SublimeNZ News Feed

SublimeNZ is as premium brand activation, experiential marketing, promotional staffing agency that specilises in the creation of 'sublime experiences' between customers and brands. This blog is the outlet for our creative ideas, where we can share about the innovative campaigns or initiatives that we come up with (both successful, and occasionally not) and talk about the goings-on of the experiential marketing/brand activation/promotional staffing industry in New Zealand. We hope that by chatting openly about what we do/how we do it/what is going on- that it will encourage more brands to incorporate experiential into their marketing mix, let our staff know a little more about the thinking behind the agency, and also (ideally) inspire more people to get involved in this vibrant and exciting industry. This blog is written by the SublimeNZ founder and Managing Director, Robert Bruce, who can be reached at [email protected], or [phone] Enjoy Robert Bruce Director SublimeNZ

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Some say that business cards are old fashioned or out of date.. not so says SublimeNZ GM Robert Bruce! You should never leave home without them..

Check out this article about business cards and networking in the latest Idealog Magazine (New Zealands leading business magazine and website) and leave your own sublime business card experience for a chance to win something,..

[sublimenz-blog]

I attend a lot of product launches, parties and celebrations - and have a fair idea of what makes a good one! Here are my thoughts on the the Soli COLD product launch I went to this week, along with some ideas about how to plan and run a great party.

Enjoy!

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ

[sublimenz-blog]

Awards dinners: an insider’s guide to networking

Awards dinners are no walk in the park, even for a seasoned networker like SublimeNZ MD Robert Bruce. The first rule is to remember that not all guests are created equal and clients are not there to listen to your sales pitch...

Enjoy this light hearted insight into the challenges of networking at awards ceremonies.

[sublimenz-blog]

Selling: embrace it! We all have to do it

Robert Bruce

28/08/2012

In my experience people typically hate being sold to, and quite often hate doing the selling. But selling is not all that bad! It makes the world go around, so we may as well embrace it (and at least do it well).

Selling: it is not so bad!

My blog today is about selling, and how to incorporate it into your life as a promotional person / brand ambassador or any kind of sales person. Because you know what: almost all of our jobs include selling something whether we like it or not! We all have to sell products, or ideas, or sell candidates, or sell a dream, or a solution.. We may as well try to make it enjoyable for both the promoter, and the recipient.

I think the most important thing to remember here, is that in almost all cases our clients are being measured by the increase in sales they generate from their marketing activity, it is that simple. All of the branding, advertising, logos, stunts, event sponsorships, speeches, experiential campaigns, fashion shows, parties, product launches, TV interviews, press releases, packaging design... they are all working towards one ultimate goal, which is to drive more sales (and therefore increase revenue and profit) for an organisation. Sound cynical? Well, sorry: there it is. As a business owner I get this concept easily- because when it is YOUR money being spent on an idea, you darn well want to know that it is turning into sales for you: otherwise you are just giving your money away. So now, when I meet with a client one of my first questions is always "what does success look like for you? What are you trying to achieve? What is your sales target?"

We are all selling something

Once you have got your head around the idea that your life (working for an agency of any sort, advertising/marketing/branding/experiential/promotional or even in politics or retail etc) is about creating sales, then you can start getting on with life. Things become much easier. Creativity should and must still apply (in regards to the WAY in which we attract customers and engage with them or win them over about an idea), but clients wanting creativity for the sake of it (without a meaningful or measurable sales driver) are few and far between, in this market anyway.

Examples of retail campaigns

Some of the campaigns my staff are working on right now, include:

- wine demonstration in super markets and liquor stores,

- fragrance / cosmetics demonstration in department stores and pharmacies.

These two retail environments are classic examples of where standard promotional techniques are 'not enough', and you need to be a little more creative in the way in which you stop people in their tracks, and make a sale. By 'standard promotional techniques' I mean the idea of giving out a sample, smiling sweetly, and leaving the customer with a brand message of some sort..

"Hi sir, here, try this sample of wine from XYZ company, it's on special.. ok, bye!"

The way my clients and I are training promotional people at the moment, is all about closing a sale, up-selling, cross-selling, and creating repeat business and long term customer loyalty. There are a number of ways that these outcomes can be achieved, but paramount (in my opinion, and from years of experience) is about listening to what your customer is saying, finding their need, then giving them what they want.. easy! This is not even selling, it is just solving someones problem.

Let me further explain.

When should you sell to me?

When I walk into a supermarket, I have money in my pocket: I am there, because I want to buy something: I am already in the head space of shelling out some of my hard earned cash, so, the 'time is right' to conduct an in store demonstration or sales exercise. What I am open to buying however, is dependent on a number of conditions. At the most basic level, it depends on the day of the week and time of day: On a Sunday night when I am doing my weekly grocery shop I am probably less likely to buy wine as I am not really thinking about drinking at this time. Saturday afternoon however I am wide open for a bottle (or four) because I am hosting a party that night, or going to a birthday or BYO dinner.

Assume, as a promoter, that you have been put into a store for a reason: that we (as your agency) or our client have decided that it is the perfect time to meet target market customers when they are 'open' to buying.

So, I have cash to spend (tick the box). You are in the right place at the right time (tick).

Next: what do I want, what do I need?

The ONLY way you can find out what a potential customer wants or needs, is to ask questions. This is by far, the single easiest yet most under-utalised method of closing a sale. It amazes me in this enlightened age how many promoters or sellers or product demonstrators just jump straight into a pitch without asking what someone wants or needs first! How do you know what to offer them, if you have not asked any questions??

Staying with the wine example, the type of question you might ask someone walking past your stand is:

"Hello sir, where are you drinking / partying / eating / going tonight?"

This question immediately starts a conversation, which is crucial in sales. You will note that he cannot answer with 'yes' or 'no' (otherwise known as a 'closed question'), and his answer lets you know if he is having a dinner alone on the couch, entertaining VIPs, or going to a BYO restaurant. Each situation may require a different product, or amount of products.

Let's assume for this case study he says "I am actually having some friends over for a shared dinner".

So, our useless promoter (again) would jump straight in with the pitch and offer whatever they have close to hand: "well sir we have the XYZ wine, it is on special tonight.."

Keep the conversation going:

This conversation you are having is a perfect opportunity to find out more about the customer, what they need, and to further tailor the pitch (before giving it). We call it the interview.

The interview:

I have always like the saying that you have two ears and only one mouth: they should be used proportionately.

So, during the interview our promoter should ask questions such as:

"how many of you will there be?"

"what do you normally drink?"

"what food are you cooking?"

"what is your budget?"

Note: this conversation has happened BEFORE a single free sample has been given away. We call this process qualification of the lead. You are finding out if this person is even vaguely interested in what you are selling, or just wasting your time.

