About The Client
Our client partner is a major automotive company that offers a complete line of vehicles at more than 750 dealerships throughout the United States. Creative Group has partnered with this client on exclusive top dealer incentive events, high profile golf events, and dealer receptions since 2010.
This sales manager incentive program is one of the more complex events we produce for this client. From developing the strategic meeting platform, to sourcing the venue, to creating an engaging communication plan, we helped elevate the sales approach to better match the repositioning of the brand into a more premier nameplate.
The Challenge
Our client was in the midst of a comprehensive product renaissance as the brand evolved to a more premium status, creating a need for a redesign of the marquee dealership incentive program. A forward movement to a high-growth segment with high-quality vehicles required education on key brand priorities from leadership to sales teams.
Moreover, the program would need to arm the sales managers with selling strategies to elevate the customer experience at the dealerships and drive outstanding sales results. Historically, this event was regarded purely as entertainment and reward in a club-type setting.
Creative Group’s recommendation was to elevate the event to a smart, strategic, and important communications tool for enlisting the company’s very best sales managers without losing the appeal of entertainment and rewards.
The Solution
There is no better place to “Go Pro” than the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Creative Group created a one-night event designed to give the winning sales managers an all-pro experience complete with interactive games, reward opportunities and surprises along the way. More than a slogan, “Go Pro” was a call to action, challenging our client’s sales managers to raise their game to the next level.
During the qualification period, consistent and strategic communication encouraged sales managers to be Game Changers by striving for higher levels of personal and team commitment. Our electronic messaging, mailed promotional pieces and a sales playbook appealed to the diverse audience and cut through the clutter of the everyday noise at the dealerships.
Upon arrival in Dallas, attendees were led by police escort on a Dallas Cowboys game bus to the famous stadium. To create that game-day excitement, participants emerged into stadium through the underground tunnel just as the players do. As they entered the field, they were greeted by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and watched their live entrance on the world’s largest LED screen. Head coach “Vince Lombardi” opened the evening with a pep talk and the games were off to a start.
Mimicking tests from the NFL Scouting Combine, players participated in passing, running and jumping competitions to earn points redeemable for rewards. Game-day themed food was offered throughout the night, and following a half-time performance, photos with the cheerleaders were available. The gaming stations even integrated intuitive, rather than overt, messages about customer service, leadership, discipline, and commitment to excellence.
The Outcome
Many corporations tend to see the same top performers rise to the surface, year after year. The introduction of many new winners in this year’s program suggested that the ongoing communication campaign created deeper engagement and moved new sales managers to action.
The participants received the program with extreme enthusiasm and are ready to do it again. Post program evaluations revealed the following sentiment:
“Out of this world….amazing….over the top…I felt like a superstar, and had the best time of my life.”
“The organization of the event and the selection of staff were beyond words. Fantastic staff!!!”
“The staff was so much fun, playing the games and the way we were treated like a rock star. Winning the money was amazing, but I think the way we were treated trumped winning the prizes and I thank you for the best night ever.”