In today’s Charlotte Observer, Jim Morrill highlights some of the differences in how each city is planning for their respective political conventions next summer.
This front page story covers the 2012 Tampa Host Committees’s use of voluteer action groups to leverage the skills and experience of local professionals, basic security plans for the convention, fundraising strategies, and the local community.
Ginger Reichl, president of Pinstripe Marketing, discusssed St. Petersburg’s role.
”Ginger Reichl lives in St. Petersburg, across the blue waters of Old Tampa Bay about 17 miles from its bigger, more bustling neighbor. ”We’re used to being sort of the sister city,” said Reichl, who owns her own marketing company. But she and others hope to make St. Pete and its nearby beach resorts a big part of the convention. She’s on an action team that’s talking about using St. Pete’s Tropicana Field for a huge welcome party for delegates and media. Like her, other boosters see the convention as an opportunity to bring together communities separated not just by water but often by their own parochial interests.”
Pinstripe Marketing is helping companies, organizations and associations who wish to hold an event or reach convention attendees in Tampa. For more information, contact Ginger at hello@2012tampamarketing.com.
Pinstripe Marketing was featured in two Republican National Convention stories in this week’s Tampa Bay Business Journal.
In the first, Planners: Visibility, outreach crucial to landing RNC business, Pinstripe president Ginger Reichl discusses how Pinstripe is positioned to earn business from companies and organizations who need event planning, marketing, public relations and social media assistance while in town for the convention.
“Ginger Reichl’s near-term strategy is visibility for Pinstripe Marketing, her St. Petersburg firm that has an event planning focus. To capture business during “a whole week that will be nothing but events,” Pinstripe’s marketing push will have a dedicated website, social media and a Google AdWords campaign. When you have out-of-town groups that need an event planned or need social media assistance, we want to earn that business,” Reichl said.
“The communications group works to establish the message that the region wants to promote when people come to town, which may involve billboards, advertising and receptions,” said Ginger Reichl, president of Pinstripe Marketing and a volunteer on the Communications Action Group. In addition to visibility and the chance to network, participation provides Pinstripe the opportunity to contribute to convention-related communications. “We’re working together and bringing our own expertise to them mission,” Reichl said. “The fact that it’s all-volunteer raises the excitement in the room.”
We are so excited to work with Shriners Hospitals for Children and the East-West Shrine Game! For a group of marketers who are committed to non-profits, love St. Petersburg, and are huge college football fans, there is no better assignment!
Our role is pretty straight forward. Prior to game week, we’ll be sending press releases as the coaches are named and the individual players are selected for this legendary all-star game. Then things get exciting. On January 15th, the Sunday prior to the game, the players will visit Shriners Hospital for Children–Tampa to meet and play with the kids. The week is full of practices where the NFL scouts have an opportunity to see these future stars up close and evaluate them for the draft. There is a big banquet Friday night where several players will receive awards, and then the game will be broadcast live on NFL Network from Tropicana Field on Saturday. We’ll be handling all of the local and national media for these events, plus a couple press conferences.
Social media will be a large part of our communications for the events, so we’ll be assisting the Shriners and Shrine Game teams with their posts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to make sure we engage all of their audiences.
Sponsorships for the event start at $1500 and include 10 tickets to the VIP Pavillion and 100 general admission tickets. Support this great cause and enjoy the game with your friends, family, staff and clients. Contact me for more information.
Pinstripe Marketing, a Tampa Bay-based communications firm has been selected to participate on the Communications Action Group, supporting the 2012 Tampa Republic National Convention Host Committee.
The 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee is a not-for-profit organization that serves as the officially designated Presidential Nominating Convention Host Committee. It is not involved in any political activity and is not considered a political committee. The host committee will confirm sponsorships, execute local programs and recruit volunteers, while maintaining the primary functions of alleviating the burdens of local government, promoting the Tampa Bay area, encouraging commerce in the local community, and projecting a favorable image of Tampa Bay to the attendees and the worldwide media in attendance at the 2012 Republican National Convention.
The purpose of the Communications Action Group is to advise and consult on the most effective promote business and tourism in Tampa for the GOP Convention and beyond. The group is also responsible for encouraging attendance at the convention welcome reception.
For more information about the 2012 Host Committee or to support the organization with a donation, please visit www.2012tampa.com.
People in marketing, advertising and communications are typically pretty extroverted. We have no problem walking into a room full of people we’ve never met and coming out with a new group of friends. It just comes naturally, and for that, we’re usually a well-connected bunch.
Perhaps it was for that reason I was asked to do a short presentation on networking at a reception for young lawyers at the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in Tampa this week.
It’s easy to coach the extroverts - approach individuals, ask about their ideal client, invite them for a follow-up coffee - there is rarely a situation that makes them uncomfortable.
But our poor, poor introverts. We have to start with the basics. Here is a bit of the homework I created for them:
Smile! Watch your body language. Don’t cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets. Put your phone away.
Ask questions and LISTEN – get your ice-breakers ready. One of the best networking questions is, “what kind of client is a good fit for you?”
Prepare ahead of time if you don’t think quickly on your feet – anticipate questions you’ll be asked and have answers ready
Introduce people who may not know one another, then ask for introductions
If you’re naturally introverted, find ways to get comfortable with networking
outside your practice area so you can give and get referrals. Become a well-rounded professional with participation in other business associations and civic organizations.
Throughout life, you have likely heard, “you only get out of it what you put into it.”This is particularly true of membership in organizations. You will always find the most value when you serve as a leader or part of a committee. The time and commitment is always worth it.
