The High School Blood Challenge: Achieving Success from Recruitment and Sponsor Perspective

Communicating w/ Gen Y ♥WWII vs. Boomers vs. Gen X vs. Gen Y ♥What is the motivation? ♥Texting vs. Calling ♥Facebook – who needs telerecruitment?

The Basic Concept ♥Use a highly charged HS Basketball rivalry game as a platform to collect blood ♥Four rivalries in 6 towns, very competitive in everything ♥Schools will compete to see who can collect the most units of blood leading up to the game ♥Every donor will get an “I bleed” t-shirt to wear to the game ♥A traveling trophy will be presented at the game to the winning school

First Things First (Sponsor’s Point of View year 1) ♥Economy is tough, what’s this going to do for me? ♥What will it take to convince my superiors that this is worth while? ♥Does this mesh with our core marketing philosophy? ♥Reach? ♥Make Kevin Look Good.

Benefits (UBS) ♥Adds one more chance to reach the HS population in the typical “1 fall drive, 1 spring drive” scenario ♥Lots of bonus exposure for UBS during the drives due to all of the coverage leading up to the game ♥Having the drive at the mall took a lot of pressure off collections and the donors

Benefits (Sponsor) ♥Large markets ♥Sports presence ♥Inexpensive in the grand scheme ♥Title Sponsorship (ground level) ♥New Opportunity (outside-the-box)

The Logistics – Year One ♥Title Sponsor paid $1,000 to cover costs ♥T-shirt sponsor discounted 150 shirts to $750, let us use artwork in all other applications ♥Media sponsor matched a $250 buy at 4-1, we got approx. 10 spots per day for the week of the drives, plus live reads and a spot on the Friday morning show. ♥Postcards were distributed throughout each high school, handed out at games 2 weeks in advance, and mailed to the retired teachers association ♥Various secondary sponsors included food from Subway, drinks from Coke, etc.

The Logistics (cont.) ♥Drives were held on Thursday and Friday from 2-7 prior to the Saturday afternoon games. ♥One player and the head coach from each of 4 teams recorded radio spots which were rotated. ♥Two Head coaches, myself, and our sponsor appeared on the Friday morning radio program ♥A “Thank You” wall was created to visibly show the score in the competition and recognize those who donated

The Results – Year One ♥184 donors signed in, 111 registered (verbal deferrals, and yes, we were very overwhelmed) ♥85 procedures, 91 products ♥62% of those registered were first time donors ♥Lots of t-shirts present on game day ♥Great reaction from the crowd when our sponsor announced the winner

“Perfect Combination” (Sponsor’s Point of View year 2) ♥Oh, you’re back again? vs. Without a Doubt! ♥Marketing Philosophy? ♥Reach? ♥“…The perfect combination of sports and philanthropy…”

On to Year 2 – Logistics ♥Add the Peach Basket Rivalry in Casper ♥Title sponsor increased sponsorship to $3,500. ♥Now have 4 different t- shirt designs, printed 500 total ♥Media sponsorship remained the same, but we received better coverage from newspaper ♥Learned to have volunteers from schools staff registration tables

Year 2 Results ♥Cheyenne: 146 donors signed in, 132 registered, 105 procedures, 118 products, 48% First Time Donors ♥Casper: 169 Donors signed in, 160 registered, 125 procedures, 71% First Time Donors ♥Once again, lots of shirts at both games, great reactions from both crowds.

On to Year 3!! ♥Over some celebratory beers with our sponsor, the plan for year 3 was hatched ♥Goal is to expand to the Gillette / Sheridan and Rock Springs / Green River markets ♥Each of 4 rivalries will have their own trophy ♥Addition of Commissioner’s Cup ♥Sponsor is willing to make it happen  (To the tune of $8,000 with a secondary sponsor) ♥Logistics will change

Added Competition ♥All schools totals tallied ♥High School Activities Association and Activities Association Commissioner brought on board ♥“Commissioner’s Cup” presented at State Basketball Tournament to school with highest total across all rivalries

Yes, But… (Sponsor’s Point of View year 3) ♥“…The perfect combination of sports and philanthropy…” ♥Marketing Philosophy? ♥Reach? ♥?? 1 BIG question… $$$$

Year 3 Results ♥Cheyenne: 243 donors signed in, 199 registered, 157 procedures, 172 products, 66% First Time Donors ♥Casper: 235 Donors signed in, 201 registered, 151 procedures, 167 products, 58% First Time Donors ♥Rock Springs / Green River: 427 Donors signed in, 275 registered, 219 procedures, 246 products, 52% First Time Donors ♥Gillette / Sheridan: 330 Donors signed in, 313 registered, 270 procedures, 336 products, 68% First Time Donors ♥Totals: Year 1 – 91 products ♥ Year 3 – 921 products

A Hero Returns ♥Additional program launched in Cheyenne, sponsored by Midas ♥Create a “Hero Returns” Drive to try to bring students back for a summertime blood donation ♥If students donate at 3 out of 4 blood drives, they will receive an additional “Hero Returns” t-shirt and be entered into a drawing for laptop, flatscreen tv, or college bookstore gift certificate. ♥If students donate at all 4 drives, they will receive 2 entries (2RBC procedure counts for 2 donations). ♥Pledge forms to be handed out by Recruitment before fall blood drives ♥Hero Returns drive to be promoted by postcard mailing and telerecruitment calls.

Questions / Comments?