Recently we announced the 26 boxers who will participate in the 2015 Long Island Fight for Charity. This is a 12-year-old not-for-profit event that my firm has worked with for several years. Over the 12 years of the Long Island Fight for Charity we have helped many boxers become local celebrities. We have secured hours of TV coverage, hundreds of newspaper and online stories, dozens of online video interviews and more social media activity than we can remember.
The boxers who participate in the Fight for Charity are a unique group of people who train and are willing to get in the ring and take a few punches, some in the face of course. They also have to raise money for local charities. To do this they must network and market themselves.
The lesson that can be learned here is that when you are involved in charity events this is an opportunity to expose people to your brand. You can express to people who you are and what you are passionate about. Discussing and letting people know what you are interested in and passionate about helps you to make personal connections and build relationships. Business is not always about business; when you are known for being a contributing and caring member of the community, you stand out. This attracts attention but it also attracts interest and respect.
You don’t have to get into the boxing ring like the brave Long Island Fight for Charity participants, but you must show the same determination in getting your message out to your target audience and community. Any time you are involved with charity you should let people know; yes this helps your brand but it also helps the organization that you are supporting. Keeping your involvement a secret or not actively promoting your participation in an event limits your ability to help the organizations achieve its goals.
Want to see who these boxers are? Check out this YouTube channel with their personal interviews.
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