The hardest, yet easiest question for us to answer.
The first difficulty is rooted in the ability to convey our services, particularly in a way for people to quickly understand. Second is trying to articulate quickly and clearly as to why paying someone else for a service (which could be done by literally anyone) is a valid use of their hard earned dollars. Because very often, keeping someone's attention past a certain point, or even initially, can be a struggle. So trying keep people hooked and engaged past:
OK, you are a tailgate rental company…
OK you are charging a couple hundred dollars…
Umm I don't know, sounds excessive and expensive...
I mean it's a good idea but not for me at the moment...
We may just go to the bar beforehand instead...
... is usually our biggest challenge. But once we finally get past that initial barrier... it's smooth sailing. Why? Because there is the no b.s. behind what we are offering. Typically, it can be a challenge for a company to pitch a product/service when it doesn’t make sense or there is no real need out there. But for Tailgate Professional, once we get past the aforementioned hard part – grabbing your attention - the explanation of what and why we are doing this clicks for every person we talk to. Even those people who do not need our our services understand that out there in the universe, there is a market of potential clients, whom under the right circumstances, would benefit immensely from what Tailgate Professional is offering.
The best parallel we can give is with two examples. First is Crossfit and the barrier a gym owner must break through to gain a new member. At first glance, there is the price. It turns the majority of people off from even attempting to give it a try, especially since other gyms offer memberships for a fraction of the cost. There is also the perception that only a select few people can do it and the average joe is not one of them. Or more commonly, the 'cult' stereotype that seems to never go away hangs over a gym like a dark cloud. These are all hard sells for any Crossfit owner; only until someone actually walks through the doors and experiences a class for the first time truly gets why anyone would utilize the services of that gym.
Second would be when you are on vacation deciding between using or not using an excursion company when wanting to take in the surroundings. Imagine being on a cruise in the Caribbean or visiting Hawaii for the first time. You are overwhelmed with the different options of activities and places to visit. So you hear about the option to use a third party to help but ultimately can't decide to use one or not. At the end of the day, people typically pick an excursion company because all of the planning, worrying and logistics are taken care of.
Are we going to all the right spots?
I hope they aren’t crowded. Do we have to pay to get in?
I don’t know where we are going. Do you have a map?
You are on vacation. You are in an area where you are unfamiliar with the surrounds. And in the end, you want to get the most out of your experience. With Tailgate Professional, we see the same exact challenges and successes; and once we get you to understand the mission, there is no turning back.
In addition to the parallels above, the best example we can give regarding “why do people need Tailgate Professional” is one that actually occurred a few years back. At work one day, an employee starts talking to some co-workers about how he is taking his family up to Happy Valley for the weekend to catch a Penn State game. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and better yet, it will be his kids first college football game. To get the full game day experience the employee of course wanted to tailgate beforehand. But the problem was that he owned none of the supplies. So, what was he supposed to do? Drive three hours up to State College with a couple of sandwiches and football? Buy all the equipment for one weekend? Even so, how would it all get up there? Trying to fit a family of four, who is also staying over the night before with a bunch of tailgate gear makes for a tight squeeze. At the end of the day we were able to service the needs of this guest thus allowing him to focus on his family and having a great time; rather than having to scramble around the week before and then stressing out about getting everything from point a to point b.
So with all that said, why is Tailgate Professional the right company to service my tailgate needs?
Logistics
Tailgates, whether you have done thousands or just one, take a tremendous amount of planning:
Making sure you are in the right lot
Understanding and being aware of the rules of what is prohibited and allowed
Hours and rules of tailgating prior to and after the game
Transporting, setting up and breaking down all equipment
Alerting, directing and communicating with your guests of where you will be located
Making sure your spot is in the right location, to make sure you are either protected or taking advantage of the elements
For us, this is all second nature and have planning your next tailgate down to an exact science (even though it not really science). It is our goal for you and your guests to simply show up and enjoy. Leave any and all stress, head-aches and worries with us. Because when it comes to a tailgate, the only worry should be making sure the grill is always lit, the cooler filled and two teams on the corn-hole field.
Equipment Needs
At first thought, a lot of people think you don’t need anything for tailgate.
“Oh, we will just pop the trunk and be all set”
And maybe for some that works for what you want. Others may assume that getting a table here and cooler there is not that expensive. And they are not. But what it comes down to is when all those other little costs start to add up:
Maybe you want a canopy tent.
Possibly a second cooler so you have one for food and other for drinks.
Well now if you have two coolers maybe just get a second table as well.
What are you going to eat? Probably would be cool to grill beforehand. So getting one of those is a must. And most lots do not allow charcoal so propane or gas is a must.
Then, where a lot of people forget and get tripped up is all that small stuff that goes with the bigger items:
Wait we need trash bags, cups, paper towels, serving utensils?
Uh does anyone have a lighter?
What about a table cloth, that table does look like it got clean in years...
So, we only brought one bag of ice… and now were out...
Huh, that propane tank ran out quickly, didn’t it?
We have seen this all before and too often the unprepared-ness causes a lot of frustration and inflated cost. But let’s just say you are the type of person, “oh I have all of that… I can do it”. The more power to you. We know there are plenty of you out there and that is awesome. But just remember, all that stuff packed up from home must also make its way… back home. And we can say with 100% confidence – preparing for a tailgate is 1000x more fun than having to break one down after the end of a long day.
Knowledge of the surrounding area
This one key item that we have mentioned before in blogs. Whether you are from the area but have never attended a game OR are literally stepping foot into the city for the first time, there are always going to be traps and deceiving options when it comes to parking and tailgating for games. With Tailgate Professional, you will always be in a lot just a few walking minutes away from the stadium. You will not be set up three miles away and needing to take a shuttle. You won’t be a parking garage. You will always be in the best possible location, thus providing you and your guests the best game-day experience.
Personal attention to detail
We are a small business. Thus, any questions, concerns, comments, etc. will never go unanswered. You will always have a personal game-day host making sure all your tailgate needs are being met and upon arrival, making it as easy as possible to locate your tailgate. In addition, we make it our mission to be in constant communication with you, the client, prior to game day making sure there is no confusion and that any concerns are answered. Clarity and transparency are the best policy and we want to make sure that is felt by all the clients we work with.
Again, at the end of the day there are many options or just the option to not use any options. When it comes to tailgating, the decision ultimately comes down to you, the tailgater. But whether you are on the fence or just want to learn more about us, please feel free to reach out at any time and we’d love nothing more to chat more about the business and hear what you have in store for a potential upcoming tailgate.