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Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you think

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Pazzo_di_Pizza

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Our local fire department had its blood drive today sponsored by Puger Sound Blood Bank. Like normal I donated my pint. However during my cookie (the only reason I go is for the cookies) and juice they asked us to fill out a survey.

One question was “Do you have any ideas how they can spread when they have a blood drive?” This idea just popped into my head

Blood drives are like clock work, every 60 days. I suggested they print up box toppers listing the date, location etc and stating to bring the topper in when you dontate blood and get a $2 off coupon after donating. Or maybe a free size upgrade with your order or …

What do you think, good, bad, ugly?
 
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Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

We used to do a “Pizza for a Pint” with the local Red Cross on an annual basis.

We gave them gift certificates for free pizzas to give to anyone that donated a pint of blood. In return, they sent out press releases to the local media and printed up box toppers to help us promote the event among our customers.

The publicity was well worth the cost of the food and we always generated many new trails/customers because of the certificates.

For a bi-monthly trade, your idea sounds good. Have them print up the box toppers for your end of the promotion and then just hand out your promotional materials to everyone who donates. In addition, give some pizzas for the people who have just donated to snack on - a good sampling opportunity.
 
Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

Bill has talked to me about doing this for a couple of months now. Our question is where do they take the blood? Not in the restaurant right? We’ve been wanting to do this, but didn’t know exactly how it worked.
 
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Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

We do the above ideas but in addition the blood drive doesn’t have cookies they have our pizza. Usually there is a table to sit at when you are done donating while you eat the pizza…guess what sits on the table? Our menus.
 
Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

Our question is where do they take the blood? Not in the restaurant right?

In our case, the donation center is our local fire department’s training room. They can set up a recovery station, check in table and about 6-8 donation tables/beds.

We do the above ideas but in addition the blood drive doesn’t have cookies they have our pizza. Usually there is a table to sit at when you are done donating while you eat the pizza…guess what sits on the table? Our menus.

Did you have any resistance to bring in the pizzas? Do you just drop them off or have a warmer oven available? Did you have a variety or just a couple of choices etc?
 
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Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

Actually what started it was they were ASKING for the donation at the local high school.

We usually do a couple chz and a couple pepperoni. Start them off with 4 and they call when they need more. If you got the time I would volunteer to handle that aspect…they always need volunteers… we do another one at our church and we do the table with juice and pizza.
(and of course menus :lol:
 
Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

question for brad randall

How far in advance is the press release sent out and far in advance do you star the box topping? Was the box topper just a simple half sheet, full sheet?

Anything special on the gift certs for the free pizza, size of restrictions etc?
 
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Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin
Pazzo di Pizza:
How far in advance is the press release sent out and far in advance do you star the box topping? Was the box topper just a simple half sheet, full sheet?
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The press releases were sent out to the paper about a week before the event - plenty of time for the paper to turn it around. The boxtopper was usually just a 1/4-page of paper with the Red Cross logo and the “who, what, when… etc” information printed on it - we usually had about two-weeks worth printed up.
Pazzo di Pizza:
Anything special on the gift certs for the free pizza, size of restrictions etc?
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Our standard printed gift certificate is for a Free Large Signature Pizza. That’s what i give out to any event, charity, fund-raiser wanting door-prizes or raffle items. I might do something “big” like that the 1st time or once a year to get a pizza description in the press and ensure a “wow” factor.

However as those get pretty expensive to offer in large numbers, if I do the promotion again I’ll probably have some printed up for Free Small (8") 1-topping Pizzas as that is what we are thinking about giving to the Vacation Bible Schools and such wanting a “bunch for everybody.”
 
Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

Grrr… why does this site allow you to post without being logged in?
 
Re: Cross marketing with local blood bank? What do you thin

Thanks Brad I really appreciate the post back.

I received and email back from the local center, Puget Sound Blood Center. They ran the idea up the flagpole to the head office in Seattle and they loved the idea, they can’t wait.

I reminded them we are several months out before we are even open, but it is a great feeling lining up marketing opportunities even before our site has even started construction.
 
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