What is a "Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse"? It’s a merchandise award "grab fest" right in the PFI warehouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Run-throughs were extremely popular in the 70s and 80s but have since faded from memory, until now. Partners For Incentives has raised the banners, set the shelves and is at the starting line ready to deliver one of the most exciting award events you can possibly offer incentive program participants. An extensively promoted, well operated run through the warehouse never fails to deliver results and is a profitable incentive reward opportunity, truly a win-win for everybody.

The Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse will be held in a specially designed area on the second floor of the historic, 200,000 square foot Partners For Incentives merchandise warehouse facility in Cleveland, Ohio. Welcome banners, high energy music and shelves upon shelves of the most popular merchandise will greet award winners when they step off the elevator and into an event they will remember for a lifetime.

Depending on the budget, the run can be conducted for one or more minutes per participant. The participants are given a fixed amount of time to race up and down the aisles of merchandise grabbing what they can as fast as they can. A special cart is provided that the runners use to pile up their prizes. Referees are present to help participants find selections they may be searching for or to ensure that they play by the rules. At the end of the run, the winners go to a special checkout area where they total up their take. The merchandise is then moved onto pallets and participants can have their pictures taken with their merchandise bounty. Their selections are then processed and shipped to their homes.

The warehouse is staffed with employees trained to manage and coordinate this special event. A special waiting area with refreshments, snacks and seating is set off to the side where "runners" can wait until it’s their turn.

The PFI Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse features over 400 merchandise award selections, everything from TVs and DVDs to kitchen accessories and house wares. In addition, warehouse merchandise selections can be tailored to appeal to your audience. For example, additional items can be set to accommodate golf, sports and fitness equipment, camping, hunting and fishing enthusiasts.

Merchandise can be arranged to help control your budget. For example, high priced items like top end electronics can be removed, and participants are permitted to grab only one model/unit of each item. Conversely, you can enhance the award collection with higher end selections if you’d like the reward to be truly memorable.

• Upon arriving at the PFI warehouse facility, Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse winners will be greeted by giant banners hanging on the outside and inside of the PFI facility.

• Winners will enter the warehouse on the first level walking though the main warehouse facility where the majority of PFI award merchandise is shelved. Winners will then be taken to the second floor, using the automobile-sized elevators (The warehouse once housed the Chandler Automobile Company and the elevators were used to move cars from floor to floor).

• There will be start and finish line banners as well as a welcome banner greeting participants when they come off the elevator. Balloons and high energy music will set the tone for this extraordinary event. All banners and balloons will feature the stock Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse logo and can be customized with client and theme logos for additional charges.

• The standard setup will include a sound system playing music selected to dial-up the atmosphere of anticipation and excitement. A live DJ can be added upon request.

• Partners For Incentives hosts will all be dressed in referee shirts or Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse logo T-Shirts. Here is the break down of PFI hosts for a standard run:
   

  • Elevator Attendant 1

  • Cheering Sections 10 (5 at each end of the aisle)

  • Stockers 4

  • Referees 2

  • Counselors/checkers 4
    (2 checking out merchandise-2 on the floor for questions)
     

• Shelves will be set up in the warehouse with a popular mix of hundreds of brand name items. A complete list of the standard merchandise mix can be made available for review prior to setting up a specific Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse event. Clients can use the standard award mix or we will work with them to create a custom selection.

• All runners will have the opportunity to walk each aisle prior to their run. A map of the merchandise layout can also be made available for participants to review prior to arriving at the warehouse. All merchandise is placed on shelves that can be easily reached by participants without climbing. Runners will NOT have to reach over their heads to get at merchandise.

• Runners will be provided a warehouse cart to load during their run. The cart will be pushed by spouse/partner giving participants more time to grab and stack.

• Runners will only be permitted to grab one of each item. (ie: a participant cannot go to the TVs and grab five 27" TVs, only one is permitted.)

• Referees and counselors placed on each aisle will assist runners with questions and insure that they follow the rules.

