Pam Spring Advertising

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Veurink’s RV, a family-owned and -operated recreational vehicle (RV) dealership since 1954. We sell and service RVs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pam Spring Advertising?

We wanted to be competitive in our market. We needed to stand out and drive traffic to our store. I had previously been the one to manage the advertising but it was too time-consuming for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pam Spring Advertising manages our radio, TV, and some billboard advertising. They provide most of the copy and visuals and manage the audio and video production. Our advertising campaigns mostly run between March and July which is in-season for us. We focus on monthly themes for our ads. They help us come up with ideas for those themes and make sure that the messaging is cohesive.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with the owner.

How did you come to work with Pam Spring Advertising?

I first met the owner when she worked for our association on some RV shows. I saw her work and felt she did a good job. She is an avid camper and what we call an “RVer” herself so I thought she would understand the customer and the industry. That's what attracted me to her first. I trusted her and thought she would do a good job.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent at least $500,000 including the media budget and her fee.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2012 and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It’s challenging to get accurate metrics for TV and radio ads. What I know is that, when we run TV and radio campaigns, I bump into people in the community who have seen our ads. When I hear that, I know it’s working.

How did Pam Spring Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

The owner is very involved. She’ll meet anytime I ask her to. She's also assertive in terms of communicating with me to ensure that I’m happy with a campaign after we’ve run it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For me, there are two things. One is that the owner has tremendous enthusiasm. You can tell that she loves her work and is passionate about getting you great results. Second—which is relevant for us, in particular—is that she’s an avid RVer herself and so understands our customers. We appreciate that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could look at expanding the business into digital.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re going to take the ball and run with it. They’ll handle it for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the former manager of communications and programming for Kent District Library.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pam Spring Advertising?

At the time, we needed resources to handle our media buying as well as our video and audio production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pam (Owner, Pam Spring Advertising) managed our media buys for television, radio, and occasionally print. She also facilitated our arrangements with media companies and negotiated deals to maximize our ROI. This helped position us within the local media environment to make connections.

Typically, Pam would buy all of our radio ad buying for the year during the one-day sale. From there, we would plan our campaigns to target specific audiences. She then created all the ads for radio and television.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Pam, but she also collaborated with a video producer. For radio ads, she used several voiceover talents.

How did you come to work with Pam Spring Advertising?

By the time I started my role, Kent District Library had already had a relationship with Pam Spring Advertising. I believe Pam had served as a consultant for a project before transitioning into media buying.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent over $100,000 annually, which included our buys and Pam’s fees. Because we were a nonprofit, she only charged us 10% of our buys as opposed to the standard 15%. She also charged nominal fees for video and audio production.

What is the status of this engagement?

My work with her lasted from 2012–2017, which was when I left my position.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Over the years, the increased market penetration resulted in a 20% growth in active library users. While we can’t attribute that exclusively to Pam, all of our promotional efforts contributed to that success.

Beyond metrics, Pam was incredibly helpful in explaining marketing concepts, including target audiences and Nielsen audio ratings. Although I had some experience, I lacked a formal background in marketing and communications. She educated me so that I could make the best possible media buys to reach my audience.

How did Pam Spring Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Pam was proactive and accommodating. She did a great job of tracking our campaigns, sending reminders when artwork or scripts were due.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated her passion for our cause, and she served as an advocate for the library. She cared that we used taxpayer money and wanted to ensure that we could make the most of our budget. There were a few times when she felt like we didn’t receive the expected value from our purchase. In those cases, she would negotiate with the media service for additional accommodations. Pam would also leverage our purchased media into earned media. For instance, if we bought ads on a radio station, she would arrange for us to do an on-air interview.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. We were always very happy with the results. If we felt that a video wasn’t quite how we imagined it, Pam never hesitated to go back in and redo it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust her to take care of you because she’ll see to everything on your behalf.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive director for the Lansing Bridal Association. We’re a group of wedding vendors that put out on bridal shows to connect with clients and improve the quality of service within our industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pam Spring Advertising?

We needed a marketing firm to promote a particular bridal show and help us maximize the number of attendees at the event.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pam Spring Advertising currently oversees and executes the entirety of our marketing efforts for each event we host. We usually hold two major events a year. Each time, Pam (Founder, Pam Springs Advertising) comes up with a plan within my budget and ensures we get as much exposure as possible. Their approach consists of traditional marketing outlets like billboards, radio ads, TV commercials, and press releases. They also provide social media marketing services through targeted advertising and Facebook promotions. Beyond managing our media placement and strategy, Pam does most of the design work and copywriting for each deliverable.

What is the team composition?

Pam is our sole contact. We go directly to her with our needs and she has people that make them happen. I’m not sure exactly how many resources make up her team.

How did you come to work with Pam Spring Advertising?

Pam worked with another agency that we contracted in the past. We weren’t entirely satisfied with that company, but Pam eventually left and started her own firm. We knew she could do great work, so we hired her as soon as we had the chance.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Pam Spring Advertising in 2012 and the engagement is ongoing. We’re currently working on the materials for our fall 2018 event.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

99% of our new clients and event attendees say they heard about us through Pam’s marketing campaigns. We started as a new show in an already crowded industry. The efforts of Pam Spring Advertising helped build us into the largest bridal show in our market share.

How did Pam Spring Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Pam handles every aspect of each project, so all I have to do is write them a check. She has industry contacts and gives her recommendation on the media buys we should purchase based on each material’s target demographic. I go with her recommendation every time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Pam is their greatest asset. I never feel like I’m working with a group of people who don’t know the industry and are just trying to throw money at a project. Pam knows what we’re looking for and works to get us the most bang for our buck.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish the ads were cheaper, but that’s not Pam’s fault. She warned me that ad placement would be more expensive during an election year because of the increased competition.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Pam knows her industry, but it’s up to the clients to identify their target demographic. Once that’s communicated, they’ll deliver the results you need.