During one weekend every late spring/early summer for each of the past five years, I step on a plane and fly to meet a self-proclaimed “merry band of promo misfits” in Raleigh, NC. We rally in Raleigh to enjoy friendship, music, and the opportunity to volunteer for the Big Event put on by an organization called Band Together.
What makes this weekend so special for me is that Band Together uses one of my passions – live music – as a platform for social change. Each year, the organization chooses a different local nonprofit that is in need of assistance. Some beneficiaries in the past have included, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Triangle, KidzNotes, StepUP Ministry, the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, and, this year, Triangle Family Services. Since its inception, Band Together has raised over $9M for these deserving nonprofits. To do my part, I (along with the merry band of promo misfits) spend several hours the morning of the big concert event to help set up in order to create a memorably delightful experience for all who attend.
As I mentioned, the opportunity to give a little sweat equity to such a deserving organization alongside people I have grown to love is good for the soul.
This weekend, however, was a bit different as the five core members of the PromoCares movement were all in the same room for the first time since January. With Roger Burnett leading the way, Danny Rosin, David Shultz, Tony Wavering and I used the opportunity to have our first official board meeting after we were done volunteering for Band Together. If you're not familiar with PromoCares, it is a 100% volunteer initiative that exists to lift up and recognize companies in the promotional products industry who use their businesses as superpowers - for social good. We help suppliers, distributors, service providers, and end-buyers become a bridge for positive social impact. We do this through the sharing of best practices, online and offline collaboration, and helping organizations with their philanthropic work by marketing their efforts and telling their stories.
To get the board meeting started, we took a quick snapshot of all that has happened since PromoCares began:
15 personal stories beautifully written by promotional products professionals
The launch of the PromoCares Radio podcast
Creation of the PromoCares website
Takeover of PromoKitchen’s #promochat to discuss the PromoCares movement (a great wrap up can be seen here)
Creation of a list of suppliers that tie specific products to giving back
The beginning of both a governance and a vetting process for participation and measurement of PromoCares
Complete social coverage of PromoCares across all platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
A clear eagerness for many to get involved in a cohesive program that builds “brand good”
That’s going both fast AND together in the past six months. We used the remainder of the meeting to assign tasks with due dates so that the PromoCares movement continues to gain momentum. I could be cheeky and simply say, “there’s more to come” and, while that would be true, this movement is simply too important. Over the next six months here are a few things we will accomplish:
Deliver a finalized strategy for governance and participation
Present the strategy to industry organizations in partnership
Continue to create content that moves people to action
Develop a cohesive plan for PPAI Expo 2019 to further the cause
Execute a strategic marketing strategy for the remainder of 2018
As you can see, there is much to be done to build upon the progress of the past six months. As Roger would say, “the good news is also the bad news: we are now in the real phase of PromoCares and now there are the specific tasks that need to be accomplished.” This means commitments, due dates, and accountability - something we all welcome
Walking out of that board meeting to get ready for the concert on Saturday, I beamed with pride about PromoCares, the work we have done, and the work that needs to be done. Just like the weekend spent with a merry band of promo misfits, working with the PromoCares group is good for the soul.
On behalf of the PromoCares team, I invite you to get involved as there is plenty to do. Simply put a comment below or email me directly at bill@promocorner.com as we would love to add your time and talent to what we believe is an industry-altering initiative. We are going fast, but we want to go far and to do that, we need your help.
Last, if you think you can’t enjoy a little bit of fun, mischief, and nonsense while doing something good for the community and the soul, just watch the video below produced by David Shultz. I left Raleigh tired and exhausted, but with memories and relationships that will last a lifetime.
Like I said, good for the soul.