This week’s Help this Hound question is from Barbara Roy, a communications specialist in Oakland City, IN:
“I need ideas on how to promote an upcoming charity car raffle in 2012 through the Mad Mac Foundation, a group that sponsors educational programs for at-risk youth.
“Proceeds from the raffle will be used to get teenagers, who illegally race their cars on street, into the classroom where they can learn how to build tuner cars from the ground up. The training will help them transfer their skills, which they’ve been using illegally, into career paths that might include auto engineering and design, auto repair, and creating video games that involve cars. The curriculum includes science, technology, engineering and math.
“Two cars will be given away during the July raffle.
“The winter months will be spent on materials prep and strategy. But beginning in January, we’ll focus more on going after sponsors and businesses to carry the raffle tickets. I could really use recommendations on how to gain mass awareness for this nationwide event.
“We will have branding, messaging and content on the website by January, as well as a Facebook event page. Can your Hounds offer their best ideas?”
If you have ideas, please comment.
Tuner cars require parts; try contacting local high performance parts dealers to see if they will let you leave a poster or flyer in the window on the counter or otherwise help spread the word. Also try contacting industry magazines, many have online forums (Import Tuner for example), to see if they would be willing to help spread the word in some way.
Since your goals are mutually beneficial these sources may be more than willing to help out your charity.
How can we help? We have the same goals, just in another location. Can we join together for the common good?
Talk about a perfect fit.
Deb, Marcus is with the Motown Automotive Professionals and I can’t think of a better person to help you market the raffle and the training (and he’s a Publicity Hound). Be sure to go to his website and check out all the articles that explain the labor shortage for technicians. Lots of content you can use in your marketing: http://map-n.org/techShortage.html
Marcus, thanks for reaching out to Deb. My tail starts wagging when stuff like this happens.
Marcus Simmons,
I am the STEM & Drag/Drift Program Manager for MADMAC. We are the non-profit promoting the car raffle that you responded to on Publicity Hound. You can reach me at mcdmc1968@gmail.com or call me at 702.608.0078. Review our Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/LasVegasMadMac
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MADMACFoundation/101877609900597?sk=info
I look forward to hearing from you.
Marcus,
The Mad Mac team has been trying to reach you by the contact methods on your website but haven’t had any luck. Could you email me your contact data to pass along?
Thanks,
Barbara
scarlettown@hotmail.com
Enlisting the help of parts dealers is a fabulous suggestion. Thanks, Jason.
Get dramatic!
When advertising in print, display photos starting with a kid racing on a deserted street, next photo of same kid in handcuffs, next photo with a dejected kid looking out the bars of a cell. If this is in writing, describe kids who got into trouble like this and the sentence they had to serve to get their life back. If on a video, get some kids to play the kids who got into trouble.
Then the caption:
“Want to prevent this waste of a human life? Check this out!
Next set of photos:
A kid entering a classroom with others smiling, next photo sitting in class listening to teacher, next photo kids working on cars, Repeat this photo a few more times, next photo picture of graduates receiving diplomas from your program, next photos of graduates working in various associated jobs.
Punch line:
Want to contribute to the progress of the human spirit? Go on to describe the raffle, the prizes etc. With each photo in display, write how your program is contributing to saving the lives of each of these students who started out mired in crime.
If you want to post a video of all these scenes, ask local law officials if they will help with the handcuffing, cell etc.
You might want to give them acclaim somewhere on your site or in your literature. You might even ask the cops to sell some books of raffles. Get other organizations involved in helping children avoid a life of crime if they will be co-sponsors of your event. If there a lot of these kids in one community see if the local church will help advertise program and sell raffles.
When it comes to doing something to help kids, go straight lots of folks want to help. Good luck! This program sounds like a winner!
Love the visual of that series of photos, Judith. They could be VERY effective.
Hi Marcus,
I was very excited to read your reply; it does seem like the partnership would be a very organic fit. I’m forwarding Mad Mac Founder, Kevin Kim, the website address, your name, and phone contact information. Mr. Mikel Dunn is expected to head up the new educational program so, either he or Mr. Kim may be in touch.
Kind Regards,
Barbara
http://www.scarlettown-communications.com