Free Advertising Advice for Your Fundraising Event in Houston

Getting miserable with local advertising can be easy. Everyone is looking to make a buck off you or your company and it may seem that nobody is there to help. I have been there before so I can relate. What I did about it though is another memoir.

Unfortunately in my experience as an event promoter I have come to find out, especially for fundraising events, that not everyone will throw you a bone when you ask for it. In order to acquire optimum and prime real estate in promotion it’s the same old story: You have got to know somebody – or cry a river about how no one will assist you.

I had reached my wits end while planning a walk-a-thon a couple of months ago. A local TV station in town films a show every morning showcasing local events, businesses, people and products. I had finally gotten a hold of a producer when the only news she could give me was that I had to bring my own audience in order to get a 30-sec PSA filmed at the end of the taping. I explained to her that we could not accomplish that, because people that we knew WORKED FOR A LIVING and could not take off work on a Monday morning to sit and watch a TV show being filmed. The other alternative was to have someone underwrite a segment, and then we would be able to speak with the host and have more coverage.

Shortly after this I had spoken with an editor for a local newsprint publication about obtaining some small advertising space in their next weekly edition, to promote to the public about registering for the event. (May I remind you I am promoting a fundraising event for a non-profit) He proceeded to tell me how much the ads cost and when the deadline for submission was.

Seriously?! What part of “non-profit” do these people not understand? At this point I was fuming and after being told no many more times I opened up my email and started to write. I did not know what my goal was when I started to moan and groan but I knew I just had to have my voice heard! My faith in my local media to promote and encourage participation in charity events was crumbling and I could only think of 2 people to tell this to.

The Roula and Ryan Show on 104.1 KRBE is one of the most popular morning radio shows in Houston, TX. If anything I was hoping my email would get a 15 sec mention on how local media needs to do better. I never expected them to READ MY EMAIL ON THE AIR! It was amazing! I had touched a nerve apparently, and they didn’t have to do what they did, but for one of the top rated morning shows to take time (UNSCHEDULED TIME) out of their show to talk about the organization and my frustrations is truly amazing. This is what local media should be doing 24-7! If I call the same radio set and ask to air a commercial for the same time that Roula and Ryan gave me, it would cost an arm and a leg, so for them to give me a shout out really made a difference. So when all else failed, I tried a last resort and it ended up working!

My advice to anyone that in order to get free advertising (or at least cheap, cheap advertising) you have to:

A) Plan ahead
B) Be persistent
C) Be creative
D) Utilize all arenas

Planning ahead, laying out your strategies and contacting local media in advance will always win you some points. As long as local advertisers can plan ahead for free area or airtime to be given away, the better. If you call them a month before your event, forget it. You will be out of luck.

Slow and steady can win the race sometimes. The first NO you will not be your last. Developing relationships with the person on the other end of the phone line or email is how you will come by more YES’s in your future. Do not be obnoxious though. “To much of a good thing” can sometimes desensitize potential sponsors or advertisers and they will start to just ignore your phone calls or delete your emails. Be patient and good should come.

Research and find out local networking mixers, parties, socials, events and other fundraisers in your area. Go to as many as you possibly can. Build yourself out there and mingle and meet. This is the only way that you will make connections with the kind of people that you want to do business with. In turn, they get to meet you face-to-face and see that you are legit, respectful and worthy of their time and money.

Utilizing all arenas and resources in your area is key. First and foremost Facebook and Twitter are your friends. Everybody and their grandmother is online these days, or at least connected in some way shape or obtain. Whether it be on their mobile phones, word of mouth or catching it on the radio, social media today is HOT and you should take advantage of it. Finding local free publications, like Free Press Houston or online community calendars like the Houston Press will help generate free advertising for your cause as well.

Also contact every local TV station and ask what weekend shows they produce, or local interest stories they might be pursuing. Chances are you can grab an interview or a mention and this is the best free advertising.You could get a chance to tell people what you are all about without paying for the cost of producing a commercial and then buying airtime.

And if all else fails gripe and moan till someone gives in. I AM KIDDING! My previous example is not something I would recommend purposefully. It was only my last resort because I had not learned the proper lessons before hand. Being prepared and researching alternatives will always come in handy. Do not give up! Someone will help you, you just have to glean them. Hiring a PR firm is not your only option. Grassroots marketing will sometimes recall off and explode if you follow the good steps.

Do your research and be creative! Think outside the box. Grab a college kid to design your website or do the graphic design for your posters and flyers. Contacting professors from local colleges to add this kind of extra credit work to their courses could save you THOUSANDS of dollars that would normally be spent on a Graphic Designer. Grab the same co-ed to Film and edit a video for your organization. Throw it up on YouTube, post it to your Facebook and watch word spread like wildfire!

Good luck with your advertising!

(Audio File of the Roula & Ryan Reveal coming soon – Check back to listen!)