More Than Just Practice

Pentwater, Michigan, is a very small town. Though the summer population of this resort on the shore of Lake Michigan can swell to more than 20,000, the town has only 980 year-round residents. Some 102 of these are high school students, and more than half are members of the high school concert band. So when the band was selected by The National Invitational Band and Orchestra Festival to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall, it was a big deal for the entire town.

Unfortunately, the big deal came with a big price tag: $56,000 to get band members, director, and instruments to The Big Apple. The band, which received the invitation in October 2004, had only five months to raise the cash for the performance on March 25, 2005.

Fortunately, Neil and Jane Lemme of Gardener’s Folly were prepared to help make the dream come true. For six years, their store has sold fine furnishings and accessories for garden, cottage, and home on Pentwater’s one downtown street. Prior to opening their 1,200-square-foot shop, Jane had a 20-year career in sales and marketing; it was that expertise that she put into practice, practice, practice.

Jane joined a small group of volunteers of band parents, students, community residents, and business owners called the Road to Carnegie Hall Organization. They considered all the usual money-raising methods from bake sales to car washes. But, as Lemme says, “It quickly became evident that these activities would not generate the $10,000 per month required to meet our huge goal.”

The committee put together a potential sponsor list, including local businesses, lawyers, doctors, dentists, and summer residents. Lemme also volunteered the use of the Gardener’s Folly mailing list to solicit contributions, and drafted a letter for sponsors and another to send to Pentwater alumni.

Together, the Lemmes created a publicity strategy that covered the entire five-month fundraising effort, updating their media list to include newspapers, television, and radio stations in communities as far away as Traverse City and Grand Rapids. They issued a press release announcing the band’s selection, with details of the event and fundraising efforts. They also created a media kit for newspaper and television editors, prepared a press release and radio public service announcement (PSA) to promote each fundraising event, and published a newsletter to thank contributors and provide information on upcoming events. The committee received immediate, positive responses from local newspapers and radio stations, and PSAs were given time on the radio.

In all, the Road to Carnegie Hall Organization held nine events, ranging from a bowling tournament to a wine tasting to a “community rake.” Together, these raised a total of $8,700. But the bulk of the total funds came from Lemme’s contribution: the sponsor letter and newsletters, with many sponsors admitting that they made major contributions because they thought the newsletter was so persuasive.

After five months of fundraising effort, the busload of band members was finally escorted by the local police and fire department as far as the expressway as it departed for New York. In the famous hall on West 57th Street, the Pentwater High School Band performed a 30-minute program and received top honors, obtaining the highest scores in all adjudicated categories in the competition.

But what does this heartwarming tale have to do with retailing? The answer is that a specialty storeowner who’s truly part of the community has a big advantage over the chain stores and big boxes. “People were impressed that we would spend so much time [on the fundraising effort] when we didn’t even have children in the school, much less in the band program,” says Jane. As a result the Lemmes received many thank-yous and Gardener’s Folly gained new customers.

“Perhaps the most evident result came from the people who didn’t previously shop in my store,” says Jane. “Our year-round residents are notorious for not supporting Pentwater merchants. But many who stopped by to talk about the band made purchases before they left.”

Overall, winter 2005 sales at Gardener’s Folly were up 10 percent over the year before. Given that the store depends on local shoppers to carry it until summer visitors return, Lemme’s investment of time and energy is likely to be a perennial help to the store’s bottom line.

Getting involved in a community effort with a big goal, and sticking it through to success, is the reason Gifts & Decorative Accessories selected Gardener’s Folly as a 2005 Retailer Excellence Awards Silver Award winner for store Promotion.