SAN FRANCISCO — Few events garner as much worldwide attention and engender as much excitement as the Olympic Games.
The residual national pride resulting from the sporting contests four years earlier, the build-up during the qualifying rounds, traditional rivalries between teams, the torch runs and the spreading interest in the Olympic sports among novice players all add fuel to the fire of enthusiasm for this major global event.
Even though the actual event is taking place in Rio this summer, sports fever is everywhere. All this broadcast attention on sports pomp and ceremony provides a tremendous opportunity for you to capitalize on the excitement it generates and turn it into increased sales volume, visibility, and most importantly, additional profit for your business.
This Olympic spectacle affords a rare chance to reach all ages and lifestyles in your target market, especially the more youthful generations that are just beginning to become fabricare customers on their own.
Many of you already sponsor local sports teams, but if you aren’t a sponsor, consider it now. Choose the kids teams based on the lifestyle of the parents and the parental support visible at the games. These sports contests provide a high concentration of your target customers and your target prospects in one place at one time.
The field banners are visible throughout the many scheduled games; your van can serve as a high-exposure temporary water stand for players and spectators; and inexpensive pom-pons in the team colors with your logo on the handle grab immediate attention as they are passed out at the arena entrance.
Your staff can wear your logo as they serve as ushers or groundskeepers to increase your brand exposure. The sports teams will solicit your donations in many forms, so choose your participation wisely for maximum exposure and visible impact.
Your logo on the team uniforms can travel home with the families or, better yet, the uniforms can first go through your plant on a contracted (not free) cleaning program.
Your service can stay top-of-mind with tie-in promotions, i.e. everyone in the stadium gets a complimentary cleaning of a pair of shorts when they bring in a golf shirt or sweatshirt.
Think beyond the teams themselves and reach out to all the auxiliary support opportunities, such as the bands, the flag bearers, the pep squads, the food and beverage services, and the groundskeepers. Don’t forget the team mascots – both the live and stuffed kind. You can make both versions look like-new again.
All of the ancillary contributors represent potential cleaning business.
As you concentrate on the sports obsession that exists, many opportunities for additional business will present themselves.
Contact the gymnastics training centers, the sports-plex that trains the athletes, the fitness centers where the competitors build strength, the coaches, the venues, the schools and the independent organizers.
You will be astounded at the extent of the influence of sports and fitness in every community at every age level. Consider the current popularity of Fitbit®!
Play on the nostalgia for the “glory days” of your customer’s peak sports performance. Display a preserved or restored letter jacket or sweater in a shadow box in your store and see how many requests you receive for the service.
This is also appropriate for national and commemorative flags, sailing burgees, World Series pennants, and sports uniforms. (Think: hockey, football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball, tennis, soccer, skiing, gymnastics, fencing, dressage, ice skating, motor cross, car racing and more.)
Check back Thursday for the conclusion!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].