According to the Craft & Hobby Association’s (CHA) Connecting with Educators study, parents, teachers, and other consumers spend more than $29 billion annually on craft and hobby supplies. These potential customers are just waiting to give you their money, if you give them a reason to. One of the best opportunities is to connect with parents and coaches at all children’s sporting events. Organized sports begin at pre-school age, then move on to elementary and middle school levels. At the high school level sports go big time. Here cheerleadering becomes an official sport; so does Pom-Pon competition.
It goes without saying that colleges and universities are heavy into sporting events. Some schools have embraced cowbells. Take Mississippi State University, for example, where cowbells are a long standing tradition. The best recollection is that cowbells were gradually introduced to the MSU sports scene in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Today cowbells can be heard at every game, and hold special places of honor in the homes and offices of Mississippi State alumni. Some are even passed down through generations of Bulldog fans.
A big tradition in the southwest, but spreading across the country, is the Homecoming Mum. According to the artfulcrafter.com, “a homecoming mum is an oversize mum corsage decorated with three-foot long streamers in the school colors, bells, charms, banners, little plush animals done up in bows, sparkly letters, even Christmas tree lights.” Homecoming mums are worn in the center of the chest and the streamers are so long they almost touch your ankles.
Homecoming mums are a sure sign that somebody loves you. Artfulcrafter.com says that anybody who's anybody wears one, or two. And these displays of love can cost up to $100 and weigh as much as 12 pounds!
You sell bells and you sell flowers, floral supplies, and ribbon. Why not start a new tradition in your own town with an annual contest? Work that PR!
What else could you do?
* Host a “Decorate Your Own Cowbell” clinic in your store or at the school. Find out local school colors and stock cowbells, jersey numbers, and decorating components in school colors. Introduce new themes each year so that the cowbells become collectors items – and so that each year sports fans feel compelled to create a new one.
* Do the same thing for Homecoming Mums with classes before and during Homecoming season. You could even set up a Make Your Own Homecoming Mum Station right in the store.
* To start your tradition make an elaborate Homecoming Mum for each female member of the Homecoming Court, with an extra special one for the Queen. If you really want to build a buzz about town, make a mum for their moms as well. Heck, make one for the guy’s moms, too.
* Hold Crop Parties specifically aimed at each consumer group: parents, coaches and athletes, flag runners, band members, cheerleaders, and pommies. Hold crops for pre and post Homecoming and Prom. You have a multi-level opportunity with each of these groups because each grade level has their own members. And don’t forget to stock scrapbooks with the school name and logo on the cover.
* Stock Mardi-Gras beads in your store that can be tossed from the Homecoming float, and during games throughout the year. Mardi-Gras beads are inexpensive; a case of 60 dozen ”throw beads” costs about $30. Sell them at 5 for a buck. Hang them on an end feature near the checkout counter and watch them fly. Hang your contact information on them and throw beads make a great calling card for you to leave behind when you make presentations to school and parent groups.
* Attend Booster Club meetings so you can become acquainted with what each school needs. It’s also a perfect opportunity to pass out information about your store. Invite the Booster Club parents to attend a special class and crop just for them at your store. And offer a special discount if they purchase the promotional goods they sell at the concession stand through you.
* Checkout Spiritline.com for all kinds of ideas to help you cash in on school sports.
* If you have a frame department, think of all the custom framing opportunities! Georganne has custom shadowbox’s that hold her son’s first football jersey, and another with a baseball MVP award and game ball. Make a few made-up models to hang in your store; and present one to the coach that commemorates the year. Request that it be displayed in the school’s Hall of Fame hallway with all the other school awards.
* Use Stealth Marketing techniques, such as bag stuffers and e-mail marketing to get the word out about your store. Be visible at sporting events wearing a sports jersey advertising your store. Supply the cheerleaders with throw beads for home games. Attend home games and strike up conversations in the crowd. Invite parents to free classes and crops; give away samples, fliers, and coupons to bounce potential customers from the game to your store.
* Promote an associate to the exalted position of Muse of Motivation. It’s the Muse’s job to grow your new sports enthusiast business. And be sure to give your Muse plenty official business cards.
