Strengthening Community Connectivity Through Charitable Sponsorship
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Strengthening Community Connectivity
Through Charitable Sponsorship Opportunities

     Charitable giving is a wonderful way to strengthen community ties between your business and recipients of your donation within your hometown or market area.

     From a marketing perspective, charitable giving is a win-win avenue toward greater exposure and lasting benefits. Tailoring your contribution to a comfortable level, you can, further, select an organization which promotes a mission directly relevant to your business goals, product or service; or, in the least, select one which reflects your own values or the philosophy of your business.

     Many organizations receiving financial donations provide some formal means of recognition through a publicized listing or other print form of appreciation. However, there are lots of unconventional ways you can enjoy greater exposure for your business through sponsorship of an organization or event. For example: you may find your company's name on the back of t-shirt  promoting a concert; an etched wine glass promoting a gallery exhibit; or, a poster promoting a dance. The opportunities are endless, and often quite imaginative. If this is an important concern in whether and how you choose to contribute, ask how your contribution may be commemorated.

     Though most common, monetary contributions aren’t the only way in which way you can give. Many organizations are happy to receive in-kind donations of products or services, in fact, some have programs specifically designed to receive items such as cars or computers. Volunteerism is another coveted gift, and giving directly of your time is a wonderful way to be a visible representative of your company.

     First, determine what you are able to give, then find out from the organization you are interested in supporting what they most need that you can supply. Perhaps you can find a way to donate funds and give of your time, such as serving on a committee to host an annual fundraising event, then sponsoring it. Annual events offer sustainable ways for you to continually reinforce your presence with a target audience.

     Regardless of the recipient you choose to support, get your name behind a worthy cause. Associating with something you believe in and are passionate about will 1) keep an organization or an event a priority on your radar screen, 2) provide a source of stable participation for the organization you support, and 3) can be a great conversation starter among those customers or clients who share your interest. You can feel good about giving to a charitable cause, and so can your customers, clients and the organization you support. In deciding where to focus your interests and efforts, you may elect to help a local organization or put your resources behind or a more national presence. And remember, you can certainly choose more than one.

     If greater market exposure is a reason for your affiliation, think about your market and who you serve as a part of your selection consideration, since affiliation with certain organizations could offend aspects of the market you serve. Most people heartily advocate for kids. Health, the environment, and the arts are other, usually popular choices.

     By sponsoring a cause, event or organization, you more than simply give-back -- you share with the community that supports you. You share an invested interest in mutual success with those you are reaching out to, and those who are supported by the affiliated organization.

Guidelines for Giving
(please also see Resources below)

     A majority of charitable contributions are made in the form of cash; however, donations of vehicles, equipment, real property, stocks and bonds, and intellectual property are also common. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the full tax benefit of charitable contributions can only be considered when 1) the gift is given to a qualified tax-exempt organization, and 2) the donor itemizes their taxes. Even then, however, certain limits apply to the full tax benefit received. The IRS posts numerous guides on their website which pertain to charitable giving. Two of these are: “Publication 526, Charitable Contributions”; and, “Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property”

     When deciding upon an organization to support, there are ways you can make a more informed decision. According to a statement on their website, “The BBB Wise Giving Alliance helps donors make informed giving decisions and advances high standards of conduct among organizations that solicit contributions from the public.” This organization, created in 2001 through a merger of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council or Better Business Bureaus’ Foundation, offers “Tips on Giving”; “Standards for Charity Accountability”; and, “Charity Reports” on their website.

     Though there may be tax benefits associated with giving to a tax-exempt organization, you may elect to support other groups for other reasons. Perhaps a small theater group needs a stage – and you can build one; or, a T-ball team needs equipment – and you can buy it for them. Though you may not receive tax benefits from helping these folks, the personal reward can be greater. And, you may find the good-will you demonstrate here will have farther-reaching effects. Donors' names can get buried among long lists of corporate givers formally acknowledged, whereas the "thank you" receive from a group of kids shooting for the moon can be very heartfelt and carried a great distance through sincere word-of-mouth appreciation. 

