How a Kansas City Realtor Promotes His Business at Tailgates
As a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan and season ticket holder who doesn’t miss a tailgate, Nathan Smith has gone through his fair share of cheap tents.
“I have two broken ones in my basement right now,” he said.
So, when the real estate agent received some incentive marketing money from his brokerage, Compass, he decided to kill two birds with one stone. It was the perfect opportunity, he said, to ditch the cheap tents and invest in a professional solution that could not only stand the test of time in windy Kansas City, but also highlight his real estate business to the thousands of fans who transcend upon Arrowhead Stadium each Sunday.
His search brought him to TentCraft. He said he was impressed with the Made-in-USA quality and warranties — and the fact that he was supporting a veteran-owned business was the cherry on top.
The Challenge: Cheap Tents Didn’t Last or Market His Business
Nathan had two different tailgate pop-ups that cost between $100-$200, and they weren’t cutting it at the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot. They eventually broke down and were useless.
“Honestly, it was really frustrating to keep replacing them,” he said.
In addition to the quality issues, the generic tents made it difficult for Nathan to spark any conversations about the real estate market and his business.
“I’d have to find ways to bring up that I’m a Realtor without coming across as a salesman,” he said.
Gallery: Real Estate Tent at NFL Tailgate
The Solution: Two Branded Tents With All The Accessories
By investing in a custom-printed pop-up tent, Nathan could put his real estate team’s logo, along with Compass branding, making the real estate connection more obvious.
He ultimately invested in two 10x10 mightyTENTs, TentCraft’s medium-duty pop-up, along with a number of accessories, including an LED light kit, heater, rain gutter, and tent walls — one of which includes a window.
“We went all out with the setup,” Nathan said, “and the quality was very apparent from the start.”
The two-tent setup allowed for a larger tailgate setup, which is helpful when inviting clients to join them before the big game.
The event was also a huge hit on social media, generating thousands of impressions and engagements.
The Results: Easier for Clients and More Leads
Nathan admits he can’t exactly attribute a rise in real estate business from the tents, but he has given out significantly more business cards, which is important in the real estate industry. The more he can get his name out, he said, the better.
He attributes that increase to the Compass branding on the valance and his team’s branding — Wow Homes Kansas City — on the tent panels.
One unexpected result was how much the black and white tent (Nathan opted for black aluminum legs) stood out in a sea of smaller, cheap tents.
“I love it because I can tell my clients to look for the big black tents — it makes it much easier,” he said.
As a bonus, his high school senior son’s football coach asked if the team could try out his tent as a sideline shelter under a recent Friday night football game. The school is still figuring out a future solution, but loves that Nathan’s brokerage can also do some local advertising to those in attendance, while helping out the team.
