Every 68 seconds someone in the world dies from breast cancer. Everyone in this world has a mother, some a sister, some a daughter, all have a friend w/that said we should all come together & fight this fight because it can/could effect us all at some point in our lives. Whether its big/small just do something to help.
I've always gotten involved w/various fundraisers, events, etc... over the years, but once I got in a position to really help raise significant funds for the cause I did my part. I was able to get my company at the time TracFone Wireless (http://www.tracfone.com/) on board w/a cause related promotion. We then got one of our largest retailers on board, Dollar General Corporation (http://www.dollargeneral.com/) an almost 9,000 store retail chain. We created special SGK pink artcards for our packaging, we got Motorola & later LG to provide pink handsets, we shipped handsets chainwide and donated 10% of the retail price of each pink handset sold in the month of October 2007-then again October 2009. In October 2007 TracFone donated to SGK approx. $32k -TracFone hopes to raise even more this October.
$32k is alot of $$ to raise but the awareness we raised inside the DG stores among their consumers is an even greater # to be proud of. If that cause related promotion got 1 survivor to share their story, 1 person to go to their follow up appointment, 1 parent to discuss the importance of annual check ups w/their children, 1 person to simply buy that product bc they wanted to help then it was more than just a monetary success, it could of potentially saved a life.
October 2009 DG took it a step further, they created a special event that included Sara Fischer, a fabulous Indy Car racer who raced Oct. 10 in Miami wearing a pink suit supporting SGK. DG got several vendors on board & raised $$ & awareness. DG had a life size standee of Sara Fischer in her pink suit in all Dollar General stores across the nation raising awareness! How fabulous!
DG also supported these promos w/web banners & ads w/in their national ad circulars.
Before I left TracFone, I pitched to DG the idea of a "pink page" in their ad circulars. (all the vendors that I had met at the Partner Summit loved the idea) The buyer pitched the idea to her marketing team -hopefully thatll happen! Itll be the 1st of its kind at DG. (fingers crossed)
Sorry, this is alot longer than I had anticipated... almost done... hang in there...
So how did I end up in Egypt?
I was at the SGK partner summit August 2009. During the day they mentioned the Egypt mission trip & I was intrigued. Then founder of SGK Nancy G. Brinker spoke to the group. I was immediately inspired & knew I HAD to go to Egypt to help do whatever I could to help fight.
If you havent already went to http://www.komen.org/ & read Nancy's story about the promise she made to her sister 25+ years ago, do that right now, it will change your life. The fact that 1 person (Nancy) was able to do what she has done just goes to show you the power of 1 person w/ a goal. Now think of what you can do & do it. Think Big & Be Bold.
I challenge each of you who works for a company that isnt giving back to find a way to get them to give back. If they say, No, try again & again until you get a YES. It will happen, I promise.
Cause Related Promotions is a win win for us all: the consumers, retailers, & the company themselves. Its profitable for the company & retailer & creates awareness to us all. Most of all, the donated funds could save a life.
Now if I could just get my 54 year old mother to get a mammogram...
No comments:
Post a Comment