How to raise funds for your organization through promotions.

Promoting is a marketing technique that is used to communicate what our organizations do.The purpose of promotion is to sell the features and benefits of our organizations to those who might be interested.Promotion has three main objectives:

1. To create awareness that an organization,a sport , team or players exist,and explain what is being offered, for example ,to increase knowledge of your sport so as to increase participation.
2. To create a favourable attitude to encourage support, for example , promoting the healthy nature of your company products, or sports to sponsors and funding agencies.
3. To reinforce support and to build loyalty, for example, promoting the benefits of membership to members and existing sponsors.

A lady promoting a company products

Promotional activities include:

• Advertising-This is when you pay to promote your organization or sport.Advertising channels include printed and electronic media,cinema, radio, billboards and bronchures.This is often costly and other ways of promoting should therefore be considered first.
• Merchandising-Products such as t-shirts,key rings, USB keys and caps can be used to spread your message.The name or logo of your organization is placed on the merchandise, which is either sold or given away to promote your organization, sport or event.
• Events-Events can be used to develop and build relationships with stakeholders.They can also be used to create media and public interest.
• Direct mail-This is the delivery of promotional material to recipients of electronic and postal mail.It could be a letter about the value of your sport or a bronchure about your organization products or an event.It could be sent to specific individuals or sent unnamed to an entire stakeholder database.Again this is often expensive, particularly postal mail.You also need to be aware of the data protection legislation that exists within your country.
• Public relations-comprises a number of methods which you can use to communicate messages about the services you offer and the overall image of your organization to stakeholders and other interested members of the community.

Watch out for upcoming articles on public relations (PR).

Was this article useful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Advertisement

How to make decisions in a successful organization.

A group discussing before making a decision

Organization management as well as life in general is all about making decisions.To make rational decisions,we go through a process very similar to that suggested above for problem solving.We need to:

• Be clear about the choices available and the criteria against which the choice should be made.
• Obtain sufficient information in order to assess the choices.
• Make a decision.

Mistakes people make while making decisions. Decision making rarely follows the process set out above as people tend to make decisions based on:

• Claims and hearsay.
• Past experience
• Knowledge of other organizations
• Recent training taken
• Judgement and judgemental attitude
• Creativity
• Personal abilities

We make decisions under time constraints and often without comprehensive information.Therefore decision making is rarely rational.In fact we generally aim to make the best possible or most satisfactory decision under the circumstances.We try out solutions that have worked in the past or that have been successful for other organizations, colleagues, people or departments.Although this type of decision making is arguably less effective than the decision making set out above,it can at it’s very best only allow the decision maker to make the best of limited time and to decide on as many issues as possible.However,in order to make your decision making as effective as possible,be sure you know the following:

• What exactly are you trying to decide?e.g
• Which stage of problem solving are you in?
• Whose decision is it exactly to make?(yours,a friend, colleague,a leader, organization, government, arbitrator or any other)
• How will not taking this decision affect you particularly?
• Do you have any interest in the issue you want to decide on?
• Do you trust yourself to make a correct decision on such a matter?(what is your past record of making correct decisions?).In the opinion of the public can you be trusted to make a balanced and binding decision on the issue at hand? (where public is involved).
• Does the issue you are trying to decide on involve another party/individual?
• What rights or laws if any do you have or permits you to make a decision on such an issue?
• Who needs to be involved in the decision making?(what authority and/or permissions is required?)
• Is there need for an arbitrator?
• How should they be involved?(directly,consulted, informed?)
• When must you decide?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to make learners to attain good performance

Learners learning in a classroom

There is no doubt that learner performance in all class levels can be such a night mare to all stakeholders in education.From learners, teachers, parents, education organizations, education officials,scholars, governments on to the church have all had their fare share of headache in trying to make learners to have a good performance.The two most important stakeholders in the education of the learner are the teachers and the learners themselves.

Today we discuss learner good performance in the perspective of the teacher.

First things first, every teacher must know their role in as far as good performance of a learner is concerned.

Understanding the pupil,the parent,God and the teacher.

• The pupil is an independent born/created human being who is capable of attaining knowledge as well as skills with or without a teacher, parent or even God.
• The parent is an independent human being who gave birth to a learner.
• God is the creator of the learner,the father and the teacher.
• The teacher is a trained personnel who gives instruction to learners in an organized place called a class or school in general.
• The teaching/learning process
• The role of the teacher

