Corps Income/Revenue Stream

[BRASSO]

On 8/13/2017 at 7:44 PM, CrownBariDad said:

Just FYI since you asked about possible revenue streams.  Racine Scouts -- currently on hiatus (hopefully) -- operates a concession stand at Lambeau Field for the Packers games (brats are their specialty).  I also think they've done Bingo in the past. 

 Thats one. Other Corps do so as well.

[BRASSO]

On 8/13/2017 at 2:20 PM, denverjohn said:

Fantasy camps seem to be the rage.

 Thats another.

[BRASSO]

On 8/13/2017 at 2:30 PM, BlueStainGlass said:

 What could legends do to stabilize for the future for instance?

 Take a year off. Thats been done before with success.

[Ediker]

4 hours ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

Colin McNutt has to put food on his table just like the rest of us

I do not minimize the importance of money in a business deal. My point is that money is the easiest part of acquiring and keeping staff. The difficult part is building a stable, sustainable organization that is rewarding in ways that go beyond cash. 

[BRASSO]

On 8/13/2017 at 9:02 PM, 90svet said:

.....and I believe (at least based on my perhaps flawed memory of a prior review of a past BC 990 form) that Executive Director compensation is quite low (perhaps far too low for the past years' success of the corps).

it shows that the corps is operating within its means.  Meanwhile, I acknowledge and understand that a corps has much greater success demanding higher camp and tour fees when they have demonstrated success.  So, it may be difficult for a less successful corps to demand higher fees and solicit donation from alumni and others.

One thing the Bluecoats does well is to fill your inbox with requests for donations (meals, scholarships, etc.).  Perhaps no different from other corps.

Lesson?  Don't be afraid to ask...and ask....and ask.  If you have a respectable organization (not to be defined as corps placement, but rather by the manner and responsibility with which the corps is operated, alumni and others will eventually donate.

it also helps to have a community/business connection.  When Bluecoats were struggling years ago, assistance was solicited from Ted Swaldo, a Canton businessman.  I believe Ted helped instill a business/financial discipline that helped begin the climb of the Bluecoats.

In a past post in another thread, it was mentioned by someone that a Corps Development Manager (i.e., fundraising professional) is critical for a corps' success.

I believe you need a combination of both (a) creative and (b) business staff in a corps.  Absence of either leads to either (a) a broke but artistically creative/successful organization, or (b) a well-funded organization with a poor quality show.

 

 

 These are all tried and proven formulas for success. The key is to offer donors a sense that benevolence has its intrinsic as well as practical benefits.  For example, its amazing what can transpire when you do something in benevolence for a community that the community seems to value, how benevolent they tend to become in  return what you ask the Movers and Shakers in the community then for a donation. Also, by setting up successful businesses that can turn a profit, those businesses can become a good revenue stream for a Corps too . its takes business acumen and real world business experience here too, of course, to make such business enterprises successful enough to become such a future potentially successful revenue stream for a Corps. Additionally, it goes without saying, Corps need to diversity their revenue stream sources. If they are too dependent on one primary source of the Corps funding, that can become very risky, should that revenue source begin to dry up. Like any investments, its always best to not put one's eggs in one basket. Regrettably, too many lost Corps did not follow this fundamental Business Best Practices fundamental tenet, and as a result are no longer with us, once their primary source of revenue streams dried up for one reason or another.

Edited August 23, 2017 by BRASSO

[LabMaster]

19 minutes ago, BlueStainGlass said:

You feel left out?  I posted this topic in hopes of finding a way to bring a corps back and all I got was 10 pages talking about Boston staff.

And I am sorry for that.  I am a Boston supporter no doubt.  I am well aware of the years Boston was lean.  And calling it lean is not coming close to how it really was.  It basically took a small group of people who could not let the corps die to start putting it together step by tiny step.  The first investment above the minimum dollars needed to run, was with people.  It took a lot of year to grow the management.  It took a lot of early staffers doing double duty to step aside when more experienced people with better managerial skills arrived and continued to build the organization.  It took many more years of building still experiencing ups and downs along the way, but steadily and singularly focused on build what you finally see today.

A timeline might look like this:  After Nationals in August of 1982 The Boston Crusaders were gone.  No money, no equipment, no uniforms, no staff, nothing.  Just a handful of people ticked off about what had happened.  That small group of people met on September 27 1982 and stupidly (I say that in the most affectionate way) agreed to put it all back together and start all over again.  The corps known then as Boston,  began a long long road forward, upward, with people coming and going, members, staff, volunteers, fans supporters helping in so many way the entire time.  Lots of people.  Finally, seventeen years later, in 1999,  Boston made it to Finals.  Since then Boston continued to build the organization,  learning along the way and finding out how to do it; obtaining smart, skilled, dedicated people to help those who had been there the entire time.  Key people were added who had strong networks and wide ranging resources, creative fundraising strategies, intelligent financial management got them to this point.  An amazing group and BOD.

But first you need dedicated, committed, strong of heart people to begin, to restart and follow through.  If you want to learn how this can be done, connect with Boston's BOD. I am not saying theirs is the only way, but they've been through it all from the very bottom and persevered and gotten the corps to the top twelve for the past 19 years.

[BRASSO]

On 8/13/2017 at 1:46 PM, BlueStainGlass said:

So back in the day Corps made bank off of Bingo halls and some may still do that. Recently alot of the top tier groups have been making business deals with companies and starting outside programs. What ways do corps survive now besides dues,donations,and souvies? 

 Your second sentence.

[MikeRapp]

When I look at the skill sets of the folks who are staffed at these corps organizations, there's one thing that seems obvious: band consulting. If I was the band director at, say, Coastal Carolina, it would be awesome to pay someone at Crown to consult on their music and show design, esp if that included some hands on instruction and evaluations of what gets put on the field.

Maybe moreso for high school bands.

Now whether the staff wants to do this in the offseason, or whether these music departments have the money, I have no idea.

[Brass Lover]

3 hours ago, MikeRapp said:

When I look at the skill sets of the folks who are staffed at these corps organizations, there's one thing that seems obvious: band consulting. If I was the band director at, say, Coastal Carolina, it would be awesome to pay someone at Crown to consult on their music and show design, esp if that included some hands on instruction and evaluations of what gets put on the field.

Maybe moreso for high school bands.

Now whether the staff wants to do this in the offseason, or whether these music departments have the money, I have no idea.

I know the Harloffs and Klesch have their Inside the Circle program in which they consult for groups and create lesson videos which directors can purchase. Not sure if the profits from that are connected to Crown or not.

[Brass Lover]

For the record I've met Collin McNutt and he's one of the best in the business. Super passionate about his work and just loves to create. He's also good friends with a number of staff on Boston and has a history with the corps. Maybe he got payed more, but until we see some proof you should can it with the "see dollar signs in his eyes" talk.