What information you are looking for

So our unsuspecting customer is feeling relaxed: you have found out that he is having half a dozen friends over, including his mum (wine critic who does not like mainstream wines). He he cooking a roast lamb, and normally enjoys a spicy, big wine. It is a cold, wet day (reds are more popular in winter). He is wearing nice clothing, and you spy a BMW key ring sticking out of his pocket (we listen with our eyes and ears remember)..

Using this information: the pitch

So you have gathered all this information, you have built a mental profile of your customer and their needs, NOW you are allowed to start talking!

As a sales person or promoter, you are  now at the easy part: assuming that your product is good (at my company, we don't market products which are not good.. so let's just assume it is a quality wine brand for this story) and that you have been given a selection of products to offer (again, an assumption, but smart clients will always give you a variety of flavours or variants to sample so that if one option is not suitable, the customer will have more options to choose from) you can start offering options.

Based on the feedback you have gathered from the customer in the minute or so you have interviewed him, and based on the things you have observed such as the weather and what the customer is wearing, you can now offer him the perfect solution to his needs, which by my calculations is:

- a quality / premium wine (for Mum, the critic)

- probably a big red (Shiraz, Merlot, or even Pinot Noir), since they are having lamb

- in the mid to high price range (price doesn't matter, quality is more important)

- a few bottles at least (as he is entertaining friends).

Sample time:

You offer him some samples of your options, asking for feedback along the way:

"Sir, what do you think of that one?"

"What flavours do you get out of that option?"

"do you prefer the Pinot Noir or the Pinot Gris?"

While seeking feedback, you talk about the products, emphasising (and impressing the customer) on your knowledge of the brand, region, and product, and complimenting the client on successfully picking the notes or flavours in each sample. Remember, it does not matter if the customer 'gets it right', wine sampling is a very individual experience: what matters is that he likes it. 

Ask for the sale

This whole interaction has only taken a couple of minutes (but metaphorically speaking, the sales process can take as long as is required. Selling a luxury car may take weeks. Buying a boat could take a year).

By now this customer should be ready to walk away with at least a few bottles of your wine in their trolley, if you have followed the steps above. But this is where many promoters get it wrong ( I have seen it so many times!). They let the customer just walk away!

In this day and age, people 'get it'. They know that nothing is for free. This customer has had a free wine, a free chat with a charming and well presented and knowledgeable person, they have met someone who cares enough about their life and well being that they have tailor-made a presentation for them.. they know they have to buy now! Nothing is for free in this life. It is a pretty mean shopper who will put a demonstrator through this whole process and then not purchase!

My favourite line at this point is something like, so sir would you like a case of the Merlot or Pinot Noir?

In sales, you can ALWAYS go down (in price or volume) but it is extremely hard to go up, if your initial pitch is too low. This customer will not want to lose face in front of you. He will assume that everyone buys by the case. He will want to feel as though he has made a great decision, will be the envy of his friends, and will impress his Mum.

He can of course always say "It's ok I will just take a couple" or "ok I will take one of each", but even this is a success compared to him just walking away with one bottle, or worse- none. 

Remember, if you do not ask someone to buy from you, chances are that they won't!

Objections:

There are a million different signs to watch out for with customers at this point of closing a sale (like maybe you have talked too much, he is concerned about the price, he doesn't like the brand, he has some past bad experiences to overcome, he has not enough money, or no time to stay and pay). These are all called objections, and I could write a novel on techniques to deal with them, so that you still get the sale. Oxfam are really good at it! Everyone will have an excuse for not buying (how many times have you done it?) but normally you can easily overcome these. This information will be a blog for another day.

One thing to remember with objections: it if someone says 'no' it basically means they are wanting more information. They feel uncertain about one element of this deal (for whatever reason), so you may need to go back over the benefits or features of the product, or dispel the issue they have with the product by focusing on the positives.

Never let the customer walk away empty handed. If they simply WILL NOT BUY then at least give them a flyer or voucher or website link, and tell them to come and buy next time. It is likely that they will, once they have had time to think it over or when the have more time or money available. 

Wrap:

What is important to remember, irrespective of if you are a promoter for my agency or a sales person or promoter somewhere else, is that we are all trying to sell something. Once you get over that concept and stop feeling icky about it, the world will be a better place. Embrace your chance to influence someones buyer behavior, enjoy making someones day better (or the day of their loved one) by selling them a product they want or need, and pat yourself on the back when you close a sale.. it is thrilling!

But conversely, please don't be someone that sells products you do not believe in, or screw someone out of money for something they really do not need: make sure you pick and choose what you promote or sell, if possible, and never prey on the vulnerable or people without full information at their disposal. We have all had the 'hard sell' by someone, that left us feeling violated and we experienced 'buyer remorse' afterwards... People that sell in this manner can only ever do it once: and the customers will never come back. Not a good long term strategy.

True sales people ensure the customer is so satisfied, they come back again and again (and tell all their friends).

Love your work, enjoy your selling!

Robert Bruce

Managing Director

SublimeNZ Ltd

[phone]

[email protected]

[phone]

Generator Office Facility

Stanbeth HouseLevel 1, 22- 28 Custom St East

Auckland City

1011

www.sublimenz.co.nz 

www.facebook.com/sublimenz

* Robert Bruce is Managing Director of SublimeNZ and an experienced salesman, promoter, and experiential marketer. He has worked with many of the leading brands in the world to develop sales strategies and promotional campaigns, and helped companies generate millions of dollars in revenue.

[sublimenz-blog]

Sometimes in life, you have to prove that if you talk the talk, you are willing to walk the walk!

Today Mt Ruapehu (via our awesome agency client PPR Auckland) wanted a yodeler (of all things) to hit the streets of Auckland city, promoting the fact that Mt Ruapehu ski fields are AWESOME right now- and that they have heaps of snow.

The creative idea was that "we are so excited about our snow, we are yodeling with joy! And if you (the public) yodel with us, we will give you a free day pass to the mountain"

Despite having a huge database of talent and promotional people / brand ambassadors, we could not find anyone willing to yodel at short notice.. so, (never one to let a client down) I decided to swap my suit for a ski jacket and goggles and do it myself.

As an agency owner you can sometimes get disconnected from the action on the ground level: you get consumed with business development or administration, and leave the execution to specialists.. today was a great chance for me to get back on board, interact with consumers, and see an activation come to life first hand- Robert Bruce (MD)

If you are interested in seeing more photos of us in action on the streets of Auckland, check http://www.facebook.com/SublimeNZ

[sublimenz-blog]

The risks of social media in promotions / experiential

Today I had a situation in my agency that I thought others may benefit from. Here it goes:

There are only a handful of times in my career as founder and Managing Director of SublimeNZ when I have been TRULY furious and disappointed due to the actions of my contracted staff: today is one such day.

