Spin City

Entrepreneur, May, 2000 by Gwen Moran

Put a new spin on your sales pitch with a CD-ROM.

When you're in the glam world of hospitality marketing, schiepping around a big, bulky portfolio just won't do. As business began to heat up for Insight Advertising in Fort Myers, Florida, the creative team knew it needed a way to effectively show its stuff to more prospects without the hassle of carting around a big book of samples. The solution? Put the pitch on a CDROM.

"Our CD is a costeffective direct-mail solution that can easily be updated or customized," says Kimberly Powers, 32, president of Insight. "It's far less expensive than reprinting a big brochure, and allows us to be introduced to a prospect when time or distance constraints prohibit an in-person presentation."

Featuring more than 50 examples of Insight's best work in living color and sound, its e-portfolio is available in both PC and Macintosh versions. There's even an unanticipated benefit: The CD has become such a smash that it's now a new profit center for the agency. "In addition to the work it's landed for us, we've been approached with several CD projects since we introduced ours," said Powers. "As a marketing agency. it's a natural for us."

Production cost can range from about $6,000 (low-end) to as much as $100,000 for an elaborate, multimedia show, She says. Other costs include packaging the CD plus shipping and sales tax, when applicable. But consider the fact that, according to Powers, businesses can use the CD as a tool to quali1fy prospects before making an in-person appearance, potentially cutting the cost of selling significantly.

Gwen Moran is president of Moran Marketing Associates, a public relations and marketing communications agency in Ocean, NewJersey. She is currently completing a marketing workbook titled Promote Your Business.