Spread Holiday Cheer!

At SoRewarding we feel very strongly about giving back to those less fortunate… hence the website where every action leads to giving back! And what better time of year than the holiday season to share the spirit of giving with others?

There’s lights, caroling, sleigh rides, eggnog (yum), and presents (of course)… but every year we are reminded that many families are not as fortunate as we are. One way we are trying to help others out this holiday season is to throw a RewardingCrew party for The Denver Santa Claus Shop!

The Denver Santa Claus Shop is a volunteer-run, nondenominational nonprofit organization that is all about children and toys. Their mission is that every child should have a toy at Christmas! I know you remember that special Christmas morning when you got exactly what you wanted and we are trying to spread a little bit of that joy this year!

This nonprofit organization has helped more than 1.5 million local children in the last 82 years. The Denver Santa Claus Shop is Metro Denver’s largest annual toy drive for needy children during the holiday season and is believed to be the longest, continually running charity of its kind in the United States.

The Shop sets up a giant, temporary “toy store” that opens for four days in December each year. The nonprofit relies on generous people, companies, organizations, etc. to donate new and gently used toys to fill this store. The Denver Santa Claus Shop distributes gift certificates to parents, enabling them to shop and select toys for their children. Families can then visit the “toy store” to pick out a gift for the holiday season.

So, how can you get involved? Join us on December 4th at Baker St. Pub and Grill in the DTC area for the “Santa Social” as we toast to toys! Stop by after work for this happy hour event and bring a toy for a less fortunate tot in the area!

Make sure to check www.SoRewarding.com for tickets and we hope to see you there full of holiday spirit!

SoRewarding.com Update!

Drum roll please…..

SoRewarding has officially launched its new and improved website with all sorts of exciting features! You asked and we listened, so check it out!

One of the anticipated features of the revamped website is the “Events” feature that allows anyone to easily create their own public or private events. For whatever type of event you may be planning (birthday party, concert, reunion, graduation, etc.) you can use this feature to manage your attendees, communication efforts and organize the event in one easy-to-use location. And check this out, you can even sell tickets to your event by using the “Event + Tickets” feature. Oh, and looking to save some money? Use the “Event + Discount” feature to request discounts from local merchants for the attendees of your events.

But don’t worry all you philanthropic party-goers, SoRewarding’s giving back component will not be lost with the new website. In fact, supporting local causes has become the main focus of the site. Every action taken on SoRewarding.com gives users the ability to donate to a non-profit of their choice! So start thinking about who you want to support when you buy that next concert ticket or discount to your favorite sushi joint!

Another new aspect of SoRewarding.com which adds to the charitable nature of the website is the “Fundraiser” feature. With this feature nonprofits, merchants, your dad, your second grade teacher, or ANYONE can easily organize their own fundraisers for whatever their cause may be! Now online fundraisers can be created, publicized and managed in a few simple steps.

To get the fundraising going, the SoRewarding team has started some fabulous fundraisers for local non-profits right here in Denver:

•             Rocky Mountain MS Center (yeah, you remember them from our last RewardingCrew event!)

•             Brent’s Place

•             Smart-Girl, Inc.

•             Mile High Youth Corps

•             Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver

•             The Rise School of Denver

•             Parent to Parent of Colorado

•             Shiloh House

So when you visit the website help us out a little by donating whatever you have to spare to one of these awesome causes!

Here at SoRewarding we cannot WAIT to present the new website to the public! Help us spread the word! As you all know, SoRewarding’s social network brings communities together through giving back while engaging in fun day-to-day activities. So what are you waiting for? Go check out the new site and send any feedback our way… we’d love to hear from you!

Rocky Mountain MS Center & Candlelight Tavern!

Hey gang!

Sheesh, where to start?!  It was an absolutely awesome night this past Friday at Candlelight Tavern… so awesome in fact, it was record-breaking!  We had 113 people buy a ticket and get their party on in support of the MS Center!  Yes you read that right, 113!  We were even on pace to sell more but we hit capacity at Candlelight at around 11:30PM!

You didn’t know it, but Candlelight was packed with philanthropic people!  Of course each person who bought a ticket automatically made a donation, but on-top of that we had people donate through Koozie and T-Shirt purchases!  100% of proceeds from Koozie and T-Shirt purchases went to Rocky Mountain MS Center.

It’s SoRewarding:) to see the mission of giving back, connecting the community and having a great time gain momentum in Denver!  There’s no magic to it, all of us have gone out and had a good time.  But these events are a way to have a Good time AAAND support a Great cause!

To each of the 113 people who made a donation with your ticket purchase; Cheers!  With your support, you made it possible to give a check of $1050.00 to Rocky Mountain MS Center!  Not too shabby for a group of heathens running amuck.

Mile High Support for Rocky Mountain MS Center

The RewardingCrew and Candlelight Tavern are teaming up to present the city of Denver an Event you do not want to miss!

Friday, Oct. 12^th at 7:30pm the Candlelight Tavern on South Pearl St will be the venue for Mile High Support for Rocky Mountain MSCenter.

The focus of this event is to give-back to the community (Rocky Mountain MS Center) and have a good ol’ time doing it.  What better way to help others than by enjoying a few drinks, meeting like-minded people and hearing about a great cause in your neighborhood.  Who knows, you may even find your calling to become a passionate difference maker in your community.  We can hope, right? J

Each ticket price is $12 – included in your ticket purchase is a generous donation to Rocky Mountain MS Center, also included are 3 drink vouchers.

