The webinar covered successes from 2014 and ways agencies have improved in areas like customer service, social media strategies, and aligning services with community needs. Attendees participated in polls and discussion about topics like consensus building, sponsorship, and political savvy. Case studies were shared from the Rockford Park District on conducting needs analyses for sponsors and using a partner/group sales approach. The Park District of Highland Park also submitted photos highlighting their accomplishments.

1. IPRA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WEBINAR
CHEERS FOR PEERS, CHEERS FOR YOU
1. Please sign in with your
Agency Name and the number
of people attending the webinar
from your agency today.
2.Have you downloaded and
printed a copy of your
handouts?
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
Cheers For Peers,
Cheers for YOU

3. TODAY’S WEBINAR FORMAT
 2014 Webinar Recap
 Your Year in Review… Month by Month
 Share successes
 Examples from your Peers
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6. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RETENTION
– 1 MINUTE
 If I were to poll your customer
asking them to compare 2014 to
previous years, would they say
your customer service has been:
A. Better
B. Worse
C. About the Same
 In your chat box, give one
example of how your customer
service has improved this past
year.
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8. KEYS TO RELEVANCE -
1 MINUTE
 How strongly to you agree with this statement”
 In the eyes of our community leaders, our agency
has become more valued and relevant in 2014.
 In your chat box, explain your answer. 8

9. THE BETTER BUSINESS MODEL–
1 MINUTE
 How strongly do you agree with this statement?
 In 2014 our agency has begun to change the way
we “do business” over the past year.
 In your chat box…
 Give one or more examples of how your agency
has changed its financial or business practices
over the past one or two year.
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10. SOCIAL MEDIA
STRATEGIES–
1 MINUTE
 How strongly to do you agree with this statement:
 Our social media marketing has become an extremely
important part of our agency’s communication strategy.
 In your chat box…
 Give an example of how you have used social media
successfully in the past year.
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12. MANAGING MILLENNIALS – 1 MINUTE
 We are doing a good job meeting the needs of
millennial staff and millennial customers.
A. Definitely
B. Sort of
C. Not really
D. Not sure
 In your chat box…
 List some changes you have made in order to better
reach and serve millennial staff or customers. 12

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17. BUILDING CONSENSUS –
1 MINUTE
 How strongly do you agree with this sentence?
 In 2014 we have done a good job building bridges
between a variety of groups or individuals in order to
move forward with projects, policies, programs,
changes, etc.
 In your chat box…
 Share an example of consensus building successes (or
attempts).
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18. SPONSORSHIP STRATEGIES – 1 MINUTE
 How strongly do you agree
with this sentence?
 We have done some
innovative things to increase
our sponsorship success.
 In your chat box please
share…
 What have you done?
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Please welcome Nicole Engelbart,
Corporate Partnership Manager
Rockford Park District
NicoleEngelbart@rockfordparkdistrict.org

20. Three Rockford Park District
Sponsorship Sales Success
Stories
• Needs Analysis – How can the
RPD help YOU?
• Relationships to Results – The
Partner/Group Sales Approach &
Nic’s Picks
• Identify Easy Assets to Fulfill
Rockford Park District – 3 Successes

21. Meet with Prospect &
Conduct Needs Analysis –
Two Important Questions
• Who is your target market?
• How do you like to reach them?
…then create a proposal
to match the answers…
Prospective Sponsor Needs Analysis

22. Relationships to Results – the RPD
Way
A phrase found throughout the Rockford
Park District culture to remind us that it all
begins with relationships.
Relationships to Results is a two-pronged
approach in the RPD Sponsorship system:
• Partner/Group Sales Approach
• Nic’s Picks
Live your culture! My first day
at the RPD, I was handed the
bracelet above.
“Relationship to Results”

23. Relationships to Results – Partner/Group
Sales Approach
Lockwood Park Pro Rodeo: In June 2013,
approached by a facility manager to find sponsors
for a new event (a rodeo!) happening in August
Limited time…needed to mobilize the troops
and FAST!!
• Brought Friends of Lockwood Group
together
• Prepared proposal & list of prospects
• Divided and conquered!
• 32 Sponsors generated $7050 in 6 weeks!
Partner/Group Sales Approach

24. Changes to System in 2014:
• Partner/Group Sales System Formalized
• Step One: Pre-Planning Meeting – Nicole &
RPD Manager
• Step Two: Pre-Sponsorship Sales Planning
Meeting – Nicole, RPD Manager, Sales Team
• Step Three: Pitch - All
• Step Four: Fulfillment – Sponsorship
Department
• Nic’s Picks System Implemented
• Ask each facility or program manager to
prepare a list of 5 contacts who could be a
prospective sponsor – i.e. Insurance King
Relationship – Focused Systems Implemented

25. 2014 Success using a “Relationships to
Results” approach:
• Lockwood Park Pro Rodeo – Friends of
Lockwood
• Therapeutic Recreation and Sounds of Summer
Guide Ads
• Jr. Chariots Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
• NFL Flag Football Training Camp
• Facility Manager’s Nic’s Picks
Sponsorship Revenue: $31,050 in 2014
Relationship Successes

26. Relationships to Results in Photos

27. Take a look at what you have to
sell…
• Identify assets that are low-cost,
easy to fulfill
• Example: Rockford Park District
banner advertising (right)
• Banner Advertising Revenue:
Generated $1300 cash and $1050
in-kind in 2014 with $0 fulfillment
cost!
Identify Easy Assets to Fulfill

28. Summary of the 3
Successes:
• “Help Me, Help You!”
• Relationships to Results
• “Throw a banner ad in!”
Take-Aways

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30. POLITICAL SAVVY –
1 MINUTE
 Which answer best fits your group:
A. All of us have become more politically savvy this past year.
B. Some of us have become more politically connected and
respected this past year.
C. None of us has improved our political clout this past year.
 In your chat box…
 Share one example of how one of the people in your
group has improved their political savvy in 2014.
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32. ALIGNING SERVICES WITH COMMUNITY
NEEDS – 1 MINUTE
 Select the best answer:
A. We have done specific things to measure
constituent needs AND have made changes to
align ourselves with these needs.
B. We have done specific things to measure
constituent needs BUT have not done much to
align our programs/facilities to match these
needs.
C. We haven’t done much to measure community
needs but we try to change/add programs to
meet assumed needs.
D. None of those answers fits our agency.
 In your chat box… Please explain your
response… 32

33. ROCK ISLAND
PARKS AND
RECREATION
MORE LIKE A
MAGAZINE, LESS
LIKE A CATALOG
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34. GOLF OUTING AND
BEER TASTING
ROCK ISLAND
PARKS AND
RECREATION
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35. ROCK ISLAND PARKS AND RECREATION
WHODUNIT?- MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
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36. ROCK ISLAND
FIRST TEE
GROWTH
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Park District of
Highland Park
Photos submitted by
Cathy Fiori, Recreation
Supervisor, CPRP
847.579.3121

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41. Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.
-Voltaire