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While on assignment for Acadiana Outfitters, I was able to attend the Nations Best Sports (NBS) Spring Market in Fort Worth Texas last weekend. The NBS Market filled the Forth Worth Convention Center, wall-to-wall, with all of the hottest hunting, camping and outdoor gear that will be hitting the shelves of your favorite stores in 2012.

The outdoor industry is very strong this year and I took this opportunity to learn about several companies that are taking their product branding to the “next level.” Here are a few that stood above the crowd.

Yeti Coolers

Yeti has successfully taken a boring cooler, and made it into one of the hottest “must-have” items on every man’s birthday and Christmas wish list. With funny, unforgettable television commercials featuring beers failing to rip the coolers apart, to “hunting show celebrities” throwing them off a cliff, their advertising leaves nothing to the imagination. They clearly demonstrate that their product is indestructible. Yeti has also managed to endorse every major player in the outdoor industry, from fishing show legend Jose Wejebe to hunter Jim Shockey.

Banded

The Banded line of waterfowl products looks very promising for 2012. With a slick contemporary logo, great camo patterns, excellent calls and a very targeted product line designed exclusively for waterfowlers, banded is one to watch.

Vortex Optics

I enjoyed speaking with Booner Beck of Beck and Associates, the sales representation company handling Vortex at the show. I learned a lot about the outstanding quality that Vortex builds into every scope, binocular and optic they produce. Their outstanding website, product branding and endorsements make them a company that will dominate in 2012. Partnering with up-and-coming outdoor “rock star” Steven Rinella was a particularly brilliant move on their part.

Acadiana Outfitters

This retailer is one of Lousiana’s best kept secrets. For the last 10 years Acadiana Outfitter’s has been providing amazing products and customer service to sportsman in the New Iberia area. Acadiana Outfitters hired us to help polish their marketing efforts and bring them into the online community as a serious contender. With their vast inventory that rivals the big box stores, new online sites and social media efforts, and the superb personal service they offer every customer, Acadiana Outfitters will be seeing tremendous growth in 2012.

On Tuesday, January 12th 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake ripped through Haiti leaving only death and destruction behind. By January 24th at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded and the Haitian Government reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless.

The world came to the aid of Haiti almost instantly. The generosity of people, both in time and money, was incredible. While traditional relief efforts were under way, a new technology was helping people from all parts of the world to do their part to assist.

The Rise Of Mobile Donations

Smart phones are on the rise. iPhones, Blackberries and Droids are everywhere. Being “constantly connected” has opened up a new avenue for fundraisers to tap human generosity – Mobile donations.

Using mobile donation tools such as mGive, the earthquake relief effort was able to raise an astounding 37 million dollars using mobile phones to collect small donations through the users phone bill.

Collect Contributions While The Issue Is Fresh On The Donors Mind

The reason that mobile donations will become a major source of cash flow for many charitable organizations and political campaigns in the future is because of speed and convenience.

Imagine at every speaking event your organization or campaign attends, you are able to ask the attendants to pull the mobile phone from their pockets make a small contribution to your cause. No checks to write – No paperwork – No address to remember or write down in order to mail a contribution – No standing in line to swipe a credit card.

In sales training, people are taught to “close the deal” while the customer is emotionally involved. This is another reason that mobile fundraising will explode in the coming years. After you’ve delivered your message, your audience is more emotionally connected than ever and they are ready to give a mobile donation.

Mobile fundraising is currently limited to small dollar amounts, and can only used by non-profit campaigns and charities. Your goal with with any mobile donation campaign is to reach as many people as possible. These small contributions certainly add up and will provide a great supplement to your other fundraising efforts.

We are currently conducting research on several mobile donation providers and if you would like to discuss adding this service to your campaign or charity, please give us a call.