Just being there, enjoying a few drinks, you’re giving back to a selfless organization that will use the funds raised to positively impact the lives of countless people. 

Over 75 came out to the last event.  For $12 you get 3 drinks.  From that same $12 you are making a direct donation to Rocky Mountain MS Center.  What are you waiting for – visit www.SoRewarding.com to purchase tickets.

"Thanks @SoRewarding for an awesome evening!!"

Make an Impact!

SoRewarding.com hosts Unite for the Fight and raises $3,151 for MyLifeLine.Org in one night!

Over 75 people purchased tickets and came out to support MyLifeLine.Org at Kentucky Inn this past Friday, truly a night to remember.  Tickets were only $12 - 3 drinks, goodies and a generous donation to MyLifeLine.Org were included in the ticket price.

Details?  A little fuzzy, but by all accounts it was a righteous night!

A special thank you to MyLifeLine.Org, Kentucky Inn and to each of the generous donors who made extra contributions!  The $3,151 raised through ticket sales and night-of-the-event donations are going to an outstanding organization and will  make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients.

More details?  Come to the next "Good time for a Great Cause" and see what it's all about for yourself!  Get a deal, give-back, have a good time.

Until next time, cheers!

See more pictures and stay current on events and updates about SoRewarding:  Like us, Follow us.

Unite for the Fight!

Hello dear SoRewarding friends!

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post.  Today, I want to write about our upcoming event Unite for the Fight for MyLifeLine.org at Kentuky Inn on Friday, Sept 28^th in Denver CO.

But first, to do that, I’ll provide some background info for those who are unfamiliar with our events and what they’re all about.  Our events are focused on one thing, a deserving local non-profit that could use some help fundraising.   Our events have naturally evolved into “Good times for Great causes” – this was bound to happen seeing as how there are great people behind these great causes and with great people comes good times! 

We work closely with over 30 non-profits in the local Denver area and each of them has a mission that is admirable, impactful and praiseworthy.  Once a decision is made to host an event for a non-profit partner the RewardingCrew gets to work! 

First up, the RewardingCrew finds a cool local venue with a history of giving, to host the event.  Next, a ticket is put together – included in the price is a substantial donation to the non-profit, drinks and sometimes food.  Of course these things vary from event to event depending on the venue and the non-profit involved.

So you’re probably wondering… what does it all mean for me?  Well, making the assumption that you’re a giving-person and care about your community, it doesn’t get better than this!  This is a great opportunity for everyone to support their community while having a good time and getting to know one another.   The next event, Unite for the Fight – includes 3 drinks and your donation to MyLifeLine.org… for $12!  You’d likely pay $12 for 3 drinks on a typical night (If you’re lucky) but at a Good time for a Great cause, you pay the $12 and make a real, meaningful impact on your community.

Be a part of the positivity in your community and give-back by being a part of Good times for Great causes. Have fun, meet people, make a difference and give-back… all while enjoying lively libations.  See you at a Good time for a Great cause in your neighborhood!

Cheers, Happiness and Giving,

SoRewarding

What’s a Good time for Great cause?

A good time for a great cause (GTGC) is exactly what it sounds like!  A night of senseless boozing, excessive money spending and regrettable decisions… Wait, wait, scratch that.  I was thinking about MY typical Friday night.

GTGC’s are a little different - it’s not exactly a senseless night of boozing (There will be drinks, but it’s for a cause, much better, am i right?) and you won’t be spending excessive amounts of money on drinks (Get a deal on booze for being part of a worthy cause).  Regrettable decisions are kept at a minimum. (Can’t actually guarantee that one, don’t even necessarily endorse the concept.)

An example of a GTGC would be the Back to College Bash happening on Sept 7^th, this Friday.  It’s 3 drinks for $12 and a solid portion of that is a donation to Byrne Urban Scholars. 

Yes, a novel concept indeed.

Buy a ticket:                         

1. Save money on drinks and food.
2. A donation is made to a local non-profit.
3. Party your face off per usual.  (If you fancy)

I know, your mind is blown.  It’s OK, you’ll be fine. Let's focus on what's important: a quick recovery and YOU coming out to party for a purpose with intelligent, philanthropic and caring people...  AKA the most beautifullest peoplest people in the whole wide milky-way.

Until next time... 

Cheers

have you ever wanted to plan a perfect Event?

After much anticipation and a lot of work, we had the unveiling of our new release late last week.  The biggest change in this release is the addition of our new “Events” feature to our Consumer Drive Deals platform.  That's not all, we've also improved the functionality and flow of the site, and in our humble opinion have made it look a lot cooler!

So, what’s this “Event” piece?  I’ll tell you this much, there isn’t anything like it out there!  To quote our featured article in TechCrunch, “… allowing users to create an event at a local merchant and request a group deal for each of the attendees.”

So, for example, you can have an event for a birthday party at a local wings joint, including the date, time, place, description, number of attendees, etc.  While at the same time you can request a deal for each person attending the event.  The merchant location receives an email notification and has 24-hours to accept, reject, or counter-offer.  If the deal is accepted, invitations are automatically sent out and attendees can RSVP by purchasing the deal from the event page, which also has all the info you need on it.

It’s like a typical event, say on Facebook, except it's on steroids.  The Events feature really flexes its muscle by incorporating non-profit organizations.  You can select a non-profit to receive donations from your event, or even make it strictly a fundraiser event; the options are there for the taking.  So besides getting all the guests a great deal for your event, you also help your community by donating to non-profit organizations you support.

