Rock ‘n’ roll day drives surge in sales

Themed promotional item hits the right note

By Suzanne Worwood

Wesco Turf opens in new window, a golf and grounds provider in Sarasota, Florida, has seen firsthand how putting a playful twist on the buying process can lead to significant sales growth. Since 2017, the 221-employee company has designated a day as “Duck Day,” a promotion during which the company sends ducks with each order. Each duck contains a number customers can enter to win a prize—just like the beloved carnival game.

In recent years, to keep things interesting, Wesco Turf has incorporated different themes to the Duck Day promotions. This year, customers received rock ‘n’ roll-themed ducks. They used the number on their duck to enter to win one of 15 branded outdoor rocker chairs—the perfect prize to keep the theme going.

Rocking results

Simply put, the campaign rocked. The rock ‘n’ roll-themed promotion lifted both engagement and sales.

“We had about 70-75% engagement, meaning we know how many ducks were sent out and how many people entered the contest to win the rocker chair,” said Candy Mizer, director of parts marketing, noting the company experienced a 33% sales increase for the one-day sales event.

For this promotion, the marketing and sales team got other employees to back the promotion too. Customers could feel the energy both at the company’s location and via social media.

“A lot of our employees dressed up in rock ‘n’ roll T-shirts to share on social media and for walk-in customers to see,” Mizer continued. “And for a video announcing the promo opens in new window, one of our employees played the electric guitar and another one did the voiceover.”

Promos people remember

Innovative strategies and themed promotional items can create memorable experiences that resonate with your audience. For Wesco Turf, the biggest sign of success is that customers requested an encore.

“If it’s been a while since we’ve done a Duck Day, customers will call us asking when we’re doing one,” Mizer said. “They absolutely love engaging in the promotion.”