Rally Your Customers and Your Sales AS SHE NEGOTIATED the final "winding road adventure track" and broke the finish-line tape at the First Annual Young Medical Power Wheelchair Rally in late spring, Shannon Meyer knew she was a winner. And the team at Young Medical Equipment, a Toledo, Ohio-based home medical and respiratory equipment provider, knew it had a winning event.

In its parking lot, the company set up a course to test power wheelchair-users' maneuvering skills through six "adventures": "backup" and "cone-around" tracks, a pylon slalom, a loop around a big circle, and "ball-hit" and "winding road" events. Participants went through the series of tracks and then crossed the finish line to receive an official time for running the course.

"We were trying to enhance our existing business and capture new business as well," says Chris Ray, event organizer and Young Medical's rehab director.

Did it work? Ray says the three-hour rally helped the company meet four specific goals:

* Name recognition: "Toledo, Ohio, did not recognize Young Medical as a rehab supplier," says Ray. "This event gave the community a chance to realize that we do rehab equipment."

* Sales: "The bottom line is it brings us ongoing business," he says. "We had our best three months directly after the event."

* Customer appreciation: Ray says the rally showed that the company cares about its customers and what happens to them. "There are not a lot of activities for power wheelchair-users, and we wanted to do something for our customers."

* Community resources: "It was an information rally, too," he says. "The idea was to bring organizations in the community to our customers to show them what's out there."

In all, 12 vendors showed their wares and explained their services, which ranged from computers to van lifts to therapy programs. The festivities also included a food and entertainment tent as well as umbrellas donated by a local company to provide shade. "Ronald McDonald" served as master of ceremonies, and every rally participant earned both a prize and a T-shirt. Sponsors such as Invacare Corp. provided the money to buy the prizes, which included a cellular phone and a CD player.

If you're considering using events to increase awareness or sales, Ray suggests that you include plenty of activities and refreshments for everyone to enjoy. Volunteers are also key to an event's success, he says.

In addition, he advises interested providers to go to manufacturers and solicit their help because "we are ultimately selling their products, so they should be a part of it."

To get all the help you will need, he continues, you should start soliciting vendors at least a year ahead of each event and then follow up with letters or calls every three to four months until you get all the help you need. "One of the biggest things to do is to make sure the vendors have you on their calendar."

To cross the finish line a winner, Ray says, the strategy boils down to this: "If we provide a good product and treat our customers well, we have new and repeat business."

Gentlemen, start your wheelchairs! HC