Hop on SoRewarding today and try it for yourself.  We have great merchants that can host your event in Denver!   Until next time… Make a difference and give-back.

Cheers.

Our newest SoRewarding Video Release

We recently released our newest SoRewarding video (above).  It was a struggle to squeeze everything we wanted to share with the internetz in a minute and a half, but I think we managed to do a decent job.   Besides, for all the stuff that didn't make it in the video, we can write about it in our blog, right? amirite?

So, in the video we tried to highlight how SoRewarding is a game-changer in the daily-deal space and is a win for EVERYONE.  Seriously, EVERYONE.  By everyone, I mean like each party involved in anything that happens on our site.  So, who is everyone?  Valid question.  Everyone starts with... you guessed it... YOU!  Then the businesses on our site.  And last but not least, our cherished non-profits.

Our beloved users win because they get to try new places, meet new people when we host events and of course, save money.  So we have deals on our site for users, but so what?!  A lot of sites do that.  OK, ok, i got ya... keep reading.  Here's where we are different, we don't consider our users little minions or sheep that we herd into buying specific deals. You can request your own deals... you know, on stuff that you actually want. We have a list of great local businesses.  You choose one.  You send them a request, say $10 for $20.  The business accepts, rejects or counter-offers within 24 hours.  If it's accepted or counter-offered the deal is published to our homepage, for everyone to buy.

Our darling businesses/merchants win because they get exposure to new customers, but here's the real kicker. The merchants on our site can publish their own deals, whenever they want, for any discount they want.  Oh, they don't want to publish any deals?  Well then, they can decide to accept, reject or counter-offer the deals our users request from them!

Now, onto our cherished non-profits... Our favorite part of this entire thing. For each and every transaction made on our site, we make a donation to a non-profit of the buyers choice.  We've got a lot of different non-profits to choose from so that there is something for everyone.  We've been lucky to have so many non-profits wanting to work with us.  The reason for this, we make a difference for them.  They receive donations and in-turn make our community a better and more connected place by furthering their worthy causes.

So, for our users, you can request and buy deals that you actually want.  Our merchants get to publish the deals they want or accept user requests they like.  And non-profits always win, they receive a donation from SoRewarding anytime a purchase is made on our site.  Now go onward and create the deals you want.  Support the causes you love. :-)

Cheers!

First ever Party for a Purpose Event!

This post should be prefaced by saying that we are very grateful for the generosity and compassion that everyone involved in our first ever Party for a Purpose event has shown.  WOW, truly wonderful to see everyone come together and rally behind a great cause for a night of fun!  You may even say the experience was SoRewarding J .

There was a certain excitement and buzz in the air at Indulge Bistro and Wine Bar on the evening of June 18^th and as people joined the party, that vibe only grew stronger.  The wine was flowing, the food was sizzling and friendly faces were in abundance!  That’s a winning combination and while I was sitting there eating my Caprese Kabob (vine-ripe grape tomato, fresh mozzarella and delicious basil), I thought to myself, why can’t we do this every-day?!

I snapped out of my day-dreaming mode when I heard the wonderful voice of Dianne from the Make-A-WishFoundation begin giving a toast for the evening.  It was beautiful to learn about Make-A-Wish and hear about how they’ve positively affected the lives of so many children with life-threatening illnesses. 

People wrote checks to Make-A-Wish, one was up to $500!!  Shortly after, SoRewarding was doing a raffle to select a $250 CASH prize winner for the evening!  Toni Bixler ended up being the luckiest of the bunch and winning the $250, but as I mentioned before, generosity and compassion was in the air and she donated $150 of her prize to Make-A-Wish!

All-in-all, it was a night to remember.  Even though I’m writing this with the hint of a hang-over, I know I partied for a purpose and made a difference and no matter how big that difference is, every little bit counts!

Thank you to everyone who came out, if you missed it, I hope to see you at the next one!

Drinks were had, donations were made… PARTY FOR A PURPOSE!  Find pictures and more here:  http://www.rewardingcrew.com/

Have you ever taken a moment to reflect on how fortunate you are?

“I’m so blessed to have my health, a caring family, clean water to drink, a roof over my head.”

I know I’ve had these thoughts run through my mind countless times.  It feels great to appreciate all that we have and to take nothing for granted, but I’ve always felt like there is something more.  Something more, I realized, came in the form of wanting to turn these thoughts and feelings into action.

Helping the less fortunate, especially helping those that cannot help themselves became that action.  To make the biggest impact and to help the less fortunate the most, I need your help, your neighbors help, and that strangers help.  Each of us wants to give back and we are caring compassionate people but we don’t know how to give-back.

To bring together like-minded, worldly, caring, generous people and then expose them to a Non-Profit Organization became the mission of the RewardingCrew.  We are strong together.  Together we can make an impact that goes far beyond what we could be capable of on our own.

Please join us in turning our thoughts into action.  We are fortunate to have all that we do and for one night, we can help the less fortunate, who because of circumstances out of their control do not have many of the things we take for granted.

Party for a Purpose to benefit the Make-A-Wish® ColoradoFoundation – The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions.   The event night will include drinks, hors d'oeuvres, fellow philanthropists and representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation – all in the hopes of raising awareness and funds for Make-A-Wish.

To be a part of a night to remember and join us in coming together to raise money for the children of Colorado, please purchase your event voucher here at:  www.SoRewarding.com

SoRewarding Merchants!

