Planting for Profits
The economy may be chugging along the path to recovery, but for many, the pain of layoffs and foreclosures remains. Not the best news for financial institutions that now have to work even harder to repair their tainted public personas.
With budget heads giving the green light for extra spending, organizations are returning to tried-and-true promotional items like pens and squeeze balls as a way to increase customer loyalty and gain extra exposure. But what do you do if you're a credit union looking for something slightly less conventional? You talk to a savvy distributor like Brian Kwiatkowski.
Kwiatkowski, owner of Proforma Marcom Solutions, Wilbraham, Mass., recently came up with a memorable solution for one of his clients in need of a giveaway for an upcoming home show: dollar bill seed cards. Here, Kwiatkowski discusses the thought process behind this particular promotion.
Print+Promo (P+P): Describe a promotion of yours that you consider one of Proforma Marcom Solutions's best.
Brian Kwiatkowski (BK): A credit union customer wanted a simple giveaway to tie into a local home show for the spring. They did not want the traditional items like pens, squeeze balls or piggy banks, but a more practical item that would be memorable for the show attendees. We recommended dollar bill seed cards. Prospects and customers would walk away with an eye-catching advertisement and then plant the seeds in their garden, for a long-lasting impression.
P+P: What else influenced your decision to go with dollar bill seed cards?
BK: With home shows you often see houseware promotional items for either in or outside the home. So, conveying the idea of refinancing for home improvements and "growing the value" of your home with dollar bill seed cards was the perfect fit.
P+P: How was this a profitable promotion for your company? For your client?
BK: The seed cards were like a magnet drawing attendees to the booth. The customer loved the traffic they had at their display and have been using the same theme for a couple years running.
P+P: Did you encounter any challenges with this particular promotion? If so, how did you overcome them?
BK: The challenge was changing the client's mindset to do something different. Our conviction in the idea was critical to the success. We even offered talking points that they could use at the show such as, "Plant the seeds for a sound financial future." We showed the client how this theme would be fun for both the team working the booth and the attendees, and they would get real results.
P+P: Do you have any advice for your peers attempting a similar promotion in the financial market?
BK: Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo and have some fun. This creates a win-win motivational effect resulting in positive engagement by both the employees and the customers.