The tour manager handbook

The Tour Manager Handbook:
A Comprehensive Guide to Operating an Experiential
Marketing Tour
By
Ugin Rapoport

Introduction
What is an Experiential Marketing Tour?
As defined - Experiential Marketing is a form of advertising that focusing primarily on helping consumers
experience a brand. Examples of such include consumers having the opportunity to test drive a vehicle
outside of an auto show, attendees at a sporting event receiving samples of Coca-Cola on their way out,
or wrestling fans lining up outside an AT&T store for a meet-and-greet with a WWE wrestler while they
enter to win tickets for the upcoming show in their city.
Experiential Marketing can take on many forms, but one of the most effective means of its
implementation is via an Experiential Marketing tour. Similar to that of a traveling circus, this type of
marketing entails setting up and executing a brand activation in one market, packing up all the event
elements, and then moving on to the next market to repeat the same activation.
An Experiential Marketing Tour can be as simple as a Sprinter Van visiting 5 retail stores per week,
setting up a sampling table to distribute samples of beef jerky. It can also be as extravagant as 11 semi-
trucks taking over the entire parking lot of every Major League Baseball stadium during the season,
creating a miniature replica of the baseball Hall of Fame museum.
How the Experiential Marketing Tour is Produced
Although a full description of how a marketing agency functions is outside the scope of this book, let’s
briefly discuss how the Experiential Marketing Tour is produced from the agency and client side before
delving into the main context of this book, the tour operations.
Coinciding with how a television commercial or radio advertisement is produced, the marketing agency
will very often spearhead the full productions of the Experiential Marketing campaigns. Sometimes the
Experiential department will simply be a division of a full-service marketing firm, like Ogilvy & Mather.
However, because Experiential Marketing is such a niche portion of the advertising umbrella, many
times smaller boutique agencies, such as Red Peg Marketing, will function exclusively as Experiential
Marketing agencies. They are experts within this field of advertising and do not delve into other
mediums. The agency will source the tour vehicles, produce the footprint, hire the Tour Manager(s), and
coordinate the day-to-day logistics. Experiential Marketing agencies may, however, outsource other
forms of marketing to third-party agencies to be tied in-with the campaign.
In addition to generating brand awareness across the country, Experiential Marketing tours are
produced to achieve measurable objectives. The tour objectives will serve as benchmarks to be used in
determining the overall success of the experiential campaign. For example, the goal might be to acquire
a preset number of sales leads, distribute a specific amount of product samples, or convert a certain
number of competitive shoppers into customers.
Some clients will be very hands-on, wanting input on every element of the tour operation, while others
will never even meet the field team. In a rare case, a brand will have an internal Experiential Marketing
department and produce their own tours fully in-house. Unless it is a repeat tour, or the Tour Manager
has a longstanding relationship with an agency, it is very unlikely that he/she will be involved in the

business aspect of the agency-client relationship. However, the Tour Manager should at least have a
peripheral knowledge of the agency-client relations going into the project, as this connection will impact
the tour operations. A first-time client will generally be treated with a different approach than one that
has been with the agency for over 10 years. A more thorough breakdown regarding agency and client
communication is discussed in a later section in the book.
Regardless of the scope of the Experiential Marketing tour, each project comes with a certain set of
challenges, limitations, moving parts, and adjustments. The experienced Tour Manager knows that this
is the case 100% of the time and can think on the fly as needed to ensure the success of the campaign.
An effective Experiential Marketing Tour Manager is a jack of all trades. Truck Driver, Productions
Supervisor, Event Emcee, Brand Advocate, or Administrative Manager are all hats that the Tour Manager
might wear in one day!
Whether you are a marketing professional interested in learning more about the unique world of
Experiential Marketing, a current Tour Manager, or someone who might be interested in this crazy and
wonderfully exciting career, this handbook will walk you through the day-to-day routine of operating a
successful Experiential Marketing tour. The recommendations in this book are based on direct firsthand
experience from years of lessons learned in the field.
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road can take you there.”

Glossary of Industry Terms
Activation: The execution of the live event to create a consumer experience with the brand.
Brand Ambassador: A person who is hired to be a representative of the brand for the activation. Brand
Ambassadors serve a variety of roles depending on the event, including greeting consumers, registering
attendees, capturing data, and taking photos to name a few.
Commercial Driver’s License (CDL): A special license required to drive oversized vehicles over a certain
length or weight.
Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV): A marketing vehicle over a certain size that must adhere to full
regulations of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Credentials: A badge that is necessary for staff to enter restricted event venues such as sporting events,
paid festivals, or concerts.
Department of Transportation (DOT): The federal regulatory agency enforcing interstate transportation.
Footprint: The physical layout in which the brand activation takes place.
Labor Ready: Temporary workers who are hired nationwide to strictly assist with the set-up and
teardown of the event footprint. They are not part of the promotional team once the event starts.
Log Book: The book required by the Department of Transportation for recording hours of service with
regards to operating a commercial vehicle. Can be paper or electronic.
Per Diem: The daily rate paid to the field staff each day they are on the road that is not part of their
weekly salary. Per diem might be paid only for meals, or it may include meals and nightly lodging.
Premiums: The branded giveaways such as key chains, backpacks, water bottles, t-shirts, pens, etc., that
are distributed to consumers during the activation as prizes for participation.
Product Specialist: A person with advanced knowledge or specialized training for a certain product
marketed at the activation. Most commonly referenced in the automotive and technology programs.
Run of Show (ROS): The event day sheet that includes information such as the Event Organizer’s point of
contact, load-in information, parking instructions, hours of operation, etc.
Weigh Station: The commercial vehicle inspection station situated along interstate highways.

Part1
Varieties of Mobile-Marketing Tours
This section will go over some of the most common varieties of Experiential Marketing tours, and serve
as a reference point for the rest of the book. Most of the tours in Experiential Marketing are conducted
with the Tour Manager(s) continuously driving the tour vehicle(s) and overseeing all operations and
productions throughout the tour. This is also referred to as a Mobile-Marketing Tour (not to be confused
with marketing mobile electronic devices!). However, sometimes Experiential Marketing tours are
organized in such a way where a large portion of the productions and transportation is outsourced to a
third-party company, or a designated in-house team. This type of program allows the Tour Manager and
event team to simply fly into a market, execute the event, and then fly out to the next activation on the
schedule. This is known in the industry as a fly-in/fly-out tour, and is common with automotive
programs. While reading this section, keep in mind that tour varieties can overlap. For instance, a
Mobile-Marketing tour might include outdoor events, retail stops, and tradeshows all scheduled on one
route.
Outdoor Event Tour
An organized outdoor event has the potential to bring in enormous crowds, and for this reason it is
among the most popular types of events for an Experiential Marketing activation. Food & Wine festivals,
tailgate parties, motorcycle rallies, NASCAR and NHRA races, state fairs, and music festivals all fall into
this category. Because of the massive crowds these events tend to bring, virtually any brand may
consider setting-up an activation at an outdoor show. Outdoor events can accommodate the larger scale
experiential programs, bringing in the big budget production of fully interactive consumer exhibits.
Particularly with music festivals, such as Bonnaroo, the events might be located in a very remote area,
adding challenges to logistics.
Food Truck Tour
Food trucks have gained vast popularity in recent years because of their versatility. Use a food truck or
food trailer tour gives the brand considerable flexibility when scheduling the tour route. A food truck
tour may represent a retail brand or restaurant chain and stop at those establishments throughout the
schedule for activations. Executing at outdoor events, and even guerrilla sampling, are also possibilities
of a food truck program. While logistics are generally straightforward for this type of tour, keeping up
with the necessary health permits in each city is critical. The Tour Manager(s) will need to be ServSafe
certified and be prepared to demonstrate food safety compliance whenever the local food inspector
shows up to an activation.
Guerrilla Marketing Tour
This is one of the oldest forms of Experiential Marketing, also referred to as street team. With a Guerrilla
Marketing activation, the tour finds a busy spot in the city and then works as a street team to engage
consumers in the area. Since Guerrilla Marketing by definition is not a sanctioned event, large scale
activations are not suitable for this strategy. There is usually no set footprint, and typically Guerrilla
Marketing programs will consist of product sampling or flyering with short consumer interactions. For

food or beverage truck tours in which a vehicle is necessary to execute the promotion, one tactic that
can help to reduce the chance of being asked to leave is selecting a location with paid parking meters to
pay the fare.
Convention/Tradeshow Tour
These activations will almost always take place inside the city convention center. The dates for major
tradeshows and conventions are usually set far in advance, which makes routing easier for this type of
tour. Tradeshows and conventions will target a specific concept or industry, such as a home and garden
show, fitness expo, or gaming convention. Brands that are part of the show have a great opportunity to
reach many consumers in their target demographic. Each vendor is preassigned a booth number with
strict parameters regarding the footprint dimensions. Particularly in the Northeast, the convention
centers have a heavy union presence. The union workers might oversee all set-up operations, including
power hookup, carpentry, and fencing. From a logistics standpoint, the Tour Manager must coordinate
in advance with the Event Organizer regarding set-up and breakdown times, staff credentials, storage
needs, power and lighting, internet access, etc.
Retail Tour
A retail tour will either involve activations of a brand being sold inside the retail stores, or the retail
store itself will be the client of the Experiential Marketing program. If the product is sold on retail
shelves, then consumers should receive some kind of coupon or voucher they can then redeem at the
store once they go through the activation. This allows for instant metrics as sales are generated during
the event. Most retail activations will occur outside the store, but it is possible for smaller footprints to
set-up inside. One key factor that contributes to the success or failure of a retail activation is how well
the store management prepares for the event. If the tour consists of a large vehicle or footprint, then it
is imperative that the store manager blocks off a suitable parking area around the store for the event.
High School/College Campus Tour
Brands targeting young adults or students have found that activating at high school or college campuses
is an excellent opportunity to bring awareness. Students are enthusiastic to take a break from their day-
to-day study routine and participate in a cool experience on campus. As budgets are tight, students
especially appreciate and accept free branded giveaways. School campuses are common stops for
military tours geared towards educating students about potential careers in the armed forces with
recruiters present at the events.
A subset of the college campus category is the annual College Football Gameday tour. This is an example
of a large outdoor event where multiple Experiential Marketing footprints are set-up in a designated
parking lot of a college football stadium hosting pre-game festivities. College football games draw large
audiences aside from just the student body, and are another opportunity for practically any brand to
make an impact on thousands of consumers with just a one day activation.
B2B Tour
For a B2b tour, the activations do not take place in public settings, but rather in private locations such as
corporate offices or nonpublic tradeshows. Demonstration based events for a technology, product, or
service are some of the more popular varieties of B2b tours. The demonstration specialists often work

