A Little Networking for the Relay

Coming up on September 9th and 10th is the Relay for Life of Central South County. But before that, on Saturday, August 13th, I will be having a book signing at the Auburn Public Library where I'll be raising funds for the Relay! At this event, like the signing I had in Charlton in June, books will be available for $15.00, and will include a handmade bookmark with one of four TIoT characters on them.

$5 from each book will be donated to the LifeSavers of Auburn Relay Team.

The Relay for Life is a series of community events that raises millions each year for the American Cancer Society. Team members will walk around a track or path, usually at the local high school or park. Each team should have a representative from their team on the track at all times. The event lasts 24 hours overnight.

Savers Bank, a Southbridge-based community bank, sponsors a team at the Relay for Life of the Greater Southbridge Area each year called LifeSavers. As an employee of Savers, I have participated the past three years. And for the past two years, my fiance Samantha and I have walked overnight, 20 miles last year, and 20 1/4 miles this year (just to beat our previous walk :). This year, the Auburn branch of Savers has decided to take part in the Auburn Relay (Relay for Life of Central South County), under the team name LifeSavers of Auburn.

Naturally, I have made the decision to take part in this event as well. So in order to raise funds for a second relay, I set up book signings to benefit the ACS through the Relay.

Marketing each book signing has been a unique experience. Sometimes I have positive response from local media, sometimes none at all. Sometimes the host goes above and beyond to advertise and tell their clients about the event, other times the host wouldn't even associate with the "host" title. But every time I've come up with a new way to advertise on my own.

With this signing, I've done the same. I have posters up at the Auburn Mall, I am designing advertisements to put up in the Auburn and my own Savers Branches, and along with the Mall posters, I have designed "Take One" Brochures talking about my book, my relationship to the relay, and my brother, who has been designing the characters and other art for my book promotions.

Finally, I was working at my second job at Zorba's, talking to one of the waitresses, who seemed very interested in my book. When I told her about my event in Auburn, her face lit up. She told me about her sister who is always looking for a good story. Turns out she works as a reporter for The Daily Auburn. The Daily Auburn is an online community news site that is part of Main Street Connect, a national community news company. After a little bit of phone tag, we finally got a hold of each other.
The result, my first Online news article!