Smart Promotional Spend – Avanti Show the Way

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Mark Robotham

I see too many businesses blowing mindless money on trade shows. Typically inviting their customers to attend big tradeshows where all their competitors are exhibiting. Having spent a number of years in international telecommunications marketing I have seen this big time with businesses spending $100K plus and getting nowhere.

The better alternative is to run a dedicated customer event, in a location where you can either entice your customers to go, or in their back yard.

At Stratex we ran dedicated 2 day customer events in exotic locations like Phuket and Biarritz at a quarter the price with twice the impact, we could create a presence at CEBIT or communicasia. The customers left having had a fantastic time, all referenced direct to our brand, not the industry.

Thursday night I saw an excellent example of getting customer engagement right, from a local company. Avanti backed their dealer conference with a great showcase event with their 2012 product range open to the public. The event was attended by a huge number of bike enthusiasts.

I would rate it as one of the better customer events I have attended. Plenty of product specialists with plenty of time to talk to you, in fact most customers I saw were so engrossed in the product the bar was near empty.

So for the bike enthusiasts among you here are some of my highlights:

Di2 is a must for anyone into bike bling – Check out this video clip if you are not up with the play
Di2 bikes for under $7,000 retail – the Di2 ultegra range this year is going to rock
Di2 Quatum team (picture below) took my fancy – Extra Di2 remote shifters by the hoods allow for gear shifting of rear derailleur when not riding in the drops – so cool …it’s on my shopping list.
The growing trend in Cycle-cross and 29er range
The new Ultegra – range wiring system and up to 28 tooth rear sprockets could be a great Tandem upgrade.

Great show Avanti – and thanks for being such a great support to Pure Black Racing (NZ’s first UCI Pro Tour team in the making). Looking forward to the 2012 bike info being up on their web site and more importantly in-store.

I am not a cyclist… I am a real person who rides a bike

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Mark Robotham

I am not a cyclist… I am Max & Shelley’s Dad, who rides a bike
I am not a cyclist … I am Hilary’s lover , who rides a bike

I am not a cyclist…. I am ______________ who rides a bike (fill the blank)

Isn’t it so easy for motorist’s to say, it’s just a bloody cyclist and de-personalise us on the road.
Many motorists celebrate as their kids learn to ride a bike, what if it was their child, or a friends child or dad, you were about to take out.

Today Hilary and I attended the Cycle Action Auckland rally for saver roads. 3 years on from when Hilary broke her back, caused by a driver of an old Mercedee’s in Wellington, who did not want to share the road. Thank god Hilary is back mobile again, but sharing the road is something we’re passionate about.

It was great to see so many people of all shapes and sizes there to support safer riding on the roads.

A few tears were seen, when husband of recent death victim in Morrisonville spoke about how his family loved action and cycling, and how his son witnessed from his bike his mother die in front of him.

The rally was to call for increased funding from the national transport budget to improve cycling safety. The funds are required for –

Continuous arterial road cycle lanes in cities and shoulders on key rural roads.
Cycle training in schools and for adults who want to cycle for transport.
Road safety campaign with fresh and specific messages for safe cycling and driving.

Some messages taken from the speakers:
– Encourage kids to learn to ride on the road, in a safe manner, they will become better drivers later on in life
– Cyclist’s (sorry “bike riders”) encourage your mates to ride safely on the road.
– Don’t txt while driving – you are weaving on the road – killing people

Congrats Cycle Action Auckland – it was a great event and good to see bike NZ and council behind the cause.

Join up to Cycle Action Auckland, or at least follow their blog at www.caa.org.nz

Video Clip from TVNZ

http://tvnz.co.nz//national-news/cyclists-in-undeclared-civil-war-3944383/video?vid=3944939

Warning AKL Cyclists Panmure-Pt England Dog Attack

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Mark Robotham

Watch out fellow cyclists – Pit Bull Terrier dog attack in Dunkirk Road Panmure.

Wednesday this week (16/10/2010) Greg and I were one of the best rides ever, out to Maraetai beach and back to town when our idyllic world was destroyed by a vicious attack by a pit bull terrier out side 47 Dunkirk St, Panmure.

The dog approached fast barking from 20 meters away from across the road, nothing new, but then it attacked the bike, knocking both Greg and I to the ground. It hit that fast all I remember was the awful crushing sound of bike, lyrca and flesh hitting the road.

Greg’s bike is a complete right off, split in two by the impact, I catapulted into the road with the end result a broken collar-bone and crushed helmet, Greg has a severe case of gravel rash.

Thank god the owners at least called the dog away, leaving us wounded on the road, not that they hung around to face ambulance and police.

Animal control services are now after the owner “maori” who was walking with two females and a push chair. The dog Tan/Beige Pit Ball Terrier.

Animal control can be contacted acs@animal-control.co.nz 09-360 0750

Cyclists and Kids – Please be careful down Dunkirk road and surrounds of Panmure. This loacation is on the popular airport loop circuit.

Rouge dogs and irresponsible dog owners need to be dealt with, imagine if we had been a child on their way to school.

Thanks to the kind owner of 47 Dunkirk st, who offered Greg and I something to drink, shame were in a state of shock and said – no we’re fine. Likewise thanks to the kind support of st Johns Ambulance and the kind people at A&E Auckland central.

Santana’s Tandem-Specific, Shimano Approved Di2

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Mark Robotham

I can not wait for Shimano’s new electric shift to be available to the mass market.

Santana’s optional tandem-specific, Shimano-approved DuraAce Di2 shifting system. Santana had just recently debuted the Di2 system on it’s flagship composite & titanium “Beyond” tandem model at Eurobike then again at Interbike and there was a pretty good buzz going around afterwards.

check out the full news on tandemgeeks post on his blog
http://tandemgeek.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/santanas-tandem-specific-shimano-approved-di2-an-update/