directly in house for the company rather than the marketing agency. The Tour Manager’s responsibilities
for a B2B tour often stop at the productions piece. In other words, they are responsible for full set-up
and tear down of the footprint, but not directly interacting with the event attendees. Compared to most
other Experiential Marketing programs, B2B tour activations typically take place during the week instead
of the weekends.
Automotive Tour
An automotive tour follows a sequence of auto shows scheduled throughout the country, known as the
auto circuit. Most auto shows take place inside the city convention center and are divided into two
sections: the show floor featuring a static display of cars, parts, and accessories; and the Ride & Drives
outside the convention center. For the static part of the auto show, each vehicle brand is given a specific
part of the show floor as their footprint. The cars are towed to and from the show by a professional fleet
carrier. The Ride & Drives will almost always be set up somewhere outside of the convention center.
They may be an open street route, or an enclosed obstacle course for off-road vehicles such as the Jeep.
Each time a consumer takes a vehicle out for a test drive, there will be a vehicle host in the front seat,
known as a Right Seat Driver, directing the drive and educating the consumer on the vehicle features.
The Ride & Drive footprint will also include a registration area where consumers must present a valid
driver’s license and usually take an alcohol breathalyzer test before they are permitted to drive a
vehicle. In addition to the auto circuit, an automotive tour route might be scheduled as a series of
miscellaneous activations at different outdoor events, private shows, and dealer locations throughout
the year. These could be both static and Ride & Drive events, with multiple activations going on at the
same time around the country for one brand. The Tour Leads typically fly-in to work the activations, and
fly-out until the next event on the schedule.
While there are different varieties of automotive events, the one constant is the necessity to employ
quality Product Specialists to educate consumers about the distinct features of the vehicles. While Brand
Ambassadors still play an important role in the activation, such as registering consumers for the drives, a
good Product Specialist can change a consumer’s perception of the brand and lead to a future purchase
of the vehicle. Clients and members of the automotive media very frequently come out to the
activations, so the manager of any automotive tour needs to ensure the Product Specialists are fully
trained on the vehicles and up-to-date on the latest brand news.

Part 2
Tour Preparation and Training
One of the most important stages of the Experiential Marketing Tour occurs well before the tour ever
hits the road. From the first day the Tour Manager(s) arrives at the agency or client office to meet the
account team, the tour preparation begins. This process can be as short as one day, to longer than a
month depending on the scope of the project. Part 1 went over the different types of Experiential
Marketing tours. While each type of Experiential Marketing tour referenced in the previous section will
have its own intricacies, the following steps (not always in this exact order) are consistent with the
launch of just about any Experiential Marketing Tour.
Hiring the Tour Team
Hiring the tour team will be the first step once the tour launch is confirmed and the budget is set.
Typically, the Tour Manager(s) will interview with all members of the agency’s account and productions
team, as well as representatives from the client. Interviews can be in the form of a standard phone
interview, via video conferencing, and in-person towards the latter stages of the interview process. A
two-person tour team is a common structure, so many programs will request Tour Managers who have
previously worked together to apply as a team. Life on the road can be difficult, thus people who have
already demonstrated the capability of working together in this environment are normally preferred
over hiring 2 strangers.
In addition to the Tour Manager, large-scale tours might hire the tour team based on distinct roles. Here
is a list of common positions for a large-scale Experiential Marketing Tour:
 Truck Driver: Professional driver responsible for transporting the tour assets from one
destination to another. Might assist with set-up and breakdown.
 Productions Manager: This person is experienced in working with large footprint builds. They
are the back of the house manager responsible for overseeing all the labor required in
assembling and tearing down the footprint. The Productions Manager is usually not involved
during the activation, aside from being ready to troubleshoot any productions related issues,
such as a generator malfunction or audio problems.
 Emcee: The Event Emcee is hired as talent to gather crowds, conduct interviews with the brand
spokesperson, and make announcements of special activities taking place within the footprint
throughout the activation. They are basically the event host. The Emcee often will not travel
with the tour team in between shows, but rather fly-in and out to the activations.
 Technology Specialist: Experienced in running networks, setting up mobile devices, working
with third-party applications, and virtual reality simulators, the Technology Specialist is the IT
Manager for the tour.
 Brand Ambassador Manager: Serves as the point of contact for the Brand Ambassadors. It is
this person’s responsibility to communicate with Brand Ambassadors regarding parking
instructions, uniform requirements, go over training documents, and handle the timesheets.
Once the agency has decided on the tour team, contracts will be sent out to confirm the weekly salary,
lodging and food per diem, and any contingent bonuses. Some agencies will hire the Tour Manager as a

temporary W-2 employee, while others will simply make the Tour Manager a 1099 Independent
Contractor, responsible for filing their own taxes after the tour. The offer letter will be contingent upon
passing the necessary background and driving record checks.
Brand Messaging
Learning the critical brand messaging to be communicated during the tour activations is the cornerstone
of the Experiential Marketing Tour, and is generally the first topic covered during the tour launch
training. Essentially the Mobile-Marketing tour tells the brand story through an interactive approach by
engaging with consumers directly. The Tour Manager must have a clear understanding of the specific
communication the brand is looking to transmit to the public during the activations. This also includes
social media tags (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) that are likely ingrained on the tour vehicles
and other branded elements.
Uniforms
The account team will go over the uniform requirements for the tour staff and the Brand Ambassadors.
Ideally separate uniforms are available for different weather conditions. For example, the staff may
wear branded t-shirts during summer activations, but switch to jackets during the winter. Some
programs, however, will have limited options for branded uniforms, particularly for cold weather. In that
case, the Tour Manager will need to know what garments and colors are appropriate. Typically, white or
black undershirts and jackets are preferred so the branded clothing can still easily be identified.
Additionally, the Tour Manager should establish if he/she is to collect all staff uniforms after the
activation to wash and reuse, or allow the staff to keep them and pull out a fresh batch in each market.
Vehicle Preparation/DOT Driver Logs
Before any vehicle leaves the warehouse to start the tour, it should be inspected by a certified DOT
inspector. This report will confirm the vehicle meets the necessary safety guidelines should it be pulled
into a weigh station during interstate travel. A first AID kit, emergency triangle set, and fire extinguisher
are a necessity in every vehicle with a DOT sticker. For any vehicle larger than a Sprinter van, a trucking
GPS unit needs to be utilized. This is a specific type of GPS unit that can be configured to account for the
height and weight of the vehicle to avoid low bridges, narrow roads, and restricted streets – particularly
if the tour will be passing through congested metropolitan cities such as Chicago or New York City. The
Tour Manager will need to know what to do about tolls. An E-ZPass is accepted in almost every state and
will make transit through toll booths much faster and cheaper. It is also a good idea to carry a set of
basic automotive parts: jumper cables, tire gauge, set of spare fuses, Rain-X fluid, wheel chocks, and a
snow brush in every vehicle. If a trailer is going to be part of the tour, this is the time to practice hooking
and unhooking the trailer to make sure all the hitch and connection parts on the trailer and towing
vehicle are working properly.
After the vehicle inspection is complete, the Tour Manager, and any other driver, should take the
vehicle(s) out for a test drive to ensure he/she is comfortable driving the vehicle and point out any
concerns observed during the test drive. Once the vehicle is fully packed, it needs to be weighted on a
certified scale to make sure it does not exceed the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the maximum Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). A good place to do this is at a CAT Scales, which are a
network of certified truck scales located at different truck stops around the country. Other necessary

