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New store opens today!

Coral reefer said:
Aquatic collection is a great store. One of the absolute best 2 in our area. They have been an overwhelmingly awesome sponsor for more than 7 years, not sure when they actually started being a sponsor. A lot has changed within the hobby and the club. I believe that Karson uses to feel more a part of the club and good friends with several people who are no longer around. Maybe us new guys haven't made enough effort to be friends and say thanks for sponsoring when we are at the store is part of it?
I think the best thing we can all do isn't make sure they know we are BAR members when we are in there, and thank them for having been a long time sponsor of the club. Maybe even ask why they aren't a sponsor anymore in a nice way. Let them know we appreciate them and want them.
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Totally agree with Mike. Joe and Carson have been with BAR for along time. Great store and good guys. Im lucky to be just around the corner from them. Sometimes things just change and thats ok
 
Bruce Spiegelman said:
Take pics. Let's see it!
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Took me half an hour to find the place and so I missed the gang, but I did snap a few pics.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Bruce Spiegelman said:
I'm sure he did, but if it's something we weren't given an opportunity to address I'd rather vote with my dollars at those that support us. There's nothing there that's not available at other sponsors stores so I'd rather get stuff elsewhere.
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Jess from Diablo Corals mentioned to me that he isn't a BAR sponsor anymore. I was surprised since he was on the tour we did recently. Bruce, I know you are friends with him and go there a lot, any insight?
 
JVU . said:
Jess from Diablo Corals mentioned to me that he isn't a BAR sponsor anymore. I was surprised since he was on the tour we did recently. Bruce, I know you are friends with him and go there a lot, any insight?
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As far as I know he is. I know he was approached as a sponsor to give items for the raffle at the frag swap and that he immediately agreed. I do know he has been frustrated with BAR before on a number of issues which normally revolve around lack of communication and some policies. I suspect these are issues some other stores may be having as well, but it's an issue that would be better addressed by whomever is in charge of sponsor relations. I'll ask him this week though - now I'm curious.
 
One thing that works for sponsors is being involved and highlighted in well promoted club activities and events.

Tie-ins to a club's active social media presence including Facebook, Twitter, and online forums are good too.

Being where the action is, IRL and online, is good for sponsors.
 
Coral reefer said:
Aquatic collection is a great store. One of the absolute best 2 in our area. They have been an overwhelmingly awesome sponsor for more than 7 years, not sure when they actually started being a sponsor.
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IIRC, we started working out their sponsorship even before they opened their physical store.
 
Bruce Spiegelman said:
And what exactly does sponsorship mean anyway? What do we ask of them and what do they get out of it?
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In the past it's been a matter of talking with the owner of the store, explaining how we promote their store. As far as items we had lists of stuff that would be useful for raffles, depending upon the store they could be corals or fish, or sometimes gift cards since those typically bring people into the store.

Now as for former sponsors who have left, I think a good plan to try and reintroduce them would be to explain how over the past few years we've had new people at just about every club position so that sometimes they don't know what has been done in the past as far as communication, etc, where as in the past you might have some sponsorship person who was at that position for 5+ years so they know the owners first hand and have a rapport. Don't try to throw anyone under the bus mind you, but just explain that as people move there often is an adjustment period.
 
I haven't at all been involved with sponsors in the past, but if we put together a structured promotion schedule/guideline, ongoing updates and communications (scheduled updates), and even had a way for us to tie all of the sponsors together in a beneficial community, they would most likely jump right back in. How? Gotta find one or more people to take the lead on it. I'm guessing there's some kind of spec sheet that was used in the past. An elaboration and refresh on that would be good.

I bet most of the sponsors were just friends of someone on the BOD. Once that person left/became inactive, so did the sponsor in the club. The relationship was between individuals, rather than the company and the club.

That's my guess anyway.
 
kinetic said:
I haven't at all been involved with sponsors in the past, but if we put together a structured promotion schedule/guideline, ongoing updates and communications (scheduled updates), and even had a way for us to tie all of the sponsors together in a beneficial community, they would most likely jump right back in. How? Gotta find one or more people to take the lead on it. I'm guessing there's some kind of spec sheet that was used in the past. An elaboration and refresh on that would be good.
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This is my supposition as well. In my discussions with both Jess and another store owner, it's the lack of recognition and communication that seems to piss them off. They feel like they're ignored unless we want something.
 
More customers will make them happy. They get more customers with: prices, quality, and reputation. BAR can help with the last bit.

Some ideas on what to offer in the package:
  • Advertising on the site (already exists in banners and forums)
  • Monthly sponsor spotlights - BAR puts a pinned thread up highlighting a sponsor. The highlight thread will have answers to questions that BAR members are prompted for ahead of time, a quick interview, any newsworthy announcements, and BAR member discounts for a limited time at the store.
  • In addition to the spotlights, have a sponsor tour, where the sponsor greets BAR members at their LFS (for example), shows them how everything is run, and takes questions. Gives BAR members pre-orders for frags and such and probably discounts of some sort
  • Frag swap "booths," so that sponsors can be there, represent, answer questions, and maybe even do a little talk before the swapping happens
  • BAR member representative: could help gather questions members have on the forum and put them in a digest up for the sponsor, rather than the sponsor having to monitor the forums constantly themselves. Also, this point person would also reach out regularly to ask for any updates, events, or other things. Makes them feel connected and communicated with
  • Some kind of ongoing trade with BAR members: if a BAR member refers a new customer, they both get a discount. This has to be constantly maintained, pretty official, and not be abused and such.
 
kinetic said:
More customers will make them happy. They get more customers with: prices, quality, and reputation. BAR can help with the last bit.

Some ideas on what to offer in the package:
  • Advertising on the site (already exists in banners and forums)
  • Monthly sponsor spotlights - BAR puts a pinned thread up highlighting a sponsor. The highlight thread will have answers to questions that BAR members are prompted for ahead of time, a quick interview, any newsworthy announcements, and BAR member discounts for a limited time at the store.
  • In addition to the spotlights, have a sponsor tour, where the sponsor greets BAR members at their LFS (for example), shows them how everything is run, and takes questions. Gives BAR members pre-orders for frags and such and probably discounts of some sort
  • Frag swap "booths," so that sponsors can be there, represent, answer questions, and maybe even do a little talk before the swapping happens
  • BAR member representative: could help gather questions members have on the forum and put them in a digest up for the sponsor, rather than the sponsor having to monitor the forums constantly themselves. Also, this point person would also reach out regularly to ask for any updates, events, or other things. Makes them feel connected and communicated with
  • Some kind of ongoing trade with BAR members: if a BAR member refers a new customer, they both get a discount. This has to be constantly maintained, pretty official, and not be abused and such.
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That's all basically part of what we do now. The main problems are member/bod turnover, and lack of volunteering and follow through.
We always ask the sponsors if they want to be vendors at swaps. Nobody but Jess at diablo has ever taken us up on it.
We delegated specific sponsor contact people a few years back in addition to a sponsorship chair on the board, hasn't seemed to work very well.
All in all sponsor during my time w the club have basically been donating stuff to a group of hobbysiatsbthat want to learn and be successful because they know it's a good cause, and that we definitely do shop in their stores. Maybe they don't see a huge benefit to business, but it's not a big cost either.
The club mainly exists off of membership dues and profit from the regional swap. Sponsors are a bonus. It's great if we can help them and they can help us at the same time. It's not the end of the world if any individual store doesn't want to be a sponsor of our club. All we can do is try our best given the amount of members we have, and the time and effort they are willing to give.
 
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