Examples of Two Smart Marketing Approaches

Twice this weekend I was struck by events that I thought were so cool that I just had to write about them. Oh, and both can be applied to non-profits and outreach strategies and neither, sadly, came to me through SM.

The first is the "Do You Bleed Eagles Green" blood drive sponsored by the American Red Cross. Obviously the AMR has some pull so it probably wasn't too hard for them to partner with the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was the approach that I like most. The AMR is setting up a blood drive at Lehigh University where the Eagles hold their training camp. There are a few incentives for those who donate including a fan pack, chances to win VIP field passes, and additional chances to win tickets to a home game. However, this is a good idea because of what the AMR did for its organization, not for who they partnered with.

The most impressive part of this program is the AMR's decision to go to their constituency, to not sit back and hope that people show up at one of their preplanned blood drives. I love it, a group that says "yup, we're a non-profit but we're aggressive and we're gonna get what we need."

The message - if your members aren't coming to you, then go to them literally; and don't limit your search to those areas that you think potential members will be. Spread out, have fun, and take a leap of faith. Then came Dan Deacon, a pool at an airport, and some pre-kid flashbacks of what life was like before serious responsibility smacked me in the face.

Today, the family I were invited to join some friends at an outdoor pool at, of all places, an airport. In fact, the pool was in the shape of an airplane. It sounded fun and differenct so we went and what an experience we had. As it turns out, the airport has not only figured out how to stay relevant and unique (pool, resturant, lounge, and hotel), it has also figured out how to secure its longevity by hosting a three-band summer jam with one of the hottest alternative artists in the Northeast.

Of course, we had no idea what was happening as flocks of young hipsters rolled into the pool area and parked themselves in front of a stage that largely went unnoticed for the better part of the day. After a brief inquiry I learned that Dan Deacon was playing later that evening. WHO?

Now, his music isn't really my style but what we hear was good. More importantly, by the time we left there were more than 600 people around the pool and more were being bused in.

The plan was brilliant. A tiny little airport in Southern NJ just introduced its uniqueness to more than a 1,000 FUTURE customers. It figured out how to tap into a market that in all likelihood would have never considered visiting the Flying W airport in Medford, NJ. On most Saturdays, families can be found poolside while small planes and helicopters buzz down the runway to the amazement of little kids. But on this Saturday, a funky indie artist out of Balitmore brought with him a non-traditional crowd and it was a huge success. Most of the people I spoke to remarked how cool the venue was, bet they'll remember it in ten years when they're looking for a spot to bring the kids on a hot summer day. By the way, admission was $10 a head.

The message: think ahead, go outside of your comfort zone, and don't be afraid to introduce a new set of demographics to your organization.

BJR