Would you believe marketing?
There are traditional ways of advertising a small business such as television, radio, newspapers, and direct mail. Advertising on social media and other websites has become very common. But I want my money to do more than just market my business, so I keep my eyes open for ways it can make a difference at the same time. Recently, I was able to do both by sponsoring a llama in Knoxville’s first Great Llama Race, held at World’s Fair Park on Saturday, April 5.
The Great Llama Race was a fundraiser benefitting local schools, Southeast Llama Rescue, and Casa de Sara, a Knoxville non-profit that organized the event. Local celebrities were paired with a Knoxville school and a llama to form teams that raced against each other in heats. The event also included food, entertainers, crafts, games, and music. It was a lot of fun. More information about the race and Casa de Sara can be found at www.thegreatllamarace.com.
The Crown Cleaners Team didn’t win the race, but we had a great time while supporting a few good causes and spreading awareness of the business to an estimated 5,000 people. I call this a win-win-win situation, and I’d spend my marketing dollars on opportunities like this over traditional methods any day.
Community involvement is one of Crown Cleaners top priorities, and I thought The Great Llama Race was a chance to be part of something unique. We’ve sponsored plenty of teams in golf tournaments over the years, but never have we sponsored a team in a llama race. I loved the originality and synergy of this event, and the team is overflowing with creative ideas should Casa de Sara hold the event again.
