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It’s pretty simple - smart Small Businesses rely on Referral Programs to bring in leads. Referral Programs are effective tools in converting leads and expanding your loyal customer base. What is a Referral Program for Small Business? A referral program is a word-of-mouth marketing strategy that turns your most satisfied customers into brand ambassadors. To simplify - your customers do a lot of your marketing for you! Referral programs let satisfied customers share their brand experience with partners, colleagues, and friends - providing a much larger communication web than your business could do on its own, at a fraction of the cost! The purpose of a referral program is to acquire leads and build credibility. When you ask your customers to consider others who might benefit from your product or service, they will forward leads that are already a good fit for your brand. It means you will spend less time and money on acquiring new customers - these referred clients will come in already with exposure to your business. For many, a Small Business Referral Program produces images of punch-card programs or discount coupons. These are low-budget tools that can produce results, for sure, but even small businesses can expand their reach by collecting and using data and creative communication.  How to Start Your Own Referral Program There are a variety of referral program software systems that you can research and utilize in setting up your own referral program. You can also utilize a variety of templates connected to your current CRM that allow you to create a bank of referral request emails, referral follow-up emails, social content about your business, and tools for creating a positive customer experience. That all sounds like a lot of work, but it is actually quite easy. After setting your referral program goals, start by:
 Referral Program Examples You can reap great benefits from a strong and well thought out referral program. Offering your customers an official way to spread the word about your business and rewarding them for their efforts is the name of the game! There are many creative ways in which you can launch a successful program:
There are many ways to engage with your current customers to build a quality program that will benefit your bottom line. You can increase your visibility, expand your audience base, and grow closer to your current customers, for a fraction of the cost of paid advertising. Something to consider when creating your business and marketing plans!  Small Business. Big Impact. As a connected collective of experts, My Big Day specializes in the creative touches so many marketing campaigns & events these days are lacking. With superior organization, marketing experience and original ideas, we pull off amazing events and campaigns! Allow us to WOW you and your guests! As purveyors of fun with My Big Day, we support businesses and individuals in the growth of their ideas, events and marketing strategies. Our creative aptitude allows for unique ideas. Our passion for perfection makes every client a priority! Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Whether you’re just starting your small business or are well-established, a communications plan is crucial for your business success. Here are four reasons why you need a small business communications plan – and how My Big Day can help.  What is a communications plan? A communications plan or strategy is a system through which businesses communicate news and marketing messaging within the company and externally. Internal communication may occur between colleagues, human resources staff, and company management. Information may be communicated externally to the public, news media, clients, suppliers, and other businesses. The goal of a communications plan is to ensure your business’s messaging remains consistent, no matter who is receiving information and from which representative of your company. Communications plans are designed to be proactive, but are absolutely necessary in a crisis. A communications plan may address not only what message should be broadcast, but through which channels (for example, that certain types of messaging should be communicated through email, over the phone, or via internal memos).  Why do I need a communications plan for my small business? Company Image A standardized, professional method of communication with the public lends your business credibility. Consistent communication builds external trust in your business, and trust is paramount to success. It is important to know which message(s) you want to convey to specific target audiences, which is where marketing comes into play. Conflicting information released by different parties sporadically conveys an image of disorganization, which degrades trust. Having a unified communications strategy that everyone in the company is aware of prevents confused messaging. Crisis Management Some sort of reputation crisis, whether big or small, is inevitable during the life of your small business. It may be one disgruntled client or a newsworthy catastrophe that affects a wide audience’s perception. Either way, having a strategic communication plan in place will reduce uncertainty for you and present your company as a unified front under scrutiny. Community Relations Engaging with and supporting your community is essential to your business’s image. Your company’s public reputation is enhanced by giving back, including support of nonprofits, local initiatives, and other businesses. Staying abreast of industry happenings helps you make better business decisions, and positive relationships with other businesses build trust and mutual respect. Internal Business Objectives and Employee Morale Having everyone in your company on the same page is essential to efficient operations. Everyone in your company should understand their roles and tasks and have the information necessary to carry them out. Missing or inconsistent information frustrates employees and decreases performance. Trust, loyalty, and transparency are cultivated through a consistent internal communications plan between employees and management.  