Why the Indianapolis Colts Paid Me to Attend the Super Bowl
Yes, you read that headline correctly. I got paid to go to the Super Bowl. No, I'm not talking about a local cereal convention - I'm talking THAT Super Bowl. My name is Aaron Charles and recently I won a contest from the Indianapolis Colts that sent me to Arizona on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Super Bowl with my brand new fiance.
That's a loaded sentence and there are obviously many details I could share with you. I could talk about the fact that I won this contest just four days after I popped the question to my future bride. I could talk about the lavish hotel and wonderful accommodations the Colts gave us while we were in Arizona. Of course, I could talk about the thrilling game that Sarah and I witnessed which will go down in history as an instant classic. But I don't want to discuss any of that.
What I want to discuss is the rationale behind giving a 22 year-old college student a 5-night stay in a $300-a-night hotel, 2 tickets at $1900 face value each and $2,000 cash to cover travel expenses. Why in the world did the Colts do that?
Well, for one, they have the money, but there's obviously more to it than that. Your organization may not have the kind of money to send someone on a lavish trip like this. However, no matter how big or small your firm is, giving back to the community can be a great marketing tool.
For their generosity, the Colts got TV coverage of this story not only in the Indianapolis market, but also up here in South Bend. All my family and friends were sharing the article on Facebook. I was already a loyal, die-hard fan, but now the Colts have solidified me as a constant source of positive word-of-mouth. Sarah and I actually had some money left over from what the Colts gave us, which we are going to use to cover wedding expenses. You can bet we will be heaping praise and thanks on the Colts organization for years to come.
Just the fact that you are reading this post comes as a positive effect from the Colts generosity, and I might be writing a blog post for the Colts in the coming weeks. My point is that the impact from the Colts act of generosity is far-reaching and has a multiplying effect.
So, again, I am not saying that every company should spend thousands of dollars on a trip or some other major giveaway. But a spirit of giving back is extremely helpful and can be a valuable tool in your marketing strategy. I can tell you for certain that I will be a lifelong marketing tool for the Colts because of their kindness and generosity towards my fiance and me. I'd encourage you to think of ways that you can give back to someone in the community. Don't do it just because of what you might get in return. Seek out what interests your followers and engage with them by giving back. You might come to find out that you will get an even greater reward.
If you'd like to hear more about my trip, you can find me on Twitter.
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