If you are reading this private blog, you most likely work for BRP or Taylor PR. We will be documenting our guerrilla marketing activities. If you have any input, questions, or suggestions, feel free to include them in a comment or even email us JAW_IV@cox.net or SteveKatai@gmail.com so that we might find ways to improve our marketing techniques.
Thank you for taking the time to enjoy the media...
After our endeavor as Can-Am Spyder Guerilla Marketers, the folks down at Can-Am BRP were kind enough to leave the units with us until they were needed for the next promotion. Since we did not have any events scheduled to promote at, we were able to really enjoy the fun, relaxation, and pride that comes with being a Spyder owner.
I received an invitation from the SoCal Spyder Ryders (soon to be "West Coast Spyder Ryders") inviting me out for the "Lakes Ryde" which sounded like a great time. How could I resist. The day started at Fun Bike Center in San Diego where the group met up and hit the road and headed for Lake Murray. After spending some time there we hit the road up to the mountains where we had lunch a Lake Cuyamaca. The mountain roads were windy with plenty of switchbacks which really demonstrated the agility of the roadster. The roads were not very forgiving, but the Spyder maneuvered extremely well.
This was my first group Spyder Ryde and it couldn't have been with a better crew. These people couldn't have been nicer. I later found out that this group is the most active of the Spyder Cycling clubs in the nation and I'm lucky to have spent the day with them.
Unfortunately, this is most likely my last group Spyder Ryde as my promotion unit is needed in Los Angeles. It was a fun ryde while it lasted. I'm just glad to have had the opportunity to work with such a progressive marketing group and hope they will consider me for future promotions, rydes, or even assisting in training new "Spyder Mavens".
Ryde Safe, Ryde Strong, and Have Fun out there! -Buck
As you may recall from the Challenged Athletes Event blog I was interviewed on "The Competitors Radio Show" by 'The Voice of Ironman' Bob Babbitt and Paul Huddle. click the link below so you can hear first hand about how much fun the Can-Am Spyder Roadster is! I was a little nervous at first but these guys were a blast!
Earlier today, I had heard on the radio that there were going to be “election parties” at various places throughout the Gaslamp Quarter. I thought it would be fun to take the roadster down to see the various events supporting each of the candidates.
I was amazed at how much traffic was headed downtown. It looked like election night was a great night to go out. I headed over to the House of Blues where the San Diego Democratic Party had booked the venue from 8:00PM to 12:00AM. When I pulled up I immediately had people approaching the vehicle. I threw on the hazards and spent some time handing out information and answering questions. There was a ton of enthusiasm about the evening and plenty for the Can-Am Spyder as well.
My next stop was Stingaree. I parked right in front of the main entrance next to the CBS news van. One of the reporters said “Wow, that’s the first time I’ve seen one of these outside of the ads.” He could not disguise his excitement. We spoke for a while as I continued to hand out fliers to the steady flow of people headed to PetcoPark. Apparently most of the heavy traffic was due to Madonna playing at the stadium. While I was outside the club Obama had secured enough electoral votes to win the race. Since this was another Democratic event, people were going crazy with excitement.
After speaking with a few more groups of people, I headed around the corner and parked in a “Taxi Zone” right next to the entrance of the park. I handed out SpyderSanDiego.com fliers to anyone who looked remotely interested in the Can-Am Roadster. The majority of these people were girls in retro “Madonna like” clothing accompanied by supportive men who were happy to walk away with some information on a cool new vehicle. After spending some time explaining different aspects of the Spyder to many different groups, I realized it was getting late.
In the interest of balanced promoting I had decided to head down to the where the news reporter suggested, the Republican Party’s election night event at the Westgate Hotel. Considering the results of the race, I was not surprised that when I arrived, the place was dead.
After a few trips up and down 5th and 6th Avenues, I rode home along the water on Harbor Drive reflecting the election. I was reminded how lucky we are to live in a nation where Democracy gives the people the power to control the future of the country.
Today I headed on down to the Gaslamp Quarter's Fall Back Festival, a benefit to raise money for the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. This was an event primarily geared towards children brought the families out of the woodwork. The crowd appeared to be mostly mothers and children but I managed to find a quite few stray dads looking to learn more about their next toy. I landed a parking spot right next to the main gate on 5th & Island so there was no missing this awesome piece of machinery on the way in to the event.
Since this event was in the heart of the Gaslamp district, there was plenty of foot traffic from local businesses. I spoke with quite a few groups and individuals who had plenty of questions. Those who didn't have questions but were staring at this classic roadster in passing ended up with a SpyderSanDiego.com card in their hand. Promoting downtown sometimes requires rapid tactics to make sure that plenty of people walk away with the information that they need. I found myself explaining all the fun involved with being a SpyderRyder and receiving very positive feedback. When I wasn’t answering questions, I was handing out cards to people passing by and emphasizing that there is which caused quite a few people to stop in their tracks. When I followed that up with the details of the of the ABS, VSS, and traction control they always had plenty of questions. This roadster really demonstrated its ability to turn heads today.
When I stepped away to grab a bite to eat, I made sure to set a good amount fliers and booklets on the vehicle. I was gone for about 30 minutes and when I returned, I was pleased to find that all but a few items had been picked up by prospective SpyderRyders. These roadsters really have a way of attracting people to them.
