Trying to effectively communicate with 15,000 inside sales people at about 3,000 distributors in North America is a challenge! Video messaging has been an excellent tool to deliver important information. We have been able to move the in-store activation levels (set up promotional materials and educate employees) of the Miller Build with Blue rebate program from 30% to 98%.
RETAIL SALES ENGAGEMENT IS PARAMOUNT TO OUR PROMOTIONAL SUCCESS
Sales flyers, pocket guides, PowerPoint presentations, and e-mails have been standard tools in communicating the details of our new promotions to retail sales associates. And the results were deemed acceptable. But rarely do they induce excitement and cause sales associates to gather around to learn more. To make us stand out from piles of literature and inboxes filled with boring e-mails from hundreds of other manufacturers, we needed to do more. In our YouTube world, we decided to leverage video.
As we change the Build with Blue rebate program offering each quarter, we also change our approach and themes of the videos each quarter to keep it interesting. While starting off delivering a straight-forward message, our themes have varied to also include “Getting Ready for Vacation”, “Santa and Elves” and “Holiday Party”.
** Watching the Whole Video **
Using video to communicate new program details has been instrumental in the success of the rebate program - as counter sales people are vital to educating our customers at our distributors' retail stores. To encourage the sales associates to watch the whole video, we offer a bonus entry into a drawing if they could correctly answer a question about the video.
** It's a Win-Win-Win-Win Tactic **
We are achieving unprecedented levels - reaching 98% - of retail partner activation (setting up promotional materials in stores and taking an activation survey to confirm their knowledge of the promotion at our distributor portal). And as you’ll see in the video, the program is not only driving a high level of first-time buyers, it’s also driving sales of additional Miller products. It’s a win-win-win-win situation:
• The shoppers are informed about the promotion and leave the store with everything they need to weld – and with a great rebate
• Our distributors sell more products and make more margin
• We sell more machines and accessories
• Our local Miller sales reps appreciate that their sales contacts at distributor stores are watching the videos, staying well informed on changing program details and are growing sales.
** It’s a Team Effort **
While I wrote, directed and produced the video and leveraged the talented team at North Coast Productions in Green Bay Wisconsin for the video shoot and editing, I had the support of our Commercial Go-to-Market Team, representative in our business units and our Sales and Marketing leaders at Miller who trusted my vision with this new approach. …...more
...more
Show less
