New Sponsor Needed
Let’s face it folks, advertising ‘aint cheap! The reality is that it is a necessary evil though. We like to brag on the fact that most of our business comes from referrals our happy customers provide, but we occassionaly do spend some of our hard earned bucks on this stuff. So, when a friend of mine recently queried as to why OKC Kayak was not sponsoring him in the annual Redbud Run, I was open to listen to his proposal. He put what we considered to be an inexpensive advertising offer on the table, and we bit the hook. His generous offer was basically this, we pay his $25 entrance fee and he wears a lifejacket during the race with our business name on it. Being the fair individuals we are (and humble too!!!), we actually offered more than what he was asking for. I antied up $50 bucks to which my buddy eagerly replied, “For fifty, I will wear the lifejacket and a kayak helmet during the entire race.” YES SSIRRR!!!! Now we are talking. This event is huge, drawing tens of thousands of participants and spectators. If Jason was willing to draw a lot of attention to OKC Kayak by dressing ridiculously and embarrassing himself, we were game.
Now, the final negotiations of this transaction did not wrap up until eleven in the evening, but buddy, let me tell you, I was out the door and on my way to do some costume shopping even though the hour was late. Two hours later, I had an overflowing shopping cart full of all sorts of arts and crafts products. Giant foam letters, ropes of wire garland with flashy gold stars, iron on T-shirt designs, and much, much more, all made the cut. One hundred dollars later, I was on my way home to spray adhesive, tape, and tack these crafty nick nacks all over a lifejacket and kayak helmet. I had this garb decorated out with some serious bling bling by the time I was done.
At the stroke of noon the next day, I delivered the outfit to our little marathon man. It was all I could do to not laugh, as I envisioned him running down the road wearing what had turned into some sort of nerdy, not so superhero outfit. He was not pleased at all, apparently feeling taken advantage of by the fact that I may have gone a little overboard in my decorations. I almost expected him to back out of our little agreement, so I asked that he bring photographic proof that he wore it, before he would get paid. He grumble, visibly upset, but agreeing that he would keep his word.
The day of the race arrived, and sadly, I was tied up with another event and unable to watch it firsthand. Jason, however did deliver his photographic documentation, and the bounty was paid. Now, he did actually tone down my crafty additions to the jacket and helmet, but I guess this is a small price to pay for his continued friendship. Even Amber, his wife, used the iron on transfers to make a cute T-shirt that she wore. 
All this for fifty bucks? Now who is believing we are not in a recession?