BowerPower Papers, a quarterly digital newsletter from Bower & Co. Consulting LLC, aims to inspire non-profit leaders and event/festival producers to think creatively about marketing, corporate sponsorship, events, and business development.
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Volume 3 Issue 2
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Summer 2008
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Dear ,
 Enjoy this expanded issue of BowerPower Papers with three articles, plus lots of other goodies in the right-hand column. I share secrets of great events, observations on actions that leave impressions, and pointers on planning.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback, and I invite you to forward this issue to colleagues and friends.
To all the new subscribers, welcome! I'm truly grateful to have you among my readers.
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OLYMPIC OBSERVATIONS, PART 1:
THE SECRETS OF GREAT EVENTS
by Gail S. Bower
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Have you ever been to an event that, simply described, just makes you aspirate, "Wow!"?
You know when event or festival attendees are having this experience. They're looking up and around to take it all in. They're smiling, and their eyes light up. You can sense a physical and emotional change happening. They're leaving behind their own worlds--the lives they each live, filled with whatever joy and suffering it holds in that moment--to join you in the new world, the parallel universe, you've created for them.
Several of my clients and I have been exploring this sensation this summer: What makes a "wow" event? How do we replicate it? Why would this experience for event-goers be an important component of an event strategy?
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing came along just in time. Quintessential "wow" events, this year's Ceremonies were created by Chinese film director Zhang Yimou and a team of artists (Jennifer Wen Ma), choreographers (Shen Wei), and event designers (Mark Fisher, chief designer), to name a few, from around the world.
Certainly we can say that exploding fireworks creates a "wow." Grand spectacles, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies used technology and fireworks--invented by the Chinese in the 12th Century and first used to scare off evil spirits--in a sensory overload. But that's not the kind of wow I'm talking about.
These events were emotionally moving, uplifting, and engaging because they had three key ingredients: they offered deep meaning, revelation about a subject, and celebration.
The original intention of the Olympic Games was to provide a forum in which we can set aside our differences, offer truces, come together, and celebrate human achievement through athletic competition. Quite a goal.
What's more astounding is that this ideal infuses and inspires every Olympic competition, even when countries have boycotted.
Meaning
The Opening Ceremony, then, is the ritual event that invokes this greater goal, which allows us as athletes, spectators, and dignitaries to move out of our real worlds and come together in this new space. Mr. Zhang and his creative team used 2,008 drummers and 2,008 tai chi performers moving in unity, the latter while collectively forming a nearly perfect circle; the unfurling of a scroll, a blank sheet; and performers "walking" on the planet. Together, these elements symbolically underscored the deep meaning of the Olympic Games. Let's set aside our strife and conflict. Let's come together to honor human greatness.
Revelation
Events should provide a window into the world of the host. Mr. Zhang's choice of colors, performances, themes, and imagery revealed the past and future of China. In an interview with the New York Times, Jennifer Wen Ma, chief visual and special effects designer, said the creative team hoped to "explore the fundamentals of Chinese philosophy and aesthetics" but in a "contemporary and modern way."
We experienced Peking Opera, Chinese storytelling and calligraphy, and the dress of the 56 ethnic groups of China. We learned about China's maritime past and its aeronautical aspirations. And we saw a snapshot of the importance of balance and harmony as these concepts influence cultural and artistic expression.
During the Closing Ceremony, the transition segment from Beijing to London, host of the next Summer Games in 2012, was a little less graceful. London's offering was a clunky hodgepodge, making the production by Mr. Zhang and his colleagues appear even more elegant.
An Aside: Were you as embarrassed as I for the Mayor of London who ambled across the dramatic ceremonial stage with his ill-fitting suit jacket unbuttoned? (Somebody, get him 007's tailor!) He seemed a nervous wreck, unsure what to do, where to stand, and whose hand to shake next. Did he miss the rehearsal? If you're responsible for producing an event that involves dignitaries and ceremony, especially when there's an international TV audience, remember to review protocol. Require a rehearsal. Don't let the cast of characters who tell your story, explicitly or symbolically, bumble through.
