The WHO-WHAT-WHERE-WHY and WHEN of ad selling

If your corps hosts drum corps shows, more than anything, they have program books.  Inside of these programs, there are advertisements.  Some advertisements are from local companies, some may be from family and friends.  Ask your corps if they sell ads, and if the money that you sell will go towards your dues. 

If they do, then keep reading!!!

You are now a salesperson.  You must look, act, speak and perform as a salesperson.  You are not just selling ads, you are financing your career with a corps.  It is possible that 100% of the money you bring in goes directly towards your dues.  (check with your corps to see if this is true)

How to do it:  Dress neatly before you go out to sell ads; perhaps you could wear a corps jacket, or even an old HS Band jacket.  DON'T DRESS LIKE A BUM LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT!  Before you go, be sure that you have any and all document to show what a drum corps is, and what it is you are asking for.  Ask to speak to the manager, supervisor or person in charge.  Have your "spiel" planned out (practice at home).  Speak clearly and directly to the person.  PERFORM.  Act confidently and be prepared to answer any questions about the corps; what you do, where you're from, etc.  Don't look at the floor and mumble.  Tell them the corps sponsors drum corps contests in the summer and their advertisement will appear each time before a few thousand people.  (would be good to have a copy of previous ads from a program.  Show personal well-wishes and corporate well wishes).  If they have any questions you cannot answer, have them call the number for your corps.  If their supervisor is not there, ask to make an appointment or leave a sheet with statistics about your corps and ask that the supervisor call you (leave your number).  If you do not hear back from their supervisor, call them in a day or two.  The ads should be self-explanatory.  If the manager says they will consider it, tell them that you can come by to pick it up if they decide to take an ad.  Or, they can mail it to the corps (produce the corps' address).  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR NAME ON EVERYTHING SO IF THE CORPS RECEIVE IT BY MAIL, THEY KNOW WHO SOLD THE AD AND YOU WILL RECEIVE CREDIT FOR IT.

Let them know a bit about your corps. (would be good to provide a pamphlet about the corps) Tell them how many trucks, buses, cars/vans, and merchandise vehicles travel with the corps.  Tell them approximately how you had to audition and compete against hundreds of other potential marchers.  Tell them how many marching members are with the corps, how many instructional staff and support staff is with the corps.  Tell them how many shows the corps plans on competing in, and how far the corps plans to travel.  Tell them how many hours you will work, highlight a typical practice day.  Tell them how the corps sleeps, where they sleep.

Explain that with their assistance, they will help cover the cost of providing you with more than 250 meals.  They will help you and the corps travel approximately 15,000 miles across the country.  Though you will be sleeping on the bus between contest sites, the corps is a 24-hour operation.  You will be receiving professional instruction.  The expert staff includes some of the best music and movement educators from around the world.  You will be gaining real-world life skills that aren't taught in any college or university.  Dedication, Discipline and Teamwork are all required for success on the field, but more importantly, the Corps instills in each marching member a confidence, quality of character and strong work ethic that employers value and seek.

Who to sell ads to:  People you work with, companies you work for, parents, relatives, groups of friends, your fraternity, your sorority, the bank, small stores in large malls, music stores, car dealers, liquor stores, restaurants, travel agencies, hotels, banks, gas stations, etc.

Where not to sell ads:  Airlines, large multi-national companies, large stores in malls, corps staff, other drum corps or color guards (unless you get cash).

In-towners:  You're looking to promote the advertiser.

Out-of-towners: You're looking for support and to promote the advertisers.

REMEMBER:  The money you may save by selling ads may be your own!!!

Fun facts of a typical day for a corps member

Performance & Rehearsal

The corps' 135 marching members will each spend nearly 1000 hours in rehearsal for an incredible 135,000 cumulative hours for the 10.5 minutes (average) performance. The entire corps spends slightly more than 70 hours learning and rehearsing each minute of the show.

The average corps performs approximately 40 times during the season for a total of seven hours of actual performance time.

DCI member corps perform for a total live audience in excess of 350,000 through the season and a Public television audience estimated at more than 5.5 million.

Fine Dining

Most corps travel with a cooking staff of six and a semi-trailer converted into a self-contained kitchen, complete with a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator and walk-in freezer.

Records show that 48,500 meals were served to 1 corps and staff in 2001.  Each corps provides three to four meals a day.  They do have some vegetarians in a corps and they make provisions for them.

A corps travels on its stomach. Statistics show that a typical corps consumed the following items during 1 season:

Paper products make up a substantial portion of the food budget. On average, a corps uses the following:

Get out there and start selling!  GOOD LUCK

(thank you to The Cavaliers for a generalized copy of their rehearsal schedule, summer statistics, and ad selling sheet)

updated: March 10, 2004