Suns Paint the Town Orange for Opener
October 31st 2006
The Phoenix Suns Painted the Town Orange and created a neat introduction page to its web site to promote tonight’s home opener.
The Suns 2006-07 theme is “Eye on the Prize,” and I encourage you to check out the team’s TV commercials, which I’ve provided a link to here. They’re very well done. Additionally on this same page are the Suns radio spots and other multimedia presentations, which engage the fans and offer the team additional sponsorship opportunities.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 30th 2006
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many sports teams and companies have stepped up to the plate to support breast cancer research.
On a recent airlines flight, I heard Delta Air Lines announce over the public address how they’re selling pink lemonade on each of its October flights and donated the proceeds to breast cancer research.
The Utah Grizzlies hockey team aggressively promoted “Pink in the Rink,” where at last Saturday’s game – the team’s second regular-season game of the 2006-07 season – the arena ice was pink, the hockey players jerseys were pink, and the first 1,500 women through the door received pink T-shirts.
Additionally, the first 5,000 women at the game received tote bags compliments of the Shane Co; the pink players jerseys were auctioned off after the game with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation and the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Finally, the Grizzlies offered a post-game skate for all fans in attendance.
What could you do next October – or any time during the year – to support breast cancer awareness and research – by utilizing your sports team’s game assets?
There are many proven strategies sports teams have implemented over the years that have both served to assist non-profit organizations, as well as introduce the sports teams to a segment of fans who might not otherwise attend a game.
It’s well worth thinking about how you and your sports team could create multiple events that are beneficial for all involved – the non-profit organizations, your community, your fans, the players and coaches, and your organization.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Coloring Contest Helps Build Database
October 27th 2006
The Utah Jazz are promoting a coloring contest, which is a great way to build its database of prospective ticket buyers, while also promoting its 2006-07 season home opening game.
You can access the coloring contest page and the contest details here.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Frequent Theatre Miles
October 26th 2006
Check out the story regarding the new strategy by theatres to offer an audience rewards program, similar to the highly successful frequent flyer programs offered by airlines. The experiential programs (ie, VIP access to events, backstage tours) are great ways to provide your fans with unique, once in a lifetime, memorable experiences.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Importance of Developing Relationships
October 25th 2006
Today’s Telios Tip comes from Keith Ferrazzi, who is author of “Never Eat Alone,” who wrote an article on the importance of building relationships with your customers and prospective customer.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Celebrate Anniversary with Ticket Giveaway
October 24th 2006
The St. George Marathon celebrated its 30th anniversary this year and gave away 30 complimentary entrants to this year’s marathon. They will do the same to celebrate its 31st anniversary in 2007.
Sports teams could do the same by offering a similar enter to win on its web site – as well as utilizing other mediums – and offer fans the opportunity to win one of the season tickets or game tickets you give away – one for each year of the franchise.
You offer your fans a neat contest, building a database of quality leads, and also introduce or have fans sample your product each year – either season-long, or game-by-game, depending on whether you give away season tickets or single-event tickets.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Putting Your Client Between the Goal Posts
October 23rd 2006
Today’s Telios Tip comes from an article in Media Life titled Put Your Client Between the Goal Posts, and it discusses the strategies of advertising at a college football game.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Giants and Fans Score With Seat License
October 20th 2006
The San Francisco Giants have scored with the Giants lifetime seat license program, and the fans feel they scored just the same, as estimates show the value of their seat licenses on the ride.
If you’re considering adding a lifetime seat license otion for your season ticket holders, this article may be of interest to you.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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49ers Implement Fan Retention Plans
October 19th 2006
Check out the neat fan retention programs and advisory board the San Francisco 49ers created to woo and retain its fans.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Bank supports Adopt-a-School Program
October 18th 2006
Wells Fargo is expanding on its established adopt-a-scholl program in conjunction with the San Francisco Giants.
