This retailer used events to make the most of a limited ad budget.

Taking into account the need to drive traffic, generate loyalty, and set a premium brand, Gibbons | Peck devised a promotional strategy for this furniture retailer around a calendar of sales events.

Gibbons | Peck:

• Targeted promotional dollars around consumer purchase cycles in order to “make hay where the sun shines.”
• Made the most of manufacturers co-op and promotional programs, within the branded event structure.
• Layered branded components including: preferred customer preview events (in which insiders were given first pick and special savings at after-hours sales preceding each event), highly-qualified branded direct mail (based on a combination of the E.F. Merrell list and purchased lists), branded newspaper, television, and radio to promote the event community wide.

Results: The first event filled the prospect pipeline, leading to a solid month, followed by two record months. Each subsequent event had similar results. Longer term, the events opened relationships, which simplified the job of commissioned sales people.