Hi Friends,

We’ve got some new merchants on SoRewarding.com for you to create deals with!  Some of the awesome merchants that are now taking deal requests are listed below: 

Aria Inspired Cuisine, Extreme Pizza – Denver, Japon, IndulgeWine bar, Pine Creek Clothing CO, and All Corners Carpet Cleaning.

All you need to do to send a deal request is: 

1.       Select a merchant
2.       Enter the value you want
3.       Enter what you’re willing to pay for it
4.      Select a non-profit to receive donations
5.      DONE

Send a deal request today and you’ll have a response tomorrow…   Get deals on the things you want and for the value you want, while helping your community. 

PRO-TIP:  Increase the likelihood of your deal being accepted or counter-offered by not asking for 100% off. J

Feature Your Business

Make your business more successful and recognizable among your community, right now.  Interact with non-profit organizations, the people who work there and their supporters.  Mingle with other business owners and their customers.   Publish an offer to your business for any discount you want to as many or as few people as you want.  Be a catalyst for donations to non-profits and the betterment of your community.

HOW?

Unlock the potential of your business by creating a Merchant Page for your business on SoRewarding.com.  You’ll be joining fellow merchants, great non-profits and potentially new customers on the site.  We like to think of it as a utopia, a setting for the growth of your business and the strengthening of our community.

Growing your business has never been SoRewarding.  Join our community today by making a personal profile and then adding a Merchant Page for your business. 

Questions?  Find us here:  contact@sorewarding.com

Make a difference today. Make a difference tomorrow. Make a difference now.

I think it goes without saying that many of us take for granted what Non-Profit organizations do for us, our kids and our community.  It is commonplace for non-profits to work behind the scenes, quietly providing help and care to hundreds, thousands, sometimes millions of people.  Not for accolades or recognition but based on the principle of humanity and to lessen the suffering of others.

At SoRewarding.com we have 15 non-profit partners.  We believe that each one of these profits offers positivity, happiness and immeasurable value to our communities.  You can learn about our non-profit partners by visiting each of their pages.  For example, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado page can be found here:  http://www.sorewarding.com/page/big-brothers.

Non-profit pages make it easy to find a mission statement or get information like website or phone number, but the BEST part is that you can DONATE directly to your favorite organization through their page on SoRewarding.com!  Look at the picture below that shows the Mile High Leaps andBounds non-profit page, you’ll notice a ‘Donate’ button.

You can log-in to SoRewarding.com and make a donation to any of your favorite non-profit organization with the click of a button!  We like to think this will help raise awareness and increase donations made to these wonderful organizations and people who make so many things possible for the less fortunate.  Visit SoRewarding.com … save money, connect with your community and make a difference today.

Icons and browsing SoRewarding.com

There are many features on SoRewarding that we have implemented in the hopes of improving the functionality of our site and making your experience as enjoyable as possible.  One feature to keep in mind is the different icons on our merchant pages.  Our icon’s work as an easy visual reminder of what each page has to offer to our users.  When you’re using the search bar to find your favorite merchant or a non-profit and stumble across a few icons you don’t recognize, simply hover over them to get a quick description.

Here’s a quick run-down and description of our most popular Merchant Page icons:

• The icon above is simple.  If you see this icon on a page it means this is a merchant page that has NOT yet been claimed by the owner but has been added by a member of the SoRewarding community

• The icon above signifies that this merchant is a Registered Merchant of SoRewarding.  In other words, the owner of the business is in control of this page and may respond to your reviews, questions and compliments.  So be nice!

• The icon above is the holy grail of our merchant icons.  If a merchant page has this icon it means that they have enabled their consumer driven deals.  That means, SEND DEAL REQUESTS!  No, really, you can create a deal with any merchant that has this icon.  You can customize your deal how you want it, even including the percentage off!

How to Send Deal Requests and Create a Deal with a merchant:

• After finding a merchant page by using the search bar on the homepage, create a deal with them right then!  All you do is click on the ‘Create a Deal!’ link (shown above) and fill out a few fields and presto, you’re done!

Merchants: Publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage!

Are you a business owner? Do you want to publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage, but don’t want to wait for someone to send a deal request to you? 
SoRewarding is not only the home of Consumer Driven Deals, we're also one of the only places that's automated the process for merchants to publish their own deals. Getting started is easy, just follow these simple instructions:

• In order to publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage, you must have a SoRewarding profile and a page for your business. Next, you must enable your Consumer Driven Deals feature, which will allow you to receive deal requests from consumers and publish your own deals.
  Click the links to learn how to do each.
• After you’ve logged in, make sure you’re using SoRewarding as your business. Click Menu and then click the Dashboard button.
• Once you’re on the Dashboard for your business, click “Publish a Deal.” This will open up a calendar for you to select the day you’d like your deal to publish on.

• After you’ve selected the day you want your deal to run on the SoRewarding homepage, the rest of the “Publish a Deal” form will open up. Your default deal settings will automatically populate. 

• Just fill in the fields with the details of the deal you want to publish and then click “Add the Deal.” You’re done! Your deal will publish on the date you selected. You can even enter your customers' email addresses and share this deal with them!

Merchants: How to Enable the Consumer Driven Deals feature for your business

The first step to driving new and existing customers to your business is enabling your Consumer Driven Deals! 

Getting started is easy, just follow these instructions:

• Before you can enable your Consumer Driven Deals, you must have a merchant page for your business. If you haven't done so already, click here to learn how.
• After you’ve been verified as the owner/authorized manager of your business, you can enable your Consumer Driven Deals feature. First, make sure you’re using SoRewarding as your business. After logging in, click Menu and underneath Use SoRewarding as:, select your business page. 

