XS Smoothie Sales Success Story: Brad DeHaven

Brad DeHaven can hand out an XS Smoothie with one hand and film the transaction with the other.

That’s how simple it’s become—not only to create XS event sales success, but to share some pointers (via Flip phone technology) on achieving that success with people thousands of miles away.

As a Diamond IBO, Brad embodies the principle of leading by example. He got the Smoothie Sales spark in June, after learning about the success that Vishaal Pandya has developed with his team of IBOs.

“I let my group know, `Hey, I’m going to be pursuing this and if this is part of your DNA, or you see yourself having fun with this, let me know,’” Brad recounted.

Brad credits Vishaal for his creativity in blazing the Smoothie Sales trail as well as in generously sharing what he has learned through the process of trial-and-error.

Starting in late June, Brad has spent nearly every weekend setting up a XS Smoothie Sales booth at various events in Southern California. Usually, there are four to six other IBOs on hand. Over time, one key shift has been where they have been deployed.

“Our first big lesson was at the first event. There were four or five of us and we were all huddled up like scared little mice under our tent,” he recalled. “Then one of our guys went out and interacted with people and began bringing them over.”

“We saw how fun it was and at each event since then, we usually keep only one person in the booth while the rest of us are moving around having fun, meeting people and engaging them,” Brad continued.

“It’s all about creating an experience for the people that come in,” said Brad, echoing something Vishaal has taught from his own experience.

“I’ve picked up a lot of nuances from Vishaal, like having your Smoothie booth set up to resemble how Starbucks does it,” he noted. “They guide customers through the experience. Before placing your order, you are looking at their muffins and other options, then you place your order and pay, then you move to the pick-up area.”

“The way Starbucks does things is no accident,” Brad continued. “And if you have the space for multiple tables, an XS booth can be set up the same way.”

So-called “smaller” events can be rewarding financially, said Brad, partly because they don’t have the same expense that comes with renting space at bigger festivals. He’s in touch with a Pop Warner organization league about setting up the booth during league football games.

“There are almost 100 parents at each of those games and they have five games in a row, on the hour throughout the day,” Brad said. “That’s 500 people.”

Through his experience on the frontlines, Brad has made some unexpected discoveries. For one thing, promoting two cans of XS for $5 is more attractive than touting one for $2.50.

“Maybe the transaction seems simpler, I’m not sure,” he chuckled. “Plus it’s something new that a customer will want to experience with a friend.”

And while IBOs are positioned to profit on the cans, “the smoothies are where the real profitability is,” Brad emphasized.

He has also found that younger IBOs in particular are attracted to making about $50 cash from their portion of a team’s profit on the day.

“Nobody is getting rich from these events, but to them, it’s like working the MTV booth,” Brad said. “We’re the hip, cool energy drink with the bright colors. It’s fun and has an extreme sports feel to it.”

The experience offers an atmosphere to bolster your confidence and comfort when speaking to strangers.

“Some IBOs are more shy or reserved, and you see that type of person come out of their shell a little bit,” Brad said. “You put them in this environment where there are people walking around, it really helps them get comfortable and it helps them get a little louder and a little prouder of the XS brand and their business.”

Another residual benefit is the camaraderie that flows from working side-by-side with other IBOs.

“By the end of the day, you’ve really bonded with these people that you’re doing it with,” Brad said. “Maybe it’s because you’re all overcoming some fear as you go through this uncharted territory together.”

With each XS Smoothie event, too, it’s increasingly clear that the best has yet to come. “I would encourage any IBO thinking about it to go have fun with it. We’re finding a need and filling it. I know we’ve only scratched the scratch of the potential with this.”

To see video clips of Brad and his team in action, click here and here.

So what’s your Retail Sales story? Got one…please send it to us at success@xsgear.com