How do I create a small business communications plan? Creating an effective small business communications plan requires knowledge of branding, measurable goals, target markets, media relations, communication channels, campaigns and events, and evaluation of measurable communication analytics. Executing a strategic communications plan is a big job, and most small businesses don’t have a marketing or PR professional in-house. Internal communications plans, particularly for small companies, can be managed by an owner, president, or manager. External communications are best managed by professionals trained in marketing or public relations. At My Big Day, we offer a long list of small business services, including strategic communications planning, in conjunction with:
 Our talented team of women comes from a variety of educational backgrounds with decades of experience in the marketing, communications, and event planning industries. Reach out to find out how we can help you grow your small business! For business marketing and event tips and ideas, follow My Big Day on Facebook and Instagram. Visit our Small Business Marketing Pinterest board for more from your local small business experts!  Color Psychology is the study of how colors affect perceptions and behaviors. It is something important to consider when creating branded assets and audience reaction and reach. Color psychology can have a profound impact on your brand recognition, marketing campaigns, and overall message consistency. Most successful companies use consistent color combos in their branding and messaging strategies. Choosing the right colors for your brand or rebrand is essential. Your brand colors help produce a mood, feeling, and personality for your company, services, and products. The right brand colors will differentiate your brand from the sea of other businesses that your audience interacts with. When picking the right color for your brand, research has found that predicting consumer reaction to color appropriateness is far more important than the actual color itself. How Colors Influence Your Audience Color has always been something that appeals to the human visual senses. Countless marketing studies have shown that particular colors have certain effects on consumers. For example, some colors stimulate areas of the brain that promote excitement (red), while others provide a sense of tranquility (blue). Businesses can harness these color-influenced feelings in their marketing and branding. Check out this infographic on Color Influence:   Your customers are bombarded with different images, colors, and brands every day. The colors you choose for your brand and your marketing campaigns (email marketing in particular) can help you stand out. Content created with color in mind can help your audience see exactly what you want to see and feel exactly what you want them to feel. The color combos and styling also has an effect on whether your content is readable or usable (think white fonts on a dark background). The wrong colors can have a profoundly negative effect on your message. Choosing the Right Colors for Your Brand Here are some pro tips when considering colors to represent your brand:
 Consider contrast when choosing the colors for your branding and messaging. Other things to consider when choosing your audience:
   We love working with clients that are so passionate about their cause! Cyndy with Dementia Together is one of those people who just radiates joy and passion - and is doing amazing work sharing a method on how to bring joy to those affected by dementia. MBD manages marketing and events for Dementia Together and we are please to announce that they were able to surpass their fundraising goal with their first official fundraising event! Thank you to all of the supporters, medical providers, staff and volunteers who believe in bringing joy to the dementia journey!  Small Business. Big Impact.
As a connected collective of experts, My Big Day specializes in the creative touches so many marketing campaigns & events these days are lacking. With superior organization, marketing experience and original ideas, we pull off amazing events and campaigns! Allow us to WOW you and your guests! As purveyors of fun with My Big Day, we support businesses and individuals in the growth of their ideas, events and marketing strategies. Our creative aptitude allows for unique ideas. Our passion for perfection makes every client a priority! Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken By Tiffany Dinsmore, Manager and Magic Maker Community Impact - TEF Gives A+ Effort! My Big Day has had the opportunity to creatively connect with the Thompson Education Foundation for the past couple of years. We have worked to build engaging events and fundraisers, and we also create, curate, and maintain their social media marketing. Thompson Education Foundation works closely with the Thompson School District and community partners to help improve students’ lives as well as recognize the importance of the treasured schools’ staff, teachers and principals. “Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) enhances educational opportunities for students and educators in Thompson School District (TSD). TEF removes barriers and supports experiences that students need to more deeply engage in their academic environment.” - TEF’s Website  How does Thompson Education Foundation Impact their community? ● 1 in 9 students receive a supply-filled backpack each year with the Help Kids Succeed school supply program ● More than 700 unhoused TSD students receive additional resources to overcome barriers to classroom attendance and success Over $1.75 million dollars awarded in