BizCoachDeb’s Blog

Recently, my daughter’s ice hockey team had a fundraiser. Proceeds went to both her varsity team and the boys varsity team. An Italian restaurant in the area  brought in delicious food to be served during the two high school games of the night. They called it “Clucks for Pucks.” What a way to enjoy a hockey game! They were actually grilling the chicken in the parking lot and serving it piping hot with an amazing mushroom sauce. It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal when you attend an NHL game and they are serving prime rib, but we’re talking a local high school game. It was quite a treat. The staff from the restaurant were great, the servings were generous and best of all, they were supporting youth sports right in the area.

I have no idea how much money was earned, but I will tell you this - everyone was eating and at $15 a plate, I think it was a successful fundraiser. I’ll tell you something else, I have been telling people about this wonderful restaurant and the support they have given my daughter’s team.

What ways are you helping youth and other groups in your city? What kind of publicity could it draw for you if you were to do something smart like this example? Even better, how great would you feel knowing you supported a local team in such a unique way? It might not be food, it might be as simple as sponsoring a team or paying for their jerseys in exchange for having your name on them. Whatever it is, make support a part of your marketing and you’ll get a lot in return. Done right, you could make it an advertising opportunity.