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President - GPC

I have gone totally Punkin crazy and its all of your alls fault.....lol I have created a "sponsorship" asking letter sending to businesses asking them for either $ or help for our weigh off event.
?'s
Is it customary to ask for a certain amount or level? Or is it better to leave that up to them? Is there any secrets to asking or is it just plain stubborn determination....lol ?
Who are the best to target?
How can I get ours to be as Big as the BIGS?.....I know grow a world record....lol
I know plenty have proceeded me on this and ask for their expertise to assist......Please advise.
The Wizard in asking......lol

9/25/2006 1:34:25 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ spacemaster400@earthlink.net

I personally have been trying to answer the questions you stated above for myself and all of the colorado growers for many years, and to be exact since 1998, to build a bigger and better site for the folks of colorado. To see big and better experiences has been so tough that I am totally willing to surrender the job to anyone willing to undergo the same possible failure experience that I have so often encountered with many headaches that it becomes not worth it when people do not want to work with you but instead are working toward their own intrests instead of the growers intrests. And then as is becomes more worth it to fill the gas tank on the truck instead and go have fun at a site official or not, which is what it is supposed to be about Fun. Growing here in colorado is hard enough without headaches other than just growing . Happy weighing.. And Good Luck DaWiz getting things Pumpkinized..lol...JK

9/26/2006 3:29:53 AM

Lexington, Ky

Forget the letter, nothing works better than asking in person. Obviously, you must convince a potential sponsor that their money and subsequent weight off will bring a return on investment. Asking for less is better than asking for more....you can get more in the years to follow.

Nothing speaks better than a giant pumpkin. Roll into your nearest Lowes or garden center with a pumpkin in tow. Park close to the front door and get the manager to come out and take a look. Let him see the commotion! Donate it, let them have it for a month....then ask if they might imagine the flocks of people next year when you have 15 or 20 of them for an official weigh off.

The potential sponsorship money is not a write off. You will have to convince a sponsor that the pumpkins will draw a large enough crowd that will not only attend the weight off but also come into their store and buy goods.

If you could prearrange some free media time that would mention the sponsors name, that would be huge. It's easy to get free media when dealing with giant pumpkins. AM radio stations in some markets are starved for something to talk about. Newspapers like to print special interest
"gatherings" and it won't cost you a dime. Most local TV stations will give you consideration at the end of a news broadcast but it would be a one hit deal and quick too.

Try to make sure you are talking to the person that makes the decision about the money. In any chain of command there will be several that can say no but only one that can say yes. Develop a relationship with that person. Stop in and say hello, call him, take him to lunch. Maintain the relationship year round. Don't try to be best friends when "money time" comes around. Even if you're told no, continue to foster the relationship, year round. Make it personal, make it hard for them to say no.


P.S. Forget the letter!

Jamie

9/26/2006 10:37:32 AM

President - GPC

Thanks for all that advice! I really appreciate it. So far I did get one bite back from the letter ( Local Radio station) as I already emailed several out But I will advertise with the giant in my truck. I need to make signs as this is a great idea....Lowes and Home Depot are on my list......I really enjoy getting this going.
Thanks for everyones help and keep the suggestions coming. Can never have too many of those.

Grow them BIG

Gary

9/26/2006 11:24:22 AM

President - GPC

Well, the local radio station said they will wait till next year.....Guess I need to take the kin down their like I was told....Maybe Ill take LongBeards since his is bigger.........

9/26/2006 2:04:01 PM

Lexington, Ky

Would be nice if you can get Lowes and Home Depot in a bidding war!

9/26/2006 4:10:15 PM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

Have you tried to get something that a company already has to offer, like space or some type of service instead of money? For a space you could try to get a business with a nice sized parking lot. You'd get a location and they'd get more people drawn in to their business. Something like that could get you a location. You could find another company possibly to provide a forklift or skidsteer, an equipment dealer or a place that rents the equipment, to lift the pumpkins. Same thing for a scale. Maybe you could get a radio station to do a remote broadcast the day of the event and they could mention the sponsors on the air. Let the sponsors set up a table with information and/or a person to explain their products/services. I think it would be easier to do it that way than to just ask for money.