Celebration
Then, after all that good stuff of the Opening Ceremony, we saw the Parade of Nations. Overwhelmed, nervous, unsure young athletes from each of the world's participating countries entered the stadium representing their nations. After their first few minutes of shock, the anxiety transformed to excitement as they each realized that we were there to celebrate them. We'd ceremonially cleared the world's decks to come together to watch each "thrill of victory" and "the agony of defeat." (Yeah yeah, I'm mixing metaphors. That's the old Wide World of Sports TV show, forerunner to ESPN.)
The Closing Ceremony's parade has historically been just as formally arranged, according to NBC announcers, until a young participant suggested that they allow the athletes to enter the stadium en masse, rather than by nation. Organizers accepted the suggestion, and it worked. The proud procession revealed new friendships, a sense of camaraderie, respect, and, of course, sheer delight in each other's and their own accomplishments.
Speaking of accomplishments, it's no small feat to weave these three elements into every event without an Olympic budget. For big or small events, let this be your challenge. Move us emotionally, touch our hearts, show us who you are and why celebrating with you is worth our investment. Let the Games begin!
Sneak Preview: In the next issue, Olympic Observations, Part 2, focuses on sponsorship and the Olympic Games.
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| PLAN THE HIKE & HIKE AN ADVENTURE
By Gail S. Bower
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 Hiking brings out the adventurer in me. Standing at the trailhead with only a limited view of the trail, I have no idea what I'm truly about to experience. Sure, I've consulted guidebooks so I know the difficulty, the elevation, the basics.
However, I'm venturing forth mostly trusting that the view at the top of the mountain, the waterfall at the end of the trail, or the petroglyphs on the boulders around the bend will be reward enough. I set out, hungry to experience what's ahead, as if I'm the first person to explore the area.
 Then I hiked in the Grand Canyon. Called an "inverted mountain," the exposed canyon walls, plateaus, and valleys revealed what I'd be in for: steep switchbacks, several-thousand-foot elevation drops, and a realization that once I reached my destination, I'd have completed the easy part. The return, back on the same trail, would be uphill all the way. And after reading the ubiquitous campaign throughout the park about the tragedies of unprepared hikers, obviously written by reporters from the doom-and-gloom Weather Channel, I momentarily doubted my abilities. I'd have to be a masochist to attempt the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail!
So what does all this have to do with your operations? Plenty. Hiking in the Grand Canyon got me thinking about the ways we approach new initiatives--launching new campaigns, programs, products, corporate sponsorship sales, events, or services.
One way is with blind trust--to just start and see what happens, where we go, what comes about. Certainly, at least a modicum of planning is necessary--perhaps a vision about what we'd like to see happen, confidence in our skills, and resources to carry us there. When we kick off a new endeavor naively, we may achieve some degree of success initially, but often we're unable to achieve longevity. We just don't know what's on the road ahead, where to turn next, or how to stretch our resources and maximize all our opportunities.
At first, gazing down on the Grand Canyon's bare trails felt anticlimactic. Why do I need to hike it if I can already see the outcome? Reading about the challenges of hiking the high desert trails--the 20-degree temperature increases, the change in oxygen levels, and the dreaded thousands-of-feet descent and ascent--pushed my apprehension buttons.
 However, this knowledge also motivated me to be prepared with adequate food and water supplies, to hike when rested during the cooler parts of the day, and to move at my own pace. Then new doubt arose: had I over planned? Had I taken the fun and sense of adventure out of the hike?
In a nutshell, no. Good planning is critical. It allows us to move forward on a new endeavor with confidence and to leap over obstacles. I knew I'd be in for a challenge and that excited me. As I descended and re-emerged above the canyon rim, I felt more open, secure, and relaxed. Sure, it was challenging--my legs burned, I was huffing, puffing and sweating. But the scenery was spectacular; the breezy, dry air a luxury; and the chance to take a look at millions of years of the earth's insides was a gift.
