Has anyone done a summer promotion for "The Big Green Egg" charcoal grills?
I'd welcome a few ideas.
Thanks,
Chris Lagey, Virginia Beach.
Chris,
One of my good clients became a BGE dealer a few years back, and I've written a number of BGE scripts for him (he voices most of his radio commercials).
For the first year or two that he sold them, he'd fire up the store's demo Egg on Fridays throughout late spring and summer, cooking lunch for his crew and any customers that happened to wander into the store that day. Workers at neighboring businesses and others would catch a whiff of whatever was cooking - pork baby back ribs one week, prime rib the next, elk steak (pictured above with a grilled whole onion) or smoked sausages the following week, etc. In part it was a way for them to experiment with different recipes, but mainly it was a low-cost way to impress prospects by sampling.
It worked.
Sometime during the second year, I sold my New Braunfels smoker grill (a nice cast-iron grill I purchased at Costco, it burned 16-inch logs as well as charcoal and had been a mainstay on my patio for many years) and bought an XL Egg. It only hurt once (they ARE pricey), but I've never regretted spending the money. As you're undoubtedly aware, BGE is one of those brands whose customers become evangelists; the company has an enviable following. (Anyone who doubts this, just Google the phrase "Big Green Egg" and you'll see.)
Anyhow, regular sampling is huge, particularly if your client is in a reasonably high-traffic area. Partner with a local meat shop or grocery, maybe a beverage distributor, to leverage the opportunity. Alternatively, have someone from the store bring an Egg to a supermarket. Let the supermarket provide the meats, veggies, fruits, or whatever to grill - possibly with help from their distributors - and it's a win-win for everyone.
Last year, on a Saturday in June, the client held his first EGGfest. I was one of twelve or so customers that participated. The distributor provided new BGEs (mainly large size) - all of which were sold at a discount afterwards, having been used just once. The client paid for whatever we wanted to grill--I chose fresh-caught wild Alaska sockeye salmon, for which I have an amazing recipe--and others did some of their favorite recipes. We advertised it heavily and hundreds came to sample all the delectable grilled treats. The promotion blew away our projections for attendance and, needless to say, we're doing another one this June.
I'll attach some of the BGE spots we've done. Love to hear what you end up doing for your dealer.
Best,
Rod
There is a Christian Broadcasting company here in town that gave a medium sized egg away a while back. Strictly on-air promotion with qualifying prizes of "meat bundles" from local grocery stores, meat markets, butchers, etc.
Seemed to be a popular promotion for both the broadcaster and sponsors alike.
