|
National/Regional Distribution Case
Studies
Bekins Van Lines solved the
problem of getting qualified buyers to its trade show booth by sending a six‑minute video with cover letter
and a business reply card to 270 prospects three weeks prior to the show. According to a company
spokesperson, those who received the video "came looking specifically for our booth and wanted to talk more
about the message of the video." Bekins secured business
from approximately 85 percent of the visitors who had seen their video and visited their
booth.
Marvin Windows sells the majority of its products to
professional contractors. The company wanted to appeal to the growing do‑it‑yourself market with a new
product ‑‑the E‑Z Tilt PAC Window. They produced a 15‑minute video along with a merchandising kit which their
distributors could send to local customers. The video package included a voucher that customers could redeem
at a local distributor for the remodeling book "Before and After." The response rate boasted a 250 percent
increase over previous direct mail efforts.
Crathen & Smith manufactures
corrugated machines and packaging equipment. The company produces four to five sales videos each year. Their
four‑man sales force now conducts their sales calls after the prospect has seen a video and requested
preliminary price quotes. "In most cases, we avoid having to make a trip because the customer comes to us, or
visits one of our installations," says James R. Cuzzo, Marketing Manager. Sales cycles have
decreased from nine months to about 90 days, and the company has witnessed a $30,000 per year savings in
sales travel expenses.
Specialty Bindery, Inc. produced a plant tour video entitled "The Competitive Edge" to educate
buyers on mechanical binding services. This way, buyers can compare "apples to apples," informs company
President Ronald Ridgeway. "We had used brochures, but they simply weren't as interesting as
video."
SBI offered the videos in a series of trade ads from
which they
received over 2,300 requests for copies, which
ultimately resulted in roughly $1 million in increased sales.
|