To my friend Scott, an architect, environmental planner, and regional advisor for the U.N. in Bangkok, who occasionally reminds me to "plan the work and work the plan."
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| QUIETLY OBSERVING
by Gail S. Bower
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Three life-changing events that transpired for me during the last four days of June have me thinking about the subtle ways our actions deliver--or fail to deliver--an experience of a brand.
Just as summer began to unfold, my partner and I purchased a loft and created a new home together in Philadelphia. Three days later, my cat Hobbes died, exactly 20 years to the day after I found her. Joyous, ironic, and sad all rolled into one.
Quiet Observations
During this time, part of me quietly observed our interactions with the professionals who assisted us to see what I could learn. Working with the listing real estate agent, Kathy Conway, for example, gave me an opportunity to observe sales skills. This agent's name is ubiquitous in Center City Philadelphia, and she's ranked a top producer locally and nationally. What makes her so good at selling, I wondered?
 Some attributes were things she is not--slick, polished, and detached. To the contrary, Kathy is warm, friendly, and real. This combination, mixed with healthy doses of resourcefulness, perseverance, and passion, made Kathy enjoyable to work with. She is knowledgeable and service-oriented, and she put us in touch with the right people to make our purchasing process a smooth and swift one.
OK, no big deal, you may be thinking. That's what any good salesperson would do.
True. And then we opened the doors to our new home, just minutes after signing our names a thousand times at settlement. There on the counter, in front of the spectacular view, was a huge bouquet of flowers with a handwritten note from Kathy wishing us peace, love, and happiness in our new home. You think I'll remember Kathy when I need a listing agent in the future?
Several days later, I took Hobbes to the vet for the last time. And left without her. My vet, whose empathy, intuition, and good humor guided the content and quality of her recommendations for my cat's care over the years, displayed those same characteristics on this morning. She made an unbearable situation bearable. She hugged me as I left the office, reassuring me they'd take care of everything.
"We'll send the bill," she said with a wave of her hand, as if to dismiss something so mundane as money during this sad moment. "I'm so sorry about Hobbes."
Days later, I received the bill. And that's it. I checked the envelope in disbelief. The vet's office had a moment to make a lasting connection with me, and they blew it. What do you think Kathy Conway would have done? My guesses: anything from sending a note of sympathy to making a contribution to an animal cause in Hobbes' name.
It's a month after our home purchase and inevitably a few things are going wrong. Minor things, like the caster wheel of my new Container Store drawer unit periodically blowing out, to more major things, like the sudden appearance of a two-foot long crack in the drywall tape, have given me new occasions for quiet observation.
If you'd like a lesson in customer service, head to the Container Store. I entered feeling a little crabby about having to schlep over there to replace such a minor piece. I left chuckling, recalling my interaction with Scott, the manager, who with humor and decisiveness cracked open a four-pack of casters and handed one to me, assuring me that a caster that annoys his customer has no place at the Container Store. We laughed and joked, and I left a happy customer.
I realized that a conversation with a representative from the builder of our loft earlier that day contributed to my crabby mood. She came to see us about the crack in the drywall tape. If your business is to build, sell, and manage property, and one of your new unit owners contacts you in the first 30 days and shows you a building problem, the only acceptable answer is, "[GASP!] Oh my goodness! We're going to take care of that for you."
But not in this case. The conversation with the officious property manager devolved into an argument over the duration of our warranties, a reminder that this problem was not on the punch list, and a complete passing of the buck to someone else in the builder's organization.
Comparing my experiences with the Container Store and our loft's builder I was struck by the inverse relationship between excellent service and the corresponding investment value we'd made in the two companies. Spend any amount, $30 or $3000, at the Container Store, and employees trip over themselves to engage with you. Invest hundreds of thousands in real estate, and with this builder, the negotiations only continue.
The Details
Spend some time being a quiet observer in your own operation. Where do your customers or clients or constituents interact with your personnel? What is that experience like? Is it just ordinary and perfunctory? Or do your consumers experience some emotional engagement with your organization? Do you take Kathy Conway's approach? Or do you blow it sometimes, like my vet's billing department?
