clients during these events,” Ohanian said.
Fattal offers their special clients accessories
that are limited in number worldwide and
that suit their personalities. “We know the
clients that like to wear rare and exclusive
items, so we call them to inform them that
a specific item they favor has arrived,” said
Abi Khalil. The excitement of owning a
brand increases when clients join a waiting
list. Some brand owners invite their clients
to events where they are selling very limited
quantities of a one-of-a-kind product. Fattal
also organizes events targeting high income
categories. International representatives
attend these events and meet with the niche
clients. “We offer them gifts, and invite
them to high-end restaurants,” he said.
SPECIAL TREATMENT
People looking to spend a lot of money expect
to be treated very well. “We put effort into
knowing the behavior and personality of
the clients, what they like, which brands,
colors and designs, and the way they want
to be treated,” said Nader Dada, owner of
Zilli and Gentleman, suppliers of the Brioni,
Zilli, and Lardini brands. Zilli provides
suits to high income individuals with prices
reaching up to $10,000 per suit. This data
helps the customer service team at Zilli
treat each client in the way they prefer. For
instance, for those who do not like to attend
the shops, Zilli sends a special team with
several options to the customer’s home.
Clients like to be unique, and Zilli gives
them the opportunity to customize their
suits and order their shoes. “Most of the
28 LEBANON OPPORTUNITIES, AUGUST 2019
time the affluent want something unique,”
Dada said. Zilli provides a made-to-measure
service, where the piece is tailor made for the
client, after they select the textile, color, and
cut that fits them. “Some clients request to
write their names on the suit,” Dada said.
Scarcity can drive demand for a product.
J.M. Weston, a luxurious shoe
brand, provides clients the
chance to customize their
shoes. They can choose the
leather, color, and design, and
fit according to the length
and width of their feet. “For
special clients, we send a
variety of options to select
from,” said Marielle Haddad,
Shop Manager at J.M.
Weston. For these special clients J.M. Weston
bears the cost of repairing the shoes if they
are damaged. Bespoke brands also organize
events whenever they are launching a new
collection and invite their most important
clients to a high-end restaurant.ENTERTAING TRIPS
“Serious prospects are invited to mountain
rides, so they can experience the car on a
long route,” said Johnny Toubieh, Marketing
Manager at McLaren Automotive.
Prospective clients are identified by the
lifestyle they lead and the car they drive. The
price of Bentleys and Lamborghinis reaches
up to $650,000, and the price of a McLaren
exceeds $300,000. Most luxury car owners
create clubs, where they meet and prepare
events and rides. McLaren Automotivemanages the club, which is named ‘Wings
and Wheels’, and organizes Sunday
mountain drives to several destinations,
such as Jezzine, Beiteddine, Faraya,
Tannourine, and others. Lamborghini
owners have also created a club. Saad & Trad
supports them and follows up on all their
events. Luxury car agents
rely on one-to-one marketing
to attract the affluent and
retain their clients. “We try
to get more in-depth details
about the type of cars, colors,
and models the clients
like, whether they prefer
customized options, and how
frequently they change their
cars,” said Serge Trad, Sales
Manager at Saad & Trad, importers of
Bentley, Lamborghini, and Jaguar. Events
are the best private setting to interact with
clients. “In these events we get to know them
more,” Trad said. Rasamny Younis Group of
Companies (RYMCO), the exclusive agent of
McLaren Automotive, hosts several events
per year, involving an array of clients and
prospective clients. “Whenever we have
a new car model to launch, we prepare an
event with a premium cocktail or dinner,”
Toubieh said. McLaren Automotive also
organizes trips to attend events planned by
the global company in Europe. For clients
who wish to create their own customized
cars, they help them use the McLaren
Special Operations (MOS) system to create
their limited-edition car, which arrives
within three to four months.SPECIAL REPORT
MARKETING
Success comes
from having
a legitimate
relationship with
the customersAtamian organizes intimate events for their clients Zilli sends a special team to the customer’s home Mclaren help the clients to customize their cars