Many of you will immediately associate sponsorship with sports; your name on the team jersey, a display ad printed in the game programs, your logo emblazoned on a prominent banner waving in the wind. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that sponsorship marketing is far from being exclusive to the sporting world and humanitarian causes. And, it may just be the answer to integrating your brand into the local community; creating a loyal following of believers in your product or services.

Sponsorship vs. Advertising: What’s the difference?

Sponsorship marketing is one of the most effective and affordable ways for a growing business to gain plenty of exposure. By showing your support for (or alliance with) small and local businesses, sponsorship allows you to get your message out in front of a highly desirable audience; your community, your industry niche. Sponsorship marketing also provides the opportunity of an ongoing relationship, giving you more time to really nurture potential customers and gain their loyalty (and referrals).

Advertising, on the other hand, is a huge expense (especially for a startup business). One simple placement in a popular industry magazine – or several 30 second radio spots a month on your local station – can run into the hundreds of dollars. Your return on investment (ROI) is minimal, because the few seconds you’ve got anyone’s attention is not likely to convert to sales. And, the trial and error you’ll experience while finding what works for your company – and doesn’t – can be painful and time consuming.
Advertising is about quantity. Sponsorship is about quality.

Putting Sponsorship Marketing to Work

Whether online or onsite, this method for getting out your message and building brand recognition is superior to many others. Don’t miss the many types of marketing available to sponsors:

1. Reaching a Target Audience: Remember, with sponsorship marketing your ideal prospect is essentially already in place, and you have their attention. Make good use of it! Sponsoring the right company means you skip about 20 different task levels in narrowing down the right consumers for your products and services!

2. Standing above competition: Customers take many things into consideration when choosing to spend their money. While the cost and quality of your services (or products) are key factors, your commitment to the economic development of their local community will definitely influence their decision.

3. Extensive brand exposure: In most cases, sponsorship marketing involves more than just writing a check. You will be given varied ways to introduce yourself to an attentive audience – in person or online, or both. From speaking at group meetings, to brand placement on coveted group web pages; from vendor table opportunities to guest posting. It’s a class act.

4. Business collateral is a must: Here’s a chance to display your logo and message (banners, table runners) at events and distribute your cards, brochures, giveaways like cups or pens, etc. This goes so much further than wasting hundreds of dollars a year with a neighborhood newspaper ad; thrown into driveways, only to be rained on, run over and tossed in the trash.

5. Be generous and tasteful: Go the extra mile and have your gift or donation for drawings branded with your logo. Use subtle yet creative ways to make sure the recipient knows (as well as the audience) that it’s your company providing the gift. Thoughtful, useful items may be kept for many years.

Sponsorship marketing is an excellent means of making the most of your valuable time and hard earned dollars. It is a mutually beneficial strategy to achieving meaningful business goals. Hence, the win/­win.

Laura’s Story…

I was born and raised in beautiful Vicenza, Italy – only 40 miles from lovely Venice on the Adriatic Sea. I used to hang out at the top of this hill as a teenager, where I could see the whole city stretched out before me. In 1985 I relocated to United States, moving to Honolulu in 1987 where I became a college student at Hawaii Pacific University; just 4 miles from the beaches of Waikiki. I began developing a keen interest in real estate, so I started reading everything I could find – watching late night infomercials and buying courses by Dave Del Dotto, Robert Allen and Carlton Sheets.

My Real Estate Career Begins

That same year I became a real estate agent, to help pay for my college studies. I joined Dolman and Associates in Honolulu, and right away I was inspired by some of the top agents on the island.

I began following their lead and in my first year in the industry, I became a multi-­million dollar producer!
In 1991, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and moved to Missouri that same year. Once on ‘the mainland,’ my real estate career really took off. I started to purchase properties with no money down, using creative financing.

I continued my education by earning an MBA in Finance, still working part­-time in real estate. Then I began a new career as an assistant controller in metal commodities, planning to climb the corporate ladder and keep real estate as a side business.

From Part­ Time to Full­ Time

By the mid­1990s I had already acquired a sizable portfolio (over 20 properties) consisting mostly of multi-­families for rental income – and I was barely 30 years old! I was making more money in part­-time real estate (less than 10 hours a week) than my full-­time corporate job, so in 1996 I decided to flip the switch and devote myself entirely to real estate. Once I was able to immerse myself full-­time into real estate investing, my career skyrocketed.

