BIGFOOT CRANE COMPANY
Case History
FINDING ALIGNMENT
“We became friends at Eagle West,” said Ryan Burton about Gerry Wiebe. “I was the General Manager and Gerry was the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. I had become very aware of Gerry’s expertise in the areas of marketing, presentation and business development.”
Several years later, after both had moved on from Eagle West, Burton started Bigfoot Crane Company with two of the former owners of Eagle West. “As soon as I started Bigfoot,” Burton recalled, “I contacted Gerry and consulted with him about our design and structure, and how his company could fit in with ours. Then, as quickly as I could, I signed over all of our marketing to Gerry.”
Gerry was happy to help. He pulled together a strong team that served Bigfoot well, allowing the company to quickly become profitable and well established in the tower crane market.
As Bigfoot’s needs ebbed and flowed, Gerry provided consistent and flexible marketing services.
By the fall of 2017, Burton called Gerry and asked a straightforward question, “Can you please just come be our marketing department?”
Gerry accepted Bigfoot’s offer on behalf of his newly formed company, Wiebe Industrial, and they haven’t looked back since.
“He’s really got the digital side of things figured out,” said Burton. “It was amazing to see how quickly Gerry transformed our website into a lead-generation factory, actually getting visitors to click through and respond.”
GENERATING REVENUE
Over the past few years, Wiebe Industrial has provided a full spectrum of marketing services for Bigfoot, everything from a thorough website re-design to specific product development to all facets of marketing and sales.
“He’s really got the digital side of things figured out,” said Burton. “It was amazing to see how quickly Gerry transformed our website into a lead-generation factory, actually getting visitors to click through and respond.”
Bigfoot also utilized Wiebe Industrial to revitalize business around specific products. One example has been a series of under-hook accessories, which Bigfoot had been importing from Italy for years. Burton went to Gerry and simply said, “I need you to make the phone ring on these products.”
Gerry went to work, and he delivered. That product line quickly became a major component of Bigfoot’s business, which also secured a stronger relationship with the supplier in Italy, making everyone in the equation happy.
Burton said Gerry has done that for Bigfoot numerous times: “When our company is ready for growth, especially with a new product like that, Gerry is the first guy we call.”
On another occasion, Bigfoot was uniquely positioned for a business opportunity with an equipment company in Spain. Burton wanted to re-configure the Spanish machines for the North American market. Bigfoot presented the opportunity to Gerry and he went to work on developing the entire business plan. Then Bigfoot sent Gerry to Spain to present the plan.
“We’re just starting to roll with these products from Spain,” said Burton, “and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Gerry has a deep understanding of the development process, so he’s been a key player in growing business like this.”
Wiebe Industrial is known for being thorough in its market research. For presentations, like the one in Spain, Gerry does his homework, and then some. Burton said, “He’s awesome at digging out market trends. He seems to find reports that no one else knows about, and then presents them in a way that makes sense to the audience.”
BECOMING INVESTED
The partnership between Wiebe and Bigfoot is strong. Gerry has invested himself completely in Bigfoot. “He tells our story better than we do,” Burton said. “Because he knows us so well and loves what we do.”
“By now, I just can’t imagine Bigfoot without Gerry,” Burton said. “In fact, I’m worried about our future if he wasn’t around.”
BIGFOOT CRANE COMPANY
Case History
FINDING ALIGNMENT
“We became friends at Eagle West,” said Ryan Burton about Gerry Wiebe. “I was the General Manager and Gerry was the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. I had become very aware of Gerry’s expertise in the areas of marketing, presentation and business development.”
Several years later, after both had moved on from Eagle West, Burton started Bigfoot Crane Company with two of the former owners of Eagle West. “As soon as I started Bigfoot,” Burton recalled, “I contacted Gerry and consulted with him about our design and structure, and how his company could fit in with ours. Then, as quickly as I could, I signed over all of our marketing to Gerry.”
Gerry was happy to help. He pulled together a strong team that served Bigfoot well, allowing the company to quickly become profitable and well established in the tower crane market.
As Bigfoot’s needs ebbed and flowed, Gerry provided consistent and flexible marketing services. At one point, he adjusted his service level and brought on the help of another marketing agency. Gerry deftly facilitated the transition, but Burton was quick to see problems: “The new agency just didn’t get industrial marketing like Gerry. They didn’t cut it.”
So, Burton came back to Gerry and asked if he could help find someone else to manage Bigfoot’s marketing and sales. Gerry obliged again and pointed Bigfoot toward another highly qualified candidate. But that option didn’t work out either. Burton said simply, “They just couldn’t make the phone ring like Gerry.”
By the fall of 2017, Burton called Gerry and asked a straightforward question, “Can you please just come back and manage our marketing?”
Gerry accepted Bigfoot’s offer on behalf of his newly formed company, Wiebe Industrial, and they haven’t looked back since.
“He’s really got the digital side of things figured out,” said Burton. “It was amazing to see how quickly Gerry transformed our website into a lead-generation factory, actually getting visitors to click through and respond.”
GENERATING REVENUE
Over the past few years, Wiebe Industrial has provided a full spectrum of marketing services for Bigfoot, everything from a thorough website re-design to specific product development to all facets of marketing and sales.
“He’s really got the digital side of things figured out,” said Burton. “It was amazing to see how quickly Gerry transformed our website into a lead-generation factory, actually getting visitors to click through and respond.”
Bigfoot also utilized Wiebe Industrial to revitalize business around specific products. One example has been a series of under-hook accessories, which Bigfoot had been importing from Italy for years. Burton went to Gerry and simply said, “I need you to make the phone ring on these products.”
Gerry went to work, and he delivered. That product line quickly became a major component of Bigfoot’s business, which also secured a stronger relationship with the supplier in Italy, making everyone in the equation happy.
Burton said Gerry has done that for Bigfoot numerous times: “When our company is ready for growth, especially with a new product like that, Gerry is the first guy we call.”
On another occasion, Bigfoot was uniquely positioned for a business opportunity with an equipment company in Spain. Burton wanted to re-configure the Spanish machines for the North American market. Bigfoot presented the opportunity to Gerry and he went to work on developing the entire business plan. Then Bigfoot sent Gerry to Spain to present the plan.
“We’re just starting to roll with these products from Spain,” said Burton, “and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Gerry has a deep understanding of the development process, so he’s been a key player in growing business like this.”
Wiebe Industrial is known for being thorough in its market research. For presentations, like the one in Spain, Gerry does his homework, and then some. Burton said, “He’s awesome at digging out market trends. He seems to find reports that no one else knows about, and then presents them in a way that makes sense to the audience.”
BECOMING INVESTED
The partnership between Wiebe and Bigfoot is strong. Gerry has invested himself completely in Bigfoot. “He tells our story better than we do,” Burton said. “Because he knows us so well and loves what we do.”
“By now, I just can’t imagine Bigfoot Crane without Gerry,” Burton said. “In fact, I’m worried about our future if he wasn’t around.”
