Word on the street

Whether you're an analyst by trade, constructing your theories in a corner office or you are simply a casual observer of the human condition musing on the front stoop; you see things. The conclusions you draw are of value.

Some recent perspective from a retail client of ours has sparked some discussion here at 166 Glen. What began as a strategy meeting for 2012 evolved quite naturally into commentary on the trends from the previous twelve months. "The wealthy are not spending money. We see it in our customers, the middle class is doing all the spending and the wealthy are holding on to their money. Tightly." Our conversation continued, plans were hatched and we wrapped things up with a collective so-long-2011. 

That comment about wealthy clients, or lack thereof, got us to thinking about how the financial perspective of an area impacts how we operate—specifically with regard to philanthropy.

It has been said that people with less tend to give more. If it is indeed true that those with money to spend are holding it tight while organizations in need of capital need it more than ever, then maybe we ought to really get comfortable with completely changing how we view things.

For non-profits, maybe the pursuit of a huge gift isn't as realistic; maybe it's time to truly start believing in the power of relationships. Spark a chain of philanthropy with five new givers who combined don't give the equivalent of what a major donor used to give, but who—in their new pride of participation—will carry your message further.

These aren't easy times and there are no silver bullets, what there is is the potential to leverage creativity, stretch your willingness to try new things and ultimately, the reward that there are still people who give and there are still avenues you have not pursued.

How do you get people to give?

Do you need to adjust the ask?

Or do you need to think more strategically about whom you are asking to give? 

Guide-to-Market

Pushing the Envelope

The US Postal Service reports, in their annual survey, that US households receive a personal letter once every seven weeks on average. The same report finds that greeting cards and invitations are also a rare mailbox appearance.

The lesson, it turns out, might be that the best way to cut through the communication clutter is to simply put pen to paper. Trampoline and the team at Finch have just completed a piece that can help ensure that your letters will make it where they're intended to go.

This new guide to envelopes and mailers is full of tips & best practices for designing an efficient direct mail piece. Learn to master the fold, quickly determine envelope and enclosure sizes, and streamline mailings. It includes a chart with dimensions, information requirements and a list of readily available envelopes from Finch. All in all, a handy guide to have at your fingertips. Get yours here.

Caffeinated Consumers

Being an opinionated and often inscrutable bunch here at Trampoline, we decided to conduct a litmus test of sorts. Mornings in the office you can find the staff clinging to their cup of giddyup. We looked around the room at our production meeting and everyone had something different. Each of us has our favorite, and we all know one another's preferences, but not why. As a culture, we make our purchase decisions based on predictable data, or do we? Is it location, convenience, price, habit? Turns out, it's different for each of us. 

Sean: Rock Hill Bakehouse
Coffee is an absolute necessity. Quality is less of a consideration for me than unfettered access to caffeine. There are a number of cafes around the office, I drive by two different Dunkin' Donuts on my way to work, and continue past the Cool Beans that my mother is loyal to. Apparently coffee preference is not a genetic trait. I get my coffee at Rock Hill bakehouse. Not because it's close to the office (it is) not because it's organic and free-trade (also true) but because of Beth. She floats behind the counter with a big smile, asks about my family and calls me Mr. Magee. I can get coffee anywhere. I get it from Rock Hill because Beth makes me feel appreciated. Service, people.

Derek: Lox of Bagels & Moor
Lox of Bagels & Moor. Yeah, weird name, looks and location. But inside: best egg-bagel sandwiches bar none, Green Mountain Coffee and usually a smile. Like most on this list, here's another local, family-owned biz that brings pride to area.

Amanda: Starbucks
It's less about the products than it is about the experience. When I step into a Starbucks the smell of coffee beans and the whir of steamers transports me to the fuzzy euphoria of the holidays. Hearing my drink called and collecting the hot cup gives me a sense that anything is possible. The displays are intoxicating in their unnecessariness and relative affordability. I even enjoy the occasional haugtiness from the baristas, signaling that they feel as special working there as I do visiting. The 3,000 miles between where I have chosen to raise my family and where I was raised is bridged when I visit Starbucks. It isn't buying-local, but for me it's visiting-familiar and it's priceless.

Jake: Stewart's
It took me more than 30 years to develop an appreciation for coffee - now it's a morning ritual that I rely on to carry me through my day. Always on the run, I constantly find myself pulling into the first establishment on my commute. No Lines, No Hassle, No Nonsense - just a simple cup of coffee for a simple kind of guy. Though I do enjoy indulging in the occasional upscale cup o' joe, there's certainly something about the straight-forward and uncomplicated convenience that keeps me coming back for more.