Bar Associations / Sections
Professional Associations (NACBA, ABI)
Local Business Groups and Programs
Chambers of Commerce
Leadership Programs
Young Professional Associations
Alumni Associations
Non-Profit and Social Organizations
Arts
Animal Welfare
Community Service
Environmental
Sports Clubs
Particularly with non-profit service, it is important to select organizations and causes you are passionate about. Authenticity is essential and will allow you to stay motivated to serve.
Many people believe networking is simply attending events and collecting business cards. The best way to build a network is to become a connector. By looking for opportunities to connect others, people will begin to see you as a well-connected and trusted advisor.
Write a few notes on the back of their business card
Hand write ‘pleasure to meet you’ notes
Connect on LinkedIn
Invite to coffee (“I’d like to learn more about what you do so I can keep my ears open for opportunities”)
Send articles, reports, links and invitations to other events
Diane Darling’s How To Work a Room is a particularly nice graphic to illustrate how to network effectively. And one of my favorite books is, Never Eat Alone.
Formed in 2010 by Mayor Bill Foster, the Alliance is a community marketing group designed to build the city’s reputation as a premier sports community and location for a wide variety of events. Members of the Alliance include former athletes and executives in more than 10 sports including baseball, football, soccer, golf, tennis, racing and sailing. They each work within their sports disciplines to identify events that would be suitable to host in St. Petersburg.
Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association
First Friday Forum
Friday, October 7, 2011 St. Petersburg Yacht Club
11 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, FL 33701
7:30 a.m. Coffee, Danish and Conversation 8:00 a.m. Jim Neader, St. Pete Sports Alliance
Free for LSPAA members
I’ve been working on legal marketing and advertising for more than 13 years, and one of my biggest frustrations has been the Florida Bar rules regulating lawyer advertising. I understand that advertising is relatively new to the profession, and some hucksters have gone overboard in their unseemly ads, but the majority of law firms simply want to communicate what they do, what makes them different, and how they can help their clients.
A Florida federal judged ruled that the Bar’s rules violate lawyers’ First Amendment rights. The Bar’s lawyer recommended that they do not appeal the ruling, stating, “This is very conscientious, smart judge, and it is a well-reasoned opinion.”
We’re anxious to read the Florida Bar’s communications on the subject and are cautiously optimistic about the wave of creative and compelling advertising to come!
The annual SPCA Tampa Bay 3K Petwalk is the organization’s largest fundraiser and participation from the community is crucial to its success. To help recruit donors and walkers, my company, St. Petersburg-based advertising agency, Pinstripe Marketing, donated the production of a 30-second television commercial. With generous support from Bright House Networks, the spot will run from September 30through October 14, 2011.
The Petwalk is a 1.8 mile walk through Straab Park in downtown St. Petersburg that features a free pancake breakfast compliments of IHOP, a best dressed pet contest, the St. Petersburg Times Adoptable Pet Parade, dog agility courses, K-9 demonstrations, a food court, doggie spa, vendors, music and more. Join our Pinstripe Paws for a Cause team or make a donation today!
The television commercial was produced with support from Mike Compton, Ed Favara, Brian Treby and Camp Salty Dog.
In my online reputation presentation, I ask participants to Google themselves and see what they find. Google their name. Google their brand. Google the terms they want to be known for.
When a local news anchor wanted to do a story about online reputation, she went to Google to find a subject matter expert to interview. And that’s where she found me. For online reputation in Tampa Bay, my name was associated with nearly every result on the first three pages, so she figured I might know what I was talking about!
The interview covers the basics on reputation monitoring and management. Please contact me if you’d like a complimentary consultation.
Christian Schwier, director of photography/Trump and Jeff Zampino, writer/director
32nd Annual Telly Awards honors the very best commercials, videos, films and Internet work
St. Petersburg, Fla. - (July 5, 2011) - The winners of the 32nd Annual Telly Awards were announced, with St. Petersburg-based advertising agency, Pinstripe Marketing, taking home a bronze statuette for its Trend Micro corporate video. A panel of 350 judges reviewed more than 14,000 entries from all 50 states and around the world - one of the most competitive and successful in the long history of the Telly Awards, which honor outstanding local, regional, cable TV and online programs, commercials and film productions.
Trend Micro tapped Pinstripe Marketing to help launch its Worry-Free Business Security 7 product to the technology distribution channel. As part of the campaign, the creative team developed an Apprentice parody video that was presented to internal sales organizations and hosted on channel partner web sites, social media sites and the www.trendapprentice.com microsite.
“We love clients who can have a little fun,” said Jeff Zampino, creative director of Pinstripe Marketing. “While Trend Micro does serious work protecting networks around the world, they recognize that humor can help deliver an effective message. We are honored to receive this prestigious award.”
Other 2011 Telly Award winners in the online video category include Coca-Cola, Discovery Channel, Fox Sports, Gatorade, IBM, Macy’s, Microsoft and Nike.
ABOUT PINSTRIPE MARKETING
Pinstripe Marketing, Inc. is a full-service advertising, marketing and communications agency specializing in technology and other service-based organizations including law, finance, healthcare, engineering, architecture, non-profits and more.Services include marketing plan development and implementation, advertising, collateral design, event planning, media buying, web design, video production and public relations. For details about Pinstripe, please visit www.pinstripemarketing.com or write info@pinstripemarketing.com.
ABOUT THE TELLY AWARDS
Founded in 1978, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest film and video productions, and groundbreaking Web commercials, videos and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. To find out more about the Telly Awards, visit www.tellyawards.com.
We are so excited to work with 
People in marketing, advertising and communications are typically pretty extroverted. We have no problem walking into a room full of people we’ve never met and coming out with a new group of friends. It just comes naturally, and for that, we’re usually a well-connected bunch.
