Happy Friday from the GC Office Team

Some of the GC Team takes a few minutes to pose for a photo. What a good looking crew! Two Account Managers, the VP of the Booking Department, the VP of Operations, Accounting, and our office assistant all made it into this photo!

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of 70,000 brand ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand. For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

All six members of the Registration Staff team that woke up for a shift that started at 6:30am in Arlington, VA have earned mega kudos from the GC Account Managers. Thanks for your professionalism and reliability! (Check out more photos from this event on the GC Facebook page.)

Registration Staff Team, Arlington VA

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of 70,000 brand ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand. For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

A Day in the Life of a Liquor Promo Model

Angela Christoforos is a 21-year old that lives in Boston. She’s graduating from Suffolk Unviersity this May with a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism. She has a niche for hard news and a passion for entertainment news, and aspires to become an on-air televison reporter and personality. She currenty works at WHDH-TV 7 News, the NBC affiliate in Boston as  Production Assistant. Aside from her other responsibites, she’s been working promotions for over a year, representing a variety of liquor brands as well as raising money for breast cancer charities. She also enjoys skydiving! Check out Angela’s blog and business page for more about her.

I’ve been working as a promotional sales model for a little over a year, and I love it! I’m definitely a people person which is probably why I was first approached about working events for a breast cancer awareness campaign. The breast cancer awareness promotion involves selling t-shirts, bracelets, and beer kuzis that say “boobies rock!” This promotion raises money for breast cancer charities nationwide. I also work for a few different companies to promote liquor brands such as Bacardi and Grey Goose vodka.

When you’re working a promotional event, the first responsibility is making sure you arrive to the promo wearing the right branded attire. Other responsibilites include checking in with the bartender to make sure he or she is mixing the right drinks, handing out samples to people at the bar or club, being engaging and friendly with the crowd, and eagerly answering any questions the consumers may have about the brand you are promoting. After the promo is over, you are also responsible for packing up (don’t leave anything behind!) and filling out a recap sheet.

The easiest part for me is just smiling and being engaging! I have an outgoing and bubbly personality, so I find that interacting with others comes easily to me. The hardest part may be dealing with guys that overdo it when they hit on you (once in a while you may come across a drunk person, and when that happens I just keep my cool, remain friendly, and keep going on my way.) Other reasons I love working liquor promotions is visiting cool venues and giving free drinks and cool treates to people that buy the drink I’m promoting. Plus I get to wear a cute outfit! (What’s better than that?) I also love meeting different people in professional settings at the venues in which the promotions are held. I’ve met a lot of people through working promotions, whether it was to raise money for breast cancer, promote a liquor brand, or help out at an event. Another great aspect of this kind of work is that promotional jobs are very flexible–this is ideal for a busy person like myself that is often juggling several other things including school work and two other jobs. I live in Boston and I love being able to go to and check out the clubs and bar scene around town not only when I’m out with my friends, but when I’m working a promotion in a fun night life environment!

What makes a successful promotional sales model? For one, having an outgoing personality and being approachable. The best promotional sales models are the ones that love constant interaction with people. Doing the research and having a good general knowledge of the brands you are promoting is also very important.

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Angela Christoforos works with GC an independent contractor for promotional events. If you are a member of the GC talent database and would like to write a guest blog post for us, email webmaster@gcmarketingservices.com with the topic(s) you’d like to write about.

For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

Staffing at the HBA Global Expo

• Familiarity with or interest in beauty products – At many events it’s fine for staff not to know much about the product or even the industry they’re working in because they’ll be taught everything they need to know onsite. For beauty events it’s a huge help to use staff that already understand the categories that the products fall into. If reps arrive with this basic knowledge, they can much more easily grasp the selling points that make the client’s product special.
• Clean and neat attire – Attire for trade shows is usually more professional than other promotional events, but health and beauty shows in particular often want staff to wear very sleek and professional clothes. They’ll often suggest very specific colors or articles that should be worn.
• Attractive female reps – Perhaps unsurprisingly, the health and beauty industry often tends to focus on female consumers. For this reason clients attending trade shows like HBA often request female trade show reps that embody the brand image that the company is trying to promote.