information for the Tour Manager to know is when did the vehicle last receive proper maintenance, and
how many miles until the next recommended service?
A key step during the vehicle preparation process is to look over the graphics and decals on the vehicle
to make sure they are properly wrapped and the branding is correct. It is much easier to fix any of these
issues before the tour goes out on the road. This includes making sure each DOT regulated vehicle has
the up-to-date DOT sticker matching the registered truck information.
Properly maintaining the DOT log book is a vital part of any tour personnel who will be driving a tour
vehicle subject to DOT regulation. Whether it be the traditional paper log, or the more recent electronic
version by J.J. Keller, it is essential the Tour Manager has a comprehensive understanding of the DOT
hours of service rules. Some agencies have a designated person responsible for all DOT compliance,
while others group this function directly under the Productions Manager. If paper logs are used, most
agencies will require the driver logs to be mailed each month, hence the Tour Manager needs to know
which person at the office is responsible for receiving the log books. In addition to the log books, the
Tour Manager will want to know if the agency adheres to IFTA regulations. IFTA stands for International
Fuel Tax Agreement that reports fuel uses by commercial vehicles traveling across multiple state
jurisdictions. This log is typically associated with semi-truck trailers. Finally, each vehicle should have a
shipping manifesto or Bill of Lading to outline what is inside each vehicle. These documents will come in
handy in case an inspection officer wants to know exactly what the vehicle is hauling.
Productions
Production skills are the Tour Manager’s bread and butter. Depending on the scope of the tour,
productions might entail putting together pop-up tents, operating an expandable experiential trailer, or
building an entire trust structure. Some tours are produced with a simple footprint requiring only 30
minutes to assemble, while others might need a full labor force with a multi-day set up. The Tour
Manager must be proficient with all aspects of the tour production. In addition to taking notes during
this training segment, capturing photos and videos of how each part of the footprint is assembled is
highly recommended. The tour team should practice setting up the footprint at the productions
warehouse as much as time allows. If a certain part of the build is not working out, then necessary
adjustments can be made before the tour launches. This is also the time to make a list of all production
inventory traveling with the tour and note its condition. One other important point to keep in mind
when going through the footprint build is the warehouse is generally in ideal condition in terms of even
surface and no wind. Winds are one of the most destructive weather elements to an outdoor footprint.
The Tour Manager needs to assess the footprint structure and make sure proper weights (sand bags,
water barrels, kettlebells, etc.) are packed to adequately secure the footprint materials.
If the tour is going to utilize any electronics, they must be tested during training. This includes hooking
up all audio/video equipment, turning on the television sets and computers, making sure the wireless
routers are working, and testing any third-party software applications. Especially when third-party
applications for data or photo capture are used, there is a good chance a representative from that
company will come out to train the tour team on software. These applications will often need
troubleshooting, so it is critical the Tour Manager goes over this process and writes down any
emergency technical support numbers to contact when in the field.

As with vehicle upkeep, the Tour Manager needs to be aware of any onboard equipment that will need
to be serviced during the tour. For example, some mobile-marketing trucks provide power for the
activation using a mounted generator. Most of the heavy-duty generators come with a meter that
records service hours, so the Tour Manager should find out how often the generator needs an oil change
maintenance. The same goes for any other heavy duty equipment, such as commercial freezers or a
mobile HVAC unit, that will be used full-time as part of the tour footprint.
Part of the tour production process is ensuring the footprint elements can be properly packed and
transported in the designated truck(s). A set of heavy duty ratchet straps, bungee cords, shrink wrap,
and packing blankets will come in handy for virtually any variety of a Mobile-Marketing Tour. As
important as it is to practice building and striking the footprint, the tour team needs to practice packing
the trucks during the productions training. Sometimes trucks will be built with specific compartments for
packing and transporting the different materials. Other times the tour will just have an empty truck or
trailer, and a sort of Tetris will need to be played with the items to effectively fit everything in the
limited space. Using sturdy storage bins is recommended for smaller items, such as staff uniforms,
premiums, and other loose items, as they can be easily stacked on top of each other and transported on
a hand truck. Every storage bin should be organized with a clear label on it to make it easy to locate the
items during set-up. For portable electronic devices such as computers, television screens, tablets,
cameras, and cell phones, road cases on wheels with padlocks are great for transport and security.
Speaking of padlocks, every truck with a roll-up door should have a steel padlock on it.
Every tour should carry a miscellaneous supply kit. The supply kit is not designed to serve as an all-
encompassing productions tool chest, but rather a set of handy items for quick production needs. Here
is an example of a sample supply kit:
 Multi-Tool
 Gaffer Tape
 Black Sharpies
 Set of AA and AAA Batteries
 Velcro
 Paper Clips
 Pens
 Power Strips
 Flashlights
 Zip Ties
 Easy Peel White Labels
Different types of tours, especially food trucks, will have their particular cleaning needs. However, the
Tour Manager of any program should at least pack the following cleaning products:
 Multi-Purpose Cleaner – spray bottle or wipes (Clorox, Lysol)
 Magic Eraser
 Glass Cleaner (Windex)
 Swiffer Wet Jet
 Floor Cleaner (Simple Green)
 Broom and Dust Pan

 Air Freshener (Febreeze)
 Heavy Duty Trash Bags (40 gallon sizes are recommended)
 Hand Sanitizer
Tour Route
The tour route will affect several factors for the Tour Manager in terms of planning drive times, hotel
bookings, and weather preparation. Tour routing might be done directly by the client, a specific
department within the agency, the account team, or a combination of several. Although the complete
tour schedule might not be finalized at the beginning of the tour, the Tour Manager and account team
need to go over the tentative route. Especially if the tour is using a DOT regulated vehicle(s), it is the
Tour Manager’s responsibility to point out scheduling issues that would conflict with DOT laws. The Tour
Manager needs to know the first point of contact if there are any discrepancies or communication issues
with the venues scheduled on the route. This routing person should also be providing the Tour Manager
the necessary documents, such as health permit, fire safety certificate, or alcohol license that will be
needed to activate in the different venues around the country.
Tour Expenses
The Tour Manager needs to know how the tour expenses are to be handled, as well as understand how
to complete an expense report. An expense report will either be in the form of a company generated
spreadsheet or, an electronic system. More recently, applications such as Concur or Nexonia have been
used to track all field expenses. Even if an electronic expense system is used, some agencies will still
want the physical receipts for all expenses to be sent to the accounting department.
Fuel most certainly will be a major expense of any Mobile-Marketing Tour. An easy option for fuel is to
utilize a FlexCard system. This is specific card that can only be used for fueling and is accepted at most
gas stations. It requires a unique driver number as well as the current vehicle odometer reading to
authorize. The next order of business is to determine whether a company credit card, weekly cash
advances, or personal reimbursement will be used to pay for the tour operational expenses. If a
company credit card will be issued, any field person who is given this card will likely have to submit to a
credit check. If a company credit card is not an option, prepaid Visa gift cards can be purchased for the
Tour Manager in increments of up to $1,000.
Event Reporting & Timesheets
Most certainly every Experiential Marketing Tour will necessitate the Tour Manager to complete an
Event Recap after each activation. Some programs will simply have a basic questionnaire for the Tour
Manager to complete with information such as the number of premiums distributed, attendance figures,
and a few quotes. Other programs will have a much more extensive recap template covering everything
from weather conditions to recommendations for improving a future activation. During training the Tour
Manager needs to establish what kind of language he/she is to use in the Recap. This will depend on
whether the recap is first sent to the account team to be edited for the client, or whether the recap will
be done on a shared template to be seen by the client in real time. Unavoidably, there will be some
activations that just do not go well. Some agencies will always want the full report, whether it is positive
or negative. Others might instruct the Tour Manager to maintain a positive tone in the recap, but send a
separate email explaining any adverse feedback. The other piece of information the Tour Manager

needs to know is when the deadline is to turn in the event recaps. Typically, the account team will have
a weekly status call with the client to discuss how the tour is going, therefore needing all the recaps for
that week turned in by a certain time.
Keeping up with staff timesheets is another very important responsibility for the Tour Manager. In the
Experiential Marketing world, a timesheet is often the only official document that verifies the hours that
each Brand Ambassador worked. Depending on the agency, timesheets can either be done online or via
traditional paper document. The Tour Manager needs to know to whom the staff time sheets are to be
sent to, and whether they need to be sent after each event or on a weekly basis. It is recommended the
Tour Manager maintains a record of all Brand Ambassador timesheets for the duration of the tour,
should a discrepancy come up at any point.
Tour Team Building
Unless the program will be a solo tour, the tour team should engage in team building activities
throughout the course of training. This should be the case even if members of the team have already
worked together, as each Experiential Marketing program presents its own set of challenges. Tour life
can be harsh at times with long hours, tough crowds, and challenges that come with being on the road
for an extended period of time. Just like a good sports team, a strong tour team works around each
other’s strengths and weaknesses. Continuing with the sports team analogy, the training period can be
viewed as the preseason of the tour. Whether it is working together to organize the tour vehicles,
practicing the footprint build, or running through the activation stations, the tour team is encouraged to
collaborate as much as possible in training so that people can begin to acclimate to each other’s work
styles and personalities for the road. This will also help the tour team to naturally fall into certain roles,
if they have not already been preassigned. Team lunches and dinners are also important as they allow
the team to know each other better while interacting in a casual setting.
Establishing Communication Parameters
This section will outline a typical organizational structure for an Experiential Marketing agency. The Tour
Manager will need to know which department to contact with regards to specific issues or questions in
the field.
 Account Director
The Account Director is a senior representative from the agency who is responsible for
managing the business relations with the client. The Account Director usually does not ask to be
copied on day-to-day operational items. However, certain critical components of the tour, such
as budget issues, are something the Account Director almost always wants to be kept in the loop
on. The Tour Manager needs to confirm the important items the Account Director will want to
know about throughout the tour.
 Account Manager
The Account Manager will serve as the Tour Manager’s day-to-day point of contact throughout
the course of the tour, and it is imperative the Tour Manager and the Account Manager
establish an effective working relationship at the outset of the tour. While activations could
occur any day of the week, generally Experiential Marketing is conducted with the busiest

