WildFire Promotions

Name: Gail Gerrie, P.M.C.

Location: The Heart of Boyne Country in      
    NorthWest Lower Michigan 

Type of Business:
Marketing Plans, Promotions

What does your business do?
WildFire Promotions gives your image impact power that creates sales, ensures repeat business or fosters team and community pride. Innovative advertising specialties are a key component in branding concepts and we link promotional products to a plan that builds a strong chain in keeping your image and message where it will be of most value to you.  

When and why did you start the biz?
Sharing creative ways to help others succeed is a part of how God made me -- promotional products are a powerful tool and I discovered the industry in 1999 while working part time for a distributor. When that business closed, I decided to open a full service agency to meet the  promotional support needs of local organizations. WildFire Promotions is registered with both Impact and the P.P.A.'s UPIC and takes pride in offering promotional products with a plan. I love the ongoing training and education the industry demands and take a lot of joy in sharing the skills they give me with our clients.

How Many People are in your Company?
3

Where's your office?
My office area sits surrounded by picture windows that overlook the Jordan River Valley. Even on a blue day, the scenery helps my perspective and focus. My Subaru acts as an arm of the office, shuttling me through the 150+inches of snow we get during an average winter!

What's the toughest part of running your biz?
Paperwork, accounting and reports were no problem when I worked for someone else, but on my own, they are the areas I often let slide to the bottom of the daily to do's. 

What's the most fun part?
Hearing the stories of organizations  and the accompanying human adventures is my favorite part of building the client's portfolio. 
Impacting people, their passions and dreams with the power of a well groomed promotional product programs is a blast.  the 700,000+ products available create infinite opportunities for marketing in a fun and personal way. 

Anything you would have done differently?
It would have been great if I had a mentor from the very beginning. By the time I knew I needed one, I had already survived a few hard lessons that might have been avoided if I had the wisdom a mentor could have offered.  

What's next on the horizon for your biz?
WildFire Promotions is setting itself apart by offering full-service in house promotional services that include an active and specialized marketing plan. I am working towards industry certification and plan to expand the existing web site to meet the growing needs of our clients.  

What advice do you have for others?
In the countdown for launching a new business or a goal within an organization, put into place a team of cheerleaders, as well as a flexible and realistic business, marketing, and financial plan before you  blast off.

Keep your vision in front of everyday and stay away from "boo-ers and hissers." Plan positive motivators into your daily schedule that will help you track your progress. Give yourself incentive to succeed with daily tasks as well as with the "bigger picture" of your ultimate goals.  Don't let the wet blankets put your fire out.

Make sure you have a rubber-bottomed pair of pants; you'll need the bounce to keep going when it gets tough.

Isolation is not healthy. Make sure you get out where other folks are breathing (and bring your breath mints).

How do you use Idea Cafe to help your biz?
Idea Cafe is a great place to bop into on a  coffee break.  The motivation, concrete ideas and fun help when the day has gone down the road of "I wish I never traveled here," and provides the detour that puts me back on the path of success.

School (where, still in school, degree)?
Half-way to a degree at the school of Hard Knocks.
Defense Language Institute, Univ. Maryland, Russian Language Specialist

Degree in Marketing in progress

Prior jobs or business?
Professional songwriter/vocalist*Russian language specialist*Translation*Personal image, vocal coach*Marketing Accounts Executive

Favorite Food?
Chocolate and Spaghetti (but not together!)

What are your pets' names?
Snuffy, Fat Man, Luvey and Joy

Do any of these pets help with your biz?
Joy is the mascot for www.WildFirePromo.com.

Is there any one person or event in your life that led you to go into business for yourself?
The services I wanted to offer weren't available in our area. The smaller non-prof's, retail stores and schools typically do not have a marketing and promotions coordinator on staff and find our services to be a tremendous asset to attaining their goals.


Anyone you publicly want to thank?
Rosalie Marcus of www.PromoBizCoach.com, and Mitch Meyerson, Founder and Executive of Guerrilla Marketing Coach Certification based on Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing, http://www.gmarketingcoach.com.  These entrepreneurs are living the American dream and reach out and support others to do the same.

Contact Info:
Gail Gerrie
231.536.4364
sparky@wildfirepromo.com

Website:
http://WildFirePromo.com