9/26/2006 9:19:59 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I concur that even the best written letters usually land in the trash. Make calls & network to find out who you should be calling on. make an appointment then keep it on time. Dress right for the visit. Have a "bio" & your letter in hand.

Good luck.

9/26/2006 11:54:47 PM

President - GPC

I am going to have to recruit an army of punkateers...Or perhaps I just have......I met with a very large garden center yesterday. It appears to be a dream come true, giant event center, beautiful garden displays, lots of public exposure, an army of volunteers with equipment and desire. We chatted about many enticing opportunities and event possibilites, schools growing against each other, educational opportunities and a fall festival, music, food, they were so excited with so many ideas I thought I was dreaming.....this will take some careful planning and thinking but I think I hit a gold mine....problem is now we have two entities wanting to hold an event and we are not big enough to have two that close together. Will just have to see how this years weigh off goes....but this is a good problem.....Gee to think it all started with a seed, a dream and a Willy Wonka theme.......I have lots of work to do and will be tapping you all for ideas and help.....Thank You for your help......

9/27/2006 10:03:04 AM

Unknown

the best spot to start your search would be at the small to medium size garden centers, local dining spots with ample parking space or talk to your local chamber of commerce.

you dont need to start with big money prizes. work with the prospective sites and together you will get it done
a restaurant or garden center sponsor would make there investment back in sales the day of your weigh off.

when you hold your weigh off give some free trinkets out to the kids in attendance. they love it, there parents will want to bring them back next year.

a nice set of ribbons for your top growers and a few hundred dollars will get you started.
its not about the money at first .getting it going is.

you asked about building your club. i got one word that comes to mind. teamwork
our club has it. we dont tollerate back biting and undercutting.we work with the attitude that if the club wins we all win.
pick one seed that your core group can agree on and everyone plant it next year. thats how you find out if a potential 1068 type seed is in your bank. best of luck

pap

9/27/2006 8:45:37 PM

Taber, Alberta

This will be the third year for our school weighoff. We started small, just giving out seeds to our students and parents in the spring. I went to local businesses and most of them were very receptive to the idea of sponsoring. Almost all of them said they wanted a letter with details. Once I got the letter together, things fell into place. I try not to overlap sponsors in the same area (example: don't ask McDonalds and Burger King, just ask one) We're up to $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third. We do this both in the adult and youth category. The first two years the kids have outdone the adults.
We also give away hidden weight prizes and those are usually gift certificates or merchandise. Most retailers do not give out cash, but most are happy to give out goods or services. If you want cash donations, go to bigger businesses that don't sell goods directly to the public. We have a french fry factory and a sugar factory that are our major cash donors.

Our local paper graciously donates an ad following the weighoff thanking the donors and listing the winners. Hit them up for this.

Usually, once most businesses find out I have a big pumpkin growing in my backyard and I show them a picture, they are really happy to donate. I say most, some don't give a .....just be prepared to be rejected a few times.

We're looking to expand for next year, maybe become a GPC and have a bigger weigh-off in southern Alberta the week before Smoky. My best advice is don't do it by yourself. Get some help and work as a team.
Adding to Pap's advice, if you have them now, give out seeds for next year. I took a 700 pounder to our first weighoff as an exhibition fruit (it split the week before, plus I didn't want to win my own weighoff) but it really caught everyone's attention and spawned new growers the next year.
Have fun with it and if you have any questions, shoot me an e-mail.
Alan

9/27/2006 10:19:03 PM

President - GPC

Thanks everyone for your help. This ought to be interesting this year with our first weigh off. I hopefully will post our successes and visitor estimate. This was not even on the agenda in April and with all the efforts from folks we have something great to build on. I thank all of you for your suggestions and help. Keep an eye on us, so far I have 25 folks requesting seeds with half of them not even in Colorado.....Now if I can just get my pumpkin to grow at the same rate Ill be in business....lol but thats for next year I hope. Thanks again.
Gary

9/29/2006 2:24:38 PM