5 Clear Benefits of Charitable Giving

• Charitable giving can enhance and strengthen your image as well as brand recognition through association with the organization, cause or event you support.
   

• Donating to a worthy cause can contribute to the public's positive perception of you and your company by helping to establish a positive context within which to view your participation.
   

• Extending your support to a cause can potentially broaden your own perception of your market, opening new frontiers.
   

• Investing the time in supporting an organization or raising awareness of an issue can engender and facilitate important networking opportunities.
   

• A continued, positive presence associated with a cause considered important to your market base can help strengthen customer loyalty.

     Charitable giving is easy to do. Even a start-up business can afford a little time, product, service or financial contribution. The great thing about sponsorship is there is room for everyone to participate, and everyone can benefit!

Resources

Internal Revenue Service

There are important guidelines which apply to the giving of vehicles, stocks and bonds, intellectual properties, and other types of property. Businesses with a tax-related question can call 1-800-829-4933 to receive live assistance, during tax season, between the hours of 7am and 10pm. For those with hearing impairment, call 1-829-4059 (TDD)

On the web: www.irs.gov

BBB Wise Giving Alliance

On the Web: www.give.org

Colorado Non-Profit Association

According to their website, this organization serves nearly 1300 members.

On the Web: www.coloradononprofits.org

Action Without Borders, Inc.

Maintains a listing of over 52,000 organizations world-wide. To look for those in Colorado, type Colorado into the on-site search engine.

On the Web:  www.idealist.org

Roaring Fork Volunteers

This website helps connect volunteers with organizations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley

www.rfvolunteers.com

Special Thanks to Janine Rose, Branch Manager and Reference Librarian - Silt Branch Library; and, to Tamara Tormohlen, Executive Director - Aspen Community Foundation for their help in locating local non-profit resources.

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Fifteen Minutes With Keith Lambert, Mayor - Rifle, Colorado

Meet Keith Lambert, a 25-year resident of Rifle, Colorado, now in his second term and serving in his fifth year as Rifle’s Mayor. Keith, now retired, taught elementary school for 28 years in both Arizona and Colorado.

photo: © Blair Bracken, 2006

    
Keith and I sat in the Creekbend having hot tea and O.J. the morning of this interview. An irony revealed by Keith and not lost on me, that several years ago this moment wouldn't have been possible.

     Through his work as a member of the Rifle City Council, Keith and his colleagues were able to offer incentives which resulted in the restoration of the historic Midland Building on 3^rd Street in Rifle (where we sat for this interview), the rewards of which are enjoyed today by businesses and citizens alike.

     Keith and the Rifle City Council offer a unique look at the value of sponsorship. "As a city," Keith says, "we're able to support our community in a number of different ways, and we consider it an important function of what we do."

     While Keith acknowledges that each and every group requesting assistance from the city is worth-while and deserving, he admits that administering these requests, particularly as the area continues to grow, is a mounting challenge. A challenge met by a signature solution. "We support our community, but want to and can do more. We discovered there had been a non-profit foundation from the late-nineties established to process contributed funds and administer them to groups seeking financial support. We're resurrecting this Community Foundation as a conduit for community support."

     Just finding its foothold, Keith notes it will be a while before the Foundation is prepared to process solicitations.  "We've got other projects we're working on as well. We're also establishing an Economic Foundation intended to provide an added element of economic stability to our city. The function of the Economic Foundation will be to respond quickly to needs defined by changing economic conditions in our area. As a government," he confides, "we seldom enjoy the luxury of a quick response. This Foundation will allow us, as a community, greater flexibility in developing and sustaining a diversified economy."

