CLIENT FAQS

Team Marketing is the answer to your nationwide event staffing needs!

What sets us apart from other agencies?

-Our customized database of over 30,000 staff with our proprietary Target Marketing system.  Target Marketing provides us the ability to identify and select staff to fit a client’s specific program requirements based on demographics, skill-set and experience;

-Our screening process;

-How we book and train the staff;

-How we structure and manage programs with communication procedures, check-in calls and recap/reporting.

Put us to the test and match us up against other agencies - there is difference!

It’s Time for Team Marketing!

Below are some common RFP questions and our responses. If you require any additional information please don’t hesitate to contact us either via email at info@teammktgusa.com or via phone at 845 338-8800 ext. 101.

1. how do you currently handle recruiting?
2. what is the typical lead time for requesting staff?
3. how many candidates are in your database?
4. how often is the database flushed for inactive personnel?
5. how do you handle staffing for your clients?
6. what is the number of staff you provide for clients?
7. what infrastructure do you have in place?
8. what human resources or payroll resources do you have?
9. what systems do you have for doing payroll, training and program management?
10. what are your timesheet procedures?
11. what do you consider your company’s core product lines?
12. how do you handle staffing no shows?
13. what are your billing procedures?
14. what are general staffing rates?
15. will there be a rate for major cities and a rate for outlying areas?
16. do you have staffing available to travel for overnights or tours?
17. what are the costs associated with overnights? what is your per diem rate? are hotel expenses included in per diem?
18. what is the lead time for travel assignments?
19. are there additional costs for holiday and short notice? if so, how do you handle?
20. what do you consider your strongest region(s) for staffing?
21. what is your minimum call/hours daily for booking?
22. what are your policies and penalties for cancellations?

FAQs and As

Recruiting Strategy and Process:

1. how do you currently handle recruiting?

We recruit via a variety of channels. Staff in our system have filled out the online registration form set forth on the New Staff page of our site at http://www.teammktgusa.com/register.html This creates a contact file for them in our system. However, until they have submitted a photo and/or resume and been screened, coded and evaluated, that file is not active. They may receive email blasts based on the markets they listed and other criteria, but they will not be booked. When staff submit a photo/resume they are reviewed both for physical type as well as experience and then coded accordingly (tradeshow, market manager, tour manager, bar, account coordinator, sampler, auto-show, etc.). In addition their market, special skills and language skills are reviewed to make sure they registered and classified correctly. Once registered, the process outlined below is followed before they can be booked on a program. top

2. what is the typical lead time for requesting staff?

There is no such thing as typical, unfortunately, as every program varies. We have launched nationwide tours from an after-hours emergency call at 9 pm that led to a 3 month tour and even later calls for short notice needs or other programs. The requested lead time is driven by the number pf staff and the specificity of the type of staff the client wants – the more specific the staff, the more lead time would be suggested. For longer nationwide programs, we suggest 3-4 weeks in advance in order to be able to lock in the same staff for the program and provide consistency and cost effectiveness. top

3. how many candidates are in your database?

30,000 plus top

4. how often is the database flushed for inactive personnel?

We do not flush, otherwise staff coded as poor would be able to re-apply and slip through the cracks. We leave them in the database, but code them such that they can not be contacted with new programs and if they re-apply, they are caught. The database is in a constant state of updating to make sure staff are coded correctly for skills, markets, etc. and that photos and resumes are current. top

Booking and Staffing:

5. how do you handle staffing for your clients?

Initially we have an in-depth review with our client of their program goals. We want to learn about their product, service or message; their target demographic and their overall branding strategy so that we integrate and add to their campaign.
Generally, the client provides us information on the product, the markets they want the program to execute in and either a full or partial schedule of the events with dates, times, location (usually in an excel format), unless we are handling market research and site acquisition.

Additionally we discuss the type and qualifications of staff they are looking for to engage their target demographic.  Factors taken into account include age range, gender, ethnicity, physical type/look/size (athletic, thin, etc.), language skills, experience (manager, auto show, tour, tradeshow, bar, etc.), specials skills, special requirements.

We start the booking process: We take that information and generate a group in our database of over 30,000 event staff using filters based on market and other codings for skills, experience, etc. If any staff names jump out that we think are a good fit due to past experience with us, we call them to see if available and interested. Concurrently, we then craft an email broadcast providing information about:

1. the program - type (tour or in-market), product type, types of venues, dates, staff responsibilities, general day in the life/week in the life of how many days a week/hrs per week/hrs per day, compensation, etc. and
2. the type of staff we are looking for - the pre-requisites, required experience, skills, type, look and
3. how to respond and what is needed - via email, with an updated promotional resume as an attachment in word which sets forth manager experience and an appropriate photo. For BAs not always as specific. We usually already have these on file, but want them to be current.