I had my second experience of someone following me to learn more about the Can-Am Spyder. At first I thought he was just pulling into the gas station for a fill up. However, after he approached me and we talked for awhile, he just left. He came in to learn more about the Spyder, period. I'm not sure how long he had be following me. He asked me several questions including where he could get one. I pointed him to the nearest dealer. He said he would go take a test ride. My gut says this guy will purchase one. He was fired up. He owns off-road ATV's and was very familiar with the Can-Am brand. He's been looking for something to take to the streets and saw himself riding a Spyder. Next I drove around the Carlsbad Fair to scope out my parking options. I circled around the block and found a prime spot near the bus / shuttle pickup. I was impressed... there were hundreds of people walking around the 4 block radius. It turned into a great event for Spyder exposure and potential sales. I talked with dozens of people. They were all excited about the roadster. One guy had his motorcycle stolen and was looking for something to purchase with the insurance money. I spent some time chatting with a women in her 60's who wanted one to cruise local streets. She was funny... I gave her my email address. She doesn't have a computer but wanted me to send her the photo I took. I think her daughter is going to email me so I can send it. There were so many great conversations. I really enjoyed my time at the fair. Check out some of the folks I met...
This morning was great, I was up early and looking forward to a nice run. Using the convenient trunk in the front of the Can-Am Spyder, I was able to load up all my running gear along with some Spyder media and be on my way in no time. I was headed over fifty miles up the coast to the North end of CampPendleton near San Onofre for the "Buffalo Alley 10k Run". The ride up was amazing, what a beautiful area that was with plenty of breathtaking sights. I was so happy to be SpyderRyding...
When I arrived I managed to land a parking spot right next to the end of the Start/Finish chute. I stuck around a few to answer questions from event spectators and loaded up the vehicle with a few SpyderSanDiego.com cards and booklets as well. This "trail run" was shaping up to be a lot of fun. After that I threw my shoes on and headed out on the course. Friends on the race staff let me know that there were a good number of people checking out this awesome piece of three-wheeled technology as they waited for their athletes to come in. When I came across the finish line the first thing I saw was that beautiful Yellow Can-Am Spyder.
After the race, I spent some time hanging out with athletes, volunteers, and military members talking about the Spyder. One guy told me that he just bought a different motorcycle and he wants to sell it to get a Can-Am Spyder Roadster instead. I really enjoyed all of the positive feedback. It really puts a smile on my face.
On the way out, I decided to check out a very cool beach camp site called San Onofre Beach. Surfers really like this beach, because it’s exclusive to military members. It is usually less polluted than beaches in the city. You can really see what I mean in the Spyder shot below. I even got a thumbs up from one of the lifeguards. It was a great ride back and I even stopped as soon as I was off base and took my safety vest off so that everyone on that long ride home could see my BRP.COM logo on my jacket. There were a ton of people on the road and I caught plenty of eyes.
It seemed like everywhere I went today I found active consumers eager to learn more about this unique roadster. I stopped for gas and a couple from Oregon pulled up and had plenty of questions. They were very happy with the book and some fliers. When I arrived at the gate to CampPendleton, the marine who checked my ID said “Where’s your motorcycle endorsement?” I quickly explained how the law worked in California, handed them each a SpyderSanDiego.com card, and I was on my way. Even when I went down to Ocean Beach to get a breakfast burrito on the way home, people were swarming and I found myself giving even out more media. AWESOME!
On my way back to the house I saw a friend walking his dog and stopped to say hello. I didn't even call the dog over to me. She instinctively cuddled up with the Spyder. As you can see from the picture below, even dogs love the Can-Am Spyder Roadster.
It was a beautiful day to get out on the Can-Am Spyder. I headed down to Balboa Park and ran into a detour due to some construction. It took me out of my way but was nice to cruise through new areas... living the "Y" factor. I actually found the main drag of Little Italy; which I've never seen before. The streets were busy with Saturday morning joggers, walkers, and al fresco diners. The Spyder received some good attention.
Next I stopped at the Autism walk at Balboa Park. There were hundreds of people spectating and out walking for this cause. I found a great spot to park the Spyder. I hung out and talked with those passing by.
Not completely content with the numbers of people I interacted with, I decided to head down to the Gas Lamp district. I pulled the Spyder up on the side walk and got a great shot of it with the sign in the background. I stayed and talked with some folks. It was a perfect location right by a walking trail.
Finally, I made a stop closer to home at Swami's Park. I had a few people come up and inquire about the roadster. One very interested mother said she wouldn't want her son on a motorcycle but could see him on a Spyder. I gave her a brochure and directed her to the website. One surfer came up and chatted for a while. He said he had a Can-Am motorcycle years ago and it was the best bike he every had. He went on and on about the quality of the Can-Am brand. The one line he repeated was, "That's one handsome piece!".
Since we did not have any events scheduled to promote at, we were able to really enjoy the fun, relaxation, and pride that comes with being a Spyder owner.
The mountain roads were windy with plenty of switchbacks which really demonstrated the agility of the roadster. The roads were not very forgiving, but the Spyder maneuvered extremely well.
Posts