     Impressive as these elements are as mechanisms of managed growth, and though they may surprise some of us in their visionary mission, this kind of thinking isn't new to Keith. Serving, some years back with the Fire Protection District, and later, with the Rifle Metropolitan Park District allowed Keith to flex his commitment to goal setting and strategic planning. "If you have a long-term plan, you'll be less reactionary and more proactive. This allows us to dedicate resources to sound infrastructure, while preserving our ability to address other important needs in supporting our growing community. People may choose to move to an area because of jobs, schools, vital services and costs of living, but it's the community  services, the programs, and parks and recreation that reflect the face of a community. As a governing body, we're not somehow separate. We are the community, and think it's important to be able to support those interests."

     When asked if he believes sponsorship of community events, organizations and services has enhanced Rifle as a community, Keith said, "Oh yeah, definitely! For example, last year we celebrated Rifle's Centennial. Not only was it fun for everyone, this extended event strongly enhanced Rifle's spirit of unity."

     Enjoying the success of his collaboration with other Council Members, Keith acknowledged he has not always felt so embraced. "When I first came on-board, people were sometimes reluctant to engage me. I brought new ideas that I suspect, frankly, unsettled a lot of folks. Previous administrations did a superb job of holding this community together after the economic bust in the mid- eighties; but, today's climate demands new ways of thinking and working together. Our small city is directly affected by policy in Washington D.C., particularly through energy policy. That calls for new expansion, broader services and introduces new opportunities."

     Keith cites his efforts to encourage communication among community groups which share common interests and concerns. "I'm an advocate of working together to get a job done. Thankfully, the Council strongly supports this method, and that's exactly how we function. Through time, effort and discussion--and the blessing of good timing--we make strides forward, toward our common goal. We may have differences of opinion over how to get the job done, but we always keep our goals in front of us--and we get there. Now, people see me on the street and feel comfortable enough to come up to me and talk about their ideas. That's what it's about--accessibility."

     With a modest salary of three-hundred dollars a month, it's certainly not about the money.

     Reluctant to call himself a politician, it's clear that Keith is, nevertheless, dedicated to the principals of public servitude. "As a teacher, pouring my heart and soul into that endeavor, I didn't always get to see the results of that dedication. Kids grow up and move on. Sometimes you get to see how you've impacted their lives – but it's rare. In working with the city, whether it's through providing vital services, or helping an organization like the Rifle Branch Library with their Summer Reading Program, or supporting the Rifle Animal Shelter, I get to see the results of my efforts almost daily."

     With this, his driving motivation, one might wonder about, but probably won't be surprised by, Keith's definition of personal success. "Success for me is when I can see that, though some of the efforts I've made, others experience the rewards of those activities and events I've been involved in."

     Our interview drawing to a close, I gathered my notes, and we prepared to leave. As Keith and I wound round the tables toward the door, a man with a friendly voice called from behind us, “Keith?”

     I waved to Keith as he settled himself once again at a nearby table. It was another example of how the community connects with a man who has not only made himself accessible, but lives as an example of the kind of success that genuine concern and dedication to a sound process can produce.

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Five Fast Pathways to Sponsorship

With lots of events coming up this summer, this list can help you find ways of getting involved now!

• Sponsor an annual event. Check with local Chambers of Commerce and media outlets for past calendars of events within your community.
   

• Sponsor a local sports team. Check with your local recreation department.
   

• Develop and sponsor a contest, and donate the proceeds to a favorite charity - or let your participants decide. (be sure to find out about federal, state and local rules which may govern contests and other games involving chance.)
   

• Sponsor a fundraiser - Support an organization, or simply the event they host. Donate items for sale or auction, provide financial support, or assist with promotional outreach.
   

• Sponsor an individual - contribute to the success of an individual through scholarships, sports sponsorships, or by helping to fund a special event or program, such as a trip, which the individual participates in.

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MARKET SHOT
 

Did you know... statistics show that consumers generally respond better to lengthy copy - whether in a sales letter, an ad, or in a brochure.

This is because consumers seek confidence in their buying decisions. Among today's media-savvy public, more relevant information means a more informed consumer - and that equates to a consumer more likely to commit to a purchase decision.

