REBUS St. Louis

We have  a new organization in St. Louis called ready+willing.  I invite you to visit their website to learn a bit more about them and how you can get involved.  I also invite you to “Save the Date”, because more information will be presented at the next REBUS event.  That event will be on Tuesday evening, September 13th at Group360′s spectacular new space!

ready+willing was founded to give back to the St. Louis community.  Participants in ready+willing will be marketing professionals at every level (both agency and client side) who want to help St. Louis charities.    We will work with non-profits and charities who are unable to get marketing support through any “normal” channels.  These are the charities who are “left behind”, despite the value the deliver to their stakeholders.  ready+willing can and will help!

We’re currently looking for the “willingness” from the marketing community, with the “readiness” to follow!  We need volunteer “mentors”.  Mentors have experience and likely start at the Account Supervisor, or Associate Creative Director levels and above.  We’re asking for a couple of hours a month in supervising younger professionals who are executing the tactics of the marketing communications, while they build their books with “real” work.  It’s the mentors’ job to do just that . . . mentor!   r+w wants the mentors to make sure that the quality of the work produced is as good as r+w’s aspirations!

ready+willing is being composed of a mix of experienced, multifaceted individuals that come from a diverse range of backgrounds including nonprofit management, marketing, advertising, strategic development, management, graphic design, public relations, communications, and business development to name a few. More importantly, the talents and skills of these individuals can be represented in the quality work they have become known for and their dedication to the St. Louis Community.

We’ve finalized our first “client” and are ready to ask for your help.  r+w is appealing to those of you who want to contribute to our community, and help younger professional advance in their career.  You’ll have the chance to work with this organization, for the benefit of the client organization and in so doing sustain and enhance its impact on the St. Louis Community.

Client Organization: The St. Louis Track Club,

Event: November 6th, 2011  Clayton Police Department’s Special Olympics 5K Run & Walk & .5-mile Youth Fun Run

Organization Mission/Values/Purpose: The St. Louis Track Club encourages running, walking, and fitness for persons of all ages and abilities. The club organizes events, disseminates information related to the benefits of running and physical fitness and encourages membership.

Goal/Purpose of Project: Need assistance promoting annual half marathon and 5k that is organized with the Clayton Police Department and benefits the St. Louis Special Olympics.

Materials of Interest: Print and Online – newspaper, magazine, and online ads (media placement not included); direct mail and poster/point of sale.

For you mentor candidates that can’t decide whether or not to get involved . . . Mentoring with ready + willing is a remarkably low impact way to have significant impact.  Mentors have the experience + expertise to collaborate with younger, less experienced pros and make their work better.  In so doing you also help make their books better, which makes the client effort (non-profit or charity) better.  All of this also contributes to the skill/experience of the St. Louis advertising and marketing community.   Because ready+willing is a registered 501(c)3 corporation, your contributions are tax deductible!  Seems like it’s a win-win all around!

If you have questions, feel free to give me a call at my office.  If you’re interested, download and complete the application, then email it to Info@ReadyandWilling.org.  We look forward to working with you for the benefit of the St. Louis community!