Sports is a year round opportunity for you, but lots of things are happening now: Summer baseball and softball leagues are in full swing. Football practice begins at all levels at the end of July. Soccer games are going on all around you. Kids are playing tennis and running track. Hopeful cheerleaders and pommies are already preparing for next year’s tryouts – you should be preparing for the next school year, too.
® KIZER & BENDER . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED . 2007
It goes without saying that colleges and universities are heavy into sporting events. Some schools have embraced cowbells. Take Mississippi State University, for example, where cowbells are a long standing tradition. The best recollection is that cowbells were gradually introduced to the MSU sports scene in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Today cowbells can be heard at every game, and hold special places of honor in the homes and offices of Mississippi State alumni. Some are even passed down through generations of Bulldog fans.
A big tradition in the southwest, but spreading across the country, is the Homecoming Mum. According to the artfulcrafter.com, “a homecoming mum is an oversize mum corsage decorated with three-foot long streamers in the school colors, bells, charms, banners, little plush animals done up in bows, sparkly letters, even Christmas tree lights.” Homecoming mums are worn in the center of the chest and the streamers are so long they almost touch your ankles.
Homecoming mums are a sure sign that somebody loves you. Artfulcrafter.com says that anybody who's anybody wears one, or two. And these displays of love can cost up to $100 and weigh as much as 12 pounds!
You sell bells and you sell flowers, floral supplies, and ribbon. Why not start a new tradition in your own town with an annual contest? Work that PR!
What else could you do?
* Host a “Decorate Your Own Cowbell” clinic in your store or at the school. Find out local school colors and stock cowbells, jersey numbers, and decorating components in school colors. Introduce new themes each year so that the cowbells become collectors items – and so that each year sports fans feel compelled to create a new one.
* Do the same thing for Homecoming Mums with classes before and during Homecoming season. You could even set up a Make Your Own Homecoming Mum Station right in the store.
* To start your tradition make an elaborate Homecoming Mum for each female member of the Homecoming Court, with an extra special one for the Queen. If you really want to build a buzz about town, make a mum for their moms as well. Heck, make one for the guy’s moms, too.
* Hold Crop Parties specifically aimed at each consumer group: parents, coaches and athletes, flag runners, band members, cheerleaders, and pommies. Hold crops for pre and post Homecoming and Prom. You have a multi-level opportunity with each of these groups because each grade level has their own members. And don’t forget to stock scrapbooks with the school name and logo on the cover.
* Stock Mardi-Gras beads in your store that can be tossed from the Homecoming float, and during games throughout the year. Mardi-Gras beads are inexpensive; a case of 60 dozen ”throw beads” costs about $30. Sell them at 5 for a buck. Hang them on an end feature near the checkout counter and watch them fly. Hang your contact information on them and throw beads make a great calling card for you to leave behind when you make presentations to school and parent groups.
* Attend Booster Club meetings so you can become acquainted with what each school needs. It’s also a perfect opportunity to pass out information about your store. Invite the Booster Club parents to attend a special class and crop just for them at your store. And offer a special discount if they purchase the promotional goods they sell at the concession stand through you.
* Checkout Spiritline.com for all kinds of ideas to help you cash in on school sports.
* If you have a frame department, think of all the custom framing opportunities! Georganne has custom shadowbox’s that hold her son’s first football jersey, and another with a baseball MVP award and game ball. Make a few made-up models to hang in your store; and present one to the coach that commemorates the year. Request that it be displayed in the school’s Hall of Fame hallway with all the other school awards.
* Use Stealth Marketing techniques, such as bag stuffers and e-mail marketing to get the word out about your store. Be visible at sporting events wearing a sports jersey advertising your store. Supply the cheerleaders with throw beads for home games. Attend home games and strike up conversations in the crowd. Invite parents to free classes and crops; give away samples, fliers, and coupons to bounce potential customers from the game to your store.
* Promote an associate to the exalted position of Muse of Motivation. It’s the Muse’s job to grow your new sports enthusiast business. And be sure to give your Muse plenty official business cards.
Sports is a year round opportunity for you, but lots of things are happening now: Summer baseball and softball leagues are in full swing. Football practice begins at all levels at the end of July. Soccer games are going on all around you. Kids are playing tennis and running track. Hopeful cheerleaders and pommies are already preparing for next year’s tryouts – you should be preparing for the next school year, too.
® KIZER & BENDER . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED . 2007