I wish to share this example of stupidity with other promotional people as an example of what never to do whilst contracted to an agency, and for other agency owners to be aware of the risks of staff upsetting a campaign (even after it has been delivered flawlessly). 

Let me firstly remind readers that SublimeNZ is positioned as a PREMIUM experiential marketing agency: I personally have worked tirelessly over the past 7 years to win work with the best brands and at the best events. We have tried to choose the best contracted team and train them properly.

But like any company in a competitive market, we are only as good as 'our last job'.

On the weekend, two brand ambassadors worked at a high profile event (that took WEEKS of preparation and thousands of dollars to make happen I might add) then went to the online photo gallery on the clients facebook page, tagged themselves, and started making derogatory comments about the job, the client, and the agency. Basically taking the micky and starting threads of conversations with their friends. Not a care in the world!

They may have thought it was all in good fun and harmless but the General Manager of this multinational company saw these obscene, juvenile and embarrassing comments - and is absolutely (and rightfully) furious.

The client is now threatening to not pay for the whole event (not just the staffing) due to damage to reputation. Therefore, it is quite possible that these promoters will be charged for damages and costs that SublimeNZ incurs trying to solve this problem / save the client, and they will likely be terminated from the agency.

Here is my lesson for you all (promotional people, or otherwise): EVERYTHING you do online can impact you in the real world. Everything is monitored. Everyone sees what you do / say / post / share. In this modern age of connectivity and blurred lines between online and offline you must not make comments on facebook (or any website / social media / blog) that are in any way negative about your job, your agency, yourself or anything...

In my opinion, you are far safer to say nothing at all if it is not positive.

Promotional people should also never put work related photos (such as photos from an event, or even just wearing the uniform after work) on their own page unless authorised to do so. There is always a risk that you can damage the reputation of the brand you are working on, or that of your agency, if the wrong person sees it. 

In response to this unprecedented/unexpected issue my agency is going to update its social media policy in staff contracts, and contractors will have to re-agree to these new terms before working for us again. These changes will clarify rules around online behaviour (applicable even when outside of work hours) and use of work related photos in social media. Though frankly, I thought these common sense rules would have been obvious for most mature professionals..

This has been a learning experience, which may / may not be costly depending on the how the client reacts to this breach of trust. Hopefully this blog entry can help other agency owners to put plans in place to avoid these types of issues, and let promotional people know the implications of their actions (even outside of work hours).

--

Robert Bruce

Managing Director

SublimeNZ Ltd

[phone]

[email protected]

[phone]

Generator Office Facility

Stanbeth HouseLevel 1, 22- 28 Custom St East

Auckland City

1011

www.sublimenz.co.nz 

www.facebook.com/sublimenz

[sublimenz-blog]

Promotional hosting / hostessing: Sublime Style

I recently had the pleasure of being invited to the opening of a new bar in Wanaka New Zealand.

This is one of the most beautiful, tranquil, and exciting places in New Zealand.

The bar was right on the waterfront of Lake Wanaka, called the Water Bar. My agency SublimeNZ supplied three premium hostesses (via our awesome client PPR who managed the event), whose job it was to meet/greet customers as they came into the bar, check off their names, and let guests know about the brand which was supporting the launch- called Boundary Road Brewery.

After helping out at the event, it struck me that being a host or hostess is not as straight forward as it sounds, so I thought I would share some insights the team and I have picked up over the years to hopefully help you do a really great job next time you get chosen for this kind of work (and to help clients know what to look out for in a good host/hostess).

If you are a promotional person / corporate hostess for SublimeNZ then I hope you find something interesting in here. If you don't work for SublimeNZ, then I still hope you learn something: I am happy if the whole industry improves.. nothing like some healthy competition to keep everyone on their toes!

First thing: Personal presentation and grooming

Corporate or VIP hosting means just that: corporate, and VIP! Corporate events typically require an extremely high standard of personal grooming, attitude and attire.

At SublimeNZ what we expect / look for is the attention to detail that tells us you really care about your appearance, and therefore your job. The personal grooming you should be aware of include:

Nails: no chips, freshly painted (ideally matching your co-workers, and not clashing with the brand you are promoting)

Skin: foundation / makeup applied, clear skin

Lips: makeup (as per client brief), matched to co-workers if possible

Eyes: typically 'smokey', but as per clients brief. Important to accentuate lashes, create some mystery, highlighting your eye colour

Smell: fragranced (not overpowering), fresh breath (no chewing gum, but breath freshener or mints eaten out of site are acceptable), certainly no trace of your last meal, last nights bender, or cigarettes!

hair: no regrowth (ie: your roots are the same colour as the rest of your hair), brushed / straightened / curled (as per clients brief), glossy, looking clean.

The challenge for many contracted or casual promotional people, is that they are working this job around many other parts of their life such as studies or part time work. So someone might arrive at a corporate event immediately after a long day of studies, or (as I observed in Wanaka), after a long day on the mountain snowboarding!

This creates a problem: because unfortunately whilst you may have 'natural beauty' and look great compared to the students in the uni lunch room, it is not good enough to 'look ok' when you are hostessing or working at VIP events. Whilst you can maybe get away with showing up to the Big Day Out for a promotional shift after uni, you need to look at least as good as the guests at the function you are at- and ideally be at a superior level of presentation.

Considering the guests may have had time to go home, get makeup and hair done (possibly professionally) and look amazing- this is no small feat. You need to be aware that this is what the client is paying for: beautiful people to represent their brand or event, who are also talkative engaging and helpful. Not too much to ask!

Clothing and equipment:

The best corporate hosts and premium promotional staff always carry a bag of makeup, spare clothing, shoes, hair straighteners and even spare underwear with them so that they are always ready for anything!

During the Rugby World Cup 2011 SublimeNZ had over 400 staff working in various roles, including around 60 who were the super-premium Heineken Hostesses.  They were each expected to supply:

Makeup (red lips, warm skin, lashes)

Hair (pulled back, extremely clean, no roots)

Spare stockings 

Black shoes (polished, no straps, no obvious buckles or logos)

French manicured finger nails (polished, no chips)

These hostesses were scrutinized by Heineken Global, their international event managers, local event managers, and of course by SublimeNZ team leaders and staff to look perfect. It was a high stress situation- but taught us all a huge amount about what the international expectation is of top promotional staff: you have to have an amazing personality, be exceptionally professional, and of course look sensational at all times. 

During the World Cup, many of our staff were actually sent home for not having the right shoes or makeup, or looking too scruffy after other jobs or university... but we think that when you are the premium beer brand in the world, you are allowed to have high expectations.

What is a host or hostess? What will you be doing?

There are a number of reasons why clients will pay for corporate hosts or hostesses at a function. The one over-riding reason, is that the client wants attractive, talkative, friendly people to make their guests feel amazing, and to make their brand or event look good.

