Pete Youngblut, owner of independent dealership Youngblut Ag, identifies 3 different types of customer events — in-field demos, educational clinics and general open houses. 

“Everyone is going to react differently to these,” Youngblut says. “Some of my customers are very educated and can work through problems themselves. They don’t want to show up for training events, they’d rather just call us when needed. And then we have other customers who will absolutely show up for training events and want to be shown a step-by-step process.”

An effective marketing plan is crucial to executing a successful clinic, Youngblut says. Social media is a great way to get butts in seats.  

“Everybody’s always on their phone, right? And it’s easy to repeat,” he says. “It’s not like we’ve got to buy postcards 3 times over 2 months and keep sending them out. It’s quick, easy and cost-effective. You can also advertise on radio. There are a lot of the older guys who aren’t on social media, they’re listening to AM radio. But the most effective thing I’ve seen to get people to show up is just call them.”

He recommends having salespeople and technicians reach out to customers to inform them of upcoming clinics. That’s proven to be an effective way of recruiting attendees, Youngblut says, and at the very least shows that you’re thinking of them. Naturally, they’ll also help spread the word.

“They’ll go to the local coffee shop and say, ‘Hey, you guys going to this deal over at Youngblut’s? They’re going to teach me about this, and talk about that, and there’s this new piece of equipment that’s going to be there. You guys should come check it out with me.’” 

When you get people to a clinic, it’s critical to actually deliver on what’s marketed. Give attendees something that packs a punch and equipment they can get their hands on. 

“Give them something to be excited about,” Youngblut says. “Yes, there’s standard stuff guys want to see repeated. We’ll talk about disc openers, closing wheels and simple things on a planter every year because it’s a good refresher. It gets them engaged, then you can continue into explaining what’s new. And don’t drag this thing out. If you have a long, boring presentation, shorten it up and get to the point.”

Youngblut likes getting his manufacturers involved, too. He’ll often invite Kinze, Yetter, Ag Leader and other companies to set up booths like they would at a conference or show. They’re the ones who are most up to date on the latest and greatest equipment and technology, and customers value the opportunity to talk with them.   

Don’t underestimate the power of a free meal either. Food shouldn’t be the main takeaway or highlight of a clinic, but it’s a good way to get people to show up.

“What if they get something out of the clinic they didn’t even know they were going to get? That’s what we want,” Youngblut says. “What we’re doing with these in-house clinics is building relationships. And let’s be honest, cheesy potatoes never hurt anybody, right?

“But all joking aside, anytime you have a meal, you’re chit-chatting with people and that’s how in-depth conversations start. That’s when questions come up because you’ve got that one-on-one interaction.”  

At the end of the day, Youngblut has found that customer clinics are a great way to strengthen relationships and build long-term trust, which ultimately translates to more business. 

“It also leads to the customer bringing more people,” Youngblut says. “And soon, instead of having 10 guys show up when we invited 100, we get 50 out of 100. We’re creating that customer connection. If we can bring people in, give them that handshake and something to take home, that’s really the goal of the meeting. It’s not just to sell something or teach them something so they don’t have to call later. We can make it more than that.”

Part 1: Swiderski Equipment Cuts Down on Service Stress with Educational Clinics

Part 2: Large Dealer Creates Roadmap for Virtual Customer Clinics