Summary
Smile on Wheels is a national-level mobile hospital programme, catering to the underprivileged children and women. The programme takes well-equipped medical vans along with specialized doctors, nurses, medical staff, and medicines to the identified villages and slums in a systematic manner. The objective of the programme is to ensure improved health services reaching the door steps of people residing in unserved or underserved remote areas.In May 2013 Smile and a well-known brand in luxury goods organised a charity shopping weekend in benefit of this programme for the first time. Part of the sale proceeds were donated towards the Smile on Wheels programme. The action was repeated in November 2013 and has been renewed again in 2014. Similar sales have also been organised together with a luxury watch brand and apparel brand. By doing so, Smile entered into Cause Related Marketing through luxury brands, a market not yet explored by other organisations until now.
Tips and lessons learned
1. Setting up meetings is a small challenge, but once this is done and the needs of both parties are understood properly, then the preparation becomes easy. Proper coordination with the corporate and with different departments/persons in your own organisation is required. It leads to better results, both in terms of starting a partnership and building of trust.
2. Think carefully about the best way to martket the event. It helps to ensure greater interest, which in turn leads to better fundraising to sustain your project.
3. Proper and timely reporting is essential if you want to renew the partnership the next year.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
This innovative activity is especially suited for urban areas with a well-to-do public. If you work in different circumstances, you could still do an activity like this, with less luxurious goods. Think carefully what you can offer the shopkeeper to keep him/her interested enough to repeat the experience. Smile offered volunteering opportunities and visits to the project sites, which was very much appreciated.
Details
Objectives
1. Raising funds for the cause.
2. To spread awareness about the organisation.
3. To interest the corporate in other forms of cooperation, e.g. sponsorships, product auctions, etc.
Targeted donors
E-mails, e-invites and SMSs were sent to existing and prospective donors (individual and corporates).
The corporate itself has been invited to various other events of Smile.
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (INR |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
316,000 |
3,729 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
0 |
0 |
| Net amount raised |
316,000 |
3,729 |
Result comments
There were no costs other than staff costs.
In May 2013 Smile raised Rs. 2,63,000/- (EUR 3.603) through this activity.
Description of preparatory work
1. Setting up of a meeting.
2. Developing a proposal along with the right kind of deliverables, which would benefit both Smile and the corporate.
3. Coordination with other departments/persons involved regarding the deliverables.
4. Showcasing the association with the corporate on Smile´s homepage prior to the activity, in order to spread awareness and increase interest for the event.
Description of implementation
1. After signing of a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to seal the partnership, work started on the deliverables.
2. An announcement of the association and the event was put on the website.
3. Other steps to ensure the presence of potential buyers were taken: e-mail messages, e-invites, SMSs.
4. Proper reporting was taken care of, to secure further support by the corporate.