• Now that you're using SoRewarding as your business, click Menu again and then click Dashboard. Next, click the Enable Consumer Driven Deals button.
• There are 2 parts to enabling your Consumer Driven Deals. 
• First, you must agree to the Terms and Conditions. Just check the box saying “I agree…”
• Second, you'll set up your default deal settings. Each time you accept or publish a deal, this information will appear on the page for your deal. You'll have the opportunity to change/edit this info each time, but to save time, this is the info that will automatically populate every time.

If you're confused about something when filling out your default deal settings, just hover your cursor over the question mark icons. A tip will appear that will tell you what to enter in that field.

After agreeing to the Terms & Conditions and entering your default deal settings, click "Save" and you're ready to go! You'll receive an email alert when you get a deal request with instructions on how to respond. You'll only have about 24 hours to respond, so once you get that email alert, you should respond sooner rather than later.

If you accept or counter-offer a deal request, here's an example of what your deal page will look like. The area circled in purple is where your highlights will appear, the area circled in green is where your fine print will appear, and the area circled in blue is where your ad copy will appear. The pictures you add (up to 4) will cycle every 5 seconds.

You can also publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage after you've enabled your Consumer Driven Deals! To learn how to do this, click here.

How to get your business on SoRewarding

Setting up a merchant page for your business on SoRewarding is easy! Just follow the simple instructions below. Click on the pictures for a closer look.

• First, you’ll need to create a personal profile. From your personal profile, you can add pages for businesses and/or non-profits.  You’ll manage your pages from your personal profile.

• After creating a profile, log in and click "Menu" in the top right corner. Then click “Add a Page” from the dropdown menu.

• Select “Merchant.”

• Fill out the form with information about your business.  Under “Relationship to Business,” if you select I’m the owner of this business or I’m a/the manager at this business, a “page claim” will be sent to SoRewarding. A SoRewarding representative will follow up with you to verify your identity as owner/manager of the business. This is a measure taken to prevent people misrepresenting your business and running fraudulent deals under your business name. After verification, you’ll be able to enable your Consumer Driven Deals feature and start receiving deal requests/publishing your own deals!

• While waiting for verification, you can view and edit your merchant page. To edit or add info to your page, simply click the “Edit Page” button and then click the info you want to edit.

As soon as you've been verified, you can enable your Consumer Driven Deals! Then, you can start receiving deal requests from customers or publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage. 

To learn how to enable your Consumer Driven Deals, click here.

Thank You!

Hi Friends,

Hopefully at least a few of you caught us on the local news in Denver.  We were on CBS channel 4 last week, which as you know (if you live in Denver) is the equivalent to being nominated for and winning an Oscar on Primetime television!

We are extremely flattered to be recognized by CBS4 and Denver as a company they deemed worthy to have a spot on the nightly news.  This only reinforces our commitment and dedication to connecting our communities and rewarding our users.  We didn’t get here without any help; we couldn’t possibly show enough appreciation to the city of Denver, our blog readers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, SoRewarding users and YOU!  All the thanks in the world, you guys are truly great and we couldn’t have done it without your support.

We’re overjoyed with the reception we have received thus far and our optimistic about the future!  If you didn’t catch the piece on CBS4, you can find it here:  http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/18/new-website-allows-customers-to-create-own-savings/#.T7qngXnX-jQ.twitter

Until next time… SoRewarding, out!

The RewardingCrew

Hey guys!  I want to share some news with everyone about an exciting new development at SoRewarding.  (Drum Roll) ….

It’s the RewardingCrew!  So, what is the RewardingCrew you ask?  It’s simple, instead of having a hangover and a ludicrous credit card receipt the morning after a night of partying.  You’ll now still have a hangover BUT also a sense of self-satisfaction by knowing that you and your friends Partied For a Purpose!

What purpose, you ask?  Well, at each of our RewardingCrew parties we select one of our non-profit partners to be the star of the evening.  As the party goes on till the wee hours of the morning, and some of us take the early cab home, this Non-Profit will receive donations from patrons and proceeds from the purchases made that night! 

All the usual suspects will be there, booze, socializing, lost phones, laughs, tears, joy, BUT in addition to these things we Party for a Purpose.  Finally, it is our turn to reward these people who do so much to positively change and impact the world!  Now that we’ve whet your palate and you’re eagerly waiting to find out the location of our next RewardingCrew party…  

Stay tuned for more… COMING SOON!  

Good Monday everyone!

Monday’s can be rough, we know.  How about brightening the prospect for the week by getting yourself one of our Offers!

How about a phenomenal lunch at Aria for 50% off?  Aria is located in Cherry Creek North and has a beautiful outdoor patio, perfect for Denver summers!  Enjoy a world-class lunch delicately prepared by the chefs at Aria, the food is outstanding.  Make a day out of it and pick up some groceries at Whole Foods, did I mention you could get those for 50% off as well?  Well, you can and it’s redeemable at any Whole Foods Market location in Colorado.

Let SoRewarding brighten your week, reward yourself with a few excellent offers and make a positive impact on your community by choosing which non-profits we donate to!  How about Big Brothers Big Sisters?  Reward yourself and your community… visit SoRewarding.com today.

Don’t forget, if you don’t see any offers that interest you, create your own!  If we don’t have a merchant that you’d like an offer from, suggest them!  The SoRewarding team is at your beck and call to make your life easier and to make your community more enjoyable.  Have a fabulous Monday and a great rest of the week.

Enjoy Colorado this weekend!