• The teacher prepares all the tools needed for teaching like schemes of work, lesson plans, lesson notes and teaching/learning aids.
• Teaches lessons to learners entrusted to him/her.
• To motivate learners as well as control discipline during learning.
• To evaluate learners against the suggested objectives and give constructive as well as encouraging remarks.
• To monitor attendance of learners and make appropriate guidance to learners who don’t attend regularly.
• To provide guidance and counseling to learners who need guidance.
• To assess learners according to recommended intervals .
• To write reports of all learners entrusted to them indicating the skills,values, attitudes as well as knowledge gained within the indicated period.The teacher will also make recommendations to the learner, parent as well as school authorities.
• The learner
• Attends all lessons taught in his/her class and participates in the oral,tactile, visual as well as the written activities in the lessons.
• Writes all notes as well as evaluation activities in all lessons of their course.
• Participates in all sporting activities in their school and chooses their favorite sporting activity.
• Carries out research on all topics of their course that they have no answers.
• Abides by all the school rules and regulations and remains disciplined throughout their time of study.
• Contests for a leadership position when learner prefect elections are held.
• Maintains a proper hygiene of body and clothes.
• Gives appropriate feedback during lessons attended.
• Reports to school authorities any difficulties as well challenges experienced during their course of study.
• Takes all assessments including examination when offered to their class.
• Apply all learnt knowledge as well as skills in all applicable areas of life both within school and out of school.

Attaining good performance

For any teacher to produce a good performance in learners,the teacher must effectively perform their duties as stipulated before.

The learner must also effectively carryout all their roles as stipulated before.

All the other roles that must be carried out by the other stakeholders must be left for such stakeholders to perform their roles.In a nutshell the role of God should be left to God, parents must perform their role, school administrators must do their role, education officials must do their role, governments must do their role and the churches must do their role.

It is clear that only the teacher can never contribute to the desired good performance in learners.

Any stakeholder who desires to have good performance in learners must first achieve 100% of their own roles and afterwards accept to work with all the other stakeholders who should in turn achieve 100% of their own roles.

Any person who understands education will know that even after achieving 100% from all the stakeholders there is no guarantee that the learner would achieve 100% good performance simply because of the other factors that influence or affect learning some of which are out of the control of all the known stakeholders and the way of the one who created is not the way of man.

However , it’s very important to know that every learner who is wonderfully made will attain a good performance worthy of their effort when other stakeholders perform their roles deligently.

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to manage experts in your organization

As experts can often be expensive,it is important that you make the best use their expertise and time they have with your organization.The following will help you to manage expertise within your organization or company.

• Be very clear about why you need an expert what it is you expect them to achieve.
• Create a scope of work for the project and use this to recruit your expert.
• Look for the best help possible.Ask others whom they have used in the past or seek advice from funding bodies on who they would recommend.
• Decide how you will recruit; will you use a tender process or will you approach someone on the basis of information you have been given?
• Consider setting up a contractual relationship with the expert you choose.This is essential if you are intending to pay for their expertise.
• Have an agreed and set budget for the project and make sure this is communicated to your expert.
• Agree what the final output should be and the form it should take e.g a marketing plan or a series of training sessions for specific workers , students or athletes.
• Manage your expert to agreed deadlines and make sure that you provide all information and resources.

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Key communication types in organization management

Someone communicating

Communication can occur in a number of ways:

• One way communication-This is the giving of information or direction.Immediate feedback is not requested or required.Communication in this category includes announcements,news releases and program information.One way communication must be phrased in simple, clear language and should be understandable,easily interpreted ,of interest to the reader and pertinent.The disadvantage of one way communication is that there is no way of knowing if the information was received or interpreted in the intended manner.
• Two-way communication-In this instance, information is given and immediate feedback is requested or required.Communication in this category includes face to face contact,such as meetings and conferences, and written communiques requesting opinions.One advantage of this type of communication is that misunderstood issues can be cleared up immediately.You can give as little or as much information as is required and can adjust this on an individual basis.Facial and body language may clarify or enhance the message.This same body language may serve to create misinterpretation and you must be careful and consistent with your body and oral or written communication.
• Listening-The ability to listen is also an essential communication tool,since it’s important to hear and understand the information that is being passed on,rather than just focusing on the words that are being said.If you can show that you are interested in what is being said and have heard and understood the message, the people communicating with you will be more satisfied.There are a number of ways to do this:
  • Maintaining appropriate eye contact with the person who is talking.
  • Encouraging the person to continue talking nodding or agreeing with what is being said.
  • Showing that you understand what the person feels.
  • Summarizing what has been said before answering as this will allow you to check that you have understood.
  • Not interrupting.

Was this article useful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to raise organization funds through sponsorship.

Sponsorship is an activity that creates a direct association between your organization,what it has to offer, and another organization.There must be benefits for both parties for the sponsorship to work.Sponsors can provide cash, goods and services known as value in kind(VIK) or a combination of these.

Company logo displayed in a club stadium

What do you have to sell?

Sponsorship is only possible if your organization has something to promote to a sponsor and if the benefits of this can be made clear to a sponsor.The following could be benefits that might attract sponsorship, consider each one carefully in terms of value to a sponsor and the cost to yourself and then look for others.

