Situation
As a third-generation outdoor equipment retailer, this client’s challenges have mainly centred around weather factors, as low precipitation softens demand for mowers and snow removal equipment. Another factor is big-box competitors who offer only the lower-end models of the key brands Arn’s offers. Arn’s needed to find a way to “make their own rain!”
Solution
After researching and building a strategy, we assisted them to 1) reinforce their staff experience (and 70 year history) vs. that of big-box competitors and 2) add creative content such as website banners, a new slogan, and helpful blogs 3) build an online marketing campaign to sell equipment that was not weather-dependent and 4) closing the time gap between advertising messages and weather patterns.
Results
Despite having unfavourable (dry) weather patterns and an economic downturn in the growth strategy and marketing approach was remarkably effective in generating sales. This continued to build over a 3 year period, when the sales volumes broke all previous records and ploughed into a whole new level, with staff scrambling to keep up. Arn’s was very proud to receive dealer awards, and to be awarded a prestigious new Honda dealership.
