After 36 years of relying largely on the generosity of the community, the organisers of Telethon are setting their sights on the corporate world.
Reaching out to the corporate market is part of Telethon’s new approach to how it goes about its business of raising funds for children’s health programs.
Another part of that change involves a new venue and a new date.
Last year the charity raised more than $2.6 million from a televised appeal running just more than 24 hours.
However, the appeal’s organisers realise that major growth in that total is not going to happen by relying on mums and dads alone; hence the push towards the corporate market.
Telethon marketing manager Tanya Stanwyck said one of the charity’s aims was to encourage corporates to get their staff involved.
"If we can encourage this staff participation rather than the marketing department handing over the cheque then there is a ‘what’s in it for me [WIIFM]’ factor to the involvement," she said.
"People are asking how they can get a return on investment.
"We have to provide them with a better WIIFM than the WASO or the West Coast Eagles."
One of the selling points Telethon is putting to the corporate sector is the team-building aspect for companies of getting staff involved in raising money for Telethon.
"We’re trying to make Telethon a part of their corporate culture," Ms Stanwyck said.
That involvement can be through raising money to donate on the Telethon night or even getting a group of staff members together to take part in the Bridges fun run.
Over its 36 years Telethon has raised about $65 million – money the Western Australian Government has not had to spend on child health research.
This year will also mark a major move for the appeal, out of its familiar surroundings at TVW7’s studios to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Ms Stanwyck said Telethon was hoping to make the move a more long-term one.
As part of the move to the PCEC the panel and entertainment will be facing an audience of up to 2,100.
There will also be an activity park so that even if people are not part of the audience at any one given time there will still be things to do.
"We’ll also be able to sell tickets to the opening and closing of Telethon. That’s something we’ve never been able to do before," Ms Stanwyck said.
The main Telethon event will also be run on November 6 and 7. It has traditionally been run in September.
Ms Stanwyck said Telethon had been run in November back in 1991 but that had been to fit in with the appearance of that year’s major act, Whitney Houston.