activations happening Friday – Sunday to maximize consumer traffic. Monday usually makes
sense to agree on a weekly conference call with the account team to discuss the events from the
previous week, as well as the upcoming activations. The conference call is also a good time to go
over any key learning experiences and discuss any feedback from the client. The Account
Manager and the Tour Manager should also go over the weekly paperwork that will need to be
submitted to the account team, including event recaps, staff time sheets, premiums inventory,
etc. The Account Manager will generally want to be copied on all emails sent by the Tour
Manager so they can stay in the loop with everything going on in the field.
 Operations/Productions Department
The operations and productions department is responsible for ensuring all elements of building
and operating the footprint are in proper working order, maintenance of the tour vehicles,
ensuring DOT compliance, and technology troubleshooting. Production issues are certain to
occur on the road. The Tour Manager needs to know the department’s point of contact to
troubleshoot whatever the problem is. If it is anything more serious than a truck oil change, the
Account Manager needs to be copied on all communication with the productions department. If
a potential event should be delayed or canceled due to a productions issue, the sooner the
Account Manager knows this the quicker they can communicate this to the client.
 Accounting/Administrative Department
The field team’s payroll, per diem, and corporate credit expense cards are handled by the
agency’s accounting department. With all the hassles of managing an Experiential Marketing
Tour, the last thing anyone wants in the field is to experience payroll issues. However,
unfortunately it is likely to happen at some point along the road. The Tour Manager should have
an immediate point of contact in the accounting department to get the issue resolved as quickly
as possible. The accounting department also is likely to be responsible for staff timesheets along
with the monthly expense reports.
As already mentioned, for some programs the brand representatives will be much more hands-on than
others. This means someone from the client side will want to be in constant communication with the
Tour Manager regarding anything from program operations, to routing, and even budget concerns.
While the client certainly has a right to stay informed about their brand, the Tour Manager needs to be
very clear as to the extent of information that is to be shared with the client. The Account Manager, and
likely the Account Director, must be copied on all communication with the client representatives. It is
very easy to unintentionally misinform the client and create a major headache in the office. Therefore, if
the Tour Manager has the slightest doubt about sending something to the client, they should first check
with the account team. It is definitely better to be safe than sorry here.
Communication in The Field
For the large-scale tours with many moving parts and multiple field staff in each market, prompt
communication is critical. Two-way radios are a great resource for productions that involve building
several different structures as part of the overall footprint. This allows the team to radio in one another
without having to stop what they are doing to either use the cell phone or physically walk over. Two-
way radios are also an excellent tool for automotive ride & drive events. While the Right Seat Driver is in

their designated vehicle, they have limited contact with the rest of the team. The radio allows the Right
Seat Drivers and the field management team to inform each other of any safety issues on the course, ask
product related questions, or send other communication such as break schedules, vehicle rotations, or
announcements of VIP attendees.
A group messaging application, such as WhatsApp, is an effective source of communication for
exchanging instantaneous information amongst large travel tour teams. Rather than always sending
formal emails, or individual text messaging, with WhatsApp the team can quickly exchange pictures, ask
questions, and exchange time sensitive logistics details in a matter of seconds.
On a final note regarding the tour communication channel, it is highly recommended the tour team
establish a shared drive to facilitate the exchange of critical information. Google Drive and Microsoft
One Drive are great options for this. Things to include in the shared drive are the Tour Operations Binder
(described in the next section), footprint schematics, Run of Show day sheets, the premium inventory
spreadsheet, and any new brand developments as the tour progresses. Anyone who is granted
permission to the drive can view the documents in real time as they are updated. It is much easier for
the tour team in the field to quickly access a document from the shared drive via mobile App than
having to filter through an array of emails searching for critical information.
Tour Operations Binder
No tour should leave for the road without a complete operations binder. This binder is comprised of
reference documents pertaining to the different elements of the tour. Below is a minimum list of the
materials that need to be included:
 Tour schedule and route (with the understanding this is capricious at the beginning)
 Name and job title of anyone associated with the tour from the back office (Client Contacts,
Agency Contacts, Media Contacts,)
 Contact list of all team members traveling with the tour
 Contact list for third-party companies (Labor Ready, Brand Ambassador Staffing Manager,
Software Application Troubleshooting)
 Emergency information such as roadside assistance numbers
 Login credentials to any software programs and applications
 Manuals of all production equipment (A/V unit, generator, appliances)
 Incident Report sheets
 Brand Ambassador time sheets
 Expense report template
 Copies of all vehicle paperwork such as inspections, insurance, and manufacturing specs
 Asset list and condition of everything leaving the warehouse
A copy of this binder should be placed in each vehicle traveling with the tour, as well as an electronic
copy on the shared drive.
Incident Reports
This is the least favorite report the Tour Manager will have to complete as it means some kind of an
issue has occurred, but it comes with the territory of working in field operations. There is no exact

definition of what constitutes an incident report, however, the rule of thumb is if it seems like an
incident, it is better to be safe and complete a formal incident report. The important constant with
incident reports is they must be filled out as soon as possible after the issue occurs. Particularly if there
is a vehicle accident, property damage, or personal injury to anyone, the quicker the agency receives the
full report the faster they can help put out the fire. The Tour Manager needs to be instructed to include
as much information as possible when completing an incident report. Any photos, police reports, or
other documents relevant to the situation should be attached. Usually the Account Manager should be
the first person to receive the report. The Account Manager will then follow-up with the Tour Manager
regarding the next steps in the process.
Media Policy
Throughout the tour, especially if the activations are scheduled at major events, it is likely some type of
media outlet will show up to the event and want to speak with the Tour Manager. Usually these will be
representatives from the local media stations eager to write about an exciting activity happening in their
area. Unless explicitly advised by the agency, the Tour Manager, or anyone from the tour team, is almost
always disallowed to speak to the media on behalf of the client. With that said, it is never a good idea to
be impolite to members of the media, as that behavior of itself is likely to be published. Instead, the
Tour Manager should ask if the client has a specific media relations department with a contact card they
can give out to media representatives. If the client does not, the Tour Manager is usually advised to
politely state they are simply not authorized to communicate on behalf of the client.
Executing a Mock Event
At this point the tour should be pretty much ready for launch. It is now time for the dress rehearsal, i.e.
executing a practice activation. This is also the last opportunity to make any last-minute changes before
the first live activation. The mock event should be executed as if it was a live activation with a complete
set up of the footprint. The event attendees for the mock event will likely be representatives from the
agency and the client. It will probably take place in a controlled environment, such as the agency
warehouse or potentially even the client office. The Tour Manager and the team need to gain the
confidence of the client that their brand will be in good hands. Although this is a trial event, it is
recommended a full event recap is done following the mock activation. Any premiums distributed here
should be recorded. After the mock event is complete, there is likely going to be a sit-down meeting
with the Tour Manager, client representatives, and the account team to go over the event. If all went
well, Tour Manager is now officially steering the ship for the remainder of the program.

Part 3
Managing the Experiential Marketing Tour
The rest of this book will breakdown the various responsibilities most Experiential Marketing Tour
Managers face on a day-to-day basis. It may seem like a lot of balls to juggle, but with experience the
Tour Manager learns to prioritize, delegate, and rationally make on-the-run decisions to get the job
done. When all is said and done, this can be the most rewarding work opportunity that exists in the
creative field.
Staffing Brand Ambassadors
Brand Ambassadors are the people who bring the brand to life and create the experience for the
consumers. Most of the time Brand Ambassadors are part-time workers who are either staffed by a
third-party event staffing company, or are hired directly by the marketing agency operating the
program. Much less common, there are tours that will have an entire traveling team of Brand
Ambassadors, whether they travel full-time in a chaser vehicle or fly-in to each event. The type of tour
described in the first section will dictate the number of Brand Ambassadors needed, the length of their
hours, what roles they will be responsible for during the activation, and how early prior to the start of
the event they need to arrive onsite. Sometimes the tour will only be in market for one day, while other
programs might be activating in the area for longer than a month. These contingences will regulate the
Brand Ambassador staffing process. In this section, we will look at the common routing scenario in
which the tour stops in each market for approximately one week for 3-4 activations in that market.
The Tour Manager(s) might do everything right in that the footprint is perfectly set-up in a great location
with lots of foot traffic, but poor Brand Ambassadors can completely ruin an activation. The good news
is the leadership (or lack thereof) of the Tour Manager will have a great deal of impact on the
performance of the Brand Ambassadors. The Tour Manager must first build a good working relationship
and establish effective communication patterns with the person overseeing the scheduling of the Brand
Ambassadors for the tour. Naturally, some remote markets are harder to staff than major cities, but
ideally the Tour Manager has a complete Staff List document at least 3 days prior to the upcoming
activation. If the list is not complete 2 days prior to the event, the Tour Manager needs to be in
communication with the staffing contact. The Account Manager should be copied on this
communication, as this is becoming a high priority matter.
The Staff List document the Tour Manager receives should include the full name, email address, phone
number, uniform size, and the scheduled hours of each Brand Ambassador. If the program has
preassigned roles for the Brand Ambassadors, such as Costume Character, Sign Spinner, or Greeter, their
position should be identified in the Staff List document. It is recommended that a recent picture of each
Brand Ambassador is included, in order for the Tour Manager to confirm the person hired is the one
showing up onsite. Other important information to know is which of the Brand Ambassadors are
bilingual. It is also helpful to note which, if any, of the Brand Ambassadors have previous experience
working the activation, or if they have any experience representing the brand at all. If there are
interactive stations involved in the activation, knowing which staff are already trained will help the Tour
Manager to assign roles during the onsite training process. Ideally every program will have the budget

