Posted by Todd Buckton on Wed, Aug 25, 2010
53' Double Drop Trailer ready for customization
40' Class "A" Motorhome
Many times we get asked: "Can I use a Class A motorhome for my mobile tour?" And of course, the answer is a definitive...maybe.
Class “A” motorhomes have many advantages over a 53' mobile environment. Since they are self-contained, they are smaller and more nimble; they can park in many places a larger tour might not fit. They can be highly customized and offer surprisingly roomy interior enlargement with slides. They can be less expensive, especially in the short run to operate. And, most importantly it seems, a commercial driver’s license is not necessary to operate a motorhome.
But there are myriad reasons why a 53’ custom environment can be a better fit for your needs.
A 53’ tractor-trailer combination is designed and built for long-haul running. It’s nothing for a 53’ mobile tour to cross from coast to coast over a several day period. If a breakdown occurs, a replacement tractor can be easily introduced; motorhomes with internalized engine and drivetrains are out of action. And those same mechanical components take up valuable selling space onboard the tour. Not so with the 53’ custom transport. All space in the customized transport is devoted to enhancing your brand. Even components like HVAC and restroom facilities are built to withstand more use and strain. A 53’ custom transport with the right AC can sit in the Mojave desert and keep it’s occupants icy cold. The cost to run a 53’ tour in the long run are typically less when all factors of upkeep, maintenance and operation are accounted for. Yes, a professional driver is needed. But isn’t that what your tour and your brand deserves?
So, depending on the application, a Class “A” motorhome might make perfect sense. Used within a short radius, local application like a bookmobile or blood donation vehicle, these can be ideal. If ingress/egress is not an issue - especially ADA compliance - and numbers of visitors is not critical, this can be a perfect solution.
Yes, we do get asked: "Can I use a Class "A" motorhome for my mobile tour?"
But we also often get asked: “Can I retire my Class “A” motorhome and upgrade to a tour that will be less headaches for me?”
To determine which application is right for you, download the PMG eBook below for more information on the best way to Drive Your Brand Experience.
Posted by Todd Buckton on Fri, Aug 13, 2010
If you could have complete control of your next mobile tour, how much more effective could you be? How much time could you free up for other tasks? If you had all pertinent information for multiple events at your fingertips including venues, attendee invitations versus RSVP’s, food and beverage counts and confirmations, contact info for the company sales rep as well as the tour staff, that would make your life much easier, wouldn’t it?
The Promotional Management Group Event Management System (EMS™) does that and more for you. Every PMG tour comes equipped with access to a proprietary online system that acts as a dashboard for your entire tour. Each stop is updated in real-time with our logistics department giving you the information you need, when you need it, from any web browser. You can also grant access in varying levels to sales reps, superiors and guests so information does not get bottlenecked through one user.
Complete guest management from invites to post-event surveys can be accessed with this system.
One of the reasons that clients stay with Promotional Management Group long-term is that we give them the tools they need to keep apprised of tour status. The PMG Event Management System (EMS™) gives you complete control over your tour.
We think you’ll find that the EMS™ is the perfect tool to keep you informed and in touch with your coworkers, your customers and your brand.
Posted by Todd Buckton on Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Today's View from the Cab is from PMG Master Driver Dave who just finished a trip from California to Denver for the next leg of a mobile tour for a valued healthcare client. The photos he took are just west of the Vail pass. Dave said he just missed a huge storm that dumped lots of snow on Denver and the local ski areas.
Not only are these beautiful photos but they are a perfect way to show why mobile tours are a great way to get your product in front of people who want to buy. Multiple large scale gatherings like trade shows continue to fade in importance in the minds of decision makers. Decisions like increased travel costs, better online communication technology, inconvenience to attendees and a general desire to stay closer to home looms large with your core audience. That's why mobile tours are such a great way to break through the clutter. Take your product to where the decision makers are and make it easy for them to be bowled over by your incredible product. Make it easy for them to experience your product and you make it easy for them to buy your product.
Dave left Denver and is now in beautiful Minot, ND showcasing our client's product to prospects and customers who don't have to go far to be impressed by their offering. And at less than 100 miles to the Canadian border, the weather is lots worse in Minot than it is in Denver this time of year, but our client has made it easy for their prospects to experience an excellent product. We battled the elements. We brought it to them. Another great reason to use mobile tours to Drive The Brand Experience.
