Earlier this month we launched Tru Frameable Moments™, a business-building initiative that demonstrates what custom framers can do like no other — preserve, protect and showcase life’s most memorable moments. Read about how Matt Puchalski, owner of Masterpiece Framing in the Chicago suburb of Bloomingdale, captured a once-in-a-lifetime moment for a local sports fan.

 

 

The event

Last fall restaurant owner Brendan O’Connor had the chance of a lifetime. He was invited to throw the first pitch for his favorite hometown team. As a lifelong fan of the team, Brendan was thrilled and even more excited to see a photo of his pitch on the back cover of the Chicago Sun-Times sports section.

 

 

When I learned about Brendan’s first pitch, I immediately knew how important it would be to him to be able to literally look back on this event. A lot of the work we do is preservation and display of sports memorabilia. I can’t think of a more exciting moment for a fan than to throw out the first pitch at his team’s home game. It’s a story that has engaged Brendan’s family, friends, and customers and will only become more meaningful in the years to come.

 

 

Reaching out to Brendan also made business sense.  His restaurant draws customers from several nearby communities that have an ideal demographic profile for custom framing. He has a strong social media presence and incorporates a mix of fun and promotional posts for his significant following, which includes almost 10,000 Facebook fans. This project gives us the opportunity to support each others’ businesses and expand our reach.

 

 

The design

As for the piece itself, Brendan had several items to include, such as signed photos, tickets, the Chicago Sun-Times article, and the baseball. We chose four-inch-deep black moulding with very clean lines for the shadowbox with a matting that features pinstripes mimicking those on the team jerseys. A plaque with the date of the game sits on top of the matting. The entire piece is covered with Museum Glass® for UV protection and its anti-reflective qualities, which are especially important when working with the depth of a shadowbox.

 

 

 

 

At Masterpiece Framing, we’ve framed baseball cleats, a bike helmet and a collage of Mickey Mantel collectibles, among other items. There are so many different things you can do with custom framing. This is a truly special moment that we were happy to help Brendan commemorate.

 

 

Find and leverage Tru Frameable Moments

Projects like Brendan’s first pitch are ideal for grassroots marketing, publicity, and word-of-mouth. Following are some other ways to incorporate Tru Frameable Moments into your store marketing:

 

• Conduct a contest to find a Tru Frameable Moment in your market and offer a framing package as a prize. Publicize through social media, eNewsletters, and community media.
• Post a Tru Frameable Moment of the Week on your Facebook page, calling attention to the possibilities. Include images of framing projects you’ve done of past Tru Frameable Moments that show what you can do to commemorate others.
• If you capture a high-profile Tru Frameable Moment, tie into the inherent news value of the event. For example, if you’ve framed a signed baseball, use it for a season opening day marketing push.
• Find opportunities on the calendar to remind customers what you can do for their memorable events.
• If you do find a Tru Frameable Moment and share it on social media – remember to hashtag the post with #truframeablemoment.