for a back-up Brand Ambassador(s). This person arrives onsite and is ready to work the activation should
any of the scheduled Brand Ambassadors cancel last minute or need to be replaced for behavioral
reasons. If they are not needed, they are free to go home and are usually paid a flat fee (typically around
$25) just for showing up. If back-ups are scheduled for the event, they need to be identified in the Staff
List and should be contacted with all the activation details, just as the rest of the Brand Ambassador
team. Some programs will include the Brand Ambassadors as part of the labor staff to help set-up and
teardown the footprint. Anyone working double duty needs to come dressed in appropriate attire for
labor, and then bring a clean set of clothes to work the activation.
Brand Ambassador teams are often scheduled with a Team Lead position, paid at a slightly higher rate.
The Team Lead, if used effectively, can be a major asset for the Tour Manager. They can help the Tour
Manager with several administrative tasks, such preparing the staff time sheets, monitoring the break
schedule, and acting as the liaison between the Staffing Coordinator in cases when staff need to be
replaced. There are tours that produce activations large enough they require over 50 Brand
Ambassadors to handle the consumer traffic. These programs may also hire multiple Team Leads for the
staff as they are broken into different stations, with each station having a set of staff and a Team Lead.
As part of the communication process with the Staffing Coordinator, The Tour Manager will want to
receive the contact information for the Team Lead(s) first and foremost. They should be contacted
before the rest of the Brand Ambassadors, as this is the opportunity for the Tour Manager to determine
whether the assigned Team Lead(s) seems ready to handle their responsibilities. If the Tour Manager
cannot reach a Team Lead, or during the call the Lead does not seem fit for the job, the Tour Manager
should contact the Staffing Coordinator to ask for a replacement. A poor Team Lead will cause issues for
the rest of the Brand Ambassador team.
Training Brand Ambassadors
With most agencies, the account team will prepare a training manual for the Brand Ambassadors
containing the tour overview, key brand messages, uniform requirements, and the Tour Manager(s)
contact information. The Account Manager will set up a conference training call with the Brand
Ambassador team and the Tour Manager to go over the upcoming activations. Inevitably, there will be
times during the tour when the training call will not feasible. The Brand Ambassador team may not be
scheduled with enough leeway time, or the Account Manager might be too preoccupied with other tasks
that week. When this happens, it makes the onsite training responsibilities of the Tour Manager that
much more critical.
Forty-eight hours prior to the activation is the recommended timeframe the Tour Manager should
initiate contact with all the scheduled Brand Ambassadors. The staff needs to be briefed on the event
logistics (parking, credentials, uniform, etc.) and get them excited about working the event. Each Brand
Ambassador needs to confirm they understand the Run of Show and are set to go. If a staff member has
not responded during the requested timeframe, the Tour Manager should contact the Staffing
Coordinator and advise. An unresponsive Brand Ambassador often indicates they will either not show up
or be unprepared for the activation.
How the Tour Manager conducts onsite training will have a major impact on the team’s attitude going
into the activation. If the Tour Manager seems unprepared, not passionate about the program, or the
footprint looks messy and unorganized, what kind of message will that send to the Brand Ambassadors?

The scope of the tour will determine the appropriate length of time necessary for the Tour Manager to
complete an adequate training. Some activations, such as an automotive show, are very involved with
multiple interactive elements. An entire day is likely to be dedicated for a complete practice
walkthrough of the event for such programs. In most cases, however, the Brand Ambassador team will
be scheduled to arrive an hour or two before the activation opens to the public. Onsite training will be
conducted on the first day the tour rolls into the respective market.
Onsite training should start with the entire Brand Ambassador team assembled in one group. The head
Tour Manager will introduce themselves, along with the rest of their tour staff. Each person’s role in the
tour should be outlined (Emcee, Productions Manager, Driver, etc.). The Brand Ambassador Team Leads
will then be recognized. This part of course is expedited for smaller tours with only one or two
managers. During the training, the Tour Manager will want to briefly go over the main tour objectives
and outline the expectations for the Brand Ambassadors. It is also important to mention aspects of the
activation distinctive to the market. For example, any expected VIP attendees, nearby retail outlets, or
unique prizes chosen for that market should be identified.
One way to conduct onsite training for a large Brand Ambassador team is to walk everyone through all
the activation stations, one station at a time. This is a good idea if the Brand Ambassadors are going to
be rotating stations throughout the event. However, if the activation is set-up in a way that each of the
different stations are managed by a different tour staff, dividing the Brand Ambassadors into smaller
teams might be a better approach in the interest of time. In this case, the Brand Ambassadors will be
separated into teams with an assigned station for the duration of the event. After the initial group
meeting, the tour staff will lead the breakout training for the station that they are responsible for.
The footprint walkthrough is a good time to point out where the footprint “headquarters” is located.
This location might be a tent, trailer, or designated storage area acting as the backstage zone. Here the
Brand Ambassadors can put their personal belongings, access water and snacks, and house the coolers
for staff lunches. After the walkthrough is complete, the Tour Manager should leave enough time to go
over any questions. Lastly, even with a comprehensive training manual, questions will come up during
the consumer interactions the Brand Ambassadors will not know the answer to. It must be made clear
that making up information is unacceptable. However, sometimes the event might be so busy where
fetching the manager might not be possible. In that case, the Brand Ambassadors need to have some
points of references they can utilize. Examples include directing consumers to the brand’s website,
providing an informational handout with reference links, or there might even be a specific information
station inside the footprint with Product Specialists or brand representatives.
Managing the Brand Ambassadors
Shortly after completing the onsite training, the Tour Manager will want to establish the Brand
Ambassador break schedule. Staff will want to know how long they will need to work before being able
to eat, or they might need personal time to plan a family phone call. Therefore, it is best this is done as
soon as possible. Depending on the size of the team, the Tour Manager might be able to delegate this
task to the Team Lead(s). Once the breaks have been set, the Tour Manager will know what times and
how many of the Brand Ambassadors will be away from the footprint. The staff rotations can then be
adjusted accordingly.

The Tour Manager should always check with the Staffing Coordinator and the Account Manager
regarding the specific break policies. Some programs will have a required length of time the Brand
Ambassadors are allowed to be on break. Then there will be programs with short activations, typically 4
hours or less, that may not mandate any break periods at all. Other times, the breaks are at the full
discretion of the Tour Manager. However the break times are set, it needs to be made clear that
punctuality is crucial. Particularly with large Brand Ambassador teams, having staff come back late from
breaks will delay the entire team causing unnecessary frustrations.
There is no exact formula for perfectly scheduling breaks, but a few basic principles should be kept in
mind:
 For long shifts (over 8 hours) staff should be given periodic 15 minute breaks throughout the
day. Overly exhausted Brand Ambassadors will not make a good representation of the brand,
and fatigue increases the likelihood of mistakes.
 If the event is very busy, such as a state fair, one longer break is recommended over smaller
shorter breaks as it might take the staff 20 minutes just to purchase food due to long lines.
 For a multi-day event with the same or similar activation hours, a good option is to set the full
break schedule for all the event days on the first day. This will be one less task for the Tour
Manager to worry about going forward. Also, staff usually appreciate knowing the break
schedule in advance.
 Staggering breaks as much as possible is recommended over having multiple people gone at the
same time. Event traffic is not always predictable; thus the footprint can become packed
unexpectedly.
Most Brand Ambassadors work hard and are professionals at what they do. Nevertheless, dealing with
late, dissatisfied, or unskilled Brand Ambassadors is just part of managing an Experiential Marketing
Tour. Depending on the severity of the issue, a progressive discipline system may or may not work. The
following are recommendations as to handling some of the common staff issues that the Tour Manager
will experience in the field:
 Offenses such as smoking or drinking at the footprint (unless it is a tobacco marketing program
and smoking has been approved), cursing, and theft almost certainly require immediate
dismissal from the activation.
 Not having the proper uniform is a big deal, as it is a major part of the brand representation in
Experiential Marketing. If the Brand Ambassador cannot quickly find the appropriate uniform,
they should not work the activation. When a person with improper uniform is captured in
photos, or the client representative comes out to the event, the Tour Manager will be held
accountable.
 If a Brand Ambassador is late and cannot be reached, the back-up staff should be utilized,
assuming there is one available onsite.
 Less severe issues like chewing gum, using a cell phone, or chatting with other staff should
generally warrant a warning before dismissal.
 If possible, there should be at least 2 managers present when the Brand Ambassador has to be
dismissed from the footprint. This will help cover the Tour Manager should that person want to
formally complain after their dismissal. For tours with only one full-time Tour Manager, the

Team Lead can act as the second person. Otherwise, the Staffing Coordinator can be called and
placed on speaker phone.
Disciplinary procedures is another area for which the Tour Manager will want to double-check with the
Staffing Coordinator and the Account Manager to see if there is a set protocol that needs to be followed
when administering disciplinary action. Many programs will require paperwork to be filled out should
any Brand Ambassador be dismissed from the footprint. Even if no formal paperwork is mandated, the
Tour Manager should always inform the Account manager if any staff member is sent home.
Before the Brand Ambassadors leave the activation, the Tour Manager needs to make certain they sign a
time sheet and the hours are correct. Although rare, there are agencies that will not have a formal time
sheet for the Tour Manager to fill out. In such cases, the Tour Manager is still encouraged to create a
basic sign-in/sign-out sheet so there is some recourse should the staff decide to dispute hours after the
event. After all, Brand Ambassador hours directly impact the tour budget.
Working with Celebrities & VIPs
Certain tours will feature a celebrity spokesperson as part of the activation to enhance the consumer
experience. For example, an Anheuser-Busch set-up at a NASCAR event might include their sponsored
driver, Kevin Harrick, participating in a meet-and-greet session at the Budweiser footprint. It is the Tour
Manager’s responsibility to coordinate the celebrity appearance as seamlessly as possible. Usually
whenever there is a celebrity spokesperson, a specialized public relations (PR) firm will assign a Handler
to act as the celebrity’s personal assistant. The Tour Manager should have the Handler’s contact
information, and have a list of any other VIPs who will be associated with the celebrity for the upcoming
appearance. Prior to the activation, the Tour Manager will want to communicate with the Handler to go
over all the logistics for event. The Handler needs to be provided with clear information regarding the
location of the footprint, special credentials, confirmation of appearance times, and any videography
that will take place during the session. It is not a good look for the Tour Manager if the brand
spokesperson becomes frustrated due to preventable issues such as trouble locating the footprint or
incorrect appearance times.
There are celebrities who have a tremendous following and fan base. Fans following the brand or the
tour might even commute several hundred miles once they hear that a certain celebrity will be at the
event. Generally, the brand spokesperson is contracted to be at the footprint for a specific length of
time. Unless the goal of the activation is to create a surprise experience by having the celebrity show up
unannounced to the public, there should be written information at the footprint letting attendees know
exactly when the appearance is scheduled.
Even if security is hired to assist with the celebrity appearance, it is still the Tour Manager’s
responsibility to maintain control of the crowd around the footprint. When the celebrity arrives onsite,
the Brand Ambassadors should be asked to help keep attendees within the footprint vicinity to minimize
intrusion into the space of other vendors. If part of the celebrity appearance is a meet-and-greet,
stanchions should be used to manage the attendee line. Although it is always an uncomfortable
situation, during the meet-and-greet there will inevitably be a point when the Tour Manager will need to
cut the line as the celebrity’s time is expiring. However, the Tour Manager should always first check with
the Handler before doing so as the spokesperson may want to stay longer as a token of appreciation for
their fans who came out to meet them.