In keeping with our commitment to spam our readers with worthless junk every single day, we want to make sure you know about:  Estes Park to host 22nd Jazz Fest May 19-20! 

As you all know, and should go without mention - this is not junk, Estes Park is an absolutely stunning place.  The natural beauty of a city like Estes, is second to none.  So get out this weekend and have some fun in a beautiful setting, enjoy jazz at its best while being surround by the mountains and nearby the river.

Max Wagner, who was quoted by the article, says:  "The program is eclectic and varied because jazz is," Wagner continues, "There's something for everyone in it.”

If jazz just isn’t your cup of tea, there will also be an Art Walk!  So enjoy living in this wonderful state we call, Colorado, and get out there!  Have a fun & safe weekend.

What:     Estes Park Jazz Fest & Art Walk

When:    Noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20.

Where:   Performance Park, 417 W. Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park.

Cost:       FREE!

Info:        Call 557-9900

Create the deals you want.  Support the causes you love.

Get yo'self a reward of a deal!

Today, I wanted to do a little blog entry to help my fellow Denverites.  I should clarify, by help, I mean saving you money at some of the best restaurants in our awesome community.  Not only save you money, but give you the opportunity to select a worthy non-profit to receive donations from us.

You like saving money and helping people, right?  Excellent.  Everybody likes to spend less and help their community become a better place.  Sometimes it’s just not the easiest thing to do, but I think we’ve helped make doing both saving money and helping people, as easy as pie. 

Log-on to SoRewarding.com and spend less at your favorite places while making a positive impact in your neighborhood, with a few clicks of your mouse!  Create a deal with any of our merchants, like Japon, Whole Foods, Indulge Bistro & Wine Bar, Belvedere, and the list goes on.  Creating a deal is easy, a simple 4-steps and you’re done!  You’ll be notified within 24 hours on the status of your request.

We think this is a fun, interactive, and beneficial way for the community to become more connected and for people to spend less so they can do more!  Also, because you’re creating the deal, it’ll be exactly what you want.  Join us on SoRewarding.com and create your own deal today!

Create the deals you want.  Support the causes you love.

Connecting the city

Exciting news to share – Denver, there will be a new Light Rail!

This is great news for any Denverite as the city will be that much more accessible by public transportation.  That translates to visiting new places, trying new things and enjoying more of what Denver has to offer.

As quoted from the article:  “Planners say Denver Union Station will serve as a multimodal transportation hub, integrating light rail, commuter rail, and intercity rail (Amtrak), as well as regional, express, and local bus service, the 16th Street mall shuttle, Downtown Circulator, and intercity buses, taxis, shuttles, vans, limousines, bicycles and pedestrians.”

Besides the fact that this strengthens our community, there is another positive.  This positive is pretty exciting, wait for it, “A lunch time grand opening celebration for the Light Rail Plaza at Denver union Station will be held Friday, May 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.”   Celebrate! 

There will be festivities at Denver Union Station, starting with a concert by Electric Hammer at 11:30 a.m. and finishing off with a Roz Brown performance at 12:40 p.m.  Bring some snacks and have a great afternoon.  Be there or be square.

Article:  http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20636387/denvers-union-station-host-light-rail-plaza-party

Business owners! Have we got something for you…

Based on speaking, listening and meeting with business owners… We proudly present to you: SoRewarding.com - Merchant Pages.  Our merchant pages give you a way to increase your exposure and get involved with your community!  

See how our merchant pages look here:  Merchant Page, Get one!

Check out a few of the features for Merchant Pages below!

Publish your own deals

• No more time spent working with sales representatives from a thousand deal companies.  Create customized deals that benefit you and your customers the most.

Receive deal requests

• Have requests sent directly to your business from paying customers.  Accept, reject, or counter-offer the requests with a click of a button from your mobile device or on SoRewarding.com.

Enjoy new customers

• SoRewarding brings you customers in your area to your business so that you can win them over and keep them coming back again and again.

Get paid

• You don’t need anything upfront to run a deal.  On the day your deal runs, buyers will pre-pay and you’ll get paid in full a few days later.

Connect with your community

• Each time an offer is purchased on SoRewarding.com, we donate to a local non-profit.  Your business will receive recognition for making these donations possible and gain exposure among the supporters of different charity organizations and the community as a whole.

Is this a good Offer, what’s this place like?

I love having a great group of friends and co-workers to rely on for opinions, everything from how my shirt looks to what I should do this weekend.

SoRewarding isn’t much different!  Our little community does a great job at expressing their opinions by writing reviews and sharing tips.  So now, when you’re considering buying an offer and naturally the question arises, “Is this a good Offer, what’s this place like?” you can find out in one-click on SoRewarding.com.  Our tips and reviews on Merchant pages give you useful information about a merchant.  Like, what are the best things they offer at this place, what should I avoid, where is this place, when is it open – all of this info can be found on SoRewarding!

These reviews and tips are written by people just like you – Y’know beautiful, intelligent, sociable people.  We encourage people to share their experiences with friends on SoRewarding, whether it is a positive or negative one. We think it’s pretty neat that you can write reviews and share tips about Offers and merchants we have on SoRewarding.  Hop on SoRewarding, like literally jump, and let your voice be heard!

How do you get exclusive offers and great deals to the best businesses in Denver?

We hear it all the time, “I’d love to go to that sushi place, it’s just so darn expensive!”

SoRewarding is here to be the shining light at the end of the tunnel, your saving grace, the jelly to your peanut-butter, the milk to your Oreo cookie… I think you get the gist.