Are your employees empowered to put service ahead of everything, like Scott from the Container Store who wantonly cracked open the hermetically sealed four-pack of casters, handed one to me, and probably wrecked the entire inventory system just to make sure I was happy? Or like the property manager, do they fall back on rigid facts and technicalities?
Spend the time to review the procedures and communications materials that affect your customer base. Imagine yourself on the receiving end. Then quietly wonder what impression or experience you would have. See any room for improvement?
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Gail Bower, President, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC, specializes in
raising the visibility, revenue, and impact of non-profit
organizations and festivals/events. She's a professional consultant, writer, and speaker,
with more than 20 years of experience managing some of the country's most
important events, festivals and sponsorships. (Business Philadelphia
named Gail among the "100 People to Watch" in 1993.) Launched in
Philadelphia in 1987, today Bower & Co. provides marketing and
business development counsel and implements marketing programs. For
more information, visit her web site or contact her at 1-866/36-BOWER
(1-866-362-6937).
© 2008 Gail S. Bower. All rights reserved.
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3 Tips
by Gail Bower Quoted in Membership Management Report
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The following article by Kim Seidel ran in this summer's report:
How to compete
with other organizations
How can membership organizations compete with the great numbers of professional and entertainment options available?
Gail S. Bower, president, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC (Philadelphia, Pa.), says she sees membership- based groups struggling in today's market- place. Her firm helps nonprofit organizations increase visibility, revenue and impact, and she offers this advice:
1-Target by interest first. Don't market strictly by demographics. "Now it is possible to reach wider groups of people for special interest groups based on their passions and interests, not just their age and income levels," she says.
2-Expand enriched opportunities. There is a trend towards luxury in several segments of the market, particularly travel experiences. "Membership organizations may benefit from developing more intimate or exclusive opportunities for members of higher value and higher fees," Bower says.
3-Understand value. Membership grows, changes and evolves. As a membership director, ask yourself these two questions: Do you really understand the value of your organization that your members perceive? Do you know why they are part of your organization?
"Understanding your value proposition is an important piece of intelligence to developing new programs, events and opportunities," she says.
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Gail Bower Quoted in CRM Buyer
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Gail Bower shares her opinion on those self-service kiosks we both love and hate and their impact on customer service and business image.
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| Something to Think About
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When gas prices hit $4 per gallon this summer, speculations about next summer's prices, perhaps $6 per gallon, soon followed. What impact does that increase have on our customers' travels to events, meetings, and conferences?
If you speak, produce events, or work in the service industry, you'll want to read Seth Godin's answer on the new standard.
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Gail Bower's Upcoming Speaking Engagements
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| Gail Bower will conduct two workshops on corporate sponsorship this fall. One for nonprofit executive directors and board members on September 16 addresses their respective roles in corporate sponsorship development. An October workshop for association executives covers five strategies for increasing sponsorship revenue. |
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More on Planning;
Man on Wire
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For more on the importance of planning be sure to see one of the most joyful films I've seen in years, Man on Wire, about Philiippe Petit's 1974 high wire performance atop the World Trade Center's twin towers.
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I Need BowerPower! Subscribe to
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| Advice to Sanitation Companies: Sponsorship and Event Marketing
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Sanitation Journal quoted Gail Bower in a recent article on new ways to market. Event marketing and sponsorship were among the recommendations.
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Do the Test & Learn to Dance
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Do your marketing communications efforts need some inspiration? Check this out. Curious about how social media builds an audience? Don't miss this (thanks, Gail Wilson!), and take note of the number of viewers. |
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Shout Outs
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Congratulations to Dixie Rubin, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Operations Director, aka Dixie Glow Rubin Void, whose innovation with Cube Passes led to two specialty access passes that met her standards. In her honor, Cube named the passes after her.
Congratulations to marketing client Philadelphia Academies Inc. and students at West Philadelphia's Automotive Academy whose innovation was written about in the New York Times.
Congratulations to sponsorship client International Visitors Council of Phila. and its new sponsor.
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