Coordinating with Event Venues
Tactfully managing venue relations will significantly help the Tour Manager with event operations
before, during, and after the activation. Some venues, such as convention centers, shopping malls, and
stadiums have very strict procedures regarding commercial vehicle access and vendor loading
procedures. It is highly advised the Tour Manager contacts the event venue well in advance of the
scheduled activation to go over all the necessary logistics. The contact person for the venue should be
listed in the Master Calendar document and the event Run of Show the Tour Manager receives from the
agency. Sometimes the Event Organizers will provide an entire Sponsorship packet for each vendor with
all the necessary information. However, there will also be events when the Tour Manager simply has a
name and perhaps an email address or phone number for the event onsite contact. Even for less busy
venues, such as retail store parking lots, the Tour Manager needs to communicate with the onsite
contact at least one week before the activation.
While it is impossible to cover every topic, here is a list of some of the most common points the Tour
Manager will want to know prior to arriving at an event venue:
 What are the load-in and load-out times and procedures? Are the times preset for each vendor,
or is there a flexible window?
 Are there different credentials for the Tour Managers, Brand Ambassadors, and any VIPs?
Where should they be picked-up? Are there a limited number of credentials that are to be
reused if different staff are scheduled throughout the show?
 Does the venue have a designated vendor area or exhibitor lounge?
 Is this a union venue (typically city convention centers)?
 When is the electrician expected to drop power?
 Is there a marshaling yard or an assigned lot for commercial vehicle parking? Is there a
designated lot for employee parking?
 Are there required times each vendor must stay open per the show contract?
 If it is an outdoor event, will shore power be an option?
 If ice is necessary for product sampling or for the water coolers, will it have to be prepaid or can
it be bought as needed onsite?
 Does the venue have a vendor storage area?
 Can the venue accept shipment?
 What kind of security will the venue provide overnight?
 Does the venue allow for branded or directional signs to be placed outside of the footprint? Are
the Brand Ambassadors allowed outside the footprint parameters to distribute premiums and
flyers?
Footprint Set-up
As with a theatrical play or a music concert, the Experiential Marketing show does not happen without
the backstage productions work of building the footprint. However, in the Experiential Marketing world,
the Tour Manager is almost always responsible for all back of the house work in addition to directing the
performance. As mentioned earlier, there are programs that will outsource the productions work to a
third-party company, but those tours are rare. This section will outline the typical scenario in which the

Tour Manager(s) and labor staff must unpack the trucks and construct/deconstruct the entire footprint
themselves.
Before the footprint build can begin, the tour truck(s) must be parked and unloaded. A rule of thumb is
larger footprints will be first to set-up, so the space they will need isn’t blocked by other vendors.
Especially convention centers, venues are very strict with load-in times, and it is imperative the tour is
not late for their slot. Being early is always better. As discussed in the previous section, the Tour
Manager should have already spoken with the venue contact, and know where the load-in area is
located. In most cases, the venue contact, or one of their assistants, will be there to direct vendors as
they are arriving for set-up. It is very important the Tour Manager double-checks as to exactly where
his/her area map is before beginning the build. There is nothing more dispiriting than having to stop
labor and start over because the layout is in a different location than originally thought.
Depending on the type of venue, it might be possible to park very close to where the footprint will be
constructed. In other situations, there will be physical restrictions in the way, preventing the truck(s)
from parking near the build area. For this reason, it is necessary to carry adequate moving equipment,
such as hand trucks, pallet jacks, and push carts whenever the build is located far from where the trucks
can park.
Frequently Experiential Marketing tours will have the Brand Ambassadors assisting with the set-up and
teardown of the footprint, as well as potentially Labor Ready. While not as extensive as the Brand
Ambassador training, the Tour Manager will want to conduct a meeting with the labor team prior to
them handling any of the materials. The Tour Manager should explain how the materials are to be
unpacked, the order of operations for the footprint construction, and any mandatory safety procedures
(such as two people always lifting something over 50lbs). The labor staff are encouraged to bring their
own set of safety gloves onsite, but there should always be spare ones in the production kit.
Whether the set-up is taking place several days before the event, or even the day of the activation,
there will be time restrictions for completing the build. Throughout the set-up process, it is important
the Tour Manager is keeping a bird’s eye view on the production. Set-up must be complete on time, and
all the necessary credentials, parking passes, and paperwork needs to be taken care of prior to the
activation.
Some activations require heavy power needs. If the venue is providing a generator, or other source of
shore power for the event, the Tour Manager needs to confirm it is sufficient. The Tour Manager also
needs to obtain the contact person for the equipment for emergency troubleshooting. Once power has
been hooked up, all electrical equipment including portable internet servers, A/V, and lighting need to
be tested. It is recommended that mobile tablets and cell phones, along with other portable electronic
devices, remain locked up in the road cases until the build is complete. There is a high probability of
theft for those items, particularly where a lot of labor staff are walking around from different footprints
in one area.
In an ideal world, every footprint set-up during the tour will be identical to the previous one.
Unfortunately, that is not how the Experiential Marketing business works. One weekend the set-up
might occur on a concrete stadium parking lot, while the next time it will be in a grassy festival field.
Even if the tour takes place in the same type of venue each activation, such as a retail store, the amount
of operational space might be drastically different from one venue to another depending on the layout

of the facility. The Tour Manager must be prepared for these contingencies, adapt, and modify the set-
up accordingly.
Once the footprint is complete, hopefully the production tasks during the activation will consist of
replenishing premiums, uniforms, and cleaning. Sometimes the footprint includes storage
compartments for back of the house items such as premiums and small tools. If it does not, the Tour
Manager will need to designate a location, such as a nearby chaser vehicle to serve as temporary
storage.
Cleaning sounds like a self-explanatory principle, but its importance cannot be overstated. Presentation
is everything in Experiential Marketing, and it starts with a clean footprint. Along with the tool box, the
cleaning bin should be one of the first items unloaded and placed near the footprint when the build
begins. It is likely materials have gotten dusty during the transport and will need to be cleaned before
set-up. As the build is in progress, it is a good idea to place several of the heavy-duty trash bags around
the footprint so small trash items can be thrown away as the work is in progress. Once the footprint is
fully assembled, a final clean should thoroughly go over the flooring, walls, furniture, all glass surfaces,
and any electronics. During the Brand Ambassador training, the Tour Manager should stress keeping a
clean footprint will be everyone’s responsibility.
It is recommended the Tour Manager takes several pictures of the footprint fully set-up, with the Brand
Ambassador team in uniform and smiling in front of the footprint. A quick text message or email to the
Account Manager will let them know the team is show ready.
Footprint Teardown
For multi-day activations, or if the activation will be repeated in the same venue the following weekend,
it is unlikely the entire footprint will need to be broken down. Depending on the type of tour, most likely
the footprint skeleton can remain onsite until the next activation. However, all valuable assets, such as
technology and expensive premiums, must be secured. For outdoor activations, if there is inclement
weather forecasted, it is always better to err on the side of caution and take down any materials that
are prone to damage. When the tour is ready to relocate to the next venue or market, the full footprint
breakdown, known as the strike, will take place.
Like load-in, there is usually a specific time when each vendor must clear out of the venue. Depending
on where in the venue the footprint is located, there may be a waiting list for when the trucks can enter.
The Tour Manager should have already addressed this point ahead of time, and thus have a good idea of
when the truck(s) will be ready to access the load-out area. Especially if the tour is using designated
truck drivers, it is not good to have a truck driver begin their driver log book, drive the truck to the event
venue, only to find out their time is not for another 3 hours.
When it is time for a full breakdown, the Tour Manager should once again have a meeting with the labor
staff to go over the game plan. Two very important things to keep in mind during the strike are that all
assets must be protected, and there is a strict order of operation in which items are to be loaded into
the truck(s). All loose items, electronics, and remaining premiums need to be put away into their
respective storage containers. Design and branding elements such as backdrops, furniture, artwork, and
signs need to be wrapped with shrink wrap and/or furniture blankets before they can be loaded. Once
the footprint is taken apart and the elements are ready to be loaded, the Tour Manager must function