Seriously, you can log-in to SoRewarding.com and suggest a merchant you’d like to get deal from, did I mention it takes less than 2 minutes?  We’ll do our magic to get the merchant on-board and presto!  You’ll be able to request deals directly from the merchant and take advantage of exclusive offers they publish to SoRewarding.

How do I Suggest a merchant?  On the city page directly below the current offers from Whole Foods, Wild Bangkok and others – there is a search bar.  Type the name of your favorite places in that search bar, if your place doesn’t show up, click the suggest button that appears under the search bar.  From there, answer a few questions and you’re done!  We’ll send you an Email when the business you suggested joins.

Get on SoRewarding and let us know who you’d like to get Offers from.  We’ll make it happen.  It’s that easy.  TGIF!  Everyone have a great weekend.  Check out SoRewarding for offers you can use this weekend, OH YEA make sure not to miss the Nuggets game on Saturday, May 12^th at 10:30 PM ET.  #BEAT LA!

Did you know merchants can publish their own deals on SoRewarding?

Well, you can! And it's really easy, too.

SoRewarding is not only the home of Consumer Driven Deals, but we're also one of the only places that has automated the process for merchants to publish their own deals. Getting started is simple:

1. Join SoRewarding and create a page for your business: If you don't already have a SoRewarding account, visit SoRewarding.com to request an invitation. An invitation will be emailed to you. Create a personal account, and then from there you can create a merchant page for your business. Just click the arrow in the top right corner to get started creating your merchant page.
2. Claim your business page: After creating a page for your business, go to the Dashboard and click "Claim Page." Enter the contact info and someone at SoRewarding will contact you to verify. We verify all of our merchants to prevent fraudulent deals being published.
3. Enable your Consumer Driven Deals: After verification and your page is officially claimed, go to your dashboard and click "Enable Consumer Driven Deals." Agree to the Terms and Conditions, fill out your default deal settings, add pics and click "Save."
4. Publish a Deal: Now that you've enabled your Consumer Driven Deals, you can publish your own deals on the SoRewarding homepage! To publish a deal, go to your Dashboard. Under "Deals," click "Publish a Deal." Select the day you want your deal to appear on the homepage and then fill out the details. Click "Add the deal" and you're set! 

Here's an example of what your deal will look like:

Need help? Hover your cursor over the question mark icons and a helpful tip will appear. 

Charity: Water

Hi Everyone,

Today I wanted to share some information with you about a great non-profit known as Charity Water.  I learned about their cause only a few days ago and am so excited to be able and share their mission.  If you have been on the fence about supporting a Non-profit and you’re looking for a cause to support, this may be it.  As stated on Charity Water’s website:

 “90% of the 30,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are of children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.”

Most of us in developed nations are very fortunate and we sometimes forget that much of the developing world still doesn't have access to one of the most basic necessities of life; water.   I know I’m not much different than everyone else; I fill my Nalgene with clean, precious water, without thinking twice.  After learning about Charity Water, it is evident how lucky I am.  Putting myself in the shoes of the less fortunate, I don’t think I’ve ever been really, really thirsty.  I’ve never had to leave my house and walk five or ten miles to fetch some water.  But still, there are billions of people on the planet who don’t have clean water.  They need our help.

Charity Water makes a significant, positive impact improving the quality of life for millions of people throughout the world.  Our CEO at SoRewarding has felt so strongly about the cause, he has personally donated to Charity Water.  Now, the entire SoRewarding Staff is eager to get involved and help Charity Water to provide less fortunate people, who didn’t ask for polluted water, clean and nourishing water.  This water will go a long way in health, sanitation, disease prevention and the growth of their community.  As you all know, that is what SoRewarding is all about.  Bringing communities together and helping provide a bright future by donating to outstanding Non-Profits, such as Charity Water.

I hope that I’ve shared some information with you today, which will make us all more grateful and appreciative about the things we take for granted.  Hopefully we can have Charity Water soon be one of our Non-Profits on SoRewarding so that each of us can help this wonderful cause and help millions across the globe.

Until next time… Reward yourself and your community.  Visit SoRewarding.com

The things someone in Denver should do...

Good afternoon all!

Today at SoRewarding, all the talk around the water cooler was about Denver and how wonderful this city is to live in.  This made us all think, what are among the best things to do in Denver? 

After some discussion and asking for opinions from our friends, we’ve got a list!  Of course there are a ton of  great things to do in Denver, but amongst the top in our humble opinion are as follows.  A show at red rocks, a reindeer sausage with cream cheese and sautéed onions from Biker Jim’s Dogs, and a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Luckily, I’ve had the privilege of doing all of these things and can say honestly say they were more than worthwhile!  Time for a shameless plug, if you’re reading this, you can hop on SoRewarding and check out Biker Jim’s Dogs and request an offer for yourself!

So, how’s that for a list of great things to do, Denver?  If you have some suggestions, we’d love to hear them!  Drop us a comment and let us know.

Until next time… Reward yourself and visit SoRewarding.com

Our Non-Profit Partners!

Hey guys,

Our week is off to a great start here at the SoRewarding offices!  As most of you know, and all of you should know, we have some great Non-Profit Partners at SoRewarding.  We are pleased that we have been able to raise money for these great charities in our community.  Not to mention, all of these donations have come at the hands of SoRewarding users who have been able to select the Non-Profit they would like SoRewarding to donate to.

This stuff gives us a warm fuzzy feeling and keeps us motivated here at SoRewarding to provide you wonderful offers and outstanding Non-Profits to select from.  We are all making a positive impact on our community and it has never been SoRewarding!

