Many year’s ago there was a character on Saturday Night Live, Mr. Bill and he would get into all types of difficulty and would exclaim oh no!!!! Today(5/21/2019) my day morphed into a Mr.Bill type day leaving me to wonder how do some businesses manage to thrive despite their management team. The day started off on a good note as I was out collecting donations for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life most everyone was nice but there were some that simply don’t understand the importance of relationship building and building strategic partnerships. I understand most places I went they didn’t know me and that I was interrupting the flow of their business however it doesn’t cost anything to be kind. I went into Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and they are very good supporters of Relay For Life and I appreciate all they do for the cause however today they dropped a few notches as The Manager said I couldn’t go table to table to collect so I asked if I could stand outside the restaurant or if we can set up a day to simply do a collection she said no which I didn’t mind. What I did mind was the manner in which she talked with me she seemed to think I was beneath her. If only she knew the reach I have and how I could be a great ally. I encountered this no soliciting allowed attitude in many places that I went and I thought wow you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. I thought this way as I would have done a live video( My last Live Video had over 1100 views) and promoted the restaurant given the restaurant a good review and strengthened a business relationship. When I went to Habit Burger I simply disobeyed the GM’S wishes and was successful as one patron gave me a $20 donation. I later called their corporate office and had a nice interaction with the marketing director who in turn sent me details to host a Give Back Night there. I told her all The GM had to do was say we don’t allow soliciting however we do offer a way for your organization to fundraise here is our flier how to set up one of our Give Back Nights. The gentleman at McCallister’s were very arrogant and condescending as they told me no. I can accept a no even if I don’t understand why anyone business would say no to someone who has a proven track record of over 20 years of fundraising for The American Cancer Society. They could always take a minute and check out www.relayforlife.org/sunrisetamaracfl and see I am The #2 fundraiser with over $4500 raised.

Had the people in leadership roles at these restaurants taken a step back and seen the big picture perhaps their sales would have increased a bit. I have come to learn that there are always going to be those are so worried about complaints that they simply have programmed themselves to say no to everything. Many times they simply don’t see the benefits that someone brings to them and are so set in the ways that they lose out on the many opportunities that are presented to them.

I know going uninvited and putting people on the spot may not be the best way however many times it works and people respond in a great way like the time the hair salon owner said sure you can make an announcement and one of the patrons donated $40 or the time the ophthalmologist asked what type of donation I was looking for and I answered whatever you are comfortable with and he wrote a check for $100. Yes I have encounters some people who made me feel like Mr. Bill however I have also encountered people who have shown respect and appreciation for what I am doing. I have come to understand that not everyone is as advanced in the sphere of cause marketing as I am and many times employees of larger corporations are not empowered or inspired to think outside the box.

So the next time someone comes into your business seeking support you should look at the benefits and be open to what they are doing for they may have a large following that can become your client/customer. Imagine if the managers and general managers of businesses were empowered to do local area cause marketing how much more profitable a business would be.

A few years ago I approached Hungry Howie’s about supporting The American Cancer Society Relay For Life and Xavier was very happy to help and donated 10 large pizzas and each year since has supported our effort to help those touched by cancer. In return Hungry Howie’s has gotten my business and promotional videos and an outstanding revenue. I share this to show you how to avoid those Oh! No! Mr. Bill moments in your business.

Advertisement Ideas: Lessons Learned From SNL And NBA!

New York truly proved that it was the city that never sleeps as it hosted not only Saturday Night Live 40 and The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday 2/15/15. As I watched both I thought what dies this teach us about the importance of marketing, media relations, and advertising? The answer was plenty as the social media universe was blazing hot as both events dominated twitter feeds and Facebook feeds. Most everywhere one went where there was a TV it was tuned to one of these events. If you were fortunate to be in a place with 2 or more tvs you were likely to be able to watch both. The common factor is that both events showed us what happens when you have a strong recognizable brand that remains relevant, entertaining, and resonating in the market place. Now some of you are saying but I don’t have the budget that an NBC or an NBA has. This maybe true however the lesson learned is that in order to have sustainability in the market place you must set aside a certain amount of money to market so as to build your followers that you can then convert into customers. Imagine what you could have done to drive business and create more awareness and possibly more cash flow in the weeks leading up to SNL 40 and The NBA All-Star Game? If you are a life coach you could have shown how laughter is sometimes necessary to clear blockages that might be holding a client back. You could have promoted a webinar and charged everyone $40 and tied it into SNL 40.If you were a retailer you could have all items end in $.40 in honor of SNL 40. You could have dome some basketball related promotions in your print and electronic advertising. There are so many possibilities that you could have implemented to create a buzz about your business. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Lessons Learned From SNL And NBA!!!