1.
Review your PR and
marketing calendar
and plan the promotion
for each event/project.
2.
Research the cost
for the materials
and services you will
require.
3.
Present your request
for funds with the
rationale for each
expense and an estimate
of the increased revenue
and other benefits
that will result from
public relations and
marketing.
4.
Set up your budget
in a format that is
easy to understand
and will allow you
to track your financial
transactions throughout
the year.
5.
Be reasonable. Yours
is one of many requests
for chorus funds.
You may have to cancel
or scale down some
of your plans. Better
still, you may be
challenged to find
less expensive ways
to market the chorus.
The
following example
illustrates the budgeting
process.
Title:
Singing Valentines
Campaign
Step 1 - Plan the
promotion for the
project, establish
strategies.
Sell
the purpose of the
campaign internally
(demo quartet in snappy
costumes, stress the
fun, emphasize income
potential, note appeal
of the songs, emphasize
how the project promotes
quarteting).
Tie
your campaign to local/national
Valentines Day statistics
(research via Internet
or at the library);
seek publicity in
targeted media, i.e.,
a newspaper feature,
an appearance on local
television, an appearance
on radio or PSA about
the campaign.
Use
paid advertising in
targeted media, i.e.,
newspapers and radio.
Flier
blitz - on cars in
commuter lots, house-to-house
delivery, health clubs,
beauty salons and
barbershops, college
bulletin boards and
bookstores.
Internet,
school and corporate
e-mail systems
Paid
advertising in Arts
Council and Chamber
of Commerce publications,
community theater
playbills, etc.
In
January, offer gratis
quartet performances
before women's clubs,
professional organizations,
etc.
Plan
to spread the project
over at least two
calendar days (depending
on the day on which
Feb. 14 falls)
Step
2 - Research costs
for material and services:
| Please
note: The figures
listed here
may not be realistic
for your area.
They are merely
examples. |
Newpaper ads - lifestyle
section, weekdays
= $100 per column
inch (2-inches wide
by 1-inch)
Radio
PSAs - local radio
station, provided
as a community service
= no charge
Fliers
- produced be members
with desktop publishing
capability = no design
charges; printing
= $15/1000
Internet/E-mail
- chorus resources
and contacts = no
charge
Trade
publications - business
card size = $50/insertion
Step
3 - Present a request
for funds with rationale
for expenditures and
an estimate of revenue
and other benefits.
Step
4 - Set up your budget
in a format that is
easy to understand.
Step
5 - Be reasonable.
You may have to find
less expensive ways
to market the chorus.
If
paid advertising is
too expensive, consider
low-cost public relations
tactics to garner
exposure for your
project. Perhaps you
can interest reporters
in doing a feature
story.
