At the Shopping Center Eldorado parking lot, in a noble suburb of São Paulo, Roque & Seabra
literally assembled a "circus". A huge tent sheltered more than 100 sales counselors and over 2,000
apartment offerings (ready-to-use or under construction). The apartments ranged from 2- to 4-bedroom units in many areas of the Greater São Paulo.Many apartments were on sale with discounts of 20% or more. Some contractors expanded the discounts during the event, after realizing the outstanding sales response from customers.
The financing options were excellent, with terms over 66 months (which were unusual in Brazil, due to the by-then skyrocketing inflation rates). The most eye-catching pitch, though, was the fact that the customers might offer goods to cover the initial payment (like their cars or phone lines [which in Brazil are usually owned by the customer, not rented, and reach good market quotations])
A Display Center was installed at the center of the tent. Tens of TV Sets and video players continuously ran tapes with the apartment units' images, general information, technical data, facilities' description, and neighbourhood scenes.Roque & Seabra also offered customers cars with drivers to take them visit the units or even to pick up family members to go to the intended new home and close the deal. It was a festive atmosphere, appropriate to the enthusiasm of customers.
The top executives of the building companies and contractors were present all time; they could decide on closing every deal right on the spot.
If the customer closed a deal at the tent, he/she would take home the signed contract. This was made possible by taking to the tent an infrastructure of computers, software and by the fact that the decisionmakers were present, supported by attorneys and price specialists (who would evaluate cars, phone lines and other goods offered by customers).The big crowds prompted some unforeseen actions too. Nobody expected that big lines would form around the tent, so the organizers needed to acquire additional canvas to build up a long covered path that sheltered customers from the weather. It was probably the first time in history that people formed lines to buy real estate. In certain moments, people waited in line for over 40 minutes. The period of June 26th 1992 to July 05th 1992, will be for ever remembered in the history of real estate in Brazil, and in the anecdotal histories of Marketing.To further stir the excitement, from time to time the loudspeakers announced instant offers (called "lightning offers"), like a 10% additional discount on a certain enterprise (over the pre-announced discount), for those present at the event at that moment.
Due to the overwhelming success of this event, Roque & Seabra organized, just 4 months later, a second event called "Galinha Morta + de 1.000 apartamentos" -- both of them earned prizes "Prêmio Master Imobiliário 1.995" offered by FIABCI-SECOVI.
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E-mail: roqsea@dialdata.com.br
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