A copy of a standard email blast is below.

Hi All,

We have a fun national tour for ________________ that comes to the Milwaukee area from Thursday June 26 to Sunday June 29.  ***Please read the email fully before responding***.

What: We have fun nationwide tour program for ________________________ at retail stores and festivals. We have a branded trailer, 2 tour staff and 4-6 brand ambassadors to demonstrate the product and run games and contests. Staff will deliver key messaging, hand out premiums, greet consumers, generate leads, take photos and encourage them to take part in contests and games. We did this tour last year and staff had a blast.

Who: Looking for Brand ambassadors - Female staff between 20 to early 30’s, experienced with lead generation programs, attractive, outgoing and articulate. Must be well groomed. Preferred if can do all days, but not required.

Where: Summerfest, 200 N. Harbor Drive (North Entrance), Milwaukee, WI.

When: Thursday June 26 to Sunday June 29; 9 am to 8 pm each day. Please recognize that hrs are subject to some change as if booth is busy staff may stay later, and if a little slow, may cut a little earlier. All programs are subject to guaranteed 4 hr minimums.

Program Rate: $__/hr per staff.
___________________________________________________________________
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION
To be considered, you must follow ALL the steps below:

1. Please email rick@teammktgusa.com (***PLEASE NO CALLS***). Please include the program name and market in the subject line. For example "Energy Drink--Summerfest". Don't just hit Reply

2. In body of the email, please provide
-your full name
-current contact number.
-Also indicate if you are available for the whole program (preferred) or if not, which dates you can work.

3. Please forward (unless we have a recent one on file)
-a recent picture of you sent as an attachment in jpeg format (no web-site links, pdfs, bit maps or pictures in the body of the email, ), and
-an updated promotional resume sent as an attachment in word doc or rtf format (do not include resume in the body of the email or provide a web-site link or pdf). It must do more than just list promos - should include name of program, date, length, type of event sites (street, in-store, mall, concerts, bar, tradeshows, athletic event, etc.), description (sampling, product demo, premium distribution, literature distribution, lead generation, picture taking, etc).

4. We will contact selected staff (by phone). Please no calls**

***If you have been forwarded this email from a friend and are interested in working with us and not yet registered, please first go to www.teammktgusa.com and follow the instructions on how to register (it's free). Once registered, then please send your photo and resume as per the registration instructions. Then feel free to contact us via email about this promotion as outlined above.
Thanks and we look forward to working with you.

Evaluation, screening and booking: We review the responses and select those we feel would be the best fit. When staff respond to a program email blast, the process involves
1) an initial determination based on their file and resume/photo of whether they meet the basic requirements for the program and then ranking respondents in order of quality
2) selecting the top respondents and calling them, reviewing with them their contact information and other fields to make sure the information is current and correct
3) evaluating their phone demeanor and attitude and noting it in the database, inquiring into past promo experience and qualifications for the program and making a decision about them.
Either during or after the phone screening we make hiring decisions. For manager candidates we either make the hiring decisions or submit to our clients who decide who they want to phone screen and then ultimately offer the position to. For brand ambassadors we usually are given discretion, but for some higher-end programs we submit them to the client for approval as well. We spend substantial time with each staff, once the decision to hire has been made. We first review all internal program procedures and communication polices, before communicating the specifics of the client’s program. We re-emphasize and query them on procedures to see if they need additional review and a follow up phone call, confirm they have a current copy of our procedures and will review it and then we go over the client’s specifics. Additionally staff who responded but were not selected and who are appropriate, will be asked to be available as backups (in case booked staff get sick or otherwise become unavailable in the interim.).

Program procedure and coordination: Once the program has been booked, any training materials (generated and provided by client or by Team) are forwarded to staff and any training dates are set (for more information about training see infra.). Additionally our Team Marketing account coordinator will email the manager and/or the client account coordinator the filled-in schedule with the staff names – usually 4-5 days in advance (unless required otherwise). The day before each execution the booked staff will do a check-in call with the manager between 10am and 2pm (unless otherwise set by client). The purpose of this call is two-fold: 1) staff check-ins allow us to proactively address issues with staff being sick or something that came up that affects ability to execute and 2) manager can thus leave any program announcements as to meeting location or other adjustments on outgoing voicemail (manager would still be requested to notify Team Marketing ASAP of any changes in program times or major location changes so that we notify staff and can insure full coverage). Communications as to time changes should run through Team Marketing for obvious reasons – if a staff gets sick and we have to replace, we need to be replacing for the correct shift times, etc. top

6. what is the number of staff you provide for clients?