The Bank has pledged $100 to schools for each run the Giants score. This sounds like a great way to score with a sponsorship as well as score support for schools.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Jazz Offer You Pick ‘Em Ticket Plans
October 17th 2006
The Utah Jazz are offering You Pick ‘Em ticket sales plans that are convenient for fans who would like to customize their ticket packages by picking the number of games and opponents they’d like to see. This is a great alternative to those fans who are unable to attend all home games.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Exclusive 24-Hour Grey Cup Ticket Sales
October 16th 2006
The 2007 Toronto Grey Cup Committee is offering an exclusive – and unique – 24-hour sale next Thurs., Oct. 19. Once the 24-hour sale has concluded, the Grey Cup tickets will not be sold until some time in 2007. This is a neat way to pre-sell tickets.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Protected: Gators Host Strength & Conditioning Clinic
October 13th 2006
Sox Score With 7-Eleven Sponsorship
October 12th 2006
The Chicago White Sox have scored with a creative three-year partnership with 7-Eleven Stores. The White Sox will start its weeknight games at 7:11 as a part of it 7-Eleven partnership.
The fact that every time the game time is announced in the media, on schedule cards, and in other promotional material makes it a great investment. Also note the fact that 7-Eleven is “trying to develop sponsorships with other teams.”
Finally, at the time of this posting, the ESPN web fan poll of nearly 16,000 voters showed 70.7 percent did not mind the starting time being sponsored.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Musicians Provide Cover Art Customization
October 11th 2006
In an article in the USA Today, Edna Gundersen shares how musicians are allowing fans the opportunity to customize CD covers in a do-it-yourself kind of way; a clever idea and strategy for boosting sagging CD sales.
People like when things are personalized, or when they can personalize things. The more we can look to customize or offer customization, the greater chance we have to engage fans and increase sales.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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You Need More Friends
October 10th 2006
Today’s Telios Tip comes from Jeffrey Gitomer, who states in “Little Black Book of Connections,” that “All things being equal, people want to do business with their friends. All things being not quite so equal, people STILL want to do business with their friends. Hint: To climb the ladder of success, you don’t need more techniques and strategies, you need more friends.”
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Exhibition Games in Nearby Markets
October 9th 2006
In an effort to expand your fan base, why not play an exhibition or pre-season game in a nearby community arena to attract new fans?
A good example of this will be when the Dallas Mavericks play the Cleveland Cavaliers in an exhibition game in Pittsburgh, which happens to be near Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban hometown of Mt. Lebanon.
With Pittsburgh being so close to Cleveland, the Cavaliers have embraced the Pittsburgh community and as a result, sold over 10,000 tickets to groups in Western Pennsylvania last season.
How many additional group tickets could you sell if you took the same approach and embraced nearby communities that may be too far for seasons, but close enough for groups and organizations to attend your games?
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Earning Trust With Prospects
October 6th 2006
Today’s Telios Tip comes from Marcus Schaller, author of the Lead Ladder, who writes: “The more personable and authentic your relationship with a prospect, the easier it is to close the sale.”
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Dodgers Capturing Names in Post-Season
October 5th 2006
Check out the Dodger’s online enter to win ticket contest where they’re hitting a home run by leveraging its post-season play with an enter to win ticket contest that will reward one lucky fan with two NL Division Series game tickets, while the Dodgers score solid season ticket holder leads for its 2007 season.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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You Can Drop the “www”
October 4th 2006
Do you display your web site in advertising and print material as www.TheTeliosGroup.com or do you promote your site address as TheTeliosGroup.com, dropping the “www?”
I see so many web site addresses advertised with the “www” before its web site address? Why include the “www” when a visitor does not need to input “www” to access your web site?
Since your advertising and/or promotions objective is to increase your web site visitors and make it easier for those visitors to remember your web site by dropping the “www” before your web site.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Put Your Thoughts to Action
October 3rd 2006
While traveling, I stopped by a store to pick up a newspaper and spotted a rack of inspirational and motivational cards. I read each and two of the cards stood out among the rest. I thought I’d share the two thoughts with you in today’s post:
The first read: “You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind. Put your thoughts into action.”
The second card read: “You miss a lot when you travel at a gallop. Take the time to come home to yourself everyday.”
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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Win a Road Trip Fun Pack
October 2nd 2006
I was reading a story and came across the online Win a Road Trip Fun Pack contest and thought this would be a great way to build a prospective family season ticket list. Check it out and see if you can develop a similar online contest for your sports organization.
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Ron Goch, The Telios Group
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