The main jobs you can expect to do are:

Meeting / greeting at the door or even at the airport

Taking coats, seating guests, directing them somewhere

Checking off names on a guest list

Serving food or drink

Showcasing a product to guests

Standing on stage (possibly giving out a prize, or helping guests on stage)

Wearing sponsors product (similar to modeling)

Taking photos or getting into photos

Fare-welling guests or giving out gift bags

Whatever your job, it is important that you are 'in character', look amazing, smile, are warm and friendly, and add a 'sublime experience' to everyone you engage with.

How to act

The key to premium hosting when at corporate or VIP events / product launches, is to be extremely warm, inviting, interested and interesting.

The things that our clients particularly love is when our premium staff:

take the initiative to help out at the event

talk to people without being asked (and, talk to anyone- not just the 'VIPS')

say the 'perfect line' about the product or brand (showing they were listening during the briefing, or had done their home work)

are professional, helpful, and courteous

go above and beyond in regards to their presentation.

Over the years, dare I say it, we have had some 'not so good' feedback that we have learned from as well. This feedback is normally caused by:

staff not dressing correctly: meaning incorrect shoes, uniform, under-wear (not having a strapless bra for a strapless dress for example) 

wearing unauthorised jewelry

not matching with the other talent

not having the same stockings as the other staff

not having clean hair, or hair that is not brushed / styled

not having correct or enough makeup

having too much makeup (looking tacky)

looking bored or disinterested

standing out of site, not assisting

not taking initiative, just doing the bare essentials

acting 'young' or immature

not using polished or professional language

checking their phone

eating or drinking on the job

talking among themselves rather than guests.

This last 'no go' is by far the one which we hear back from clients the most: talking with the other promotional staff is pretty much the worst thing you can do at an event! The thing you need to remember, as a contracted host or hostess, is that you are paid to interact with GUESTS to make them feel amazing: not to talk amongst yourselves and catch up on gossip. In our training's at SublimeNZ we often ask new recruits what their least-favourite or most annoying customer-service issue is, and they almost all say that inattentive staff is the worst. 

So, it is with irony that being inattentive is probably the negative feedback we get the most..

If you come across a co-worker who is talking to you too much, and you feel that you are not communicating with guests enough, then just politely say "ok I am going to go and talk to these people now" or whatever you need to say to get out of the situation and back to work. Then, let your agency know: we can help to re-train that person.

What does it mean to be attentive?

Attentive means pre-empting someones needs, helping without being asked, taking a genuine interest in guests (or the client) and listening to them. It means not getting cornered into talking to one person for a long time (especially not a co-worker, as with the comment above) and instead spreading yourself politely around a room to meet and touch (metaphorically) as many people as possible- without rushing.

This all may sound like a difficult, or scary thing: but look at this work as training for your future. In many business (or even family) environments in your future you will be expected to network and meet people and act like a mature adult. Indeed, at weddings, reunions, or parties it is courteous to be friendly, 'work the room', and get to know people. The best staff from SublimeNZ (and other agencies) are those who just love people, love talking, have big smiles (not forced or fake mind you) and actually enjoy being at these events rather than checking their watch waiting for home time!

They are also the staff who actually go to VIP events themselves. There is no better coaching for how to act at an event, than going to events and watching how the really premium or cultured or professional people work the room. This is one of the reasons why SublimeNZ throws at least one cocktail party per year- where all of the staff dress up and we take over a hotel or bar. It is about practicing what you preach.

Wrap:

Corporate hosting or hostessing, or working at VIP events and product launches can be a HUGE amount of fun and great experience. You often get to see products, venues / bars, or movies before the rest of the public, or you get to be at amazing events you may not otherwise have been invited to. You often get to network with high-net-worth, celebrity or important (or just plain interesting!) people, which may have a positive effect on your future or at least look good in your CV. 

But to be in line for these types of jobs takes effort. You need to ensure you look beautiful at all times, are polished and professional, have a great vocab and avoid slang, have something interesting to say, understand what the party is about and who is at it, and love talking to strangers. You need to have a natural energy, enthusiasm for people and passion for service- as ultimately you are employed to make someone elses experience great, not just have a good time yourself.

If you have any questions, want to chat about experiential marketing, promotional hostessing, corporate events, or anything else- feel free to get in touch.

Robert Bruce

Managing Director

SublimeNZ ltd

www.sublimenz.co.nz (check out our new website now!)

[email protected] 

[sublimenz-blog]

Sales tips for in-store demonstrators, sales people and promotional staff

At SublimeNZ we specialise in a wide range of promotional / experiential marketing activities.

Our services can take a number of forms, including:

event activation

sponsorship leverage

street sampling

corporate hosting

and in-store demonstration and sales.

Today's blog focuses on tips for in store sampling and sales staff (in retail and grocery- or any sales environment) and will hopefully help both SublimeNZ (and other) promotional staff to enjoy their job more, and achieve better results.

Point 1: Punctuality

First and foremost, you have to show up on time! It may seem like a basic thing to include in this blog, but you would be surprised how many promotional people show up late (or, not early- which is just as bad) and this tardiness can have a huge impact on the outcome of the activity.

The example we will use today is a wine sampling campaign (where you need to set up a demonstration zone of some sort, such as a table / stand/ stock display). If your shift starts at 3pm, you need to factor in the time it takes for you to:

- arrive in the carpark of the venue

- unload the equipment from your car

- load up a shopping trolley or manually walk the gear into the store

- meet the liquor manager

- sign in

- find your promotion area

- find where the stock is on display

- put some stock near your stand (for ease of sale)

- set up your stand

- begin work.

Depending what size stand you have got and the distance from the car park to the store, expect this procedure to take between 15-30 minutes. So, arriving in the car park of the venue 5 minutes before the shift starts is not going to be enough time to get set up, on/just before your official start time.

NOTE: clients and agency managers will often spot check at the start of a shift, not midway through or at the end. They want to see that you are organised and early. This, of course, is not ideal for a promoter (especially on their first shift when they are learning the ropes) but just reinforces how important it is to be early for work. If there is one things clients hate, in my experience, it is tardiness.. especially if they are there early.

Point 2: Presentation (personal, and zone)

Presentation relates both to the way you (as the brand ambassador/promoter) looks when at work, but also refers to how you keep your display stand / zone at all times.

Presentation is key in promotions: It will impact the first impression that both the client, and customer will have with your brand, but also can effect the way a store or venue feels about the activity (and therefore whether or not they are willing to host you again). 

The 'personal presentation' basics you should be thinking about before and during work, include:

Hair: is it neat, tidy, and tied back off your face (for hygiene reasons)?. No regrowth visible. Males should have product in their hair, it should be styled and tidy. The back of your neck (if visible) should be neatly cut and not look messy.

