Ten decades helpful
Across a darkened arena her voice reached out like a searchlight: “Do you think about your legacy?”
This was Kim Lefko, SVP chief marketing officer speaking at the recent Ace spring show 2024 in Dallas.
She asked: “Do you think about the difference you are making now – and will make in the future?”
As Ace is celebrating 100 years, she used three words to describe that group of Chicago hardware dealers, former WWI Ace pilots, who started it all in 1924 by pooling their resources to get a better price on sponges.
“Gritty. Heart. Soul.” Lefko said. “And it’s still going today.”
Ace is planning a big time celebration and a hot time August 8-10 in Chicago, and she announced the Zac Brown Band will be the featured musical act.
“Thinking about 100 years,” said Lefko, “there’s trust in Ace. Customers trust our experience and know we care.”
Today, the marketing thrust for dealers are in three parts: Drive demand; convert to purchase; and build loyalty. She added that a “helped” customer spends $20 more per purchase.
“Ace studied its average staff time spent helping customers – this was studied by Westlake Ace and Great Lakes Ace – and found it’s only 14% of the time,” she said.
That has to rise, she said.
“Get belly to belly in the aisles and start helping customers,” said the EVP of marketing.
The topic turned to marketing.
“The most cost effective marketing you have today is Ace Rewards,” she said.
And the Ace mobile app, she added, needs more use. “So few customers use the app, but those Ace mobile app customers who do use it spend $200 more than those who don’t.”
Lefko showed a clip of the recently produced Heartware Stories docuseries that is coming out this summer on three networks.
After the clip she said: “We exist to help others.
“If the original owners were here today,” she said, “they’d swell with pride.”