as the Truck Captain. The Truck Captain directs exactly when and how each item is loaded into the truck
for optimal storage and transportation safety. For larger tours, this person will likely be the Truck Driver
or the Productions Manager.
Finally, it is the Tour Manager’s obligation to leave a venue in as good or better condition as when they
got there. After the trucks have been packed and are ready to go, the Tour Manager should always
perform a complete walkaround of the area. During the walkaround, the Tour Manager needs to make
sure that nothing is left behind, and there aren’t any premiums, flyers, t-shirts, or any other forms of
trash associated with the brand still lying around. It is likely that the agency and client have done, or
would like to do, repeat business with the venue; so being a respectable guest will leave a lasting
impression.
Driving/Vehicle Maintenance
Unless the tour is structured in a way in which all vehicle maintenance and transportation is done by a
designated driver, most tours will require the Tour Manager to also wear the hat of the truck driver.
Safely transporting the tour vehicle and the accompanying assets is an integral part of the Tour
Manager’s operational responsibilities. There are some smaller tours that only need a Sprinter Van or an
SUV to fit all the assets, thus not having to comply with full DOT regulations. The rest of this section will
detail the more common Mobile-Marketing tour in which the tour vehicle(s) are large enough to be
governed under the DOT guidelines.
The Vehicle Preparation Section listed the necessary items that need to be easily located in every tour
vehicle. Every driver, whether they have a CDL or not, needs to have a current DOT Medical Card if they
are driving a DOT regulated vehicle. A DOT Medical Card confirms that the driver meets the minimum
physical standards mandated by DOT to operate a commercial vehicle. It has a 2-year expiration date
and can be acquired at most local health clinics, such as Concentra.
Before starting any drive, each tour vehicle needs to be inspected following the Pre-trip guidelines based
on the type of vehicle. Any defects, such as lights not working, tire issues, or turn signal malfunctions
must be documented. The defect will need to be fixed before the vehicle can drive again. Aside from
properly conducting the Pre-trip inspection, adhering to the DOT Hours of Service regulations is the
most important job of the Tour Manager while driving. The following link includes a summary of the
current DOT Hours of Service provisions with regards to driving periods, mandated rest breaks, off duty
reset, and status changes:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
To clarify, a sleeper birth is relevant only if the truck has that compartment built in. One other point to
keep in mind for long-distance travel is the log book permanently must be recorded using the time zone
of the agency’s home office. This comes to play particularly when the drive will extend through one or
more time zones. It is essential the Tour Manager maintains an accurate and up-to-date log book. It is
never a good idea to wait until the drive is over to backtrack and attempt to update the logs as it is
impossible to predict when a Weigh Station or a DOT Officer along the highway will decide to conduct a
full inspection.
Going through a weigh station is straightforward, but it is important the driver follows all the signs
exactly as they are written. When the weigh station is open, the driver should always adhere to the

speed limit, maintain a distance of at least one truck length behind the truck in front, and roll down the
windows with the music turned off to hear the officer’s instructions. Unless that weigh station is a
weigh-in-motion type, the driver must stop once the truck has entered the scales and wait for the green
light before proceeding. Inevitably there will come a time when the tour vehicle is pulled into a weigh
station for an inspection. When this happens, the driver should park in the designated spot and prepare
to show the officer the up-to-date log book, driver’s license, vehicle insurance, and copy of his/her
current Medical Card. From there, the vehicle may or may not receive a formal safety inspection
depending on factors such as the driver’s record and the agency’s DOT rating.
In addition to weigh stations, some states, such as Wyoming, will require the vehicle to stop at a Port of
Entry and purchase a trip permit prior to driving into their state. This can be done in advance to save
time, otherwise, the driver will need to walk into the Port of Entry to physically purchase the permit
onsite. Other inspection stations that the Tour Manager might encounter are Border Patrol Stations,
located at various points along the states bordering Mexico and Canada, and the Agricultural Inspection
Stations coming into Florida and California. Mobile-Marketing vehicles are usually not stopped at these
stations, but the driver should have the shipping manifesto and or Bill of Lading on hand in case the
inspection officer asks for them. Especially at Border Patrol Stations, severe traffic can result if there is
an alert out, as more vehicles are likely to receive a thorough inspection. It is important for the Tour
Manager to margin for travel times accordingly when passing through any kind of federal inspection
points.
Along with safely driving the tour vehicle, the Tour Manager is responsible for the truck maintenance,
including washes. The type of vehicle will determine the best place to conduct maintenance. For
example, if the tour trailer is towed by a heavy-duty pick-up truck, such as an F-450, a Ford dealership
will generally be the best place to service the truck. Although not as frequently, the trailer should still be
checked by a professional trailer/RV shop periodically for proper hitch connection, tires, etc. Box trucks
and other larger diesel engine vehicles will need a full PM maintenance when getting serviced. While
they can usually be serviced at many truck stops, such as Petro, it is recommended that they are taken
to their respective dealer. For instance, it is best to service a Freightliner truck at Freightliner dealership
as they are much more likely to have an inventory of the exact parts should anything need to be
replaced. The tour vehicles, especially if they are branded, will need to be professionally washed. Blue
Beacon is a nationwide truck wash service company with locations at truck stops in almost every state.
They even have a mobile with GPS location to show all the nearby locations on the travel route. If a Blue
Beacon is not available in the area, the Tour Manager should either look for an independent truck wash
or find a mobile washing company that will dispatch a wash unit to the driver’s location. Arriving with a
dirty branded vehicle is a terrible look for an Experiential Marketing program.
Booking Hotels
Some tours are programmed in a way where all hotels are pre-booked by the agency. This is a rare
situation and is not a desirable one. The last thing that the Tour Manager wants to deal with after a 12-
hour day is to arrive at a pre-booked hotel at 1am to find out that they do not have adequate parking for
the tour truck. For most programs, the Tour Manager will be responsible for hotel accommodations. The
tour route will be the main factor driving the hotel bookings. While typically not every activation will be
confirmed on the schedule at the start of the tour, an experienced Tour Manager will want to know
what major events have been scheduled as soon as possible. Hotels in the cities where the large-scale

events take place, such as the Super Bowl, Consumer Electronics Show, Daytona 500 Race, and Sturgis
Bike Rally surge dramatically the closer it gets to the date, and many hotels will even sell out. Therefore,
it is important for the Tour Manager to make at least tentative reservations for themselves and the
team for these events as soon as possible.
Here are the major factors the Tour Manager needs to consider when looking at hotel bookings:
 Truck Parking – This is the most important factor for a Mobile-Marketing tour. If the hotel does
not have a parking lot sufficient to accommodate the tour truck(s), the hotel is most likely not a
viable option. One easy method to determine whether the hotel has adequate truck parking is
to pull up the Google satellite images using Street view in Google Maps to scan the parking lot.
The Tour Manager can also contact the hotel ahead of time and see if the property can block off
a designated area for the truck. This is especially a good idea if there will be multiple people on
the team staying at the hotel, and/or the Tour Manager is planning to book the hotel for many
nights. They usually want the business and will try their best to be accomodating.
 Hotel Location – Generally it is recommended to book hotels in proximity to major highways,
especially for large metropolitan areas like Chicago and Los Angeles. Traffic can be very
congested on city streets, making it much more difficult to maneuver a commercial vehicle in
those cities. If the tour consists of multiple activations in a market, picking a centrally located
hotel is recommended. By using pins in Google Maps, it is possible to quickly pinpoint the
locations of all the activations and determine the most practical part of town to book lodging.
 Hotel Amenities – Access to a business center, quality Wi-Fi, and having the capability to
receive shipments are all necessary functions for a Tour Manager on the road. This information
is usually clearly stated on the hotel website under the Amenities link.
 Hotel Security – It is ultimately the Tour Manager’s responsibility to ensure safety of the tour
vehicle(s). Booking hotels in a bad part of town increases the likelihood of vandalism and theft.
If unfamiliar with a market, the Tour Manager should check review sites such as TripAdvisor,
Google Reviews, and the hotel page directly to get an idea of what to expect from the area.
 Room Sharing – If multiple people from the tour team are sharing a room, both names should
be on the room reservation (one can be a guest). It is not a good situation when one person
loses their room key and cannot get a spare because their name is not on the reservation. The
same goes for receiving shipments to the hotel.
A full-time Tour Manager will definitely spend more time inside hotel rooms than their own home.
Building loyalty statuses with major hotel brands will help with hospitality and special treatment such as
early check-in/late check-out, room upgrades, and complimentary breakfast at certain properties. These
perks add up and make life easier on the road. Spending the extra time to sign-up for each hotel’s
reward system is a worthwhile investment.
Dealing with Inclement Weather
At some point during the tour, the Tour Manager is certain to face inclement weather issues. While
some weather conditions, such as tornados, occur more suddenly and cannot be predicted, it serves the
Tour Manager well to always stay on top of the weather forecast.

If the Tour Manager notices a weather issue approaching in the area where an activation is scheduled,
the Account Manager should be the first person the Tour Manager contacts to discuss the best way to
move forward. Some programs are rain or shine, whereas others are more flexible leaving the ultimate
decision to the Tour Manager’s best judgment. The Tour Manager should also keep the Brand
Ambassadors informed as much as possible when dealing with inclement weather. Having Brand
Ambassadors show-up to a canceled event resulting from miscommunication is not a good scenario.
For large-scale events, when dealing with a weather situation, the Tour Manager should be in contact
with the Event Organizer. Sometimes the Event Organizer will make the decision themselves to
postpone, cancel, or reschedule the event. They will then send out a notice to all the vendors. In other
situations, everyone will be on standby as they will want to wait as long as possible before calling the
event. They might also look for an alternative option, such as moving an outdoor event inside a different
indoor venue.
Having to set up outdoors in windy or rainy conditions can be dangerous, particularly for certain types of
footprints. Pop-up tents, inflatables, and light furniture are most susceptible to severe damage when
strong wind gusts hit. Even if there is not much wind in the forecast it is recommended that any element
at risk of blowing away should always be weighed down. Even with adequate weights, pop-up tents can
snap in very high winds due to the immense pressure generated by the wind gusts. If wind speeds are
projected to be 20 miles or higher, a pop-up tent should not be set-up. The tour should also carry a
heavy-duty tarp(s) to cover the footprint in case a heavy rain storm hits and the activation must be
immediately halted.
Event Recaps & Photos
A quality event recap will enable the account team, as well as the client, to get the Cliff’s Notes
summary of how the activation unfolded. As discussed in an earlier section in the book, by the time the
tour is on the road, the Tour Manager should know what is to be included in the event recap and what
should be omitted for a private conversation. The one recommendation is to avoid getting behind on
event recaps. With everything going on the road, attempting to recollect what happened at an
activation 5 days ago will likely result in a poor recap.
Anyone who is reviewing the event recap should feel as if they were present at the event. Quality
photos are key in telling a story of how the event unfolded. Here are the guidelines when it comes to
submitting recap photos:
Quality Photos
 Photos of Brand Ambassadors smiling and engaging with consumers.
 A few staged photos with consumers holding a brand premium, or standing next to a branded
backdrop.
 Any celebrities or VIP appearances.
 Brand mascot at the activation interacting with consumers.
 Recognizable landmarks in the background, such as the Willis Tower in Chicago or the
Washington Monument in D.C., are excellent. Consumers dressed in something unique to the
market, such as a Boston Red Sox jersey, also make good photo material.
Poor Photos

