits should take some time to review the recently released American Community Survey reports, paying extra attention to the suburban portraits. These suburban portraits can be used as warm leads in finding major gift donor prospects.  

Take for example Franklin county.  Dublin and Upper Arlington are hot spots with the highest household income, housing value and bachelor's degrees. For more highlights on Franklin County click here.

Once you have researched, captured and analyzed the data, find a connection to your program that will directly affect those suburbs. Then put community engagement marketing into motion. Everyone wants to help their community to make it a better place.  Make a direct appeal to suburbs that can financially support your mission making a connection between your mission and their suburb.  Once you do that, you will soon see your number of major gift donors, and your revenues your growing.