Thread: Holidays and Marketing

Let's imagine a world where we could each select the charity of our choice, money for marketing and event planning is unlimited (well... within reason anyway ) and we could do whatever our hearts desired.

What would your perfect holiday marketing be and what charity would you support? What type of event would you put on?

Let's dream some big and yet hopefully obtainable goals together. Who knows, one of us may actually pull off an idea we've brainstormed together. We all know the best marketing minds in self storage are here so... ideas anyone?

Truth be told, Gina, I strive to have a Toys for Tots event like yours every year.

I love November and December where we can "require" a donation of a toy in order to receive the move-in special. However, I haven't ever been able to do anything more than just hand over the full box of toys. No event or anything more.

As much as I would love to do more during my favorite time of year, I don't have the money or the energy to do more. If my resources would permit it there would never be another hungry, sick, homeless, or hurt child on the face of this earth. In a world with so much it hurts to see the little ones suffer.

MamaDuke, careful what you wish for! It's an undertaking of unbelievable proportions.
FAHRumRunner, I hear you and I couldn't agree more. I'd love to see our country's children cared for across the board.

I'm still wondering folks, if you could plan your perfect PR event and it would benefit a charity what do you picture in your minds' eye? We've had the 8 foot long sandwiches and carnival games. We've done pinatas and Mexican food theme, kegs of green beer and all sorts of green fun. And we've shut down the property put up tables with linens & umbrellas, catered affair for our customers (think wedding style) with live music and more. I'm looking for ideas for the blowout, end all, be all fundraiser type event. Plus just flat out curious what types of charities our group would support. Elderly, children, pets, plants? Thanks for your help.

I was a guest once at a decent-sized corporate event where they created a Fall Festival on the grounds outside their offices (they had plenty of grassy acreage for setting things up). They had hayrides, created a maze out of bales of hay, live music, a silent auction with some pretty nice items donated by local businesses, amusement activities for kids, and culminated the whole thing with a harvest-themed Thanksgiving-style dinner. I think they took donations for dinner, in addition to raising proceeds through the silent auction, hay rides, etc. I believe the money raised went to help local charities for disadvantaged youths. The atmosphere was really festive, and the camaraderie of a community coming together was neat to witness, particularly from the perspective of a total outsider.

Originally Posted by FHARumRunner

As much as I would love to do more during my favorite time of year, I don't have the money or the energy to do more. If my resources would permit it there would never be another hungry, sick, homeless, or hurt child on the face of this earth. In a world with so much it hurts to see the little ones suffer.

We team up with local churches. Truth is all that it is really needed from us is a unit for a month or so, & the space for them to have a rummage sale etc. outside. We do more of course but that is our choice. By donating the unit and outdoor space for the month a LOT is done for the charities and we get exposure, win win.
~ Di ~

This will be my 3rd year this March of having a yard sale in the expansive parking lot in front of my storage building and behind my office. I have over 100 parking spaces and use up to 90 of them for a yard sale. This yard sale goes at a cost of $15.00 per parking space which is donated to the local Boys & Girls Club. The Boys & Girls Club also gets items donated to them to which I give them two 10x30 units inside to store the items that they sell. The sale is growing....the donations of items for sale are coming sooner....and the reservations began three weeks after the last event. I set it up, send out the advertising, collect the donations, and set up the parking lot for the day and clean up afterward. I also get a 2nd hand shop to collect unwanted items left over from the sale should the people not want to take anything home with them.

I am only one person and I can not save the world....but I can help others who want to do the same thing ... one child at a time.