Marketing Idea: Underutilized Resource College Organizations

Your company is most likely neglecting a great resource that is inexpensive to use.  College Organizations, there is a college organization or group for anything you or your company needs to do or have done.  I was a member of the American Marketing Association at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  As a member I was able to   meet with many company representatives that spoke at our meetings.  The representatives talked about their jobs, their company, and answered questions.  I was able to network with many individuals and different companies through the AMA, but that is where my relationship stopped.  These companies that spoke were helpful and informative but all came down to finding some perspective employees.  That is great for the company and the AMA members, but the company could have utilized the AMA more.

The AMA chapters participate in case competitions where they create detailed marketing campaigns for the selected company or organization.  As a member if a company asked me or the UWM AMA to help create a marketing campaign, slogan, plan, etc.  I would have been happy to do so.  All a company would have had to do was ask or make a proposal, for about a tenth of what it would have cost the company to do it the AMA could have.  I realized this and instead of waiting for a company to make a proposal I wrote one to Joe Sorge of the now famous AJ Bombers.

Part of the proposal: "An American Marketing Association fundraiser at AJ Bombers will increase the level of awareness University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee students have of AJ Bombers, while providing additional funding for the UWM Chapter of AMA. This will be done by promoting the menu and specials of AJ Bombers on campus by the use of strategically placed posters and flyers, and by word of mouth. The fundraiser will consist of promoting a new Burger of the Month, for the month of November 2009, called “The AMAzing Burger,” where one dollar of each burger sold will go to the UWM AMA."

While the fundraiser did not yield the projected results, it did increase the awareness of AJ Bombers on campus and gave me and other AMA members valuable experience in creating a marketing campaign. Most importantly it provided additional funds for the AMA so the organization could continue to provide their members.  So on behalf of myself and the UWM AMA I would like to thank Joe Sorge and AJ Bombers again for taking the chance with us.

So that was my personal experience with the underutilized college organizations.  

Why you should consider using a college organization?

1. The number of college organizations and ability to find one just right for what you need.
2. The ease of finding that college organization and making contact with the president, a simple search on the campus website for organizations should provide you with a list that you could use.  Or a Google search if you know what organization you would like to use.
3. It provides valuable experience to the college students in the organization.
4. Costs less than using an agency or going in house (or it should)
5. The money goes to the organization and is used for its members benefit.

I am not saying that using a college organization is perfect for every situation but it should be considered.

Do you or your company have any personal experience?  Do you know any college organizations that would fit with what you intend to do?  Have you considered using a college organization?  Any other reasons why you would or should consider using a college organization?

5 Things I am doing to become healthier

Been a while since I posted something... I have 4 half written marketing blog posts that I want to finish. But here is a list of 5 things I am doing to become healthier and more fit.

Since I finished college in December my lifestyle has changed, I am off the ramen noodles and no longer walking and biking everywhere while carrying around a 20 pound backpack and my body started to notice (ie I was getting a beer belly)

For this to be successful it has to be for the right reasons. Similar to quitting smoking, diets, and many other lifestyle changes the reason why you do it determines the success. If you are doing this for someone else or half heartly you are likely to fail. YOU have to want to do this and it has to be for YOU, not someone else or another reason. I have done this and am doing this because it is something that I want to do, for me. It also helps that I can notice the improvements that I am making and reaching my personal goals that I have set.

1. I am drinking more water. Before I rarely drank water, mainly cause the tap at the house I was renting was horrible and rusted even with a filter. But I should be drinking around 80... yes 80 ounces of water a day (or fluids which was soda and juice) You can see how much water you should be drinking with this calculator
2. I am eating less. Before I would eat when I was hungry and could eat A LOT. Easily finished The Quad at AJ Bombers was still hungry after that I even finished the Squad Six (not in the 6 minutes though). Now I have portion control with what I eat, instead of a whole pizza or an entire box of macaroni and cheese I will just eat half. At first this was a challenge and always felt hungry but as of right now my body and stomach have adjusted and now I am satisfied quicker and don't have to eat as much or as often.
3. I am watching what I eat. Similar to the first two not just how much I eat but also what I eat. I am going healthier and less processed foods and more fruits and vegetables. Instead of getting french fries with a meal I now opt for a salad. I am also eating (for the most part) less "junk food". Before at night when I got the munchies or even throughout the day I would eat lots of snacks mostly unhealthy chips and other similar products. Now if I will eat something at night which is rare it will be carrots or maybe a salad. I have stopped purchasing the cookies and chips and other snack items I would munch on through out the day and without the temptations it is easier to control what I eat. I remove the unhealthy choices from the menu.
4. I am exercising regularly. Rather then going to a pricey gym which I can't currently afford I do what I can at home. When I wake up (given I did not hit the snooze or overslept) I do a set of push ups and sit ups. When I started doing this I struggled to complete 10 push ups, now I am doing sets of 40. With sit ups at first it was difficult because of the lack of weight holding my feet down (used the bottom of my bed) I can now do sit ups without the bed (still struggle but it is possible). I also purchased some 15 pound dumbbell weights that I use. The biggest thing I am doing now is running, well jogging then walking then jogging again. I am unsure of my pace since I don't have any apps or gadgets to use and my phone from the stone age is no help. But I jog as much as I can and each day try to go farther then I did the day before. The main inspiration for me getting up and running again is Anne and the rest of the members of Fit Milwaukee. One thing I am also trying to do is to find a jogging partner, know of anyone in the south side of Appleton?
   
5. Knowing when to stop. This has been key for me, self control and not pushing my body too far. My body is broken to say the least and I can't push it too far. When my knee starts to hurt when I am jogging I slow down and start to walk and if it is too bad or continues I end my jog. Similar if my wrist of elbow hurt I stop and rest and wait and try again later. I also got the right equipment (new running shoes) that help a lot with the soreness and knee pain. I have been thinking about getting some Dr. Scholls inserts for my running shoes but not sure how effective they would be.
   

What are you doing to improve your lifestyle and become healthier? Who inspired you to do so? What else could you be doing, or I be doing to improve upon this?

A wonderful use of twitter

The American Cancer Society or one of their subgroups has a well working macro on Twitter, which many business should follow the example of. Instead of going out and searching for a business or even the business finding new customers, but having a macro searching out and finding a person who tweeted a set value of words.

I received this tweet from @bdayshoutout:
@Spiffster Happy birthday! Join the movement for more birthdays for all. Check us out at http://bit.ly/6eUv3h #bdayshoutout

In reply to this tweet
I ♥ my friends for all the happy birthday wishes Thanks

Not only does this require little effort but has great effects and can be used by business when someone is searching for a place to shop or somewhere to go out to eat.

Why do I think this is great?
Simple it was not one of those random spam @replies but rather it was sent specifically to me and others who met the macro criteria and while there is sure to be a margin of error and send to some of the wrong individuals for the most part it hits the intended audience who would be looking for advice or assistance.
Although a macro by itself would not suffice for businesses, they also have to engage and interact with the customers but something as simple as this would be a great start. For some great examples of using Twitter for business follow these 3 successful businesses on twitter, @blatzliquor , @streetzapizza , and @ajbombers

Do you agree that this is a good use of twitter? Do you think other businesses should use a macro to find new customers?