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of over 70,000 Brand Ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand at a low cost. Staffing locally not only eliminates air fare, hotel costs, and meal expenses, it puts experienced marketing professionals in your corner!

For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

The science of street team sampling

• What’s being distributed? Ultimately, if an item is really great, reps will be able to hand out a lot of them with relative ease. If a sample is uninteresting or not very identifiable, people will be more hesitant to take it and reps will need to do more legwork.
• Decent weather? If the weather’s not good, the sampling won’t be as successful. Not only will there be fewer people walking around, but they’ll likely be holding umbrellas or at least rushing to get inside. If the sun is shining and everyone is strolling, they’re much more likely to be open to receiving a sample.
• Foot traffic? You can’t distribute samples unless there are people available to take them! Picking areas that are well-trafficked is crucial.
• Location type? Lots of traffic isn’t necessarily the key to a great sampling event. Some foot traffic ambles more slowly and is more easily distracted–shopping areas, restaurant areas, tourist attractions, etc. Other types of foot traffic rushes directly from one location to another–commuters are a great example of this. Though camping out at travel hubs might seem like an easy way to market to the largest number of people, they are overall less susceptible to promotions than in some other locations.
• How many samples per person? Some items have a 1-1 distribution (one person receives one item) while others are best distributed to individuals a few at a time. Clients need to decide if this is something they will allow.
• Who’s taking items? If the target demographic is women, it’s very likely that only women will take samples. If the target demographic is men, it’s likely that both men and women will take samples (women are more inclined to take samples to pass along to men they know).
• How good are your Brand Ambassadors? Very enthusiastic, outgoing, and friendly reps will be more successful in distributing samples than reserved or lazy reps. While no one can overcome the setback of a rainstorm, great reps will always shine.

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of over 70,000 brand ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand. For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

How hiring trade show staff saves you money:

• Cut expenses – Vendors with booths at shows already have to buy booth space at a show and fill it with a great display. Why pay for hotel rooms, expensive meals, and transportation on top of all of that? GC staffs locally, so even if you’re travelling in from Los Angeles for a show at the Javits Center in New York, we’ll be using people who already live in the city. They won’t have jetlag, get lost on the way, or need reimbursement for cabs, hotels, and meals. They’re there to work just when you need them!
• The right look – By hiring promotional staff that appeals directly to your target demographic, you increase the likelihood that your trade show efforts will be successful! Your team may know the products you’re promoting inside and out, but with a quick phone training you can teach this brand messaging to eager trade show reps who fit the exact brand image you’re looking to promote.
• Double your productivity – By hiring fantastic trade show staff for your next show, you can leave most of your team back at the office. You get to save money that you would have spent flying them out and gain the hours that they’ll be working while the show is going on. How can you lose?
• Trade show experience – GC Trade show reps have in many cases worked hundreds of trade shows or promotional events for various brands. They are excellent marketers with plenty of experience working in very busy and high-pressure environments. You’ll get more bang for your buck by hiring trade show staff that knows what it takes to shine on the show room floor.

Get your booth buzzing at a price that’s right for you and ask us for a free quote!

The GC Marketing Services Team

Some usual culprits: Frisbee games, ice cream trucks, shady parks, cute guys/girls wearing revealing clothing and sunning themselves, etc.

So what can reps to do keep focused? Here some ideas we’ve heard from talent who have been able to resist the sunny weather temptations!

