 |
 |
Initial market research report -- Pennies for Parkinson's Pittsburgh, March 29 1999 I have taken three approaches to this new Pennies for Parkinson's campaign: 1)Put canisters in local retail stores. 2)Give canisters to friends, neighbors, and relatives to collect their change in. 3)Give canisters to friends, neighbors, and relatives and ask them if they already have a can, box, or jar with loose change in it, to dump it in the canister and return it to me. Market research on retail stores All the initial data is not in, but it appears that the best place to put Pennies for Parkinson's canisters is in ice cream stores. Prior to the April first kickoff date, I decided to do little market research into where the best locations might be and what type of weekly revenue might expect. The early data shows the Brewster's OLD FASHION ICE CREAM STORE TO BE THE HANDS DOWN EARLY WINNER. There one-week tally was nearly $15, and it is still cold here in Pittsburgh. The local grocery store pharmacy was second with approximately $6. Surprisingly, an optical store, finished third with about $5. What to use for cannisters(Serendipity strikes again) It's only right that the ice cream stores appear to be the optimum place to place your canister. That is because when searching for the canisters, the first place that came through for me was Brewster's. They gave me 500 - 1 quart canisters that they used to and pack ice cream. They seem about ideal. They are sturdy and have a lid which is light cardboard so that you can cut a slot for coins in it. Baskin and Robbins came through with 100 more. I also made up some additional labels. Avery #8164 White shipping labels are 3.33"x4" (150 for $10). Again perfect. Finally I used return address labels to give a local address and phone number. Canisters to neighbors, relatives and friends First I think it's better to actually give them and empty canister, rather than just asked for contribution. With the latter they may well have good intentions but forget about it. When you give a canister, they have something tangible which begs to be filled. I suggest you tell them not to count the money. Deborah and I found two such containers in our house. One a rather small custard bowl had 11 dollars and 50 cents. The other about the size of a one pound coffee can, had 42 dollars in it. PS another data point I had just finished counting the loose change from my neighbor in the apartment above me. He went into his closet and came back with three mismatched glass mugs. Each was full of loose change. It filled my quart ice cream container. ($17.75 in quarters, $30 and dimes, $10.55 in nickels, and $5.54 in pennies)--$63.84. Now he's a nice guy. And if I ask him, he would probably make a contribution to Parkinson's. He'd write out a check for $10, $15 may be even $25. But he just handed me $65. "Thars gold in them thar hills" or at least a lot of loose change in cans and jars in people's homes. In most cases it will go for Parkinson's research if only we ask. I had thought that the Pennies for Parkinson's campaign would be successful. The Udall Bill legislative effort energized a lot of people with Parkinson's who are waiting to do something constructive. Time and time again the grassroots support has been amazing. But if my recent sampling is at all typical of what we can expect, it's going to be a smashing success.