Advertisement Ideas: Get Up Off Of That Thang!!!

It was August of 1989 when I attended my first ever Florida Jaycees Conference, where I won The First Timers Competition, that I first heard the cheer GET UP OFF OF THAT THANG!!! I thought what did that cheer represent and it represented a call to action encouraging people to get up off their ass and do something. As I got to know the members of The Coconut Grove Jaycees throughout the years of my involvement with The Jaycees as a local chapter president, a district director, a regional director, state director of training, and state-wide vice-president i began to realize that what makes them successful as an organization is their leadership and their marketing strategies. The Coconut Grove Jaycees started The Coconut Grove Bed Race as fundraiser for The Muscular Dystrophy Association. Today that is one of the biggest events in South Florida. Today The Coconut Grove Jaycees have a very recognizable brand and have built a reputation as a top non-profit providing leadership training through community service. The Coconut Grove Jaycees have helped many people to advance in their chosen fields of endeavor and have seen many members become successful entrepreneurs.

To put together The Coconut Grove Bed Race The Coconut Grove Jaycees utilized a tool known as The Chairman’s Planning Guide that should be used by every business to plan, implement, and evaluate projects.
Jaycees CPG, this link will give you the format that you can then adapt to your business or non-profit projects.

Advertisement Ideas: Get Up Off Of That Thang – A Case Study!!!

In all my years of involvement with the Jaycees the one thing I learned from The Coconut Grove Jaycees is that you have to take action. When you have an idea take action to implement and make sure after implementation you let people know about it. In my workshops I teach people about obtaining media coverage as I have gotten up off of that thang and secured media coverage for myself and causes I support. below is an article done last year about POINTS FOR THE CURE AND SHOUT OUTS FOR THE CURE, which I will be doing again this year for THE 2015 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE OF WEST BOCA RATON. Yesterday(8/30/14) I ran SHOUT OUTS FOR THE CURE during The Parkland Rangers VS. Lauderhill Broncos Pop Warner Football Games and raised $62. This was done by getting up off of that thang and using my position as a PA Announcer to do something good to help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. It is in taking action that you get results. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Get Up Off Of That Thang!!!

Advertisement Ideas: What Is Your Advertising Strategy?

This is always the first question I ask a client? You would be surprised how many people tell me I don’t have one or I don’t have a budget for advertising. I am always surprised by this because without advertising how are you going to grow your business. It all comes to the concept of investing in yourself and building your brand. I run across many small businesses as I host an Internet TV Show, The Anything Bucket, which airs on www.wrpbitv.com on Tuesday at 6:30 PM and I offer them a chance to be interviewed by me. I offer a free segment and a chance to purchase the clip so they can use it in their marketing and advertising programs. I am always amazed by those who do not invest in purchasing the clip. I ask them what type of advertising they are doing and they stumble to answer and then confess that they really don’t do any advertising. I then explain to them how important it is to be out in front of your target audience daily and that you must have an effective strategy.

I learned many advertising strategies when I was a member of The Jaycees as we were constantly looking for new members, working to retain existing members, and garner support for our community projects. I was often mystified by how many people who did not know about the organization because we had welcome signs on the signs entering the community, had several articles in the community newspapers, and spoke at city council meetings. I stated on several occasions that if we are to attract new members and retain existing members we must have a solid advertising strategy so that when we walk into a business they will have heard of us. This is when I devised my three-foot rule, which I still use today. The 3 foot rule is where if someone is with in 3 feet of you, you engage them and gain their interest. I recently used this principle at a local Starbucks and the women I approached told me she was very impressed that I came over to exchange business cards. Think about it if you carry your business cards wherever you go and begin to ask people about themselves and hand out your card the positive effect it could have on your business. It comes down to the fact that some will, some will not, so what, some waiting, next. Not everyone will want to listen to you but those that do can be converted into customers or advocates for you. Continue reading