Avoiding summer distractions

• Make it a game – Get a little competitive with yourself or your team and set some goals to keep you engaged. If you’re handing out flyers, see who can hand out more. If you’re supposed to be engaging with customers, see how quickly you can get them to smile and start chatting with you.
• Focus on the outcome – If you’re saving up for a particular item or just trying to make rent, keep that goal in mind! If you lose focus, don’t do a good job, no-show, arrive late, or leave an event early, you risk not only losing money from the job you were hired for but losing out on the opportunity to be booked for jobs down the line. Remember why the job at hand is worth every moment of your attention!
• Use your willpower – If you know you’re prone to distraction, mentally prepare yourself to block out everything other than the promotion. Do whatever it takes! Give yourself a little treat after events where you maintain excellent focus. If possible, physically turn yourself in such a way that you won’t see distractions. Develop a mantra!

We hope you found something in here that will help you maintain excellent focus! If you have more ideas of ways to block out distractions, let us know in a comment!

The GC Marketing Services Team

The Big Bang Theory & Promotional Marketing

• Leonard Hofstadter

Despite his geeky hobbies, nerdy fashion sense, and thick glasses, Leonard is still perhaps the most functional of the four scientists featured on The Big Bang Theory. He serves as a go-between and mediator for Sheldon, Howard, and Rajesh in a lot of situations, attempting to explain their behavior to others. Leonard has always been in love with Penny, the hot girl from across the hall and, despite the vast nerdiness that makes them so different from each other, he never gives up his pursuit of her affection.

- Be confident, speak up, and always articulate. Despite the obstacles in Leonard’s way, his dogged persistence and candor always end up persevering. If it doesn’t seem like you’re “into” the brand you are promoting, people will notice and it will affect everyone’s overall experience. Instead, be enthusiastic, confident and proud that you are promoting the particular brand! This will affect people’s overall outlook of the brand you are advertising. If you’re not into it the promotion, why should other people be?

• Sheldon Cooper

Perhaps the most dysfunctional of the four friends, Sheldon’s intelligence cripples his social life. He cannot function outside the confines of his own fabricated routines and belittles anyone he deems to be less intelligent. Sheldon brashly broadcasts his superiority complex while failing to grasp basic social concepts like sarcasm, sympathy, and humility.

- Being a genius clearly can’t help you master every situation! Instead, being able to adapt to new situations is a valuable skill in promotional work–being wedded to one routine isn’t a good quality. Sheldon’s proclivity to be sarcastic isn’t a good one either. Having a genuinely happy demeanor will help you connect with those around you. Sheldon also usually speak fast and mumbles, placing additional distance between himself and those around him. Instead, don’t over-think! Just relax and focus on connecting with others in a positive way.

• Howard Wolowitz

Howard is a little bit creepy when he’s hitting on women. Though he believes himself to be incredibly suave with outlandish pickup lines, Howard’s total confidence and lack of self-reflection make him a bit of joke to those around him. His distinctly 60′s fashion sense is just a physical manifestation of how out-of-touch Howard is.

- While Howard’s confidence is admirable, you must be able to reflect and re-work your strategy if it’s not working. Flirting is also not acceptable while working any job, so keep it together! While connecting on a personal level with potential clients or passersby is important, the focus must always remain with the product, brand, or event.

• Rajesh Koothrappali

The most distinctive trait Rajesh has is his inability to talk to women (at all!) unless he’s been drinking. Besides this somewhat odd idiosyncrasy, Rajesh is otherwise pretty normal. He’s a little naive and lacks all of Howard’s confidence, but he’s much more socially aware than Sheldon.

- Speak up! Being a Brand Ambassador is all about fantastic verbal communication skills. While drinking on the job is obviously unacceptable, it’s important to get yourself pumped up and enthusiastic at the beginning of every promotion. Whether it’s your first promotion or your fiftieth, being genuinely excited for an event can make a huge difference in the success of your pitches.

• Penny

Penny is a struggling actress (and a thriving Cheesecake Factory waitress!) that lives across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. She’s attractive, spunky, and very loyal. Though not remarkably book smart, Penny’s actual real-world experience makes her a huge asset to Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Rajesh.

While looks can be important for brand promotions, there’s a lot more to it. Though constantly mocked and insulted by Sheldon and hit on by Leonard, Penny’s perseverance and good attitude keep her going every day.

