Bruner Corporation
http://www.brunercorp.com/In 1958, Wayne Bruner of Columbus, Ohio founded a little mechanical firm he called Bruner Corporation. Since 1958 the world around us has changed tremendously but Bruner Corporation continues to be locally owned and operated providing complete mechanical system services to businesses throughout Central Ohio and the Midwest. From system design and evaluation to guaranteed preventive maintenance services, Bruner customers enjoy the benefits of system reliability, energy savings, investment protection and a more productive work environment.
Quick Tips:
- Listen to reasons why people don’t donate and address them with solid, non-judgmental information.
- Think of fun ways to promote ongoing donations.
- Get the word out as early as possible.
The WOW Factor
At Bruner, one of the keys to campaign success is having leadership team members, both company executives and labor heads, address employees on a personal level. When a respected leader tells a story with a personal twist, people are “wowed,” and pay special attention to the message. Another wow factor at Bruner is a dollar for dollar corporate match program, which displays dramatically how strongly the company feels about the value of United Way.
To keep the “wows” coming all year long, Bruner uses some clever promotions, such as a Gossip Jar, where people put money toward United Way if they gossip, show up late for meetings or are responsible for some other small infractions. The company’s annual picnic features an activity where employees get to “dunk an executive” with proceeds going to United Way.
Inspire Your People
In a company with both office staff and varied field operations, Bruner knows it is important to inspire the people who can get things done. For example, in one instance, making an impact on a superintendent who is a union leader, led to enthusiastic support among his workers. Developing events and programs that are particularly attractive to a certain group of employees, such as taking an ice cream truck out into the field to provide treats, creates broader visibility for the campaign. That face-to-face interaction, not just in the office but in the field, can pay huge dividends.
Bruner is always coming up with events that involve and entertain their employees, so people look forward to the campaign as they wonder “what will they do this year?”
Learn from Experience
Bruner analyzes everything they do in relationship to their campaign, to determine what has been successful and what needs to be re-evaluated to make it better. In addition, they are strong proponents for “not re-inventing the wheel,” and make excellent use of United Way information and resources about how other companies have approached certain issues, and what paths have led to success or failure. If another company has seen results from a particular event or promotion, Bruner will adapt that information to add value to their own endeavors.
