To be like Mike!
To be like Mike!
All of your replies are very cool and much appreciated.
Hank and I have briefly discussed (via e-mails) the idea of pursuing corporate sponsorships (especially for the reunions), but I think we both came to the realization that that is a tough job for anybody to do. I even downloaded 9 steps on how to go about doing it, but I, personally am not the right type of person or have the talent/personality for the job. I did send letters and was rejected by the American Heart Association, Bristol Myers, etc. I got bummed out real fast. The 9 steps say phone calls and follow ups are necessary to succeed. Well, I didn't have time to mess with it any further, so the final approach for the t-shirt design was free advertising as I think is the case on Hank's website. I don't believe Hank gets compensated from the company's that are listed on the site. They are listed primarily as references for people. St. Jude does link vr.com on their website, but getting any funds out of them is a different kind of art that I just can't do.
Besides, Hank owns the site and we are merely guests. It is his to do with what he feels appropriate. We all love it and surely enjoy the comraderie, but none of us are "board members" or anything like that so we can only depend on Hank to drive it the way he feels fit. The site is also still FREE and us "members" volunteer to pay what we feel is appropriate.
I was in the Mended Hearts. I quit because very few could relate to a double clicker like me. And, they are so strict on their internet guidelines that if our posts were used in their world, we would find ourselves getting "kicked out of the club!" They also require yearly dues AND require training on how to properly use the internet and do person to person visitations. Phew!
I enjoy the freedom of vr.com and like it just the way it is. The Reunion is probably the most appropriate place to bring any organizational suggestions to the table and discuss in further detail with Hank. He's a good listener.
In the meantime, "free advertising" will go on the majority of the shirts. Who knows, maybe someday, someone will send one to a CEO and he will gladly open the corporate check book as a thank you for it.
However, shouldn't we all step back a moment and think about Al Lodwick (warfarin.com). Doesn't he deserve the advertising for his services by helping all the Coumadiner's here? That's compensation enough for me!
Q.A. Services is another vr.com "sponsor" that you will deny if you choose no back print. From what I read in Zipper's posts, they are wonderful to work with. I just learned today that my Cardiologist has signed my "prescription" for a Protime machine and mailing it to Q.A. Services for me. I am looking forward to the next steps with Q.A. Services. Their linked website provided a simple PDF with the forms I needed to accomplish this. I appreciate that. Yes, it is a major purchase, and they will profit, but I think the support thereafter will be my biggest thank you to them. Hank also owns/uses one of their machines. Do you think he'd drop them for not being a paying sponsor of his website? Maybe they do and we are not aware of it. Again I remind you, it's Hank's business.
So that really only leaves St. Jude that is getting a totally free ride with the "advertising" on the back of the shirts. I can't relate to a Michael Jordan comparison because he pays people big bucks to make sure his spondors are kept in line.
I think Hank would gladly accept volunteers to go after corporate sponsors so he could be like Mike!
God Bless.
I don't wanna be hard to get along with...... BUT..
