Marketing managers often find themselves stumped when trying to devise ways to get C-Level Fortune 500 executives out of their offices to attend a trade show or presentation. The standard sales tactics just aren’t as effective today as they were five years ago.
Compounding that problem at HP was a long sales cycle. The HP sales team was tasked with making results happen in a short time span – within the existing quarter. The solution would have to not only help close deals already working through that long sales cycle, but also uncover new opportunities with existing clients as well as new corporate partners.
They knew they would have to do something big to break through to C-Level decision makers. The HP team decided to take a risk, creating a 23-city Exstream Results Tour featuring an ‘executive briefing centre on wheels’.
“We knew we needed a fun and impressive, yet informal, way to allow the HP sales reps to engage clients directly and to showcase HP’s enterprise solution product,” said Tami Webster, HP’s marketing manager. “And since travel budgets have been cut in this economy, we also knew we would have to take the solution to them.”
HP turned to experiential marketing firm Pro Motion to make it happen. Pro Motion designed a 45-foot luxury motorcoach, outfitting it with the latest HP hardware and Exstream software. The team set up the motorcoach with multiple demo areas in a relaxed, living room-like environment. The coach even had a ‘diner’, with restaurant-style booths, serving soda or coffee.
“The interactions had to be more than a sales presentation to make an impact,” said Pro Motion president Steve Randazzo. “The comfortable setting allowed HP’s clients to relax and enjoy real back-and-forth conversation with the technology experts. HP’s sales team could focus on the specific needs of each customer with the different demo areas dedicated to Exstream’s nine key solutions.”
From New York, Louisville, Minneapolis and Des Moines, Pro Motion worked with HP to manage the logistics throughout the tour. More than 600 customers visited the motor coach, at 40 current and potential financial services clients, and HP struck nine deals inside the Exstream Results Tour Motor Coach.
“When you make it so easy that all they have to do is step out to the parking lot to see something, you’re more likely to attract these C-Level decision-makers,” Webster said. “We were able to showcase the Exstream capabilities and solutions, educate them about new products, and increase brand awareness by providing a very unique touch point.”
In addition to creating a surprising and fun interaction so conveniently in the clients’ parking lots, HP’s brand messaging was also seen by millions as the wrapped bus travelled 10,000 miles across the country.
“I was particularly impressed by the creativity in finding new ways to reach the customer to get our message into the marketplace,” said Jerry Driscoll, HP’s regional director – FSI, Enterprise Software.
“The deals that began in the motorcoach are alive today and moving through our sales cycle, and deals we already had in the pipeline were moved forward much more quickly,” Webster continued.
“They mean millions of dollars in sales for HP. We are definitely considering doing another tour very soon.”