Skin/face: females should have always makeup on so that they look tidy and professional. The amount of makeup required will depend on the brand and the location: if working in a dark environment or at night, you will need more makeup than in a brightly lit environment for it to be seen (and also because flashes from cameras will blow out the makeup). The minimum you should have is some lipstick, eye liner, and foundation to smooth out your skin and give you a warm even tone. Men should be clean shaven, unless authorised to have some 'fashionable stubble', or authorised to keep their beard (which normally, they will have fully grown before an event). That 'in between' unshaven scruffy stage is normally not acceptable.

Uniform: Your uniform (either supplied, or your own) should be neatly pressed (and clean). Your logo or branding should not be obscured by anything, such as your hair or in-store pass. Uniforms should not be worn more than once if possible, and you should have nice creases. Ties should be done all the way up to the neck, and all buttons should be done up. Your should should always be clean, and appropriate to the job. If black business shoes, they should be good enough for you to wear in a corporate environment. They should be shining (gleaming!), laces done up, and all scuffs taken out. Females should have appropriate heels. Sneakers should be clean: if in doubt, chuck them through the wash or use bleach (or toothpaste is a good trick) to make the white bits white again. Or, toughen up and buy some new ones from the Warehouse or similar: your investment of $40 to ensure your feet are perfect will most certainly be noticed by your agency and/or client. Just be aware that as a contracted promotional person you are responsible for these costs.. but if you are required to have a uniform which is 'not something that would normally be in your wardrobe' then you may be reimbursed for it.

If your uniform has a screen printed or digitally printed logo on it, you should never put it through a hot wash at home, or iron directly onto the logo (as it may melt the rubber logo and ruin the image).

Hygiene: one of the most off putting things you can have when talking to a sales person or promoter (anyone, really) is bad hygiene. For example bad body odour, bad breath, dirty teeth, or dirty/chewed fingernails! Rule of thumb (excuse the pun) for nails is to have only a tiny amount of white showing (1-2mm) and (females only) to have a clear lacquer. Chipped paint, or paint in contrast to whatever you are wearing or the brand you are promoting is unacceptable.

Regarding presentation of your display or stand: 

Positioning: where you set up is almost as important as how it looks. You obviously need to work with the store manager (or liquor manager, in the case of the wine demonstration example) to find the optimal location that achieves:

Great footfall (maximum people walking past)

Proximity to the product category you are selling (ie, being in the wine department if you are selling wine!) or at least a complimentary location- (such as the chips section if you are selling/promoting dip)

Proximity to the product you are selling (or at least stacking some product near you)

room to move: having a space big enough for your stand which is both safe for customers to move past, and inviting for them to stop and talk.

Finally, your zone should have all of the product facing forwards, rubbish/rubbish bins, surplus product and your personal belongings should be completely out of site, and your zone should be spotless at all times.

I have always loved the saying "don't lean, clean!". You should always look busy at your stand by wiping down the table top, arranging display product, whilst keeping an eager eye out for customers to attract them to your stand.

Point 3: Tips for selling and promoting

Once you are in the store (early), you are beautifully presented in line with your brand and store guidelines, and your zone is set up and looking great, then it is time to start promoting and/or selling!

If there is one major tip I can give you (as someone that has promoted literally thousands of brands and products), it is to be confident- and talk to everyone. Confidence comes across and is contagious: if you are not naturally confident, then just 'fake it till you make it'.. people will appreciate your enthusiasm, if nothing else.

Below are a few tricks I have picked up, that I would like to share with  you:

Promote to everyone: We have all seen Pretty Woman where the 'unsightly' lady walks into a store and the sales attendants won't serve her because of the way she looks...  it turns out she was filthy rich and spent a fortune in another store that was prepared to serve her, right? The same applies in supermarkets and other retail stores.You never know who may be a big customer even if they are not dressed the way you would expect. You are always better off to talk to everyone and treat everyone with the same level of respect, than to avoid people because of the way they look. At the very least, creating buzz / movement around your stand will attract other people to it (see next point)..

Create excitement at your stand: There is an odd phenomenon where humans will follow other humans, and want to be a part of something. Have you ever stood on the street and looked up because everyone else is looking up? Why is that? We all want to be included in the action: we want to know what is going on. So if you can attract a group of people to your sales area or promotional stand, you will create far more energy than just having one person, and they can bounce off one another. One of our clients gave us a useful tip the other day: she encourages consumers that are tasting her wine to talk to one another instead of to her: in effect 'do the selling' to one another,  which she finds has far more credibility than if the promoter does all the talking. People believe their peers, over a sales person.. so get one happy customer to invite the next person over to your zone.

Smile a lot: Smiling (really smiling, not just pretending) goes a long way towards making a sale. If you standing there looking like you prefer to be somewhere else, or like you at a funeral, people will feed off that energy and are unlikely to warm to you- or the brand. Your job is to be smiling, friendly, talkative, and have that smile that just glitters with energy.

Know your product: this heading possibly belongs far further up the page, as it is crucial. Basically, presentation and appearance can go so far (to get people interested in you or your stand), but unless you really know what you are talking about (and know it inside and out) then people will see through the facade very quickly and move on. I recently spot checked a competitors wine demonstration at an event, and asked (what I thought) were some pretty basic questions such as where the product was made, and what the award stickers were for on the bottle.. her answer was that she did not know (either question) and that the wine tasted 'good'... she may as well have said it 'tasted like grapes'!! Know your product, know the benefits and features, and have some interesting knowledge you can pass onto your customers: people love having some 'insiders knowledge' and having a story they can tell their friends, when they put the bottle on the table at dinner later..

Features and Benefits: the feature of a product includes what it does, where it is from, what it is made out of, who made it, and how much it costs. The benefits of a product are basically "what it will do for you".  Which is more important? This depends on the customer of course. Some customers really care about the product features, as they are comparing one product with another and are driven by the features, or perhaps they need this product to do certain things or be compatible with something else they own.. The vast majority of people make their decisions based on the benefits of a product or service though. People, in my experience, really want to know "how will this make my life better?faster?cooler?easier?more fashionable?more attractive? younger looking?..". The list goes on. As a promoter, it is crucial to find out what is motivating your customer (what is going on inside their head) and then answer these needs/wants/desires/pains with the right answer..

ASK QUESTIONS: how can you know what is motivating a consumer, and therefore what will inspire them to try or buy your product, if you have not asked "what their need is?". At SublimeNZ, in our brand ambassador training, we spend a lot of time on this topic of asking questions. Examples may be: "who are you buying this for today?" "what do you normally buy?" "What is important to you?" "what are you trying to achieve?".. Once you have built a rapport for the customer (remember, listen more than you talk!) and got some insight into what they want or need, then you can hit them with some features or benefits about the product you are demonstrating, that perfectly match what they are looking for.. in our experience, this is when sales "just happen" with no effort. You are not selling, you are just helping someone to buy.

