Proforma Goes for the Absolute Gold
Proforma Goes for the Absolute Gold
Mark Anderson, owner of Seattle-based Proforma Brand Marketing couldn't have guessed that his infant company would experience the growth it has in less than a year. Since joining the Proforma network of distributors on Jan. 1, Anderson has been on a winning streak. He has experienced tremendous success in the gaming industry by being the exclusive distributor for AbsolutePoker.com, an online gambling company based in Costa Rica.
According to Anderson, there are close to 300 online gambling companies in the world, and AbsolutePoker.com is ranked in the top five. From a volume in dollars standpoint, the company comes in at No. 7.
So how does a Proforma distributor get the good fortune of being the exclusive distributor to one of the major players in online gambling? In Anderson's words—being in the right place at the right time.
The story begins more than 10 years ago when Anderson, whose expertise is in graphic design, creative art direction and commercial printing, completed a design project for a British client. "We immediately hit it off on a professional level," he said. They kept in touch for a number of years, but eventually the two lost touch.
Fast-forward to the year 2002 where fate would bring the old friends together again. "I was attending an American Marketing Association networking event in Seattle, and I noticed that there was a British woman there who seemed very familiar to me," he recalled. "I couldn't concentrate on anything that was going on, except finding out where I'd met her before. I soon recognized who she was, and we picked back up right where we'd left off years before." For the two years following the pair's chance meeting, they worked on projects together, provided each other with leads and traveled to association events together.
Anderson's colleague, a printing/packaging specialist, provides a large amount of printing for AbsolutePoker.com. "She invited me to a marketing event titled MarketSmart here in Seattle, and while we were there, she showed me a hat with the AbsolutePoker.com logo and asked me to give
her a quote for 500 of them," he explained. "I thought that the logo was very poorly digitized, and I guaranteed I could get the hats for $4.50 overseas. The next day, I handed her a proposal with a price quote that she submitted to AbsolutePoker.com."
With Anderson's expert graphic design background, one would think any company would jump at the chance to work with someone of his caliber. However, it was more than one year later before Anderson would hear anything from AbsolutePoker.com. "I stayed in touch with my friend, and
approximately two years ago, she came to me and said that we needed to put a program together for AbsolutePoker.com," he said. "I jumped on board and came up with some ideas for an online company store."
Anderson noted that June 2005 marked Proforma Brand Marketing's $100,000 mark in orders from AbsolutePoker.com. "I am currently averaging approximately $20,000 to $30,000 per month in orders from the company," he said. "This has developed in to an incredible relationship and
AbsolutePoker.com has ensured me that it is working exclusively with me, and I have fully gained its trust and loyalty."
Absolute Genius
Anderson said Proforma Brand Marketing's role in the AbsolutePoker.com business is three-fold: managing an online company store, providing promotional products for special events and catering to special markets. "For the most part, I am assisting the company in reaching as many people as it possibly can through the use of promotional products," he explained. "AbsolutePoker.com does not sell any of the merchandise it purchases from us. Year-to-date, we have received in excess of $300,000 in promotional products orders from the company, which are entirely used as giveaways."
Anderson noted the AbsolutePoker.com Web site is divided in to two gaming areas: the first for players who use actual money to play and the second for those who play with fake money. "The fake-money area is used to teach visitors how to play poker, and is designed to entice them to
eventually venture into the area that requires actual money to play," he explained. "The online company store can only be accessed by players who use real money to play and is based on a points system." Players accumulate a certain number of points based on how well they play, or on
how much money they've won, the points can then be redeemed for products, such as jerseys, hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts and polos in the online store.
When it comes to special events, Anderson provides promotional products for AbsolutePoker.com's private parties, charitable events and for trade shows. "At these special events, Absolute Poker.com may need 300 polos or tank tops to giveaway, or its VIP players may get special
merchandise," he said. "This area is not as large as the online store, but orders are very consistent."
As for special markets, Anderson said because the area is still being developed, he is unable to provide full details. He continued, "If the special-markets venture launches in the way that AbsolutePoker.com wishes it to, it could possibly generate millions of dollars in promotional products sales that could last for an extended period of time."
Anderson's affiliation with AbsolutePoker.com has opened many other doors for him. "I assisted AbsolutePoker.com at a gambling industry trade show and got a number of people to register," he said. "We also had a VIP booth with drinks and refreshments, and I met a number of potential
investors who were interested in starting their own online gambling sites, as well as wealthy professionals who have become potential clients."
Make no mistake, Anderson credits much of his success to the long-standing relationships he has generated with his vendors. "My relationships with my vendors are every bit as important as my relationships with my clients," he said. "I rely on them to take care of me, as my clients rely on me to take care of them." It is these relationships that have helped him to work last-minute miracles for AbsolutePoker.com.
Anderson enjoys his line of work and would do it all over again. "It's been an exciting experience working with AbsolutePoker.com," he said. "I get to bring many ideas to the table and see some of those ideas implemented right away."
For more information, call (425) 653-0195.
By Cynthia T. Graham