We are glad to inform, that ceremony of rewarding of the first winners of the Premium has taken place on March, 30. It was held in Kiev in bowling-club «Strike» and was founded by the company Step by Step.

Small tour into the past

From July, 2005 till March, 2006 the Premium «PROFESSIONAL of the year» was carried out on territory of all Ukraine. All period has been divided into three stages by three months. A result of each stage was a definition of the winner in each nomination; the winner passed in the ending of competition. The competition was carried out on such nominations:

• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the SELLER
• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the MANAGER
• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the Director of average and small business
• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the Director of the large company
• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the SHOP / trade outlet
• PROFESSIONAL of the year - the COMPANY

Everyone who works with trademark PROFESSIONAL production and knows well its assortment could take part in the competition. For this purpose it was necessary to fill in the application and send it to organizers in any convenient way.

The decision about who will be the winner of a stage was accepted by organizing committee by the way of personal, depending on a nomination, or telephone questionnaire design with the help of specially developed system of estimations. The winner in each nomination from three applicants submitted by organizing committee from March, 20 till March, 25 was defined by advisory council.

Chairman of advisory council was Hlebnikov Sergey Aleksandrovich, the general director of company “Chas-Pick ". The advisory council consisted of Irina Sidoruk,the head of direction PROFESSIONAL, company «Step by Step»; Andrey Sidorenko, the chief of a regional sales department of the company «Loksi Wholesale»; Sofia Nekrashevich, executive director of the Kiev representation of the company «Astreya XXI»; Alexey Kolesnikov, the editor of magazine «Kantselyarski spravy»; Alla Mirnaja, the chief editor of magazine "KantsTovarish’", who awarded finalists and winners with prizes (a bank ingot of gold from 5 up to 51 grams, coffee-machine, a refrigerator or a photocopier) and diplomas.

Ceremony of rewarding

Official part of action was conducted by the known Ukrainian showman, singer and simply remarkable person, Andrey Kuzmenko (Kuz’ma from band “Skryabin"), who had subdued hearts not only of all women, but also impressed the men. Kind, sincere words and wishes were addressed to winners by the General Sponsor - trademark ASSISTANT, the Official Sponsor - company "Loksi", the Product of the Premium - company « House of coffee », information partners - magazines «Kantselyarski spravy» and «KantsTovarish’».

Before and after an official part visitors could communicate, get useful acquaintances, strengthen business contacts, and the main fun and rest were, certainly, after the official part.

The concert of band "Skryabin" had lit up small lights in souls of gathered, organizers have taken care aboutcheering up, and further all went like clockwork: people played billiards, danced, and bowling had grasped all up to such degree, that anybody did not think any more in what one was dressed and as one looked. Unless not an image for designers of haute couture - young lady in an evening dress and gym shoes for bowling or stately, businessman of high social status in gym shoes of 44 size with a tie behind his back. Now we know where the inspiration comes from.

It would be desirable to emphasize, that it was the first action of such format in the Ukrainian market of leather goods.

Epilogue …

Putting the end of a final part of the Premium «PROFESSIONAL of the year», founded by Step by Step company, it is possible to tell about a marketing component of the action.

All visitors of an exhibition “The World of Stationery 2006” could get acquainted with the purposes and marketing tasks of the First Premium, “PROFESSIONAL of the year”, in the field of business leather goods, as within the framework of an exhibition, on March, 30, experts of marketing department of the company carried out a seminar on a theme "Premium" PROFESSIONAL of the year » - the tool of promotion of the trademark». The seminar has been organized for heads of the companies and Marketing Directors, chiefs of Advertising departments - everyone who is engaged in promotion of trademarks.

Prizes from sponsors of the Premium and two invitations to rewarding Ceremony of winners of the Premium have been played. By the example of such small blitz - interrogation with prizes has been shown how quickly we can get involved in various sorts of competitions and games. Integration of marketing communications and a complex of the actions incorporated by one theme and presented in the game form is the concept of the Premium « PROFESSIONAL of the year » from the marketing point of view. And, certainly, the most important - to enclose all soul in the project, to give the part of yourself, because those (real Professionals of the year) for whom all was organized deserve it.

«And what promotion of the trademark here for?» - You may ask.

As a matter of fact, the Premium is an award for professionalism in work with trademark PROFESSIONAL. We set precise tasks: to form at constant clients precise understanding about the trademark, to improve quality of work with the production at all stages of sales, to strengthen links and communications with buyers, to create competitive and stimulating tool of promotion, togetadditional marketing information from direct participants of the market.

Who will be interested in boring advertising articles, trying to convince in advantages of products, let’s say even in real ones? We wanted to replace static advertising of the trademark by active game with the buyer and involve all participants of sales process in direct work on image improvement of the trademark. In parallel with it we wanted to dispel fears and worries, support favorable image of the trademark and stimulate development of business of our clients.

We did it!

And the Winners Rewarding Ceremony of the Premium was a final point in the Premium “PROFESSIONAL of the year 2006” Project. With confidence we look ahead. The “Premium PROFESSIONAL of the year 2007” is not far away, it’s going to be renewed, with other format and borders of carrying out.