Social Media Helps Load a Tundra with School Supplies
Nov/Dec 2015
Special Delivery
General Sales Manager Justin Hollenkamp (second from left), eCommerce Director Kelsey Skansgaard and Social Media Manager Jeff Fuller deliver the bounty of school supplies to a very grateful St. Cloud 742 School District Superintendent Willie Jett (far left).
General Sales Manager Justin Hollenkamp (second from left), eCommerce Director Kelsey Skansgaard and Social Media Manager Jeff Fuller deliver the bounty of school supplies to a very grateful St. Cloud 742 School District Superintendent Willie Jett (far left).
Normally, when touting the exceptional cargo-carrying capacity of the Tundra, salespeople express it in terms of volume or weight. But Jeff Fuller had a different payload in mind.
“We’re always looking for ways to connect with our customers,” says Fuller who is social media manager at St. Cloud Toyota in Waite Park, Minn. “We thought: Why don’t we challenge the community to fill up the back of a Tundra with school supplies?”
Fuller contacted officials at the local school district, who welcomed the support and provided a list of commonly needed items. The dealership dressed up a 2015 Tundra with a custom “Tundra of Supplies” wrap and prominently placed it in at the Crossroads Center mall just over a mile away. Then Fuller fired up the social media machine, promoting the month-long campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Sales consultant Rick Knettel also got in the act, starring in a lighthearted YouTube video, while local radio stations promoted the effort.
It worked! Generous patrons dropped a wide range of school supplies in the Tundra’s bed, such as glue sticks, folders, pencils, pens, highlighters, rulers, paper, book covers, markers, paint, crayons, scissors, binders, notebooks and backpacks.
“The donations were made anonymously, so it’s impossible to say how many people participated,” says Fuller. “But it turned out to be quite a lot of supplies, which the schools very much need. We’re always trying new and different things and this one worked well. We’re definitely considering doing it again in 2016.”
“We’re always looking for ways to connect with our customers,” says Fuller who is social media manager at St. Cloud Toyota in Waite Park, Minn. “We thought: Why don’t we challenge the community to fill up the back of a Tundra with school supplies?”
Fuller contacted officials at the local school district, who welcomed the support and provided a list of commonly needed items. The dealership dressed up a 2015 Tundra with a custom “Tundra of Supplies” wrap and prominently placed it in at the Crossroads Center mall just over a mile away. Then Fuller fired up the social media machine, promoting the month-long campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Sales consultant Rick Knettel also got in the act, starring in a lighthearted YouTube video, while local radio stations promoted the effort.
It worked! Generous patrons dropped a wide range of school supplies in the Tundra’s bed, such as glue sticks, folders, pencils, pens, highlighters, rulers, paper, book covers, markers, paint, crayons, scissors, binders, notebooks and backpacks.
“The donations were made anonymously, so it’s impossible to say how many people participated,” says Fuller. “But it turned out to be quite a lot of supplies, which the schools very much need. We’re always trying new and different things and this one worked well. We’re definitely considering doing it again in 2016.”