AIMS can help you craft copy which communicates your "story" to your target market -- satisfying curiosity, addressing concerns, building confidence... helping you secure the sale.

This feature encourages subscribers to write in and ask a marketing question. Only registered subscribers receive the 'submit a question' format. Three questions which reflect topics of interest to subscribers, will be selected and posted anonymously together with responses in the next edition. The automated questionnaire, below, will not appear in archived editions, but all posted questions and answers will.

Have a marketing question? Ask AIMS!

A.  Different companies have different needs at different times, and part of what determines the percentage of your annual budget will involve how much marketing you want to do and why. For instance, as a start-up, you may want to conduct a marketing blitz. If you are in slow growth mode, and simply want to maintain your current market base, your marketing needs will likely be substantially less than if, for example, you were aggressively promoting a new product or expanding into a new market. The bottom line in deciding how much of your annual budget to allocate to marketing, is to realize that your marketing investment should be relative to your growth and objectives. A rule of thumb, for many companies, however, is between 10% to 30%.

Q.  I'm trying to think of a name for my manufacturing company but am stumped. Any suggestions?

A.  A great question! There are a lot of good company names out there -- and some I consider stinkers.  When deciding what to name your company, following are four simple guidelines to keep in mind and get you started.

1.  What does your company do? Does it provide a service or a product? You say yours is manufacturing, but in designing a name -- and quickly communicating with a potential customer through advertising -- specifics count. Try to communicate not only what your company does, but how it differs from your competitors.

2.  Who does your company serve, and what do they need that you provide? Thinking about how your customers will use your product can be helpful in developing a name which sells as it tells!

3.  Is there a clever way you can use language to correlate the first two guidelines with something memorable?

4.  Make sure it isn't already in use! After all your hard work and before you head to the printer, ask a qualified attorney to determine the availability of the name. You can conduct at least a preliminary tradename / trademark search through the secretary of state's office and Department of Revenue (in Colorado) and the federal database, but know that results can vary based on numerous factors.

Colorado Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.co.us
[for corporations, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships and limited    liability limited partnerships]

Colorado Department of Revenue: http://www.businesstax.state.co.us/tradenames/
[for sole proprietorships and general partnerships]

Federal Trademark and Tradename Search: http://uspto.gov

A lot of companies make the mistake of going for an "A" name, so they can secure better placement in the phone book. This is ok if you can justify it, but, it's just silly if everyone were named "AA This or that, Inc". The greatest problem with this, from a marketing point of view, is that it's so generic, and you don't want your company confused with another or forgotten altogether.

Be as telling as you can without being lengthy. For example, AIMS is an acronym for Accelerated Innovative Marketing Solutions. In the name, you can tell what the service is -- but, who in the world wants to go around repeating such a long name? No one -- so, a memorable acronym which correlates with the logo and slogan helps to ensure easy verbal use.

Also, and VERY IMPORTANT, a lot of start-ups experience growing pains the first or second year. Try and build  flexibility into your name so, if later, you find you want to expand or contract your services or products, you will be able to do so without having to change the name. For example, tying your company's name to a geographic area can be a little awkward later if you decide to expand.

Make a list of contenders following the guidelines above, then test them out on friends, family and potential customers. In the end, go with the available favorite that also makes good marketing sense.

Q.  I worry that I'm constantly throwing money away on advertising. How in the world can I figure out what is working?

This question expresses a commonly experienced frustration, particularly among small business owners.

A marketing campaign should not only reflect your objectives, but, it should also be as closely relative to your market as you can possibly make it. That means, 1) discovering commonalities among those who buy your product or service; and, 2) identifying what media they share, or, in other words, where they will most likely see your message.

Large companies typically identify their market through expensive focus group activities, where they can analyze a small group of participants' responses within very confined parameters, helping them to craft a highly toned campaign. Further, larger companies also benefit from larger advertising budgets which provide greater access to measurement methods and a greater margin of error.