It's raining.. It's cold.. It's a day for Thai!

Hey gang!  So, pretty miserable weather in Denver right now… BUT not all is lost.  Hit up Wild Bangkok downtown and get a bowl of warm Wild Pumpkin Soup!   A homemade Thai style organic pumpkin soup sure to turn this dreary day around, oh did I mention we have an offer available at SoRewarding for Wild Bangkok?  Get this sweet offer and enjoy some warm, soothing and delicious soup!  In addition to the soup, get yo'self some Coco Salmon.. it's off the charts.

Until next time... stay rewarded my friends.  Support your community, support a non-profit, enjoy some great stuff while saving money!

Our first offers!

Hey Folks!

How’s everybody doing?  Good, I hope.  As you’d expect, today is just another rewarding day here at SoRewarding… not only because we got to have pizza for lunch but because since our launch, we’ve had great Merchants and users sign-up for our site!  As of now, we have two offers running on our homepage – Whole Foods & Belvedere.  The cool part is that both of these offers were requested by users on our site and merchants responded!  That is what we are all about, providing users the offers they want, when they want them.  We are looking forward to the future and are hopeful about more and more merchants joining SR.

Overall, we are super-pumped about helping non-profits, providing our users with awesome deals and giving our merchants increased exposure!  We hope to see you on SoRewarding… keep an eye out for more updates to come!

Until then, have a rewarding day and stay positive.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at SoRewarding

SoRewarding Launches in Denver!

Consumer-Driven Deal site, SoRewarding Debuts in Denver with First User Deal Request Fulfilled by Whole Foods Market

SoRewarding gives Denver consumers the power to negotiate the deals they want while supporting the charity they love

April 25, 2012 – Denver, Colorado – Denver-based SoRewarding, a social network that lets consumers create and request their own deals, launches Thursday, April 26 by filling its first consumer deal request with member merchant Whole Foods Market.  Turning the world of group deal sites on its head, SoRewarding.com is a conduit for the consumer to negotiate the offer they want directly with the merchant they choose, without any pre-negotiated terms or third party interference. 

Amy Watkins of Denver requested the Whole Foods deal, and was thrilled to hear it had been accepted. “I can’t believe Whole Foods accepted my deal request for a $20 gift card for just $10!  As a mom, I’m always looking for ways to save money while giving my family the best. SoRewarding.com and Whole Foods just made that a lot easier this month,” said Watkins.

“Driving donations to non-profits in our communities via SoRewarding will have a major impact on groups who truly make a difference in the lives of others," says Heather Larrabee, Associate Marketing Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region of Whole Foods Market. "We are thrilled to participate in this inaugural deal and are excited about this revolutionary new model.” 

In celebration of filling SoRewarding’s first consumer deal request, Whole Foods Market is extending the deal to the first 500 SoRewarding members who purchase it.

SoRewarding’s proprietary Consumer Driven Deals (CDD) feature is simple and easy to use, connecting consumers directly to merchants in a social networking setting.  To participate, both merchants and consumers simply request an invitation via the SoRewarding homepage, and upon receipt, create their unique, free profile page.  Members looking for a great deal just need to gather a group of 10 or more friends or buyers and submit their deal request to the merchant via their SoRewarding profile page or smartphone app.  Each time an offer is purchased, each individual buyer can select a participating SoRewarding non-profit organization to receive a cash donation.

Once a merchant receives an offer request, they have 24-hours to accept, reject or counter-offer the request, which can be done from the SoRewarding dashboard, or from a smartphone. The merchant has the power to control all terms and conditions of the offer with the click of a button.

In addition to benefiting consumers and non-profits, SoRewarding stands alone in benefitting the merchant as well.  There are no fees to become a member, and merchants who sign up and enable their Consumer Driven Deals in the first month (through May 25, 2012), will retain 85 percent of the revenues generated through their deals for as long as they are SoRewarding members. Additionally, merchants who sign up after the first month will retain 75 percent of their consumer driven deal revenues for the life of their account; which is by far the highest profit commission paid by any group buy deal site. 

“In this economy, consumers are looking for a way to save money, and companies are looking for ways to both retain existing customers while attracting new ones,” said Marion Mariathasan, SoRewarding CEO.  “People are tired of receiving dozens of emails every day and scouring them for deals that might be of interest to them.  With SoRewarding, consumers can easily connect to the merchants that appeal to them most.”  Continues Mariathasan, “We have automated everything; connecting consumers, merchants, schools and non-profit organizations together through our social network. Saving money, making money and raising money has never been So Rewarding.”

SoRewarding’s non-profit partners include the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver, Make A Wish Foundation of Colorado, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, The Rise School of Denver, Colorado Uplift, Seeds of Hope, Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center, the Morgan Adams Foundationi, My Sister’s Closet, Mile High Leaps and Bounds, and the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation.

SoRewarding is currently an invitation-only network. Consumers, merchants and non-profits interested in joining should visit www.SoRewarding.com to request an invitation.

About SoRewarding

SoRewarding is your social marketplace for creating offers in your community while supporting the causes you love. SoRewarding enables consumers to use the power of group buying to get discounts on the things they actually want, without being inundated with offers they don’t need.

About SoRewarding, LLC

Established in 2011, the founders of SoRewarding came from a technology startup that created the Consumer Driven Deals (CDD) platform. The team, burned out by all the unwanted “deals” they were receiving, created the CDD platform to empower consumers and merchants while creating a simple way to give back.