• Use of emblem-Can a sponsor use the emblem of your organization or event? You will need to make sure you have the legal right to offer this.
• Official sponsor status-Can they be given title of official sponsor?
• Exclusivity-Will there be a limited number of sponsors, thereby making it more exclusive? Can they each be assigned an exclusive product category?
• Publications-Do you have any publications in which a sponsor can advertise?Can they put their logo in a prominent location?
• Television-Can you acquire good advertising rates on television?Do you have any of your own television programs through which they can get exposure?
• Athletes-Athletes are always a good benefit to sponsors who like to have them appear at company functions and corporate events.It is good practice to guarantee a certain number of appearances per annum.
• VIPs-Do you have access to VIPs and high ranking personalities? Would they host a dinner or appear at certain events organised by your sponsors.
• Internet-Do you have your own website?Can you offer sponsors exposure on your website?
• Event tickets-Can sponsors have access to purchase tickets to the Olympic games or other events of regional or national significance? Will you provide tickets free of charge?
• Hospitality-Do you stage events in your country at which you can offer hospitality?
• Other activities-Look carefully at all the activities you run particularly high-profile events, such as Olympic day celebrations.Could any be an opportunity to a sponsor?

The above should provide some ideas from which you can develop a package of benefits and opportunities.This should be developed into a written proposal, outlining each benefit and how it can be used.This proposal then usually forms the basis of a contractual agreement.Need help drafting a proposal?here we have got you covered,reach out and we shall be happy to write for you just the right proposal. Watch out for articles on how to get and retain a sponsor? & how to make a presentation to sponsors?

Was this article useful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to get and retain sponsors for your organization.

Having established what benefits and opportunities are available, it’s then necessary to identify key companies to approach.A criterion for deciding whom to approach could be alignment between what you have to offer and what the sponsor might want and/or the acceptability of this match to both parties for example,it may not be acceptable to your organization to be sponsored by a tobacco company.

Look at companies that have similar values with the Olympic movement and choose them carefully.Financial institutions,car manufacturers, airlines, and telecommunication companies are all good targets, although there are many others.For example,the Amateur Swimming Association in England has received substantial sponsorship from British Gas,a utility company.

Sponsor names and logos on display in a

The process

This is the most difficult aspect.A personal introduction is best,the aim being to meet with key decision makers to present your proposal directly to them.If a personal introduction is not possible,a letter requesting a presentation should be sent.It must be worded carefully to be attractive and also interesting enough to make the recipient want to hear more.Ensure the letter is addressed to the correct person and follow it up with a phone call.When approaching potential corporations for sponsorship you should do the following:

• Ensure that your marks and symbols are registered and otherwise legally protected so that you can control their use.
• Identify the product (emblem, statements such as “official team sponsor” or programmes (e.g competitions, athletes, coaches, special events).
• Draw up a complete list of products or programmes “for sale”sponsors should have no doubt as to what they can purchase.
• Determine the market value of each product category or programme.
• Assign your rights (e.g your emblem)to only one company in a particular product category e.g airline, bank, sports shoe firm) in order to develop as much exclusivity as possible.A sponsor of your organization should be sure that no rival ,by acquiring the same symbol,can mount a competitive promotion.
• Package the products or programmes to meet the perceived needs of the potential sponsor.Ask yourself why a corporate sponsor would be interested in this particular project.
• Advertise, promote and sell the products to corporations by emphasizing that;
  • Sport is universal and easy to understand
  • Sport attracts media attention/exposure; and
  • Sport has talented young individuals who not only bring pride to your country but who are worthy of support in their own right.
  • Arrange a meeting with a prospective client to make a presentation.
  • Ensure sponsorship agreements guarantee you a specific sum of money, regardless of the success of the company’s promotion.

Once a sponsor has expressed an interest,the major hurdle is to get them to sign a contract between you and them.The contract must be legally binding on both sides and should be drafted by legal advisors.As an organization,do not commit to anything you cannot deliver.

The cost of sponsorship will vary greatly from country to country.It may be an idea to talk to some friendly companies and ask them whether they think the sponsorship is pitched at the right level.Try to identify the cost of other sponsorship in your country and be aware of what your competitors could offer the sponsor.

When negotiating the value of the sponsorship, you should take into account how much you can receive as cash and the amount contributed as VIK.Although cash is always useful, it is often easier for sponsors to provide equipment and services.Also remember to consider what the actual cost of running each sponsorship is likely to be.

Retaining a sponsor

Having signed a sponsor, Your aims must be to develop a long term relationship with them.This servicing of the sponsor is crucial and poor servicing is the main reason why many sponsorship faill.Maintain communication with the sponsor, and provide new initiatives and opportunities for them to exploit their sponsorship.Update them regularly on all your activities and give them exposure whenever you can demonstrate to the sponsor how the sponsorship has benefitted them.