Don't be afraid to ask for the sale: So many promoters, brand ambassadors, or sales people are actually afraid to go to the next step and ask for a sale! The way I like to do this personally, is to say "so Sir, would you like two bottles or three?". So many sales or marketing people do 99% of the job with promoting, but then let their warmed up prospect walk away from them without spending a cent! Nothing is free in this world: if a shopper or customer has just spent 5 minutes picking your brain about this product and eating your free cheese and crackers, they understand that they are going to be asked to buy something: so don't let them down! Close that sale. Remember in experiential marketing, sampling, promotion, demonstrations and retail staffing- you are there to make sales: anyone who says different is lying. Every brand or marketing manager we have ever dealt with at SublimeNZ is looking for make a return on the investment they have made in their marketing spend: and most of the time this is in the form of an increase in sales.

Wrap:

So there we have it: I hope these tips have been useful. As a promotional person or brand ambassador or sales person you must remember that you are 'the face of a brand'. That brand might be part of a multi million (or billion!) dollar company, so there is just a wee bit of pressure on you to represent that brand in the most professional way possible.. 

If you are unclear about your role in your organisation, or do not feel confident about conducting promotional activity or sales, then talk to your boss or agency manager. It is crucial that you understand the importance of presentation (both personal, and your zone) as well as punctuality, attitude, energy, and just smiling!

Selling is such a taboo subject these days: everyone hates it. I believe that if you are a genuinely interested and interesting person, who asks questions, find out consumers needs, then answers these needs with the relevant features or benefits of a brand/product- then the sales will make themselves". So, don't fear selling: embrace it.. it is fun!

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ ltd

[email protected]

[sublimenz-blog]

Adding value and innovating in the experiential marketing industry

01 /06 /2012

Today I went to a very interesting breakfast session, hosted by Idealog Magazine, and presented by Steven Joyce (Minister of 'Everything'- including Economic Development, Science and Innovation, Tertiary Education, and Skills and Employment).

The underlying theme of the session, attended by many of the top scientific, academic and business brains in NZ was that as a (small, isolated) country we must innovate and invest in research and development in order to become competitive, increase wealth in New Zealand, and to long term carve a niche for our products and services on a global stage.

According to The Minister, "one thing that almost all political parties agree on is that we all want more, and higher paid jobs"

So, the question that was posed today, is what do we need to do to create unique selling points, added-value, and international demand for our products and services? How do we move away from 'commodity business' (for example, promotional staffing services that are comparatively similair between agencies) and transition to a point where we are selling, and ideally exporting, BIG ideas. In summary, if we have bigger companies creating better returns and leading the way in the area of RND and innovation, then in theory there will be more jobs for Kiwis- that are paid better.

The challenge, is how to encourage, incentivise, and celebrate Kiwi entrepreneurs to 'be the best'? How do we create a culture of 'thinking bigger', and how do we help create a 'soft landing' in emerging markets such as China, which Mr Joyce said will become our biggest export market by 2020.

Certainly, my own personal experience is that it is not as easy as it looks:

As founder and director of SublimeNZ I am infinitely interested in the concept of 'adding value' to companies. SublimeNZ specialises in helping brands to tell a story to customers, creating engagement and interest with target markets, differentiating products and services from competitors, and ideally helping brands to get better returns from their marketing spend.

Recently I traveled for a month meeting Kiwi (and other) business owners, marketers and entrepreneurs around the world. I wanted to know what was happening around the world in the area of experiential marketing, advertising and and sponsorship (in particular) but also what was like setting up shop in a new country. Unfortunately much of the sentiment I encountered in the US and Europe in particular is that it is extremely hard- much harder than it sounds when talking about 'opening up new markets' or 'securing global distribution chains', over breakfast.

The challenge I observed is that in most established markets such as the US or Europe there are already hundreds, or even thousands of companies that 'do what you do'. Experiential marketing, for example, is highly developed in Europe and America and even Australia, where they have been pushing boundaries and innovating for decades. The size of budgets these agencies have access to, driven by the population they need to market to, are phenomenal. Far great than any marketing budget we will see in New Zealand for a long time I suspect. But, I observed that great ideas could still get through and succeed, if they were value-added, and distinctly unique. The door is not shut for global expansion, in any industry, as long as you have something new and better. 

This is therefore my out take from todays session: we need to innovate. Doing 'what everyone is already doing' cannot help a company to grow because most likely, someone else is already doing it better. For New Zealand, and therefore New Zealand experiential marketing to progress we have to be doing things that NOONE is doing, and do it better/smarter/faster/bigger/more effective. We need to innovate, as my company has done, in the area of automating the 'commodity' aspect of the business so that it is as painless end efficient as possible (by commodity, I am referring to the basics of experiential, such as promotional staff and uniforms and branding and collateral). Commodities like those I just described, are what my own company (until recently) and many others 'hang their hat on'; The quality or appearance or training of promotional staff, the attractiveness or uniqueness of branding, even the speed or professionalism or experience of account managers or creatives: These are not genuine selling points and you are only clipping a ticket between your client and the consumer. When clipping a ticket, and competing in a homogenised or commodity industry, one therefore will always be at they mercy of competitors undercutting prices, and stealing clients away. Companies like ours are not 'truly' differentiating if this is all they are offering: there has to be more.

It is ideas.

To survive and grow (both our own companies, and the economy) we have to be selling/marketing a radically better way of doing things, something new, something completely different, something with 'added value' that brands/companies are prepared to pay for and really value- because only then can we (as agency owners) charge properly for the time and effort we put in, grow our businesses, create more jobs, and pay our people better.

This is how, in my opinion, one little pocket of New Zealand business can contribute to a better future for our country.

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ ltd

[email protected]

www.sublimenz.co.nz 

[sublimenz-blog]

Adding value and innovating in the experiential marketing industry

01/06/2012

Today I went to a very interesting breakfast session, hosted by Idealog Magazine, and presented by Steven Joyce (Minister of 'Everything'- including Economic Development, Science and Innovation, Tertiary Education, and Skills and Employment).

The underlying theme of the session, attended by many of the top scientific, academic and business brains in NZ was that as a (small, isolated) country we must innovate and invest in research and development in order to become competitive, increase wealth in New Zealand, and to long term carve a niche for our products and services on a global stage.

According to The Minister, "one thing that almost all political parties agree on is that we all want more, and higher paid jobs"

So, the question that was posed today, is what do we need to do to create unique selling points, added-value, and international demand for our products and services? How do we move away from 'commodity business' (for example, promotional staffing services that are comparatively similair between agencies) and transition to a point where we are selling, and ideally exporting, BIG ideas. In summary, if we have bigger companies creating better returns and leading the way in the area of RND and innovation, then in theory there will be more jobs for Kiwis- that are paid better.