postsecondary student scholarships since 2015 Music and arts programs at schools are enhanced with support for visual art consumable supplies and musical instrument repair ● Educator excellence is celebrated with the annual Educator of the Year awards and educator recognition events Three teacher grant programs to create new classroom experiences for students ● Two field trip opportunities for all 2nd and 4th grade students to explore local learning areas ● Individual student experiences made possible by the Scheer Student Opportunity Fund 15,000+ TSD students engaged by TEF's programs, grants and scholarships each school year  As a team, MBD and TEF help impact so many people in such positive ways! Follow TEF on Facebook to keep up with their efforts to help the community and for some amazing event opportunities! Want to Donate? Click this link to be a part of something spectacular! https://www.thompsontef.org/donate  Safe, In-Person fundraisers are back and better than ever! When Covid-19 hit in full force back in 2020, many non-profits were forced to pivot with their fundraising plans. In-Person galas, games, and races were all forced to move to virtual events - some within days of their original event. Others were simply forced to cancel. These changes sent avid givers and supporters from ballrooms and racetracks into their living rooms and chatrooms. It also sent non-profit event planners and professionals into a two-year-long strategic pivot just to sustain their mission and goals. As we move from full Covid-19 lockdowns and mandates, nonprofits and their donors are headed back to in-person events. Bringing people back together after a two-year hiatus is exciting. As event planners who work with a lot of non-profits, we are thrilled to be able to create a sense of normalcy for our clients. As we plan we are creating new ways to bring people back together in safe, comfortable, and engaging ways - a new normal.  ur calendars are full of new in-person events Spring is typically a time for non-profits to hold their Galas and large-scale fundraisers. As we look at our calendar, we are full of a variety of in-person fundraising events. We are creating and executing a total of eight large-scale in-person events for clients now through June. These events range from game shows, corporate giving events, open houses, auctions, and galas. Our clients are eager to get back in front of their donors and the community. While we are too, we are still planning these events to be socially safe and able to pivot at a moment’s notice, should restrictions surrounding the pandemic change. We are encouraging our non-profit clients who are hosting spring events to incorporate social distancing steps and protocols into their planning. We suggest that our clients include their safety measures on their event landing pages. We also encourage them to provide hand washing stations and hand sanitizers for their guests. Most importantly, we are promoting clear communication between their organization and their guests. When it comes to the health and safety of donors and supporters, strong, consistent communication is best! Spring Events are highlighting organization missions Many of our clients have missed the face-to-face connection with their donors and supporters. That is why we are working hard to create compelling and engaging programming for their events. Focusing on the organization’s mission is the best way to re-engage with donors and supporters. This is the most important part of these in-person spring fundraisers. We want to make giving easy and fun! Some of the events that we are currently organizing include:
Getting back in person has been a long time coming We are excited to be able to plan events that reconnect our clients with their donors. We pride ourselves on planning that creates safe and fun events for our clients. Finding and creating new opportunities to re-engage supporters and donors is a fun challenge. Our events may still have some pandemic elements - we anticipate many clients choosing to go the “hybrid” route for a while in order to meet supporters on their own comfort level. We believe that this will be the new “normal” of the future. But, we also believe that these new Spring Fundraising Events will serve to re-engage the greater community around the missions of these organizations. People are ready and excited to get out, to come together, and to have fun! Two years apart has been two years too long!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Event Sponsorship can benefit your marketing and sales By Carrie Stadtmueller, Content Conductor Event sponsorship can be a great cost-effective way to reach your customers, and allow you to reach targeted niche markets without the expense of traditional advertising. Through sponsorship, your business won’t directly promote your company or product, but you will pay to support an event or cause that your customers care about. Through this support, your business is then associated with the event by customers, attendees, media, and the larger community as a whole.  The many benefits of sponsorship There are many benefits associated with sponsorship - many are related to promotional opportunities. If you are looking to sponsor larger events on a nation-wide level scale, there are multiple opportunities to get your branding on items and in the hands of event attendees. Local causes such as sports teams or charity drives might offer more limited spaces for branding and products, but they also allow you to reach a more specific local audience. In all its forms, event sponsorships offer a certainty that traditional advertising simply cannot. They can also help you meet multiple marketing goals at once. Here are just a few:
If it’s a non-profit you’re supporting, you’re getting your name out in the community, building brand visibility - perhaps getting your logo on a t-shirt, creating brand visibility long past the event!
