You Want What, When?

My articles are generally thought provoking, serious and motivating – however sometimes you just need to relax and laugh.

This month I would love to do just that - have some fun.  

For practitioners in the promotions industry, (or any service industry) regardless of how long you have been around, you have undoubtedly been approached by a client or two with an unusual request.  I guess this would stem from all the amazing products we have at our disposal, or client imaginations go haywire, and they reach out to us because they have nowhere else to turn.  Whatever the reason, some of the requests are out there, some way, way out there; but as we generally do, we try to accommodate, we tap into our resources and make our best effort to deliver. Sometimes, it just does not work.

I want to share a few crazy stories of requests I have had along the way, the process, and the end result. At the same time, I want YOU, to think back to some of the nuttiest requests you have had, send them to me under separate cover, and with your permission, I will publish them in a future article. 

Can You Print a Shoe?

A prospect came by my office with a major problem, she was told by a friend, if anyone can do it, Cliff can get it done. She came in, somewhat in a panic, and asked, ‘Can you print tennis shoes?’ As one would imagine, I had never been asked that before, I knew we could probably get them done, but I needed more details. After multiple questions, this was the ‘real story’.

The woman worked for a local agency, and they were doing a photo shoot the following day, and she only needed one pair printed, one location, one color on the heel, with their client’s logo. Today, you could merely, photoshop the logo on the back and be done with it, but this request was long before those days.  I did some digging, made some calculations, and told her the project could be completed in time, if she wanted us to. She inquired about the cost, and I said, “It would be $1,750.00”; obviously the price didn’t sit well with her. Eventually she agreed to pay, and we got the project completed on time.

Her gripe was it was too expensive, and she thought I was taking advantage of her; and that was her reality. I did mention she could go elsewhere, and she said, I already have but ‘you’re the only one who can do it!’ 

Here are a few things to keep in mind, become an expert, and know your worth. I know what my hourly rate (worth) is, I also knew for me to take this project on, it would take my FULL attention, which meant I had to work late into the night, all told, I needed ten hours to complete the project. I shared this fact, and all the other projects I was working on, were being placed on hold, and if I was NOT taking on her project, I would be making my hourly rate with other existing clients.

Folks, your take-away should be this. Know Your Value, Make Sure You get paid for not only what you do, but what and who you know.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Not such a crazy request, but it definitely caught me off-guard. A mechanical service company wanted a unique item to give to their top 50 clients. This was to include the product, and two tickets to the (then called) Washington Redskins football game was the intended gift to recognize, and thank them for their loyalty and business.

Challenge: call came in at 8:00AM and they needed them delivered to their offices for distribution by the sales team no later than 2:00PM…THE SAME DAY. Isn’t it always the way it happens?

Client wanted actual regulation, NFL footballs with their logo, burned into the leather, not printed, actually marked, into the leather.  I made a few industry calls which turned up nothing, no one could help, on to plan B. I remember the day prior walking through Costco and seeing regulation NFL footballs on the shelf, I called, made an inquiry and they had ample stock. On my way to purchase the balls, I called my laser engraver who was a s out-of-the-box, crazy thinker like me. “Rob, I need you to laser engrave fifty footballs, I will have them to you by 10AM, I need them finished by 12:30PM,…huh, TODAY”

Artwork had already been forwarded, we put our heads together and when I arrived Rob already had a gameplan. Deflate the balls, turn them into themselves, don’t mask the area, and let them rip – reinflate the balls pack them up and take them to the client.

Amazing supplier connection. Flawless execution. Elated customer. I needed a nap.

I Need A Fish…a Big Fish! 

My largest client was always, and I mean always, making crazy requests. One morning at 7:00 AM my phone rings and it’s Chris. “Cliff, I am leaving today on a flight at 4:30 PM, we’re having a national sales meeting tomorrow and one of our top guys landed the biggest deal for the company, ever and I need an award.”

So I’m thinking easy, I can have a plaque made on no time, I’ll call my local vendor Rob and have him knock one out, but no, this was Chris, and he wanted something outrageous. 

“Cliff what I want, is a four-foot Rockfish, mounted on a wooden plaque, and an inscription laser engraved with a special message. It just happens that the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, is teeming with Rockfish however we didn’t have time to fish for one and we certainly didn’t have time to have one taxidermied in time.  When Chris had a pet project, price was not an issue -he wanted what he wanted.

I began calling various taxidermists in the area and at about 10:30 AM I struck gold, a four-foot, already finished, rockfish. I had a courier pick it up, sent it to my engraver, I met him there and worked with the supplier to cut, engrave, and mount the fish. Placed it in my car and headed to the airport.

Imagine the look on peoples faces as I’m walking through the airport with this massive fish in my arms. I met Chris at 3:45PM, the look on his face was priceless, but we delivered.

Probably, one of the nuttiest requests I ever had.

Our industry is GREAT, filled with amazing, hard-working, can-do attitude types who, like me, LOVE a challenge. Making these connections, satisfying whacky requests from clients, builds loyalty, trust, and life-long relationships.

What’s your whackiest request, what did you do, how did you overcome, what were the results?  Send me your story, I will compile them, and put them in a future story. Send to cliff@quicksellspeaks.com this is going to be fun. Something we could all use a bit more of right now.

My very best and continued success – continued good selling! CQ