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of 70,000 brand ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand. For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

Crowd Gathering

• Smiling – We say it over and over but it’s true! Smiling makes you more attractive and when you’re looking your best and radiating a positive demeanor, everyone is more likely to want to speak with you. No one would rather approach someone looking glum. Don’t go crazy though, a crazy-eyed Cheshire Cat grin will also make passersby cut a wide swath around you. Just shoot for relaxed, happy, and eager.
• Open Body Language – No slumped shoulders, no crossed arms, no fidgeting, no pacing, and no swaying! These are all signs of either nerves, boredom, or tiredness and they communicate that you’re in no mood to talk to people. If you’re bored or tired, your brand or product must not be that interesting. Instead, a stable and ready posture that requires just a little energy will also leave your mind more ready to greet someone.
• Eye Contact – Another crucial part of making a personal connection with someone, eye contact is rarely done wrong (but we’ve seen it happen!) As someone approaches, meet their gaze and smile. Once you’ve made eye contact they will feel more free to speak; People don’t feel comfortable speaking to you if they’re not sure you’re paying attention to them.
• Energy and Excitement – Whether it’s the kind of event at which you can attract people with a snappy shouted marketing pitch or where a rep has to shine in one-on-one situations, treating every interaction as though it were your main focus is important. Finding enjoyment in a sales pitch to a tradeshow attendee can leave both of you laughing which will definitely turn heads and get others interested. It doesn’t matter what the product is–just engage on a personal level with genuine enthusiasm and you’ll reap the benefits.
• Look Awesome – Put as much effort into your appearance as you do into your sales pitch! If you show up to work an event with a wrinkled shirt and scuffed shoes, you don’t look as great as you could (check out these silly attire mistakes!) Wearing clean, unripped, and professional attire makes you look more trustworthy and authoritative and will make people more likely to pay attention when you speak.
• Work Your Audience – Whether there are two people listening or twenty you’ve got to be aware of the audience. Gauge the mood, engage as many as you can without getting off topic, and keep things moving! Brand messaging isn’t a one-way street, so be sure to listen too.
• Reach Out – Oftentimes people are afraid to move outside their comfort zone. Don’t just wait for people to approach you! Actively entice others whether it’s with humor, a convincing sales pitch, or just being friendly. You miss 100% of shots you don’t take, so take a chance and try reeling someone in. Your initiative won’t go overlooked!

What are some other tips for gathering a crowd and keeping them interested? What are the biggest groups you’ve worked with and what did you do? Let us know in a comment!

For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team

A good pitch versus a bad pitch

• “It’s free!” versus “Try a free hand lotion sample!”

In both situations there is correct emphasis on the fact that the giveaway is free. People love free things so letting them know this up front will only encourage them to take it. The big difference is that in the second version the pitch actually spells out what the sample is. Even if a BA has said this pitch a hundred times, there’s always the chance that someone within earshot hadn’t heard the pitch yet. No one wants a sample of something unknown, so tell them what it is very clearly.

• “Would you like to know about the company called The Food Service?” versus “Looking for better local produce?”

The answer to the first option would probably be “no” for most people. Passersby probably don’t know anything about the company or product you’re promoting and without that background information, they won’t be interested in stopping and listening to advertising. If you phrase it in such a way that emphasizes a potential benefit to them, you suddenly give them a reason to want to hear what you have to say.

• “Free concert tonight!” versus “Free contemporary jazz at 9pm!”

There are good things and bad things about each pitch. If this is a flyering event, the first pitch might is a lot more general and will probably get more people to take flyers–those who don’t like contemporary jazz or aren’t around at 9pm won’t take one. However, with the first pitch the flyer is also more likely to be thrown away. You’ll hand out more but get a much lower yield. With the second approach you’ll be handing flyers to those who might actually attend, not just those who generally like music.

Contact GC today for a free quote for your event! We staff nationwide with a talent database of 70,000 brand ambassadors so that you can find the perfect person to represent your product or brand. For the right people in the right places,

The GC Marketing Services Team