Varies based on program. It has been as few as 2 staff per event, 6 staff per event, 24 staff per event, 150 staff for a one day Murray’s Cookie program on June 19 in NYC, 100 staff spread throughout the country for a Mennen Speed Stick in-store event all on the same day with 1 staff per store (with less than 1 weeks notice) or the Target Black Friday 1 day program with over 1,000 staff. We provided 21 staff a day in each market - 1 manager, 1 assistant ,manager, 19 staff - for AOL Gold Rush street teams with 4 of the markets all running on September 2, 2006 (with less than 10 days notice). top

Infrastructure:

7. what infrastructure do you have in place?

-Customized database - with over 30,000 staff - that allows targeted search for the appropriate staff based on Target Marketing search tools.
-Account coordinators with account director supervision
-Phone banks
-24 hr on-call account staff (with a toll free staffing hotline forwarded to the on-call cell)
-On-call laptop with 1) access to full database through weekly synchronization and 2) PC Anywhere access to server documents and database.
-WMobile (customized software) access to database from any computer that connects to the internet (in case any of the above are down), to address any short notice needs or any issues that arise. top

8. what human resources or payroll resources do you have?

Full time account coordinators and book-keeper. What sets us apart in this area is 1) an understanding of staffing issues and communication, 2) the utilization of policies and procedures to minimize and proactively address staff issues to insure the successful execution of our clients programs and 3) the focused commitment to the success of our clients’ programs combined with the recognition that our clients’ interests come first – that our job/responsibility is to make them look good to their client and the program isn’t about us.

Simply put … we are vested in their success and we will put in the time to make sure the events are fully staffed, the staff are prepared and the program runs fully per the clients’ guidelines. We are available 24 hrs to back the client and the program up. top

9. what systems do you have for doing payroll, training and program management?

Payroll systems and policies in place vary based on program. Managers are paid on a schedule generated at the beginning of the program - per diems every 2 weeks in advance, pay every 2 weeks following execution. Of course this is subject to client advising us of timely receipt of program recaps, report forms etc. As to brand ambassadors and other direct hires, they are always paid within 30 days of receipt of their timesheets. As timesheets come in they are date stamped, sorted based on program, by market within a program and by date within a market.

Training varies by program. We provide basic program training to staff via our Promotion Guideline pdf which sets out our underlying framework for program policies, procedures and execution – how to communicate, conduct themselves, represent themselves and us to clients and consumers, FAQs and what to do’s. We reinforce this during the booking process in a phone call. Once a program is booked, the training is really driven by the clients’ needs and budgets. At minimum we usually receive an FAQ, one-sheeter or training manual for the brand ambassadors (a separate manual is usually generated for managers). Sometimes the clients prepare it, sometimes we do or we do it together. If the clients prepare it, we require it be forwarded to us at least one week before the program launch (or training if any) so that we can review, make comments and revisions with client approval, and forward to the booked staff. We want to leave time for them to acknowledge receipt and review, taking into account other bookings they may have. Trainings vary from just the emailed document with a 15 minute on-site review run by the manager, to a pre-event phone training (1 to 2 hrs based on the complexity and sophistication of the program), to an in-market training session held 1 to 3 days before the event and usually at least 2-4 hrs (more for involved car programs). These trainings can involve demonstration, simulations, mock run-throughs, etc. During a longer program there may be a need for additional trainings to replenish the pool of staff or the manager can train on-site as new staff are added.

Program management is handled through the same CRM that is our database in conjunction with the excel schedules. Booking deadlines set by the client are scheduled; staff deadlines for follow through and confirmations are set up with alarms in the CRM tool and codings on the schedules so we know who has confirmed their schedules, receipt of training materials, who has checked in, etc.

As to our procedures for our BAs during the event, most are set forth in our Team Marketing Promotion Guidelines which staff are required to review and abide by during the program .

The Promotion Guidelines are not meant to be a substitute for the clients' program manual; they are incorporated into the overall program. Clients are usually responsible for setting any specific program policies and procedures they want followed for staff and managers. Similarly, we provide a Manager Checklist that sets forth basic manager responsibilities, policies and communication procedures as well as the Event Check-in Release form which simplifies tracking hours and invoicing. top

10. what are your timesheet procedures?