The challenge, is how to encourage, incentivise, and celebrate Kiwi entrepreneurs to 'be the best'? How do we create a culture of 'thinking bigger', and how do we help create a 'soft landing' in emerging markets such as China, which Mr Joyce said will become our biggest export market by 2020.

Certainly, my own personal experience is that it is not as easy as it looks:

As founder and director of SublimeNZ I am infinitely interested in the concept of 'adding value' to companies. SublimeNZ specialises in helping brands to tell a story to customers, creating engagement and interest with target markets, differentiating products and services from competitors, and ideally helping brands to get better returns from their marketing spend.

Recently I traveled for a month meeting Kiwi (and other) business owners, marketers and entrepreneurs around the world. I wanted to know what was happening around the world in the area of experiential marketing, advertising and and sponsorship (in particular) but also what was like setting up shop in a new country. Unfortunately much of the sentiment I encountered in the US and Europe in particular is that it is extremely hard- much harder than it sounds when talking about 'opening up new markets' or 'securing global distribution chains', over breakfast.

The challenge I observed is that in most established markets such as the US or Europe there are already hundreds, or even thousands of companies that 'do what you do'. Experiential marketing, for example, is highly developed in Europe and America and even Australia, where they have been pushing boundaries and innovating for decades. The size of budgets these agencies have access to, driven by the population they need to market to, are phenomenal. Far great than any marketing budget we will see in New Zealand for a long time I suspect. But, I observed that great ideas could still get through and succeed, if they were value-added, and distinctly unique. The door is not shut for global expansion, in any industry, as long as you have something new and better. 

This is therefore my out take from todays session: we need to innovate. Doing 'what everyone is already doing' cannot help a company to grow because most likely, someone else is already doing it better. For New Zealand, and therefore New Zealand experiential marketing to progress we have to be doing things that NOONE is doing, and do it better/smarter/faster/bigger/more effective. We need to innovate, as my company has done, in the area of automating the 'commodity' aspect of the business so that it is as painless end efficient as possible (by commodity, I am referring to the basics of experiential, such as promotional staff and uniforms and branding and collateral). Commodities like those I just described, are what my own company (until recently) and many others 'hang their hat on'; The quality or appearance or training of promotional staff, the attractiveness or uniqueness of branding, even the speed or professionalism or experience of account managers or creatives: These are not genuine selling points and you are only clipping a ticket between your client and the consumer. When clipping a ticket, and competing in a homogenised or commodity industry, one therefore will always be at they mercy of competitors undercutting prices, and stealing clients away. Companies like ours are not 'truly' differentiating if this is all they are offering: there has to be more.

It is ideas.

To survive and grow (both our own companies, and the economy) we have to be selling/marketing a radically better way of doing things, something new, something completely different, something with 'added value' that brands/companies are prepared to pay for and really value- because only then can we (as agency owners) charge properly for the time and effort we put in, grow our businesses, create more jobs, and pay our people better.

This is how, in my opinion, one little pocket of New Zealand business can contribute to a better future for our country.

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ ltd

[email protected]

www.sublimenz.co.nz 

[sublimenz-blog]

The kind of briefs experiential marketers love

This week I got briefed by a forward-thinking client in a way that has got the SublimeNZ team and I extremely excited. I thought I would share it with you, so you can get a little insight into the way we think here at the agency..

It goes a little something like this (without naming clients or brands sorry- all under wraps for now).

In a nutshell this client is:

- a global company. 

- They are about doing things no-one else is doing/has done

- They are launching a new product on the back of an upcoming global event and integrating their ATL, PR, sales, and experiential around this event.

- They want to raise awareness of the brand, create need, desire, hype, around the laynch

- They of course, wish to drive sales in-store.

So the client says the magical words what all experiential marketers love to hear:

We want to engage with our customers and create buzz, hype, and 'wow' factor that NO-ON ELSE HAS DONE BEFORE. We want people to be amazed, and delighted, and to walk away saying "that was freaking awesome, I want one!"

 We don't have a long time to get this proposal turned around, so here is what the team and I are going to do over the next few days:

1/ Fully tear the brand and product apart: we want to know what it does, what is cool, what makes it special, what the selling point is... what is truly unique about this product?

2/ Look at the customers/target market: who are these people? what makes them tick? where do they congregate/socialise/walk to work/go on the weekend/holiday/party? How do we meet these people?

3/ What is their tone of voice? How do they talk? what language do they use (literally and metaphorically) What is going to make them laugh/wonder/ponder/want to buy?

4/ What are other industry leaders doing? Because we can't do ANYTHING that they are doing or have done..

5/ Then: we will brainstorm  to find the 'Big Idea'. What is our 'Subilme Experience' going to be? How do we make consumers walk away from their engagement with the brand, going "Wow, that was freaking awesome!" .. and then how do we make them tell all of their friends?

6/ How do we use this 'Big Idea' to sell more products in store? How do we drive more sales at the point of purchase? How do we create demand, need, desire for this new product?

7/ What is the experiential concept going to be? Will it involve brand ambassadors/promotional staff? Will it involve vehicles, events, ambush, stunts, digital integration, social media?.. what are we going to 'do', nation wide?

This creative process is what makes us tick at SublimeNZ, and the reason I started this agency in 2006.

Watch this space, as we tender for and hopefully win this remarkable piece of business. Fingers cross.

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ

[email protected]

[sublimenz-blog]

Promotional staff and Brand Ambassadors

One of the great parts of this job (promotional staffing and experiential marketing), is that is you get to meet and work with so many amazing people. 

This week alone we have interviewed dozens of amazing promotional people around New Zealand for roles in our agency ranging from wine-waiters to grid girls, and last night we conducted a group training in Auckland CBD for about 20 new candidates. 

As company owner, probably the most rewarding part of this job is getting to know the hundreds of promotional staff and brand ambassadors who have been selected to work for us (and to be fair, even most of those who have been unsuccessful- it is nothing personal). These are people who are at the top of their game: students, models, actors, or full time workers who just love doing promotional work and most of all LOVE people! The new team last night were great: they interacted and engaged during the group work, asked good questions, and then stuck around afterward for a drink and made an effort to get to know both their new co-workers, and managers.

It is often over a beer that you really get the chance to really get to know someone. The types of people that we take on at SublimeNZ are those who are friendly, non-pretentious, intelligent and likable. It is always interesting hearing about their lives outside of promotions  (such as what they are studying, working on, or aspire to become). Last night I chatted to some new staff who are cameramen, physio students, and property developers! Two of our new staff drove 4 hours return to make the training. That is commitment!

