Page 11 - Marketing Times v1

driving – Goff was able to make a sales call in another state and be home in time for dinner with his family. Driving took too long because northern Michigan is distant from other major markets, and even ying commercially was a poor option because Traverse City did not have as many ights going in and out as it does today.
Goff also used his plane to bring customers back to visit Traverse City. Generally, if customers were convinced to come for a plant tour, VP was able to win their business. The company found that prospects were so impressed by meeting the team in person and seeing the facilities,
they would choose to work with VP almost every time. Goff’s ability to y customers in and out quickly helped VP earn a lot of business by getting prospects that might not otherwise have been inclined to come on plant tours.
In addition to driving new business, the plane also transformed VP from a local power- house into a regional and national competitor. The distance between the company and its
customers no longer presented a barrier, and customers could be found anywhere in the country. Today, Goff no longer ies customers in and out on his plane, but VP continues to succeed on a national level. “And, we’ve always wondered why you’re a consultant when you get off of a plane, and just a vendor when
you get out of a car,” added Goff.
TRANSITIONS
There came a time when Goff had to gure out how he would transition out of VP and into retirement.
He considered the VP
team his extended family and felt an enormous responsibility to them.
“I had about a hundred families that depended on the business,” Goff said. “They were friends of mine, and some of
Another unique market where VP
has concentrated is foodservice marketing. This focus grew from the early partnership with Chef Pierre,
a pie company that was later bought by Sara Lee.
Fall 2014 • Traverse City Marketing Times 11
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