Kreski Marketing helps with research and sales literature

The idea for the EZ LIFT® product line came from the need to move heavy flat panel monitors safely. Keith Urban, business development manager for JELCO, recalls that "various rental firms were struggling with the issues of dropping plasmas and with the expense of sending two people out every time they did a plasma setup for trade shows. There were some scissors lifts out there, but dealers didn't like to use them. So we put our heads together and found another way of doing it."

The original JELCO solution was a simple, lightweight frame using a gas cylinder mechanism. Release the lock and the monitor rises slowly from the cabinet. When you're finished with the presentation, push the monitor back down into cabinet. Recently JELCO introduced the EZ-LIFT Power Elite Series. Here a motor-driven mechanism raises and lowers the monitor at the touch of a button.

The EZ-LIFT gas spring version is available built into an ATA shipping case and also an EZ-LIFT Elite laminated cabinet. The motorized version is standard on the wood veneer model. JELCO manufactures cases and cabinets for monitors from 37" to 61."

Marketing research

JELCO launched the EZ-LIFT shipping case in the fall of 2002, originally marketing it to AV rental and staging companies. The product seemed perfect for them. It ships in a very sturdy black ATA case, but instead of removing the plasma or LCD display, you simply remove the lid, release the lock, and your monitor rises up ready for use. Two more minutes and you can attach a drapery kit and a shelf for a laptop and DVD player. It's ideal for a trade show display or hotel conference room.

The case sold well in the rental market, but not as well as JELCO had hoped. So Urban and CEO Ed Elliott got Kreski Marketing involved with a marketing research project aimed at understanding where EZ-LIFT was most needed and wanted.

"The project helped guide our thought process of who we wanted to speak to at the time," says Urban. "It's interesting that a lot of the things that we found out still hold true today. The EZ LIFT concept is embraced by some but not by everybody."

Building on what they learned of the flat panel lift market, Urban and Elliott began designing the more elegant wood veneer and laminate versions. They previewed both at Infocomm 2004.

A new look

Now JELCO was faced with a different problem. Well known as a builder of shipping cases and soft carrying bags, they were entering the presentation furniture market for the first time. Instead of selling an obvious add-on, they would be asking their dealers to lead with the product to corporate facilities managers and training managers, as well as to architects, consultants and interior designers.

At this point they asked Kreski Marketing to create a new look for the EZ LIFT Elite Series sales literature, a look that would reflect the quality of the finished furniture. We've finished three spec sheets so far, one for the laminate, one for the wood veneer and one for a portable stand that uses the EZ LIFT mechanism.

"The reason we brought in Kreski Marketing," says Urban, "was the fact that you were somebody who had worked in the industry, who we would not have to educate about our marketplace and customers. When you work with outside ad agencies, you begin to realize that anyone can come in and make a great presentation, but you also know you're going to have to spend a lot of time sitting there and bringing them up to speed. Here at JELCO, we just don't have that time to spend."

I asked Urban if he's been happy with our work so far. "Oh, absolutely, it has met all the expectations that we had at the time that we switched over. We looked at you and said, 'Hey, this ought to be easy. He knows the dealer base. He knows the customers. He knows the end users.' It made my life easier."

Click to view the EZ-LIFT Elite Mobile spec sheet