Turning 1,000 cups of coffee into $1 million for AIDS orphans
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 10:05AM Comment posted to The Barista Realtors of Tel Aviv
Yes, it's true that coffee and real estate go together but one need not open a real estate cafe to enjoy that experience. Everyday, thousands of real estate agents and their clients meet over coffee whether it is in an agent's office, a client's kitchen, an open house or a neighborhood cafe with internet access.
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, and worldwide their are millions of AIDS orphans. Businesses, like the Gap and Starbucks, are joining campaigns like (Product)RED to turn commerce into compassion. is it possible to create a real estate version of (Product)RED that turns coffee-loving clients and their agents into an international fund raising coalition for AIDS orphans?
Here's a starting place: What if a network of coffee-loving real estate agents agreed to buy their clients -- home buyers and sellers anywhere in the world -- one of Starbuck's new (RED) drinks while they talk to them about their services? Regardless of whether their goal is to maximize the profit from the sale of their home or minimize the costs of the transaction, what if those same agents encouraged their clients to donate $1,000 of the profit or savings from their transaction to support AIDS orphans or agreed to do so themselves?
The (Starbucks)RED campaign runs through January 2, 2009. Of course, not every home buyer or seller who converses over coffee is going to complete a transaction in the next 30 days, but everyone can agree to sign a Pledge to make the donation on their next real estate transaction.
Our company, which was founded in 1995, would be glad to purchase at least one cup of (Starbucks)RED for a prospective new client at any Starbucks in Greater Boston for the next 30 days (see photo stream). If other real estate agents around the world, particularly real estate agents already offering client rebates, do the same we can reach our goal of turning 1,000 cups of coffee into $1 million through donation pledges.
If the 30 day pledge campaign begins to spread, wouldn't it be wonderful to see a pledge map showing participating agents and donors worldwide? Hope the real estate cafe in Tel Aviv and other real estate agencies adapt this open fund raising idea to their own local markets. Feel free to use this wiki as an idea starter and be sure to flip through this slide show to get an overview of AIDS Shelter Alliance Partners, ASAP!
Reader Comments (3)
MyStarbucksIdea Twittered: (STARBUCKS)RED Card, coming soon, will generate a donation every time it's used in all of 2009.
RealEstateCafe response via Twitter: @MyStarbucksIdea Congrats on 1.4M days of meds, (Starbucks)RED card planned for 2009. Develop partnerships next?
Follow or join discussion on MyStarbucksIdea blog or post your comment below!
Just bought my first (Starbucks)RED card and eager to support Starbucks campaign throughout 2009 by pursuing our goal of turning 1,000 cups of coffee into $1 million for AIDS orphans. See new post to celebrate New Years:
http://tinyurl.com/7rfvn9
Hope other home buyers, sellers, and real estate innovators join us and will try to get others involved at REBarCamp next week in NYC with presentation on ePhilanthropy & Cause Marketing in Real Estate. See
http://rebarcamp.com/newyork/?p=50
http://changeagents.ning.com
@MyStarbucksIdea Glad (Starbucks)RED extended thru '09. http://tinyurl.com/3mmsz2 Develop affiliate partners next? http://tinyurl.com/576x3z
http://twitter.com/RealEstateCafe/status/1094599084