 Blurry or out-of-focus photos.
 The footprint should not have any trash in the photos.
 Photos that show Brand Ambassadors using their cell phone, not doing anything, or wearing
improper uniform are unacceptable.
 Photos that are too dark, or if the subject is too far away to identify.
Having a smartphone is a necessity for the Tour Manager in the industry today. Most modern
smartphones are equipped with a camera sufficient for quality recap photos. Whether using Dropbox,
Photobucket, Google Drive, or another photo sharing program, all photos for the tour should be backed
up as soon as possible on a virtual server. There are some tours in which a professional photographer
will be hired to come out to the activations. Regardless, the Tour Manager should still take plenty of
photos following the above guidelines for a complete recap.
In addition to quality photos, the Tour Manager might be instructed to record videos of certain activities
at the activation, such as a celebrity interview. GoPro devices are fantastic for capturing short videos -
they are small, durable, and can be mounted to something like a vehicle dashboard to record in-vehicle
footage during a Ride & Drive event. A GoPro can also be synched with a mobile phone allowing the
mobile device full control of the camera. Even if video recording is not required as part of the event
recap process, the Tour Manager is still encouraged to at least use their smartphone and record a few
videos of some cool happenings at the events. Going above and beyond will be appreciated by the
agency and client.
Premium Distribution
Branded premiums are a key part of virtually every Experiential Marketing Tour. They are distributed for
event participation or as special prizes. When consumers receive a premium at an activation they feel
they were a part of something special, and the brand generates instant awareness. Some premiums, like
flyers, are more generic and be readily distributed throughout the activation. Other giveaways meant to
be more exclusive are only given away after a consumer participates in some type of activity at the
activation. For example, a U.S. Army tour only gives away certain premiums, such as t-shirts, if an
attendee completes a required number of pull-ups. Brand Ambassadors need to be trained that these
premiums are to be treated as program assets and not freely distributed.
Keeping up with premium inventory is an integral part of the Tour Manager’s organizational
responsibilities. While some premiums can be easily shipped to the field, others require special
procurement from third-party logistics. Recording the number of premiums distributed in an Excel
spreadsheet after each activation is recommended for keeping a running tally of the up-to-date
premium inventory. This will enable the Tour Manager to send communication to the account or
productions team, hopefully with enough leeway time for replenishment. The spreadsheet should also
have a section for Brand Ambassador uniform and sizes. It is not a good look when Brand Ambassadors
have to wear sizes too small or too large because the Tour Manager did not stay on top of the inventory
and ran out.
Expense Reports
Keeping up with expense reports is something most Tour Managers generally do not get excited about.
However, expense reports are very important for the account team to stay on top of the tour budget. As

with event recaps, it is not a good idea to get behind on expense reports. Many expense templates ask
for itemized receipts with an explanation of what each receipt was for. If the receipt is not labeled, it is
difficult to remember what was exactly purchased 3 weeks ago. Receipts seem to be one of those items
that always somehow manages to get lost on the road. Therefore, it is best practice to snap a photo of
each receipt as soon as the transaction occurs. That way even if the receipts must be physically mailed
to the agency, at least there is a backup digital copy.
If there are multiple managers on the tour, it is recommended the team mails one monthly package to
the office with the entire team’s report to make it easier for the accounting department. However, each
tour member is advised to keep a digital copy of all their own expense reports throughout the duration
of the tour in case any discrepancies come up. The person sending in the expense report package should
double-check each report has a cover sheet to identify who it belongs to, and make sure all receipts are
neatly taped down on a blank sheet of white paper. Sending in an unorganized or messy expense report
shows unprofessionalism.
Working with the Client Onsite
Most of this book has focused on the operational skills necessary for the Tour Manager to be successful
at running the Experiential Marketing Tour. When the client representatives are present at the
activations, the Tour Manager will also need to rely on the soft skills to ensure a smooth interaction.
Although not very common, there are programs where representatives from the client will be present at
every single activation. If this is the case, then the program is a retail tour with the retail store serving as
the actual client. Another example is when a program entails the client conducting onsite sales, such as
cellphone or internet subscriptions, at all the activations. Since these tours are atypical, the rest of this
section will focus on the more common scenario. Generally, it is expected the client representatives will
come out to several of the major events on the tour, whether they announce their appearance or arrive
unexpectedly.
The best recommendation in handling client interactions is to maintain an excellent footprint, which is
something the Tour Manager should be doing anyway at 100% of the activations. It is common practice
for the client to hire secret shoppers. When the client representatives come out to the event, they are
usually excited to get away from the office, and just want to check out the activation from a positive
standpoint. If they would like to participate in the activation, they should be treated like any consumer
by receiving the full experience.
There will also be programs when the client will want to be very hands-on and potentially ask the Tour
Manager a line of uncomfortable questions when they arrive. If this happens, it is very important for the
Tour Manager to keep in mind it is never okay to speak about any back-office information on the
agency’s behalf such as the field team’s payroll, tour budget, or other clients of the agency. The is the
job of the Account Director or Client Services department. Also, client representatives might ask the
Tour Manager to change some aspect of the activation. If it is a small request, such as repositioning the
tent, it is best to be flexible and comply with the client’s request. However, if asked to make more
serious changes, such as distributing a premium the tour does not have, the Tour Manager should
immediately contact the Account Manager to notify them of the situation. When dealing with client
representatives, it is better to over communicate with the account team as they work together on a
more regular basis.

Wrapping Up the Tour
Unless it is a very short tour (4 weeks or less), at about the last 3 week stretch the Tour Manager should
receive communication from the account team going over the game plan for closing out the tour.
Almost certainly the tour will finish in the same location as it started – the agency home office. Again,
every agency is different in this regard, but the following is a general summary of how the Experiential
Marketing Tour is wrapped-up:
 Inspection of Tour Assets – Once the vehicles return to their home base, the first order of
business will usually be to fully clear out the tour vehicle(s). At that point the tour assets will be
inspected to compare with the report from training. Any preventable damage to the tour assets
will usually be factored in the Tour Manager’s bonus payment (assuming it was part of the
original compensation package).
 Inspection of Tour Vehicle(s) – The Productions Manager will perform a complete inspection of
all the tour vehicles after they have been cleared out. The Tour Manager should be prepared to
list any damages or mechanical issues, as well as turn in the final driver log book(s).
 Final Premiums Inventory – As the tour is winding down, the tour Manager will be instructed to
either distribute all remaining premiums onboard, or bring them back along with the other tour
assets. If asked to bring the premiums back, a final inventory report should list all the premiums
that are remaining.
 Final Expense Reports – By the time the tour returns to the home office, all outstanding
expenses should be accounted for. The tour team will be asked to return all company cards.
 Travel Plans – Towards the end of the tour, the tour team should be prepared to advise the
agency where they would like to fly-out once the end of tour debriefing is complete.
 End of Tour Debriefing – The agency account team will surely want to have a sit-down meeting
with the Tour Manager(s) at the end of the tour to get a perspective of what went well and what
could be improved for next time. The client may or may not be present at this meeting. If the
client representatives will be involved, the Tour Manager should speak with the account team to
make sure everyone is on the same page prior to the meeting.
There is a possibility that the tour contract gets extended the same year, or is scheduled to return the
following year. Even if there is no talk of a repeat tour, the condition in which the Tour Manager returns
the tour vehicle(s), assets, and the way that they conduct themselves during the debriefing process will
leave a final impression on the agency. This is a niche industry, and so a Tour Manager’s reputation is
the most important asset he/she carries with them to the next project.

Appendix
References for the Road
Commercial Vehicle Tools
Blue Beacon Truck Wash – www.bluebeacon.com
CAT Certified Scales – https://catscale.com
Trucker Tools Applications –
 https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/truck-gps
 https://copilotgps.com/en-us/truck-navigation/
National Truck Stops –
 Petro/TA - www.ta-petro.com
 Pilot Flying J - https://pilotflyingj.com
 Love’s - https://www.loves.com
Truck Breakdown Services –
 http://nttsbreakdown.com/ntts/mobile/main/new_main.php
 www.truckdown.com
Useful Applications
Gas Buddy – Uses GPS to locate gas stations. Can filter by diesel. https://www.gasbuddy.com/App
Hotel Tonight – Best deals on last minute hotels in emergency situations. https://www.hoteltonight.com
Priceline Express Deals – Considerable discounts on hotels, although, the system does not show which
exact hotel will be booked until payment is made. It will show a square map of the area, however.
http://www.priceline.com/promo/expressdeals.do
Cam Scanner – Great application for using a mobile phone to scan receipts, time sheets, and other
documents. Has the option of immediately turning the scan into a PDF file.
https://www.camscanner.com/
Photos/Video Sharing –
 Dropbox - www.dropbox.com
 Flickr - https://www.flickr.com
 Photobucket - photobucket.com

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