Clients Need to be Fed

The pandemic seems to be over for the most part. During that extended two-year period some threw up their hands, folded up their tents and decided to call it quits, others said ‘no way’ we can do this, and they did.

I have spoken to and consulted with thousands of people over the years, through all types of life changing situations: the S.A.R.S. epidemic, the 911 catastrophe, and our latest challenge.

It is amazing, when you are hungry and forced to do something like eat, pay your bills, and maintain your quality a life – you find away.

During the height of COVID, I had the pleasure of working with some incredibly open, forward-thinking companies, and we worked on unique ways to engage and communicate with clients and prospects. 

Webinars exploded and iterations of how they looked changed the landscape of how we could communicate – while different, it was extremely effective. ZOOM, WebEx, and Go to Meeting provided platforms were highly effective in that communication.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE PROVERBIAL BOX

One of my best clients and dear friend, Paul Zafarana, MAS, VP of PICA Marketing Group came to me and solicited my help on building an online event for his clients and prospects, where we could connect, deliver digestible information, in a win-win-win environment. I say, win-win-win because we cannot truly succeed in this business without what I call “The Golden Triangle,” great clients, great suppliers, and ourselves. This cooperation, and connectivity, if modeled correctly can produce amazing results.

As Paul and I brain-stormed this project we produced the idea of creating the first online PICA Marketing Diner™, we solicited four of his top preferred vendors to help with the project. Here are some other aspects we put together:

• Developed a strong theme

• Targeted the proper specific audience

• Set specific KPI metrics to measure the success and effectiveness of the program

• Selected products that would amplify and drive the theme and message

• Created a strong invitation

• Pushed all the information via email and social media marketing

• Delivered a strong multi-level education presentation

• Generated excitement

• Reaped amazing results

OUR PROCESS

We reached out, as mentioned, to four of his top vendor partners and explained what we are doing, they loved the idea and bought in. We created a strong opening introducing the entire team and our “chefs” (these were the four vendors who were doing a presentation) each were given 15 minutes, not to talk about products, rather something specific, unique, and relevant their companies did. For instance, our representative from Spector spoke on NFC (Near Field Communication) and how they could be embedded into products and used to drive better engagement – her presentation was stellar!

We then targeted, and invited eighty clients and prospects, seventy-four clients and six prospects, amazingly everyone signed up, everyone attended the entire ninety-minute program.

MERCH & HOW IT CONNECTED TO THE OVERALL OUTCOME

Here were the items and how they were used:

As mentioned, the theme was the PICA Marketing Diner

• A custom unique themed logo was developed – The Marketing Diner

• Lunch box – Exterior and interior sided 60’s Diner Theme

• Journal with NFC Technology – a Spotify© account that linked to a Motown© music playlist, with top hits.

• Earbuds and case – we designed to resemble a hamburger with the earbuds inside, the case, was placed inside a box that mirrored a to-go hamburger container

• Batch of pens – we place twenty yellow pens inside a container that mirrored a French fry container

• Mouse pad – we used this the emulate a placemat 

• Thermal Mug – had a catchy copy that said “Let it Float” to play off of diners having soda-floats

• Custom box – a branded box designed to use as the carrier to every person that signed up for the event 

THE PROGRAM

Each of the supplier partners were given 15 minutes to deliver their presentation, each transitioned to the next. At the end of the program, we delivered a powerful 15-minute presentation on creativity, tying all the products together that were discussed earlier showing how they can work in concert to achieve measurable goals. 

RESULTS

Eighty of the eighty folks invited attended the entire event. The comments received after the event were stellar. What was most impressive is the program generated a staggering $270,000.00 in new business from these specific clients.

My friends, I share this story because I want you to see that with some ingenuity and positively leveraging the talent around you – our amazing supplier partners, you can accomplish anything.

I encourage you to keep your ear to the ground, tap into your amazing creative brain, the opportunities to grow and succeed are endless. 

Want to know more, send me an email, happy to chat.

Continued Success, and Continued Good Selling - CQ