Trina: Loose Leaf Tea
So much of my tea enjoyment lies in the ritual of tea. When in a rush, a tea bag is just fine, but I prefer loose leaf. At work, it's the act of filling the small, wire mesh strainer with green tea, cinnamon tea, or a classic English breakfast and then letting the warmth of the mug melt into my hands and calm my mind during a busy day. At home, my husband and I will often split a pot of tea. There, it's filling the kettle, cooking an egg or two while we wait for it to boil, and then pouring ourselves tiny cups, refilling as we go along in conversation, easing ourselves into the weekend. Tea is simple and quiet, a pause steeped deeply in every culture, connecting me back to myself.

Amy: The Chocolate Mill
Walking into The Chocolate Mill reminds me a little bit of a European-style Manhattan-ish cafe, it's dark, warm and cozy with a perfect little bit of sophistication. My husband and I have two kids in daycare and rarely splurge on ourselves, but a good cup of coffee (not made at home!) is something we never go without. Honestly we never feel guilty about our little Latte Factor addiction either. Dudes, we have one car, don't have cable and are stuck in the space-time continuum of Dora and Diego videos. My vice is factored into my day, give me a little Greenwich Village feel with my coffee and all is right with the world. 

Paula: Diet Coke
I am the only smart one. I choose to drink a self contained, ice cold beverage that doesn't require an extra stop in the morning or the extra cash.  I simply reach into the fridge for a cold one-no, not beer-a Diet Coke. I'm that 30 something (ok maybe just 40) that the Diet Coke execs are targeting. And its working. To me, there's nothing like the "fizz" of caffeine in the morning. I'll admit this habit started in college when money was tight and the only thing found in our fridge was Diet Coke, most often a left over mixer from the night before.  But I have to admit it's pure genius. Where else can you get your morning caffeine fix for 44 cents?

Social Profiling

Social media takes place online, but everyday stereotypes still abound. We've put together a sampling of some of the most common characters online. If you blog, tweet or update take a look and make sure you don't fall too heavily into one category. Remember to operate like you would at a dinner party, it's the incongruities and authenticity that will make you stand out. Have fun!

The Telemarketer 

aka: the Cheerleader, the Megaphone, One-Note Nellie

 “Enough about me, now for even more about me.” This guy exhibits an inability or unwillingness to do anything but incessantly self-promote. Self-promotion is great, it’s even greater when people actually listen.  

Try this Instead: For a message to really resonate with an audience you need to do a couple of things. First, figure out who you want to talk to and what you want them to do. Once you know that, learn about your audience, where do they hang out? Often you’ll find a reciprocity of interest, “Hmm, you went to the effort to figure out that I like kittens? Ok, tell me more about your decorative ball draft busters.”

The Copy Cat 

aka the Serial Retweeter, the Paraphraser, the Bandwagon Jumper

You know that friend that always begins a sentence with, “Joe was saying that…” as if their every thought is merely a regurgitation of something someone else said? That’s the copycatter. Technically speaking they are following one of the golden rules of social media, which is to share. The only hitch is, you also need to share original thoughts.

Be original: Most articles you’ll find about social media online will at some point say, “It’s your place to realize an authentic voice for your company.” You should feel free to retweet or share great content, but don’t be afraid to take a stand. Whether that’s coming out as a Trekkie or saying that you are closed Sundays because family comes first.

The Downer

Just like not everything is about you, not everything has to be bad. Being the sorriest, least winning, ever on the edge of despair guy is not going to win you anything but the cold shoulder. Picking you up is not the world’s job, hanging with you in a tough patch, sure, listening to your every lament and dispute is just tiresome.

Remember: Don’t feel like you can’t share your low moments, but remember, the words you put online are not accompanied by a smile or body language to soften their tone. Share a voice that includes laughter, sincerity and spontaneity.

The Troll 

aka the Pot Stirrer

It’s fair to say that most of us have heckled at some point, it might have been under our breath or at the tv screen, but we’ve surely had nasty or contradictory thoughts. Trolls take those impulses and act on them, leaving anonymous disparaging comments or bread crumbs on places like twitter and facebook that spark unrest and breed ill-will.

Really no advice, here: If you are a troll, just stop.

Ms. Popularity

This gal has it all—followers and friends, she’s listed by legions and has subscribers numbering in the thousands. She is liked and favorited and literally shows up on every blogroll and following list of all social media neophytes. 

Quality over quantity: Upon reaching a certain level of popularity, engagement changes. Sustaining a dialogue with 1,000s of people is daunting, impossible really. Don't obsess about numbers, focus on actions and influence. Share something of value, comment on something, as relationships are built, influence will grow.

The Gamer

Angry Birds. Farmville. Mob Wars. Vampire Saga. Nobody, and I mean nobody cares about the cow you found, or the hit you put out on Jimmy. This kind of free time should be put to good use.

