Paul Dincer, Founder, Koko Monk Chocolates
Joanne Probyn has been an integral part of Koko Monk Chocolates’ success. I would recommend Joanne to anyone who wants to grow their business by creating a sophisticated, highly-focused brand. She has an outstanding ability to see the big picture of what a business needs and drives an innovative, solid strategic plan to completion. Moreover, she presented this larger landscape in manageable steps, helping us grow with our vision. She developed and executed both off- and online brand engagement campaigns leveraging social media, communications, public relations, media events and design. Joanne deploys relationship campaigns that have brought us closer to our community–customers, industry, media and bloggers alike. She counts companies like Vancity Credit Union and Digital Strategy Conference in her client base. I’d highly recommend Joanne to anyone who needs the very best in brand development, communications and social media execution.
Koko Monk Chocolates Case Study
Chip Wilson, Lululemon founder, congratulates Dincer, Koko Monk Chocolates, "New Business of the Year" finalist and Probyn, ReadyGo Media, "Service Excellence" nominee at the West Side Business Awards.
ReadyGo Media recently partnered with Koko Monk Chocolates to launch their new retail shop and café located in Kitsilano.
Industry experts put the new business failure rate at 60-80% in the first year–with food services and new food products scoring as one of the worst sectors. While the figures vary, one thing is certain–ReadyGo Media understands every decision is critical for new and growing businesses.
According to Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, most restaurants fail due to a lack of :
- Marketing budget (consequently, they remain unknown)
- Poor communications with consumers (frustrating and loosing the few customers they do have)
- Negative consumer perception of value (often caused by inconsistent, undistinguished and inferior branding causing distrust), and;
- Failure to integrate a vision and mission into the operation (weak branding leading to confusion and rejection)
ReadyGo Media helped Koko Monk Chocolates define key business goals empowering them to get the most from their budget and time. They needed to build the brand and drive awareness.
Key Tactic: Exclusive Media Event
ReadyGo Media spearheaded the planning, promotion and publicity for an exclusive, sponsored media event marking the launch of their first retail store.
The results? Brand development and exposure that built trust–of consumers and affiliates–achieved through an outpouring of compelling, authentic stories…ultimately generating more and more opportunities.
Measurable results (achieved in less than two months):
- Successful, exclusive event featuring guests including The Globe and Mail and key industry influencers resulting in 14 published stories with a reach of at least 500,000+
- Secured event sponsorships from strategic partners valued at $4000+
- Built a passionate online community resulting in valuable recommendations, publicity and word-of-mouth advertising
- Strong relative growth; maintained good sales during their off-season
- Generated a 40% increase in Facebook fans
- Doubled unique website visitors
- Increased website visits 61%
- Increased Twitter fans 500%
- Increased engagement and established a Klout score of 45
Measured over a five week period before and after the campaign.
Brand Assets:
- Powerful brand messaging
- Press kit
- Photography
- Promotional media booklet
- 5 star Yelp and Urban Spoon ratings
Paul Dincer, Founder Koko Monk Chocolates and Joanne Probyn, Founder ReadyGo Media with friends at the West Side Business Awards
Consequent Success Highlights
- West Side Business Awards “New Business of the Year” finalist
- Professionally produced video valued at $10,000 by TELUS OptikTV
- Retail placement at Granville Island’s Edible Canada at the Market
- Successful new product development
- Built strong relationships resulting in invitations to participate in high-profile events including:
- BC’s largest local food evening, Taste BC at Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver
- Liberty Wine’s Port & Chocolate Night at Vancouver Rowing Club
- Suki’s Salon and Spa “Treat Yourself” evening
- City Food Magazine’s Hot Chocolate Festival
- Invitation to present at Vogue Theatre’s Pecha Kucha Night (1200 attendees)
- Vancouver Foodster Barista Competition
- Blogger interviews, video footage and articles
- Social Shopper promotion launching new classes
Partnering with ReadyGo Media has proven to be an excellent business decision. With strong signs of continued growth, recognition and profitability, Koko Monk Chocolates is looking forward to their first year anniversary just around the corner in February 2014.
“Working with ReadyGo Media was a perfect fusion
between our needs and their professional strategic implementation,”
~ Paul Dincer, Founder and Chocolatier, Koko Monk Chocolates
Koko Monk Chocolates’ Partnership
We’re delighted to announce a partnership with Koko Monk Chocolates, a new Vancouver chocolate shop that creates handmade, hand tempered fine chocolates with exotic and sophisticated flavor fusions. Check them out at 1849 West 1st Avenue in Kitsilano.
Social media strategy includes a blogger event launching their first retail store helping them generate awareness, partnerships and sales.
Event possible with thanks to the generous sponsorship of local businesses including Suki’s Salon & Spa, Costen Catbalue Goldsmith & Design and Hilary Miles Flowers.
Case study to follow upon completion.
Joanne Probyn speaks with Jimmy Flores on YouTube Marketing
Learn how to:
- Create content strategies that increase views
- Have your video found on YouTube
- Achieve the most from your promotional efforts
- Develop valuable, engaging content
- Grow a community of subscribers
Joanne Probyn, founder and digital strategist of ReadyGo Media, speaks with Jimmy Flores from Madrid on YouTube video marketing.
Jimmy is the co-founder of iDaccion.TV, a global community of Spanish speaking entrepreneurs and the founder of Yo Coso, a Spanish speaking YouTube textile training channel with over 13,000 subscribers and 2 million views.
ReadyGo Media is digital marketing and communications agency based in Vancouver, Canada. The Business ProCast features interviews with business and not-for-profit leaders connecting you with the people and information you need to start and grow your business.
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What you need to know:
- Interviews will be with business and not-for-profit leaders
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Renewables & Environment Logo Design – CCIRA
CCIRA (Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance) is a common voice among four BC coastal Nations, born to ensure our ecosystems return to a healthy balance. CCIRA bestowed the honor to ReadyGo Media of designing a logo that would launch their new organization.
We began by partnering with CCIRA on a comprehensive business analysis, which helped them define their branding needs. We then developed several creative solutions for their consideration. The result is a highly polished iconic image infused with symbolism. It communicates their values and goals in a powerful mix of traditional and contemporary styles.