The key to being a great promotional person (or brand ambassador, as we prefer), comes down to a few things:

1/ You are personable, and love people

2/ You love selling and are not afraid to close a deal!

3/ You are confident- you are the centre of attention, and love making people laugh!

4/  You are professional and organised: this job is not for the faint hearted- you need to be able to find your way to work, and not forget your uniform!

5/ You are well presented, in shape, and really care about your appearance. After all, first impressions count!

We are taking people on for a number of roles at SublimeNZ, including:

- wine demonstration

- in-store sampling

- airport/retail sales and promotion

- promotional model work (race track)

- event marketing / sampling (sports drink)

If you are interested in becoming part of the SublimeNZ team around NZ, then apply via our online staff management system Staff Connect now!

We also have a role available now: check it out here http://www.starnow.co.nz/Casting-Calls/Actors-wanted/Events/casting_for_race_team_premium_grid_girls_promotional_staff.htm

Love your work

Robert Bruce

Director

Team SublimeNZ

[sublimenz-blog]

Fragrance promoting and 'spritzing'

Recently SublimeNZ has been promoting a lot of premium fragrance brands around New Zealand.

This involves supplying highly trained brand ambassadors / in-store demonstrators whose job it is to:

- interact with customers

- showcase the product (usually fragrance)

- encourage customers to smell/touch/wear the product

- help them to purchase.

This recent work is a fascinating case study in the effectiveness of in-store demonstration and promotion. Our clients can tell hour-by-hour when the sales are being made, when the foot traffic is best, and the return on investment (ROI) they are achieving from their in-store displays or promotional staff.

It is our challenge at SublimeNZ, to recruit and train staff who are experienced in retail (especially premium environments like Smith and Caughey or other top end department stores), personable, well presented, and passionate about sales. We make it our mission to seek these people out, train them, and then supply them to our clients.

As company owner, I have a particular 'soft spot' for fragrance and cosmetics promotions. As a rookie (many moons ago) working in Sydney, some of my first experience in promotions and marketing was working in Myer and David Jones department stores promoting brands like YSL, Elizabeth Arden, Fendi, and many others. It must have been rather funny seeing me 'working on the floor' in these stores, as the vast majority of promoters (or spritzers as they were called)  were female. Nevertheless, the lessons I got about retail marketing and sales were invaluable, and have helped me to train staff in New Zealand and also speak the language of retail with our clients.

Standby for our next update about interesting goings-on, and don't forget to become a fan at our facebook page and our new site will be live soon: www.sublimenz.co.nz

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ

[sublimenz-blog]

SublimeNZ often integrates experiential marketing, with online elements (social media or digital advertising techniques). We just finished building this website for a client of ours from The Hansells Food Group, Vitasport.

Over the years we have helped the Vitasport brand build itself 20%+ year on year (gross sales) through sponsoring key events and athletes, activating/sampling at events, and by creating an online presence.

Have a look around, pick up some training or race tips, and GO BUY SOME!!

Team SublimeNZ

[sublimenz-blog]

SublimeNZ has just finished customising a fantastic user-interface, for all of the hundreds of promotional staff that work for our agency!

The principle of Staff Connect (screen shots attached) is that our promotional staff have their own 'dashboard' that gives them the option of:

- selecting to do shifts from the experiential or promotional campaigns we are offering,

- uploading photos of themselves, and information to their own 'staff profile' (which the agency managers can then send to clients),

-  communicating with agency managers and co-workers 

- downloading product/event briefs.

- uploading photos and reports to the system directly after an event.

The system is also fantastic for clients, as it generates beautiful feedback about:

- number of sales

- number of samples

- consumer feedback/insights

- foot traffic etc.

SublimeNZ is constantly looking to improve its service to clients, and to make being a contracted promotional person / brand ambassador even more fun and rewarding.

Feel free to get in touch, via our Staff Connect system, to apply for work: we are recruiting now!

http://www.staffconnect.net/sublimenz/application.php

Team SublimeNZ

www.sublimenz.co.nz 

[sublimenz-blog]

All going well in the world of Experiential Marketing..

Things are really racing here at SublimeNZ, so I thought I would share a little about what is going on in the world of experiential marketing /brand activation /premium promotional staffing.

We have had a lot of inquiries from brands recently looking for more engaging, authentic, and relevant ways of reaching their audiences. 

This can only spell good things for the experiential / brand activation industry and the marketing industry as a whole (as clients appear to be more willing to take chances and be more creative with their marketing spend). We are getting so busy we have had to take on another brilliant Account Manager- and will be taking on more support staff too.

Some examples of (top secret) campaigns we are working on includes creating exciting experiential zones at the snow this year and at major music festivals during summer, producing innovative in-store sampling campaigns, funky promotional vehicles, and innovative ambush marketing.

We are also taking on a lot more casual staff. There is obviously atrition with casual staff, but we are proud of how long many of our contracted staff stay with us: many have been with the agency for several years! It is great to watch some of our younger Brand Ambassadors grow up to become extremely professional, mature staff. It is better still when they graduate from their Marketing or Business courses and end up as clients- the ultimate sign of loyalty to the agency.

It is thrilling to be part of the experiential marketing industry in New Zealand at preesnt- as things are racing along, and this agency is growing in leaps and bounds. Drop me a note any time to chat about employment, or to get some ideas about what we can do for your brand.

Robert Bruce

Director

SublimeNZ Ltd

(watch this space for updates about our new website!)

[sublimenz-blog]

More engaging in-store demonstration

Recently SublimeNZ has been pitching, and winning, some innovative in-store sampling campaigns that I thought I would share with you. It is exciting stuff!

In-store sampling can be in a number of channels (grocery, liquor, even petrol stations, or shopping malls) and historically very bland- with minimal thought or strategy behind them. This, I would not call experiential marketing.

But the sort of in-store brand engagement we have been advocating /pitching at the point of purchase includes features like:

- tablets/computers with links directly to the clients website or social media,

- unique demonstration zones, matching the clients brands (more than just core flute 'demo tables')

-authentic/ exciting uniforms,

- and of course highly trained brand ambassadors.

Although confidential right now, I can share that the success we have had is in the wine industry, with a major liquor client who is THRILLED to have a more unique in-store display than usual, and looking forward to seeing how much we can sell. 

As with my last post about 'are promotional staff experiential?' this poses an interesting question, which 'is in-store demonstration experiential?'

I would say that historically, in-store demonstration is just that: point of sale promotion. But, with clients looking for more cut-through in the highly competitive grocery channel, there is more scope for creativity and therefore experiential ideas like what we are coming up with.

One of the selling points of SublimeNZ is that we have a creative department with amazing/modern graphic artists ready to create mock ups and renderings of our ideas, and we are working towards changing perceptions about point of sale / promotional activity.

Robert Bruce

Director

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