Creating Multi-Win Partnerships: “Miles of Change”

There’s something really magical when a well-designed partnership is formed that produces a “multi-win” result for everyone involved. The combined efforts of several organizations working together may give you ideas for how you seek partners for your own marketing strategies.

I recently learned through my son’s school of an interesting promotion that teams up the AAA Auto Club Speedway (NASCAR track), Bank of America, local radio stations and other organizations with an academically-oriented out-of-school program for students called THINK Together.

This perfectly-timed promotion -- cleverly titled “Miles of Change” -- distributed a flyer to the schools that said, “Help Our Students Get Published in the Guinness Book of World Records and Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Lincoln Penny.”

Here’s how it goes: Students, volunteers and supporters collect more than 8,448,800 pennies to lay down on the AAA Auto Club Speedway in a contiguous chain. Once you’ve looped the track 50 times, you’ve created a 100-mile chain of pennies. Now if you have ever actually stood on a long racetrack like that, you know how impressive that chain would be.

Here are some of the reasons this is a great promotion:

CELEBRATE / HONOR:
Honoring the bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the introduction of the first Lincoln Penny.

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY:
This event teaches kids about 1) History and history in the making 2) Math and 3) Volunteering — being part of the community

MARKETING:
1) Bank of America gets exposure by possibly exchanging credit card donations through THINKtogether.org into pennies; possibly serving as the charity’s bank; and demonstrates itself as part of the community (which is a lesson more small businesses should embrace).
2) AAA Auto Club Speedway gets exposure which helps promote the upcoming NASCAR events there and the club itself.
3) Guinness Book of World Records gets promoted by all the schools and radio stations covering the event, which enhances the reputation of Guinness Book as the authority and mindshare leader in world record recording. The events also helps sell the 3 million copies of their famous book annually.

CHARITY:
THINK Together gets an amazing fund-raiser.

FAME / PRIDE:
The schools get published in the record books and hold bragging rights.

So you can see how many winners there will be on this racetrack that day. This is a good reminder that by teaming up with other organizations you can achieve much more than by working alone.

2009 Marketing Calendar

Don’t succumb to poorly-focused ad hoc marketing. For many of you it’s not too late to properly plan your marketing activities for the year in a strategic manner if you haven’t scheduled them already.

After completing the brand identity and website for Sugar Press, a high-end invitation business, we are now finishing up the plan for the next 12-months. The focus is how on how Sugar Press will take advantage of various advertising and promotional opportunities.

If you would like some help determining your marketing calendar, contact us by email or at 714-396-3466.

Giveaway of the Day

Every day Giveaway of the Day nominates one software title that will be a Giveaway title. The software will be available for download for 24 hours (or more, if agreed by software publisher) and that software will be absolutely free. That means - not a trial, not a limited version - but a registered and legal version of the software will be free for our visitors. Participants can read detailed reviews and rate the software.

David Salmassian Design collaborates with clients in developing their brands consistently across all media. Our experience in designing marketing programs, along with a fresh perspective, helps build their business. We believe the best results are created through true partnerships with our clients. www.davidsalmassian.com

David Salmassian Design
info@davidsalmassian.com
1.714.396.3466