Was this article useful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to make a presentation to sponsors

A successful organization sponsorship bidding processing will always require a well planned way of laying down your proposals to the prospective sponsors.Once the benefits and opportunities have been defined,it is essential to prepare yourself to present these to sponsors.How will you present these benefits to a company?Will you do it yourself or through an agency?These must be carefully considered,as an agency would claim commission or a fee.Always read the small print and never sign away your rights.For the presentation,there are numerous options, such as:

• A written proposal
• A projector presentation
• A flip chart presentation
• A computer-based(multimedia) presentation.

A presentation underway

Much will depend on the budget available.However whichever route is taken,it must be done professionally and be well set out.Rehearse it.Write a script and test it on companies with whom you have dealt with in the past.Keep it concise and no more than 30 minutes long so that the audience does not lose interest.The content of a presentation to sponsors could include the following:

• Introduction to your organization-What is the role of the organization and the work?
• The sponsorship package-What are the benefits and opportunities available?
• How it benefits the sponsor-What will they get from it?
• Summary-Reinforce the key points and outline the benefits again.Then,lead into “investment”, i.e the amount of money required.Focus on partnership and being part of a team.

Was this article useful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

How to manage risks in your organization.

In order to determine the degree of risk, you apply the formula:

Risk = Likelihood of something happening × Impact.

• Each risk then needs to be quantified.
• Managing the risk then involves selecting tools from the risk management armoury to prevent or minimise the risk by reducing the likelihood of it happening or it’s impact.
• Insurance is one tool to reduce the impact of a risk.You can always explore from those offered by different insurance service providers and choose the package that most minimises the risk.
• Another option is to accept the risk.This decision should be taken after careful assessment of the risk and the possible consequences of accepting it.
• Although risk management is a responsibility of the Board,every organization should appoint a risk officer to take the lead in risk management.The risk officer should be responsible for preparing and updating a risk register.
• The risk register will form the basis of the risk management strategy that is necessary for good governance.

A sample risk register

Risk	Likelihood of risk	Potential impact	Control procedure	Monitoring process	Ownership	Further action	Date of review
Reduction in funding from government.	Low	High	Setting and achieving required performance.	Using performance indicators.	You,Board	Report on performance to the Board every month.	Every 3 months

Risk register

Finding out risks

Ways of reducing the risks that affect an organization

• Having a risk management process to avoid some risks and to manage others properly.
• Change the way the organization is governed to mitigate potential risks.When an organization is governed in a transparent and accountable way,many risks associated with public image, funding and stakeholder satisfaction can be avoided.
• Change the strategic direction of the organization if necessary.
• Reduce or expand services and change the way of operating to reduce risks e.g introducing the evaluation and control procedures can assist greatly with the management risk.
• If there are significant risks facing the organization,it may be possible to take out insurance to cover the risk.For example insuring the officials and athletes in a sports organization against injury.

As with governance,the process of risk management should be transparent and communicated throughout the organization.The annual report should include an acknowledgement of the Board responsibilities,the process followed and a confirmation of the systems in place to control areas of major risk.In this we all stakeholders become comfortable with risk management of the organization.

Was this article useful?

How to raise organization funds through public relations.

Public relations (PR) comprises a number of methods which you can use to communicate messages about the services you offer and the overall image of your organization to stakeholders and other interested members of the community.Public relations are not just about publicity,they are primarily concerned with creating a good image of the organization and ,if necessary, overcoming any negative information.

As part of your marketing activities, you should create a public relations strategy in order to improve or enhance your organization’s image in the eyes of your key stakeholders.The point of public relations is to make the public think favourably about your organization and what it does.It requires two way communication between your organization and your stakeholders in order to understand their behavior and attitude towards you.

A public relations drive

Public relations has three main goals;

• To create, maintain and protect the organization’s reputation, enhance it’s prestige and present a favourable image.
• To create good will for the organization.
• To educate certain audiences about the organization.

Carrying out a public relations campaign

An effective public relations has six steps:

1. It starts with analysis and research to identify all the relevant aspects of the situation in order to understand stakeholders and the key factors that influence their perceptions of your organization.
2. An overall policy with respect to the campaign needs to be established in order to develop and subsequently evaluate the campaign.This involves defining goals and desired outcomes as well as the constraints, such as finance, under which the campaign will operate.
3. Following this, you need to set out PR strategies and tactics.These need to be tailored to specific stakeholder groups.Commonly used public relations tools include online social media,news releases, media conferences, speaking engagements and community service programmes.
4. The PR campaign is then put in place and communication begins with identified stakeholders.
5. Following the campaign, you need to seek feedback from the targets of your campaign.How have they reacted to the public relations campaign?Are there some unexpected developments?
6. In the final step, you should assess the programme and make any necessary adjustments.

Do you find this article insightful?

Join my Mailchimp audience

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.