 How you can add sponsorship to your marketing plan Adding an event or non-profit sponsorship to your marketing plan should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. You should spend time asking the following questions:
It doesn’t have to be a huge event to make a huge impact on your business. You should choose something that makes the most sense for your brand and mission, and most of all, something that you believe in. My Big Day Marketing & Events can help My Big Day Marketing & Events works with a variety of non-profits and can help your business find an organization to partner with. We can do the research for you and find the right sponsorship level that will benefit your business as well as the non-profit, making it a win-win for both! If you are interested in finding out more about how an event sponsorship might benefit your small business, please reach out for a consultation.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken MBD Marketing & Events is honored to work with a growing number of nonprofit clients. Our marketing team recently began a second year of work for the state-sponsored No DUI Larimer initiative, a branch of our local nonprofit client Partners.  No DUI Larimer aims to keep impaired drivers off northern Colorado roads. Fatal alcohol and drug-caused crashes increased 22% between 2020 and 2021, making this mission more important than ever. In Larimer County, alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs are of great concern when it comes to impaired driving. Colorado past month marijuana use for ages 12 and older is ranked 3rd in the nation and is 85 percent higher than the national average. Larimer County is home to Fort Collins’ Colorado State University, a university with a large student population – one of the reasons rates of alcohol abuse and DUI are higher than in neighboring counties.  No DUI Larimer’s call to action, “Make the Call,” is multifaceted. The program encourages the public to Make the Call for a sober ride home, to Make the Call about whether they should get behind the wheel, and to Make the Call to 911 to report suspected impaired drivers. No DUI Larimer engages the community through print, online, and television advertisements, as well as through social media with Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest accounts. No DUI Larimer collaborates with government agencies, local law enforcement, emergency medical services (such as Thompson Valley EMS), and the Colorado Department of Transportation to deliver effective messaging and community education. Driving Under the Infuence (DUI) charges in Colorado may come with fines, jail time, community service, education requirements, and license suspension or revocation. Of course, the greatest consequence of impaired driving is loss of life. No DUI Larimer needs your help to stop impaired driving before it happens, and when it’s happening. Visit No DUI Larimer online to learn more about the program, and share what you learn with your family and friends. When everyone does their part, we can overcome impaired driving in Larimer County.  Cheers to 15 years! My Big Day Marketing & Events is proud to be owned an opperated by outstanding women. We've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. 15 years of hard work and community support. Thank you for being a part of our wild ride! Here is to 15+ more! Thank you to David Tutera for the shout out!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Cause partnerships – when businesses and nonprofits work together toward a mutually beneficial goal – are a company’s values put into action. MBD Marketing and Events values creativity and fun, trust, authenticity, visionary ideas, and partnerships, and we manifest each of those company values every time we are hired to collaborate with a nonprofit organization. We love working with clients with similar values and goals for our community. We believe we have a social responsibility to the northern Colorado communities we live and work in. Below are just some of the businesses and nonprofits we have worked with and the services they provide to better the lives of our NoCo neighbors  The Family Center/La Familia The Family Center/La Familia (TFC/LF) supports families in the Fort Collins area by providing affordable childcare, health education, adult education, and emergency assistance funding. TFC is proud to serve culturally diverse families and offers bilingual (English and Spanish) community based education, and we are proud to support The Family Center!  Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center Childcare in Colorado is notoriously unaffordable; infant care for just one child would take up 21% of a median family’s income in our state. The Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center offers quality, affordable childcare and early education to culturally and socioeconomically diverse Colorado families, with an emphasis on child development before the crucial age of five.  SummitStone Health Partners SummitStone Health Partners provides mental health support and addiction services in Larimer County, with locations in Fort Collins and Loveland. SummitStone is the largest behavioral health provider of Medicaid in Larimer County, providing care that would otherwise be unattainable for many in our community.  Realities for Children Founded by a former child protection case manager for Larimer County, Realities for Children provides for the unmet needs of children in northern Colorado who have been abused, neglected, or are at-risk. The organization provides emergency funding, youth activities, critical supplies distributions and collaboration with other child welfare agencies. Realities for Children exists to serve and empower children through immediate support, community education, and collaboration with other agencies.  Blue Federal Credit Union Blue Federal Credit Union (Blue FCU) was founded in Cheyenne, WY, and has a large presence in northern Colorado. Blue FCU builds company culture with their Do Good program, encouraging employees to volunteer on their own time and on behalf of Blue FCU at official events. MBD employees have spent time alongside Blue FCU employees building homes and working in thrift stores for Habitat for Humanity, and we recognize Blue FCU’s strong commitment to Realities for Children – this year, Blue FCU served as the presenting sponsor for the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraiser, Realities for Children NightLights.  Thompson Education Foundation Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) is a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities for Thompson School District students and educators. TEF removes barriers and supports experiences students need to engage in their academic environment. My Big Day has enthusiastically partnered with TEF to bring unique events to the community and creative ways to fundraise during a global pandemic. We love being their Marketing & Events partner!  Partners Partners has been a nonprofit serving our community for over 40 years. Their mission is to empower youth and community members to achieve their full potential through mentoring, prevention education, and strategic partnership. Not only is MBD's owner, Christine, a former mentor with Partners, we are thrilled to be the planning team for their annual feature community event! Do you have a cause you want us to get behind? EMAIL US!  |
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My Big Day Company LLC 2006-2022 www.MyBigDayCompany.com
970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 EMAIL US
We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
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