Sales job with a difference

We’re now at a stage where we’re actively looking for sponsors to join us on this journey. It’s a bit challenging – no one likes to pick up the phone ask for cold hard cash – but as Lynda X from Wellspring told us, “there are no prizes for NOT picking up the phone.” It’s one of those phrases that’s stuck in my head – it’s so beautifully obvious, yet rarely stated so clearly. She’s right – I’ve looked. There are no prizes for not doing things!

And this is a sales job with a difference. First off, the sponsorship side of things is a natural progression of teaming up the web with television – finding ways and means for companies and corporations to share their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) message with the public though a vehicle (us) that shares similar values, interests and audience. It’s a bit of a no-brainer in that there aren’t as many opportunities or venues for companies to talk about what they do – aside from what they do to make money – with an audience of like-minded people. It’s also a chance for companies already associated with either the people we’re documenting or the organizations we’re supporting to show their support by taking a more proactive way of getting involved.

And we’ve lots of ways of helping companies sponsor; they can sponsor simply by providing a “brought to you by” message alongside the stories on the television and web. But better than that, we can offer these companies the opportunity to challenge our community (that would be you!) to take action in a number of ways. They can challenge them to do actions like turning off the lights, or the water or the air conditioner… or something even more action-oriented like taking part in an event, or donating a winter coat, or taking the TTC instead of driving. Those are the basic types of challenges, but stand by for some really novel ideas coming to your web site soon!