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’ Successful Launch Event

ReadyGo Media partnered with Koko Monk Chocolates this Spring to create a special chocolate tasting event that marked the launch their first retail store.

Photo courtesy Joann Pai, Eating in Vancouver | Flowers courtesy Hilary Miles Flowers

Paul Dincer, owner and chocolatier of Koko Monk Chocolates, began as Levni Chocolates and sold in five Vancouver farmer’s markets over three years leading to its opening. In February 2013, Koko Monk opened its first retail location in Kitsilano. Koko Monk creates handmade, hand painted, hand tempered fine chocolates with unique flavor fusions. Each Koko Monk chocolate is indeed a work of art. The chocolates engage all the senses from a one-of-a kind beauty to delightful flavour combinations drawing on inspirations from Shakespeare to post-modernism.

Photo courtesy Barry Calhoun Photography

Joanne Probyn, founder and digital strategist of ReadyGo Media, worked with Paul to carefully select twelve special guests for Koko Monk’s Exclusive Chocolate Tasting Night. Present were food critics, bloggers and photographers that ranged from the promising and talented food storytellers, FoodGays, to Canada’s most authoritative news source, The Globe and Mail. Each was invited for his or her style, taste and sophistication. Yet despite their vast experiences, few had enjoyed a chocolate tasting before; the excitement leading to the event was palpable across social media channels. And the enthusiasm continued throughout the event; while the event officially ended at 8pm, many guests stayed late with the last person leaving after 10pm. “ReadyGo Media far exceeded my expectations,” says Paul. “It was incredible to meet all of these remarkable, like-minded food lovers all at once. I make my chocolates for people like them.” Each guest was served a flight of six chocolates and Paul guided the food connoisseurs through a blind tasting that revealed his complex flavour combinations and concepts. The last chocolate was paired with a dessert wine, expressly recommended for one of Koko Monk’s chocolates by one of North America’s most accomplished fine wine connoisseurs, San Diego-based Francois-Xavier Auffret.

Photo courtesy Barry Calhoun Photography

This event was possible with the generous support of our many sponsors–special thanks to Suki’s Salon & Spa, Hilary Miles Flowers, Costen Catbalue Goldsmith & Design, Barry Calhoun Photography and Vision Event Photography. We would also like to thank all our speecial guests for their enthusiasm, pioneering spirit and community support.

Photo courtesy Koko Monk Chocolates

We’ve been thrilled with the positive feedback so far including several outstanding articles written by Ariane C. Design, VanFoodster, FoodGays and Eating in Vancouver. Some people were captivated by Paul’s passion for chocolate, while others were surprised and delighted with the artistry behind Koko Monk’s culinary creations.

Photo courtesy Koko Monk Chocolates

Due to the event’s success and wide public interest, ReadyGo Media will continue event planning and marketing initiatives with Koko Monk Chocolates. Be the first to find out about our next Koko Monk chocolate tasting event by joining Koko Monk’s mailing list today (via Levni Chocolates).

Photo courtesy Barry Calhoun Photography

Sponsor Links

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.

Koko Monk Exclusive Chocolate Tasting Night – Launch Event

ReadyGo Media is planning and promoting a special event on behalf of Koko Monk by Levni Chocolates. Our Exclusive Chocolate Tasting Night will mark the recent launch of Koko Monk’s first retail store.

Paul Dincer, owner and chocolatier of Vancouver’s Koko Monk Chocolates, will share his new direction of post-modern chocolate making in a blind tasting journey of exotic and extraordinary combinations.

The evening finishes with a taste of wine. Finally, guests will take home a special gift on behalf Kitsilano’s Yorkville neighborhood; a Koko Monk chocolate gift box, a complementary Suki’s Salon & Spa haircut (approx. value $100) and a $100 gift certificate courtesy Costen Catbalue Goldsmith & Design. The venue’s simple and modern floral designs will be provided with thanks to Hilary Miles Flowers, one of the most sought after florists in North America.

There are only twelve tickets available and they will go quickly. Guests must have an email invitation and need only receive an invitation and simply register at Event Brite to claim their complementary ticket. The email invitation is activated for one registrant only and cannot be used multiple times. Date and time are included in the invitation.

While we hope our guests simply enjoy themselves, should anyone choose to write the event, please let your readers know that this was a sponsored evening.

Lean more about Koko Monk at www.kokomonk.com.

If you choose to tweet about the event, we’d love for you to use the hashtag #kitsilano. Koko Monk can be found on Twitter @LevniKokoMonk and on Facebook at LevniChocolateKokoMonk.

Photo http://instagram.com/joanneprobyn

Sponsor Links

Get Your Invite

Sorry, our event is now full. Please email Joanne to be wait-listed. We will post here when the list is full. Thanks for all our sponsors and guests. We are looking forward to sharing this chocolate tasting adventure with you!

Hashtags

We will be using #Kitsilano as our primary hashtag for the event, should anyone choose to tweet about it.