Staff bring a Team Marketing Timesheet to each event day (weekly timesheets) and managers sign them in and out. Managers have daily sign-in sheets that are sent to us weekly. We check staffs’ timesheets against the sign-in sheet, if ok, we pay and if any discrepancies we contact both to address and resolve. top

11. what do you consider your company’s core product lines?

Targeted, experienced brand ambassadors/event staff and in-house experienced account teams who know how to coordinate and execute successful programs for our clients by incorporating structure, communication and polices to minimize and proactively address potential issues and problems.
-Product launches
-National campaigns
-Special events top

12. how do you handle staffing no shows?

While it rarely happens, it is a fact that staff get sick or have personal matters that arise. How that is addressed varies based on the program. For some programs our clients budget to have a backup staff on-call either by a phone or on-site for the first hour. These are usually for special events with media coverage, character appearances, advertised appearances (Barbie) and if they know an important client will be present. The majority of the time there are no paid backups. We ask staff who responded after the event was booked if they would be down as a backup. Sometimes this is several weeks prior to an event. We go over the program details (attire, location, etc.) and make sure they know they may be called any time from the minute we complete the phone call to up to an hour into an event and to be available by their phone (cell). We require that if they subsequently take another booking or become unavailable, to advise us immediately so we have time to secure additional backups. Usually there are several Bus for each event day. Their names and contact info are put on our schedule so that if after hours or over the weekend, it is right there. top

Staffing Costs:

13. what are your billing procedures?

Generally invoice monthly unless client requests otherwise
Generally we bill off of the staff timesheet’s. We have to wait to receive the timesheets in the mail, then have them sorted by program, then reviewed. However, we bill quicker for clients that request, weekly if needed, but it would require that the managers have daily sign-in sheets and that we are faxed them promptly. It would not be a problem to have an invoice for Week 1 by the Friday of Week 2 and perhaps sooner. top

14. what are general staffing rates?

Rates vary based on the specifics of the clients’ programs and the type of staff, experience and responsibilities required. Rates can range from $18/hr for basic street staff who are outgoing, experienced, attractive and engaging; to $22 for more polished staff; to higher rates for managers, bar girls, tradeshow staff, etc. The rates are based on 2-3 weeks lead time with the recognition that shorter notice, or events on holiday weekends, or special staff requests (bilingual, segway riders, certain look, etc.) are subject to a higher rate to be determined on a case-by-case basis subject to client approval. top

15. will there be a rate for major cities and a rate for outlying areas?

Generally we provide a set market rate. If some of the events are over 45 minutes outside the market, we may require a higher rate or travel time. Once the markets and locations are determined we will immediately review and provide clients a status of any potential travel issues prior to any booking. We do not surprise our clients with any additional costs. top

Special Event Staffing and/or Overnights:

16. do you have staffing available to travel for overnights or tours?

Yes, we have an extensive roster of tour managers and road crew staff as well as in-market staff able to travel as needed.top

17. what are the costs associated with overnights? what is your per diem rate? are hotel expenses included in per diem?

Varies. For some programs the clients pay for room and merely provide each staff a food perdiem – perhaps $25-40/day. For other clients, hotel and food per diem are combined at approximately $130-$145/day, but again may vary on market and location as finding a hotel in Palm Springs for $90-100/night is difficult. In those situations, the client may increase on a case-by-case basis. top

18. what is the lead time for travel assignments?

Depends on length of program, whether manager position, for a longer period vs overnight, etc. It may come down to staff availability. top

19. are there additional costs for holiday and short notice? if so, how do you handle?

Short notice is a higher rate – usually an extra $3-5/hr, as is Holiday, but varies based on holiday and lead time – may be less, potentially more.

Program deadlines and procedures for candidate submission, BA bookings, etc. should be set by the client with adequate and agreed on notice and discussion with us. top

20. what do you consider your strongest region(s) for staffing?

All, we are nationwide as well as in Canada and Mexico. top

21. what is your minimum call/hours daily for booking?

Generally 4 hrs. There are exceptions based on scale of program and rate. top

22. what are your policies and penalties for cancellations?

Varies based on program. If one-offs - usually just 4 hrs cancellation fee if cancelled with less than 48 hrs notice. On nationwide, long running programs, there is usually a 10% non-refundable deposit once we have been told to move forward as we immediately go to work. During the program, if specific events are cancelled with more than 48 hrs notice, you are limited to that 10%, but if less than 48 hrs notice, then the 4 hr minimum for the booked staff applies. top

 

 

If you require any additional information please don’t hesitate to contact us either via email at info@teammktgusa.com or via phone at 845 338-8800 ext. 101.