 |
|
eMatrimony.org Supporting, Encouraging, and Challenging the WWME Community |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Inviting - Inviting Help Steps To Getting A WWME Billboard Advertisement Tom & Nelda Fetzer I have been asked to provide some information on how I managed to get our billboard up, and what the "deal" was that I made with the billboard company.
I contacted a billboard company in my area. I told the owner who I was and my position within the WWME Community. I told him that I would like to put up a sign on one of his vacant boards. The basics of the deal are that WWME would pay for the vinyl (all of his boards utilize vinyl "banners" which are strapped to the framework of the billboard face) and the installation. Then, when he leased the board, he would take ours down and store it. Whenever a suitable board became vacant, he would take down the former client's vinyl and replace it with ours. While this does not give us a "permanent" location, (or a fixed amount of time in any location) we can get more coverage by having our sign "float" around the area. Plus, since we are a charitable organization, his placements of our sign will earn him a sizable charitable deduction at the end of the year. And I have also invited him and his wife on a weekend. Once I get some indication of his desire to attend a weekend, I am planning on personally taking his registration, and then presenting him with a paid "gift" registration for the weekend - just a simple way of saying "thanks" for his generous contribution to WWME. The cost to WWME for the vinyl will be about $840.00. The location where we currently are located usually rents for about $300 per month, with a 1 year lease. That would bring the total cost to around $4,440 for a year. This way only costs us the $840, and he will get a $3,600 donation letter. We received a $250 matching grant from the WWME National Office, which brings the total cost to our area (and section) to only $590. While we will have to work a while to recoup our expenses, it is not the almost insurmountable amount of $4,440. Some things to consider when someone tries to approach the billboard companies: We only want to use vacant boards, when they are available. A billboard company does not look as good when there is "white space" where advertising should be. Be agreeable to our sign being up only a very short time. Also, stress the fact that their donation of their board space is a charitable contribution, and we are more than willing to provide them with a letter at year end enabling them to write off their donation. Not only that, we will acknowledge to anyone who asks that the board being there through the generosity of the billboard company, and we will sing their praises to everyone in the business community that we know. When I have some more time, I am planning on contacting more companies here in the Greater Houston area. As you are aware, a lot of times on something like this, the most difficult thing can be getting your foot in the door. It is easier to get a second or third company to allow something like this when you can show that someone else is already doing it. Nobody wants to be first. Hope this information is helpful in your area. Tom & Nelda Fetzer
|
