Obviously unprepared for the climate change, we arrived in Dallas from Milwaukee/Chicago. (Don’t worry, Mom, it looks worse than it is.) We’ve finished the first two weeks of a new mobile marketing tour, and not a drop of rain! It’s been sunny and in the high 80s the whole time. Shopping this weekend will definitely include sunscreen. Soon, we leave for Houston, where we are assured it will be even hotter.

The first two weeks in Dallas were pleasantly uneventful. We enjoyed the hospitality of USG reps in the area (dinner, drinks, USG branded shirts and things). For those who aren’t quite sure what this tour is all about, here it is in a nutshell: (For those who don’t know what it is we do in general, we’ve posted on that as well.)

Day to Day on Tour

About four times a week (3-5 depending on travel) we take the ROCK ON! unit (See trailer photo below) to the business we have on our schedule. These are mostly distributors, wholesale centers, etc. of USG products. In advance, local USG reps have requested an appearance of the NASCAR racecar we are traveling with. They coordinate this for their best customers as sort of a perk, or added encouragement. For the businesses, it’s a great event for their customers (mostly contractors). They have posters advertising the visit, and send out invitation postcards.

Onsite, we unload the car, and fold out the stage that makes up one section of the trailer. This creates a room for people to enter and take a look at some USG product samples (Durock cement board, join compound, etc.). We also have two kiosks where they can enter their name and some basic information and get a premium (hat, bandana, carpenter’s pencils, etc.) We usually start up the car two or three times during an event (4-6 hours). The hosts usually provide a breakfast or lunch for attendees. So far, the best have been Cowtown of Fort Worth for their delicious barbecue, complete with several kinds of meat, salads, beans, cornbread and dessert. Someone from one of the other Dallas locations has a ranch, and killed a cow for the occasion. Those were some TASTY burgers (sorry vegetarians). Oh, and yesterday at C&C Wholesale, we had breakfast tacos (egg, egg with chorizo, or meat with sides of guacamole, salsa, etc.) We could have eaten 10.

After the event is over, we pack it all up and leave. There is some pretty basic reporting/recapping to do later, plus an upload of the data from the kiosks: nothing too complicated, though. USG hopes to gain some brand recognition from this tour, using their sponsorship of NASCAR to draw attention. They are also using it as a way to thank current loyal customers. Unlike some other promotional tours, this is not about the hard sell. USG sells many of its products as fast as they produce them. People use the Sheetrock brand name like they do Q-Tip or Kleenex. It’s USG’s BRAND. The generic product is drywall. Got it? Hope this gives an idea of what it is we do.

Exploring Dallas on a Day Off

One day we finally made the time to explore downtown Dallas! The Arts District was great, with all the museums within walking distance of one another. Supposedly, it’s the largest urban arts district in the country. Our favorite was the Crow Collection of Asian Art. We did a drive-by of Dealey Plaza and the Dallas County Administration Building (formerly the Texas School Book Depository). Here are a few photos. Dallas’ Historic West End is nearby, with many preserved and beautifully renovated buildings, entertainment, dining and shopping options.

Easter was spent driving from Dallas to Houston, but before we left, we had a great brunch at Maguires North Dallas. The seafood omelette and filet and eggs are highly recommended. Mmmmm. Yummy. The Easter bag, by the way, was courtesy of Greta and was filled with goodies including Easter Egg playing cards. I kicked Donny’s butt in gin with them. 😉

Texas School Book Depository