We realize that you may have several questions about the DEAFestival and may be wondering how sponsoring the DEAFestival would benefit your company. Thus, we have prepared some information on this topic for your review.

1.What is the expected number of people expected to attend the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival?

In September of 2003, RTR hosted the St. Louis DEAFestival at Westport Plaza. Approximately 3,000 people attended that event. For a more recent event, the Deaf Expo – which was held on May 5, 2007 in St. Charles, Missouri – had more than 2,300 people attending the event. Thus, our projections call for between 3,000 to 5,000 people to attend the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival.

Of course, this projection is a very conservative estimate and the number could be much higher than that due to the fact that the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival will fall on Labor Day weekend and many out-of-state families may wish to travel to St. Louis and attend the DEAFestival on that weekend. Sponsoring the DEAFestival would help your company market its products to a large group of people.

2.What are the demographics of the audience that the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival is expected to reach?

In the St. Louis metropolitan area, it is commonly estimated that there are about 150,000 people with varying degrees of hearing loss. That includes people who are completely deaf, people who have some degree of hearing loss, people with cochlear implants, etc. In addition, there are the family members of these people with hearing loss. Assuming that each person with hearing loss has at least one parent, sibling or spouse in the family, that represents an additional 150,000 people that potentially could be interested in the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival. Moreover, there are also people who may not be affiliated with a person with hearing loss but are interested in the cause of deafness, e.g. friends, researchers, advocates, etc. That number cannot accurately be estimated. Clearly, there is a minimum of about 250,000 people in the audience that the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival is targeting. Our attendance estimate of 3,000 to 5,000 people, therefore, is extremely conservative and is based on prior attendance figures at similar events in the St. Louis area.

3.How would sponsors get their name publicized through the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival?

There are a variety of ways that sponsors can get their name publicized through the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival. Each sponsorship level is designed to provide publicity commensurate with the amount of money provided. For example, if your company wanted to provide $250 towards the DEAFestival, your company would become a “DEAFestival Enthusiast” and get its name published in the program book for the DEAFestival. Assuming that 3,000 people show up, that would result in minimal marketing exposure for approximately 8 cents per person. The highest level of sponsorship ($10,001 or more) would generate maximum publicity for your company through having one area (e.g. the kids activity area or the food area) of the DEAFestival personally named after your company, having your company identified as a sponsor of a entertainer, a free booth at the DEAFestival where you could communicate directly with people, and a free ad in the program book. Assuming about 3,000 people show up and your company donates the minimum amount, your company would receive maximum marketing exposure for approximately $3.34 per person. Of course, the figures above are based on the low end of our attendance estimates. Therefore, the marketing costs associated with each sponsorship level would drop as more people attend the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival.

4.How would sponsors be able to communicate with the people at the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival?

Three of the sponsorship levels (Angel, Patron and Friends) would provide you with a free booth at which you could interact directly with the people at the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival. Additionally, should your company desire to only be a Supporter or Enthusiast, there will be opportunities to rent a booth from us at the DEAFestival. The fee for renting a booth have not yet been definitively determined but it is estimated that the fee will be somewhere in the range of $500 to $1,000. Thus, if your company desires to have a booth at the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival, it would be highly recommended to become a sponsor at the Friends level, where you would get a free ad in the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival program book and a free booth for a donation of between $1,001 to $5,000.

5.Would sponsors be able to sell products at the DEAFestival?

Yes. However, we would likely need to obtain a vendor permit from the City of St. Louis. It would be highly advisable to let us know in advance whether you plan to sell items at the 2008 St. Louis DEAFestival so that we can then contact the City of St. Louis and obtain a vendor permit for you.