All photos by PMG Driver Dave Christenson
Posted by Todd Buckton on Fri, Feb 12, 2010
We've looked at the types of vehicles that are available for your mobile tour, now let's look at how these can transform into unique marketing spaces.
If we say that "you are only limited to your imagination" when it comes to customization, you might think that's an overused, hackneyed phrase. But when it comes to mobile event marketing, it's completely true. Once the transport is safely parked at the venue of your choice near your prospects and customers, that's when the fun begins. Set up for a transport can be anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days and these transports can become anything. Here's how they might start:
53' Single Slide Transport
This is referred to as a "single slide" transport. It's indicated as having stairs at the front and the rear of the slide out, but that choice is all yours. The doors can be put on the opposite side, the front, back, wherever it's right for the specific application. The slide allows the transport to get down the road and then opens up onsite to become a roomy, luxurious selling environment. Here's an example of a single slide:
A variation of this transport is the double slide:
53' Double Slide Transport
This transport will allow you to more than double the floor space of a straight 53' transport and give your product or service more than ample room to adequately market your product in a singular environment.
Another variation is a stage area instead of a slide. This makes the 53' transport a natural for live presentations to large audiences.
53' Single Slide/Single Stage Transport
Here's a couple of variations of that same stage concept. One is a retail operation:
This application allowed the manufacturer to sell high-margin accessories while showcasing their latest product offerings.
Here's another variation of the same type of transport. This time, the side opens up to reveal the full-size business jet fuselage. This display was used to presell a new business jet that was being developed and built. Incredibly effective, highly targeted and amazing ROI.
Now we have an idea of what is possible with custom transports. As we said up front, if you can imagine it you can have it. And just to prove our point, we'll leave you with a custom transport built in Australia that turns into...well you just have to see it to believe it. Brilliant. Expect to see the same concept soon here in the states.
Incredible perspective views of custom transports by Derrick Johnson
Sweet Australian Mobile Pub by Truckmania
All other cool photos by Promotional Management Group
Posted by Todd Buckton on Thu, Feb 04, 2010
65' Truck and Gooseneck Trailer Combo
This edition of "Which Mobile Tour Transport is Right for You?" concentrates on other transports beside the traditional 53'. The photo above is a great example of a gooseneck trailer, as the trailer attaches to the tractor through a single pivot point or a "gooseneck". Goosenecks allow for greater mobility and portability onsite as the tractor can be quickly detached. Also, they have a low floor height so greater ceiling height can be maintained. Weight can sometimes be an issue for goosenecks as opposed to traditional 53' transports if the tour has excessive weight requirements. Goosenecks come in any number of lengths from 16' up past 53' and have great customization potential. You might see these vehicles typically used for hauling race cars and horses.
Class "A" Recreational Vehicle
The next vehicle is one that is instantly recognizable: the motorhome. Long the province of John Madden and touring country western singers, these vehicles can serve well for a mobile tour. The Class "A" is the largest of the bunch, usually at 39' but up to 45' in length. They have plenty of opportunities for slideouts and customization so they can get roomy, but nowhere near the amount of room with a 53' transport. This is because so much of the overall length and height of the transport is taken up with the mechanics of the transport: engine, transmission, etc. Also, these are not designed with the long-haul in mind as maintenance and upkeep can become an issue. But, one interesting thing about these vehicles: they can be operated without a Commercial Driver's License, a great option for local and smaller tours.
30' Box Truck
Next on our list of vehicles is the box truck. These vehicles are the workhorses of the industry: they will go practically anywhere, run virtually forever and lend themselves to full customization for small tours or can serve as a chaser or secondary storage for a large tour. This unit does exactly that as part of a much larger tour. The same is true for the photo below. This tour used a 20' trailer towed by a Class "A" motorhome to follow a 53' custom double drop transport. Now THAT'S a mobile tour.
In our next chapter of "Which Mobile Tour Transport is Right for You?" we'll talk about the different ways that these vehicles can be customized to specifically meet the needs of your tour as you Drive Your Brand Experience.
Davenport Fire Department Photo by our friends at Featherlite
All other cool photos by Promotional Management Group