Walters Wholesale, a sister company of CED and USESI, is running a “unique” promotion at its two San Diego branches. We say “unique” as we know of a couple of companies that ran similar promotions years (and years) ago but, remember the saying, “what is old eventually becomes new again.” The key is that it is new for Walters and new for the market.
Walters is promoting will calls at these 2 branches.
Customers are encouraged to purchase all of their will call orders between September 3 and 25 and then on the 27th they’ll pick a number and then all of the orders picked up that day at that branch will receive full sales credit.
While we’re confident that Walters is aggressively promoting this opportunity to its customers, the company decided to go further and solicit non-customers (also known as new business). They advertised the promotion on the back page of ElectricalNews, a West Coast trade publication that reaches contractors, reps, distributors and manufacturer personnel.
For more information on this promotion and the program rules, click here.
With this promotional strategy Walters has:
- engaged existing customers
- reached out to prospective customers via a direct marketing, mass media, appeal
- found a way to get contractors in the San Diego market to frequent its counters in September in the hopes of “hitting it lucky”.
- In the rules, it specifically states that if a contractor purchases all 17 days from a branch’s counter, it is guaranteed to be a winner (purchase at both branches all 17 days, win twice!).
Good luck to Walters. We hope the promotion goes well (and let us know how it goes). Great idea and great communications to expand the opportunity. Small incremental communications expense to significantly expand the reach.
And as an FYI, we’ve also heard of this same promotional strategy but for purchases from a (or some) specific manufacturers.
11 Comments
Strong sales peoples and customer loyalty should be drive sales not a side show promotion.
Good idea but they are most likely charging higher prices so they cannot loose money.Nothing is for free we all know that.
interesting promotion. something a little different. may try it, and I like the manufacturer angle, as our counters have gotten quieter over the past couple of years.
On the comment that someone made regarding strong salespeople, yes, they do help but they typically only have 10-50 accounts assigned to them. The role of marketing is to create demand and to help salespeople. What about the accounts that aren’t assigned to them or the people in those accounts who the salesperson doesn’t call on.
And customer loyalty??? It’s all about performing for them today.
We didn’t change our pricing. Customers still get their pricing per our system.
Walters Wholesale
Great idea. And I am sure Walters competitors also have good sales people, service and have earned loyalty. But when a customer has buying options, a promotion like this is a great way to capture those discretionary dollars
Interesting….in fact it is a great idea.
sounds like they are desperate for business — the old “DOG AND PONY SHOW” — what’s ya gonna do after the show
Some negative comments from some old dogs no doubt. How many of them have run a “Cruise” promotion?
Kudos to Walters for:
Trying something different, recognizing that deliveries cost money and creating a “buzz” about their company.
No doubt Walters enhanced their counter displays before the promotion as well.
i love the old school mentality displayed here in the comments criticizing “thinking outside the box promos” to drive new business and have a little fun with customers and employees. Have you ever heard of “good for morale”? it’s your thinking that has and continues to allow niche wholesalers to chip away at our—the ED’s business—most profitable piece generally… keep thinking that way and we will keep taking your business right out from under you.
nice job Walters!!!
Treat a customer right all the time and they will come back , that is the one and only promotion you need. You are only as good as your last order even if it is free.
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