I rather enjoy the Six Nations, particularly when the opportunity arises to go and experience the live atmosphere in a packed stadium.  But would I spend hundreds of pounds on wrapping my ticket up with a three-course dinner and a free programme?  Er…no.  Not even for a glimpse of Jonny Wilkinson’s thighs…

With the Football World Cup in South Africa just around the corner, 2010 promises to be a bumper year for these sorts of corporate hospitality packages, especially with individual companies often footing the bill; claiming the expense as a ‘marketing activity’ intended to warm up or even close lucrative sales opportunities.

Admittedly, if they didn’t work then people wouldn’t buy them, but what I question is the business ROI you can hope to achieve.  If you are a reseller accumulating a few thousand pounds a quarter through a vendor’s MDF or coop marketing pot, then is a jolly boys outing to the football/cricket/rugby etc really the best way of allocating it?

Every once in a while makes it a special occasion, but using your imagination a little more can make your sales and marketing potential spread a lot further.

Charlie