• When time is up, runners will be directed to a checkout desk where the merchandise they grabbed will be recorded and processed. The merchandise will then be placed off to the side on pallets where the winners can clearly see the results of their run and have their pictures taken with their wall of awards.

• All merchandise will be shipped directly from the warehouse to the winners’ homes the second business day after run.

If you want more information or think you may have a program application, contact us at sales@spihq.com or call us at 1-800-292-7371 (ask for sales).

In addition to the standard PFI setup previously described here are additional ideas and options you and your clients may want to consider to package and personalize your Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse.

• Customized T-shirts with client/theme logo

• Hotel "Run-Through Gift Basket"

• (Water bottle, granola, Gatorade, warehouse map, aspirin and t-shirt)

• Luncheon Buffet

• Beverages and snack setup

• Live Entertainment (DJ)

• Live Entertainment (Band)

• Custom banners with logo

• Photographer

• Theme Your Rock ‘n Run The Warehouse Event

• Use a live video so other participants can view the action while they wait

• Include events at or visits to local attractions:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

• Cleveland Indians, Browns or Cavaliers Game

• Visit the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum

• Cleveland Art Museum

• Nightlife in the "Flats", a Cleveland landmark

• River/Lake Cruise on Goodtime II

• USS Cod WWII Submarine

• Irwin Mathers Great Lakes Freighter

Time To Hit The Strip!

Visit Partners For Incentives At The Las Vegas ASI Show March 19-21, 2003

Be sure to add PFI to your list of stops at the Las Vegas ASI show. You’ll find us at Booth 3039. Jim Kapkar, Regional Manager and Sue Niebuhr, Sales Support Supervisor will be at the PFI booth throughout the show. They will be prepared and eager to talk to you about incentive program planning as well as answer your questions about your program opportunities, awards, award fulfillment and see what’s new in 2003, including the Deluxe Catalog and the recently released Deluxe-Lite catalog. You can also learn about the new Gift Award Collection slated for release later this year and get a preview of the enhancements in the works for our popular Reflections Service Award program.

Partners for Incentives (PFI) has over 40 years of experience servicing organizations’ incentive and recognition needs. Partners for Incentives provides total incentive and recognition program development and fulfillment services including stock /custom award catalogs, award sourcing, rules writing, offline and online award catalogs/fulfillment and program administration.

Whether your opportunities include distribution channel sales and marketing incentives or employee performance and recognition incentives, PFI will work with you to develop an efficient and effective merchandise awards solution. And one of the most important factors that make us different from every other company in the business . . . we NEVER sell direct!

If the Las Vegas ASI show is on your calendar, be sure to mark Booth 3039 as a must see while you are there. We are looking forward to talking with you.

PFI Will Be On The Road In 2003

In addition to the ASI show in Las Vegas, PFI will be on the road at other shows around the Country. So if you miss us in Las Vegas, here are two additional opportunities to meet with PFI associates:

Show Location 2003 Dates

SAGNY
Atlantic City, NJ
June 3-6

SAAC (Specialty Advertising Association of California) Show
Long Beach, CA
August 13 - 14

Motivation Show
Chicago, IL
September 16-18

Selling Tips

Closing The Sale On The Phone

Nothing beats a personal sales call and there is no better way to take control of closing the sale than in a face-to-face meeting. But the reality is, you may not be able to schedule the time with your prospect soon enough to effectively finish the sale. The phone may be your best option and in some cases only option. Here are a few basic tips to insure that your phone closing techniques lead you to a sell and not away from one. 

• Call as soon as you can to set up an appointment to finalize a sale.

• Try to anticipate the questions your prospect will ask and what they might object to before you place the call.

• Keep a record of the best times to reach your client or prospect.

• Make an outline of the topics and final selling point you want to make

• Pay attention to what you prospect is saying, don’t read ahead on your list or doodle. Hear what they are saying

• Be courteous to anyone who answers the phone. The call screeners can become your best allies.

Finally, don’t get discouraged if the prospect tries to defer a decision to a later date. Make a point of reviewing positive comments he/she made. Explain the time savings of making a decision now and the immediate steps you can take once you have the ok to proceed.