As the largest natural habitat zoo in the world, the state owned and operated North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is on a conservation mission — and its four retail locations throughout the park play a vital role as a funding source.
Since David Whitaker came on board as the North Carolina Zoo Society’s director of retail in 2012, his department has raised $1.65 million from a basic animal button campaign and souvenir vending machines such as penny presses. In 12 years, the “old-timey pin-ons” effort alone has contributed $750,000 toward conservation, and the initiative started with a simple ask.
The zoo-themed buttons have always been a part of the zoo’s retail mix as an impulse counter item. But Whitaker noticed staff didn’t promote them so he began talking up the promotion with staff.
After six months and tracking the ratio of sales-to-button purchase, he decided a more assertive effort was necessary. “At first, every 16 transactions we received a dollar,” he says.
Instilling conservation values in full-time and new and returning seasonal employees is a training focus.
So, he created a contest. Whichever store had the best ratio each month won free lunch. “That gave them some incentive,” Whitaker says, reporting a ratio improvement to a button sold for every 4.94 transactions. This amounted to netting $33,000 for the park in 2012 and $56,000 in 2013.
Again, Whitaker cranked up the campaign.
This time, he chose (but did not disclose) 10 contest days per month. The staff member with the most pins sold would get 10% of the button donations, which could be as much as $100 on busy days. “That really excited everyone,” he says.
In 2014, the ratio moved down to 2.98, and the momentum continues.
Driven by the mission
During more than two decades of conservation efforts, the North Carolina Zoo has prevented species from going extinct and reversed the fate of endangered wildlife.
“We literally have a global reach,” says Whitaker.
Instilling conservation values in full-time and new and returning seasonal employees is a training focus, he says. Every year at orientation, a presentation highlights how proceeds from the gift shops and donations support the mission.
“This connects employees to our mission and helps motivate them,” he says, crediting his “wonderful staff” and their commitment. “It’s about the donation not the button.”