In 1997, I began sharing my knowledge of real estate investing, proven strategies and creative financing techniques by hosting real estate seminars. And, given the widespread use of the Internet, I decided to also share my practical knowledge and experience as well via online mentoring and coaching. In 2010, I opened The REI Lab, Inc. – the culmination of various companies I had started and closed in the past.

The Next Chapter Unfolds

With a love for laid back lifestyle and great weather (I really missed being near the water), I decided to relocate once more in May of 2015. This time the move was to Broward County, Florida; midpoint between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The Miami-­Dade area is full of opportunities, and 59% of the real estate transactions here in 2016 were cash – more than twice the national average according to the National Association of Realtors!

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For Immediate Release

Curberry.com launches innovative new portal that matches the lifestyle needs of home-seekers with their perfect neighborhood – Website provides valuable insight by gathering data from actual residents

VACAVILLE, CA (March 24, 2014) — Moving to a new neighborhood is a physical and emotional challenge, one defined by excitement yet uncertainty. Families want to feel at home, to fit in, to find everything they need to live comfortable, convenient lives.

But how do they know which neighborhood is perfect for them?

They can rely solely on the expertise of a real estate agent, research dense demographic numbers from the U.S. Census, or go by their gut feeling as they drive around town.

Those approaches fail to offer the ease and innovation offered by the new web portal Curberry.com, a digital solution that promotes a sense of community by matching each user’s lifestyle needs with the perfect neighborhood. Users can search potential homes by zip code or city, with a narrow search radius to pinpoint the best streets for their lifestyle in any desired city across the country.

By gathering data from real residents, Curberry.com provides valuable insight before a family takes the keys, and their commitment to excellence ensures informed decisions.

Who knows what goes on in a neighborhood better than the residents themselves? As a registered user with Curberry.com, proud residents can promote the concept of community by enticing neighbors-to-be people into surrounding vacant homes and apartments. In the end, sharing details, daily habits and lifestyles with Curberry.com users helps build even stronger neighborhoods.

Curberry.com’s search tool would not be effective without the willingness of residents to share vital information with others. When that happens on a large scale, prospective homeowners and renters everywhere can find answers to important questions, such as:

· Are the homes well maintained and nicely landscaped?

· Do homeowners show community spirit (decorating for the holidays, welcoming to trick-or-treaters etc.)?

· Do families join together to hold block parties?

· What are the traffic patterns like on the street?

· What do neighbors do collectively to help reduce crime?

· Is there a noise issue (i.e., barking dogs, car alarms, late-night parties)?

· Do kids walk to school and is it safe to do so?

· Are there nearby markets and family-run stores?

Remember, neighborhoods, like people, are all uniquely different, and Curberry’s goal is to introduce each family to its idea surroundings. Curberry.com provides users with a Curb Appeal scoring meter that helps grade neighborhoods based on these noteworthy criteria. And an interactive Google API mapping feature allows users to zoom in on neighborhoods, view results, ratings and get the facts. What’s more, prospective renters can peruse our new Classifieds feature that provides listings for apartment or house rentals — a convenient way to connect renters with landlords looking to gain long-term tenants.

Curberry.com believes the neighborhoods we choose can have a big impact on our lifestyle. Unearthing basic community data (schools, parks, restaurants etc.) is easy for anyone with Internet access. But finding out what really goes on in a neighborhood on a day-to-day basis is an impossible task … without help.

Curberry.com can glean all those critical details from neighbors so users can make an informed, personalized decision about their future neighborhood.

With Curberry’s search tool, a real estate listing can finally be complete. Imagine this description: 4 bed, 2 bath, open kitchen, great street parking, low noise, minimal traffic, popular with trick-or-treaters, close to schools.

Blending all that data gives prospective homeowners confidence in their decision and creates an awesome, stress-free home-buying experience, allowing them to unpack their belongings secure in the knowledge that their house is already a home.

Explore www.curberry.com

Press Contact: Marci Bracco Cain (831) 747-7455