Meeting News - September 8, 2008 - (Page 40)

Insider Report: Golf Meetings Nonprofits Take a Hit as Charity Golf Participants Scale Back When it comes to the various nonprofit and charity golf events that rely on healthy attendance figures as well as sponsorship revenue, current economic conditions are straining. “The people who used to play in six or eight charity or foundation golf events each year are now playing in just three or four,” said Ken Schmalz, a partner in S&A Event Services in Far Hills, NJ. At a recent event Schmalz planned for a hedgefund firm, 100 people signed up for a morning of education, while only 50 registered for the charity golf outing that afternoon. “It used to be the other way around,” he said. “But the golf was at an average course located next to the meeting facility, and that wasn’t enough to tempt people to participate,” according to Schmalz. In this climate, there needs to be a premium experience to get people to participate—the high perceived value has to be made abundantly clear.” Phil Immordino, president of the Golf Tournament Association of America, said there simply has to be more enticements to play in golf events than just the joy of the game. “You have to offer better gifts and prizes, games and contests, and raffles and auctions to make an event more attractive than all the other ones that golfers are invited to this year,” he said. But with fewer attendees at many events, securing sponsors to foot the bill for these premium experiences has become that much more difficult. “You have to offer attendees more than last year, which means you must get more from sponsors. So in return, you have to offer more value to sponsors,” said Tom Pasha, president of Contact Planning & Production in St. Cloud, FL. Creating a marketing opportunity for sponsors that lasts well beyond the actual golf event is now a requirement. “We’ve had to go way beyond giving them a sign on a tee box and a mention in the printed program,” Immordino said. “We must offer a marketing campaign that extends the life of the exposure, rather than a single promotional opportunity.” Pasha said his offerings to sponsors include advertisements on the event’s website and in e-mail newsletters, attendee contact and demographic information for direct-mail opportunities, more sponsorship levels with varying benefits, and naming rights for every aspect of the event—including the event’s title. And when all else fails, planning staffs essentially need to implore potential sponsors to come along for the ride. “It’s incumbent on the event committees and volunteers who assist the planner to twist the arms of their contacts a little bit, and say, ‘Please play some role, however small, in our event,’” Schmalz said. “It’s indicative of the extra effort needed to raise the same amount of money as in the past for these charities and foundations.” —Robert Carey ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA at the NEW Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village Meet in the middle of it all – with 301 stunning all-new guest rooms and suites, unique settings for meetings and events indoors and out, an attentive staff, and the ﬁnest outdoor pursuits Florida has to offer in every direction. • 86,000 sq. ft. of ﬂexible function space • Two golf courses • PGA TOUR Spa Laterra • Events at the exclusive Serenata Beach Club on Ponte Vedra Beach • Chartered ﬁshing trips, among many team-building opportunities • World Golf Hall of Fame • St. Augustine, America’s oldest city For 2008 Value Dates, Call 1-904-940-8635 worldgolfrenaissance.com Another Exceptional Resort by John Q. Hammons Hotels 40 MeetingNews September 8, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://worldgolfrenaissance.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - September 8, 2008

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