Because of budgetary restrictions, small business owners must intimately understand their market and how to connect with it. Fortunately, many small businesses serve a regional or niche national market, and, therefore, are already quite familiar with the markets they serve. That leaves you with figuring out how to track your outreach efforts.

No method of tracking is 100% accurate. That's because cross-promotional efforts can unintentionally occur resulting in a contact. At that point, most business owners would rather take care of business than fret over the source of that contact. However, the more you can know about the effectiveness of your outreach the better. The single most important, and coincidentally inexpensive, thing you can do is to ask each and every customer how they heard about your business. You can do this verbally, or through printed survey cards or similar media. But, if you are shy about asking, or feel this is too invasive at the beginning of a fragile and hopefully blooming business relationship, there are more ways in which you can and should track your advertising efforts.

This commonly involves 'coding' or otherwise marking each outreach effort with a special indicator. For instance, you could set up two different web pages within your website (or establish two different phone contact numbers) which are promoted through two different methods, such as a newspaper or radio ad and a direct mail postcard.  If you've not promoted either of the two web pages (or phone numbers) through any other media, you can be more assured which promotional method was more effective. Another way: If you print a coupon or other promotional piece, you can attach a redemption code which you can ask for when the customer presents the coupon. And another: You can place two ads in a local paper, each associated with a different post-office box. Again, the idea is to steer responses to a specific point of contact which will offer you a means of measuring effectiveness. Ever wonder why you're asked to write "Dept. [X]" on certain commercial correspondence, or recite a code when ordering from the back of a catalog? It's all about tracking. Other times, you can calculate effectiveness by charting your volume of business. If you see a jump in sales, which correlates with a new promotional activity, yet, have changed nothing else in your standard advertising outreach, you can be reasonably assured that the increase was due to your special promotion effort. 

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AIMS
Marketing Trivia

 

AIMS would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of this
Premier Edition of the Native Wave.
Please support these generous community businesses and organizations!
 

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J and J Auto
Jim Tabor, Owner
3160 Baron Lane
Rifle, CO  970-625-1557

J and J Auto - Full-service tune-ups, brakes and shocks. Located just off Airport Road in the Rifle Airport Commercial Plaza. Hours: Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PM
 

Jean's Printing
Family Owned
113 West 3rd St. Rifle, CO 970-625-3550
Fax: 970-625-2554
email: jean@jeansprinting.net

Pizzazz Players
Lynn Churchill, Director
500 Jared Ave.
Rifle, Colorado 81650
970-625-2886

The Pizzazz Players are a talented local youth group who perform for organizations and private events throughout the valley.

Rifle United Methodist-Presbyterian Church
200 E. 4th Street
Rifle, Colorado
970-625-1603

Rifle United Methodist-Presbyterian Church - Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.  Sunday Worship at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM

Original western and wildlife oils and affordable giclee prints from nationally known Colorado artist, Robert Blackcloud. See "Serengeti Monarch", as featured in March '2006 Glenwood Post Independent and Aspen Daily. http://www.windsonggallery.com
 

Full-Spectrum, Integrated,  Multi-Media Business Communications Consulting and Design

Graphic Design | Copy Writing | Editing | Photography | Layout | Creative Consulting | and more..

Phone: 970-876-2146  |  E-Mail: info@aimsatyourservice.com  |  PO Box 112 Silt, CO 81652
 

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The NATIVE WAVE is an on-line, free, subscription-based publication, published by AIMS Accelerated Innovative Marketing Solutions (www.aimsatyourservice.com). The opinions expressed in the "Spotlight Interview" section, and by sponsors of this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, and vice-versa. To learn more about The NATIVE WAVE, please visit the NATIVE WAVE page. None of the information contained in the NATIVE WAVE should be construed as legal advice. The information provided herein is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

The Native Wave - April 2006 Edition © Lisa Bracken, 2006. All rights reserved.

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