(This is a guest article by Josh Feinberg)
Raise your hand if you are a salesman (you all should have your hands up). We are all in sales, whether you are selling yourself, selling your product or service. Are you in the business of selling ideas, passion, or events? I am…it’s called Minor League Baseball. Sales in Minor League Baseball can come in many shapes and sizes, be it groups, mini-plans, and of course season tickets. More often than not, Theme Nights held at the ballpark will come into play. Try to sell an idea before you attempt to sell tickets.
Theme nights translate into ideas, passion, and events. Is your passion dogs? Then organize a “Bark in the Park” event for fans and their pets. Maybe your passion is music and performing. I have a great idea for your local schools, why don’t you bring your chorus out to sing the National Anthem or “Take Me out to the Ballgame”. I bet there are some Chess fans out there. Use some open space on the concourse to host a chess tournament during a game.
Do you have a contact with the local little league? Sell them an event. The little leagues we work with can participate in a pre-game parade, run on the field with the players, have a pre-game catch in the outfield, throw out a first pitch, work the concession stands, and then play their own a game after our game! I most certainly call that an event.
The list goes on and on. A few more ideas that come to mind…Firefighter Night, Karate Night, Networking Events, Bowling Night, and theme nights such as Italian, Jewish or Irish Heritage events. Whenever you can mix in aspects that include nostalgic items like bagpipes or kosher food, the theme night concept reaches closer to an event, not just a minor league baseball game.
Sell groups that revolve around the hot topic, popular hobby, or current fade. Sell patrons on a purpose other than minor league baseball. Do not just sell tickets – sell IDEAS, EVENTS, and PASSION!
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Josh Feinberg is a Regional Sales Manager for the Lakewood BlueClaws, minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Josh coined the term “Nine Innings of Networking,” an in-game networking series during the BlueClaws season. Connect with Josh and learn more by visiting NineInningsofNetworking.com or give him a follow on Twitter @JoshFeinberg
Bill Veeck would be proud! Way to go Josh!
One virtue of passion marketing is that it can stretch across seasons.
People might forget if it's a just baseball (or any other sport) campaign. But when it's connected to a passion or an idea …
I often like to say: “Sell an experience”!
Even the Weather Channel is in on video game sports marketing and product placements, featuring real-time live weather conditions for a number of different video game franchises produced
under the EA name. Do you think a search engine spider cares that you’re service is the ‘absolute best service ever
offered on the planet’. Before you start a
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Hello.This post was really motivating, especially since I was looking for thoughts on this issue last Friday.
”Do not just sell tickets – sell IDEAS, EVENTS, and PASSION!“
Like this !