Please: Consider that this may mean important things you have to say will never be heard. Get an X-box. Don’t tweet or spam Facebook with your gaming. 

The Jock

Schedule. Diet. Workout. Playlist. REPEAT

 Dude: Get a journal.

The Loudmouth 

The inane thoughts that are shared run the gamut from dull to inappropriate. 

"OMFG my dog is humping the couch."

"Eating noodles and they keep slapping my chin."

"The line at Best Buy is so long. Blue and yellow are so primary. Do you like Kit Kats?"

Also very drawn to the status update/chain letter: “If you believe that kangaroos are sweet you’ll post this to your wall, if you don’t its* clear your* a heartless waste of human”

Our advice: Remember what mom said and tweak it a quarter turn—If you don’t have anything interesting to say, don’t be afraid to be quiet.

 *misspelling intended

Front and Center

Guest post by Andrew Meader, President & Promoter, Applause Factory, Inc.

Event sponsorship is a marketing investment, not charity.

We’ve all read about the legendary costs of Superbowl™ ad space or witnessed the preponderance of product placement in movies and cross-promotion leading up to events. It’s easy to write these things off as something available only to those with multi-million dollar budgets. The truth is high profile and even higher impact opportunities are available at affordable rates for small businesses on a local or regional level.

My experience with event production and promotion has run the gamut from theatrical productions featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and Roger Rees to touring, one-night gigs with Last Comic Standing, the Texas Tenors  and more. Are you murmuring that I just name-dropped? It’s true, but the intent here is to demonstrate that the formula is the same. For every act there is an audience, the more effectively the audience is targeted and courted, the more potent the dollars invested in the show will be. My success is in sales, which benefits the performer, the agency behind them, the venue, the community and the sponsors.

Sponsorship is an integral part of event promotion. As I see it, it is vastly more rooted in marketing than philanthropy, which is why as I explore sponsorship partnerships I turn to Directors of Marketing. These individuals are trained to identify opportunities that offer the greatest return on investment for their company. Today’s media landscape makes standing out and stretching ad dollars more complicated than ever.

Companies big and small are trying to get found—online, on shelves and in conversation, but how do you do it? Companies that connect the dots in event sponsorship value are reaping the rewards (and returning to the stage time after time.) All you have to do is turn on a Nascar event for 10 seconds to see how many companies are doing this. If it didn’t work, would they still be investing there? It isn’t as different as you might think when compared to event sponsorship at a local level. 

The specificity of target demographics for events can be very strong. While some events may draw a diverse audience, others have beautifully narrow demos. I call it beautifully narrow because if a small business can match their target demographic with an event, the association garnered from a sponsorship will far exceed the return from a traditional advertising source.

Sponsorships have the potential to greatly affect a geographic area surrounding the event. 1. A company sponsors a concert, enabling the organizers to make the event a reality. 2. The event is promoted drawing people to the area (and advertising title sponsors). 3. Patrons of the event fill local area restaurants and shops (including the sponsor’s) before and after the event. 4. The area is busy as a result of the event. 5. Investment in the area follows to leverage all that traffic and attention. 6. The successes are tied to the events, and in turn, tied to your company as a sponsor of the event. Trampoline Design has supported the efforts of the Adirondack Theatre Festival for the past several years, in fact, these photos, taken by Jim McLaughlin are of ATF audiences, enjoying a performance, and spending in nearby downtown establishments.

The crux of the impact is in emotion. Entertainment is something that is intended to trigger a response from the audience‑ make them think, make them cry, or make them laugh. Associating your brand with the emotional impact of an event is an incredibly effective way to shape the way a group thinks of your company,

The approach to sponsorship is similar to advertising in that you want to put yourself in front of the right people and, once you have their attention, you need to craft the message so that it achieves the desired result—sales, buzz, loyalty. You can’t just slap a name on top of an event and wait for customers to start flooding in. Leverage your sponsorship to gain the most ROI. 

• > Promote your association with the event. Let your current customers know that you are involved
     with the event. Use your social media outlets to inform your customers, followers and friends.
     The more successful the event is, the greater return. 
•  
• > Get involved. Use those sponsor tickets as sales incentives for employees, client incentives
     or to show your gratitude for doing business with your top clients. 
•  
• > Display your products or services and give samples or demonstrations at the event.
     This is like having your own trade show, and you are the only booth! 
•  
• > Allow their tickets to serve as a coupon or special offer. 
•  
• > Do not be afraid to try and negotiate with sponsorship, if you have an idea, pitch it to them.
     They just may say yes.

Investment shows strength in a company. Sponsorships are marketing investments that have a trackable rate of return and provide valuable benefits that far exceed the cost of the investment. 

It would seem that if played well, sponsorships, no matter the event, are really a sponsorship of your company.

Aren't you worth it?