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Tips on how to sponsor fundraisers and connect with politicians and decision makers
By Leah Templeton
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| Franchisee Fran Yerardi and HVA President and CEO John Hayes hosted a political fundraiser for Congressman Barney Frank last year. |
It was a room full of influential investors, brokers, bankers, realtors, lawyers, politicians and mortgage lenders… and HVA was front and center. That was the scene at an October fundraiser that franchisee Fran Yerardi of Baystate Properties Real Estate in Boston, MA organized in conjunction with the Boston Chamber of Commerce.
The breakfast supported Congressman Barney Frank, a Boston native who has been in Congress since 1981 and is currently Chairman of the Financial Services Committee. HVA and the Boston Ad Council teamed to sponsor the event where the crowd included prominent decision makers who may have heard about HVA, but until that day, had no direct contact with the company.
“The breakfast paid off in numerous ways,” said HomeVestors President and CEO John Hayes. “To begin, this was the first time I've had a powerful U.S. Congressman sit and listen to me talk about HomeVestors and the needs of the investor community at large. That alone was worth the investment.”
The breakfast provided the opportunity to meet and greet with attendees and explain how HVA’s services can benefit the community.
“We need more opportunities like this,” said Hayes. “Attendees approached Fran all morning requesting meetings and asking for information. Fran is an amazing networker and his connections are priceless. Every franchisee can learn from Fran’s networking skills.”
As Day on the Hill approaches, opportunities like this are invaluable. Now is the time to organize similar events in your local market; but where to begin? Partnering with the Chamber is a start, but there are multiple avenues to try.
Here are a few tips from Yerardi on how to make the right contacts and create a successful event
- Get active with the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber wants your business. They want you to be active and get involved. I’d advise joining a government relations or member networking committee. Chambers are a great place to network with potential investors, meet politicians and raise your credibility. Use the meetings as an opportunity to educate others on what’s really going on in the real estate market.
- Contact your state or local politician. Write a letter to your state or local politicians. Explain what HVA does and how the company works to revitalize communities. Send a copy of the HomeVestors magazine along with your letter.
- Meet with a politician. Attend a politician’s fundraiser or event in your market. Arrive 15 minutes before the event starts. Most likely no one else will be there but the politician and key staff. Introduce yourself and start building that relationship.
- Don’t ask politicians for favors. Everyone is there to ask that politician for something. Don’t show up and request their assistance, show up and offer to help. Most likely they have a voter in their district that’s been affected by the foreclosure market. Put a positive spin on that situation. Tell them you have a house in the area and offer to help put that voter in a rental home. Offering a proactive solution will help make a stronger impression.
- Focus on small events. Offer to speak on behalf of HomeVestors if an event draws less than 30 people. If it gets much larger than that, contact Dr. Hayes about possibly attending and speaking. As president and CEO of HomeVestors, Dr. Hayes brings heightened credibility to a function.
- Be a premiere sponsor. Only sponsor an event where HVA is the premiere sponsor. If you can’t be a major sponsor, then serve on the event committee to maximize the impact.
- Take your time. The event we put together for Congressman Barney Frank gave us credibility. Now we’re working on a fundraiser for his favorite charity. It takes time to develop relationships and get your foot in the door. Let it build.
. . . Leah Templeton is an account executive with HomeVestors' public relations agency BizCom Associates.
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