2.4.x [Playbook: Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway]

Purpose

The Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway is one of our signature annual client appreciation events. It strengthens relationships, honors our “People First” philosophy, generates referrals, and gives clients a warm, personal touchpoint before the holiday season. The event is run in partnership with Life of Pie Bakery on Bank Street, who prepares pies specifically for our clients.

Objectives

• Show appreciation to past clients, current clients, and referrers.

• Create meaningful, in-person connections in a relaxed setting.

• Capture photos and videos for social media storytelling.

• Generate referral conversations and online engagement.

• Support a beloved local business (Life of Pie Bakery).

Event Overview

• Date Range: The Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

• Main Event: Saturday — full team onsite at Life of Pie Bakery.

• Location: Life of Pie Bakery (1134 Bank St, Ottawa).

• Format: Clients reserve pies in advance; team hands them out over three days, with the Saturday being a community-oriented “drop-in and visit” day.

1. Preparation (4–6 Weeks Before Event)

1.1 Confirm Event Details

• Coordinate dates and pickup plan with Life of Pie Bakery.

• Discuss pie options (pumpkin, apple, pecan, etc.) and any specialty requests.

• Confirm bakery capacity and deadlines for final order submission.

1.2 Create and Launch the RSVP Google Sheet

• Use the Thanksgiving Pie Signup Template in Google Drive.

• Columns must include:

  • Client name

  • Email + phone

  • Pie selection

  • Pickup day (Thu/Fri/Sat)

  • Optional holiday message (for social content or thank-you cards)

• Store in:

  /Marketing → Client Events → Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway [YYYY] → Signup Sheet

• Link the form in:

  • Email invitations

  • Social posts

  • Text message reminders (optional)

1.3 Marketing & Communications

• Design assets in Canva:

  • Invitations

  • Reminders

  • Social story/post graphics

  • “Thank you for coming!” card

• Promote across:

  • The Weekly newsletter

  • Social media (FB + IG)

  • Beacon Hill FB Group (optional)

  • Follow Up Boss email to past clients + VIP referrers

• Add the event to the team calendar.

1.4 Coordinate Pie Logistics

• At least 1 week before the event, send Life of Pie:

  • The finalized list of pies (quantities + types)

  • Pickup-day breakdown

  • Any allergen notes or special requests

• Bring custom pie stickers or branded pie boxes to the bakery at this time.

• Confirm what time pies will be ready each day.

2. Execution (Event Week)

2.1 Thursday & Friday Pickup Windows

• Customers go to Life of Pie and pick their pie up directly from the staff there.

• Confirm each pie matches the RSVP sheet.

• Take photos or quick video clips of early birds picking up their pies.

2.2 Saturday “All-Hands” Event at Life of Pie

This is the main client experience.

• Entire team attends from 1-5 pm if possible (or for a scheduled shift rotation).

• Create a welcoming atmosphere:

  • Warm greetings

  • Sitting down for a coffee

  • Enjoying a slice of pie

  • Chatting with clients and their families

• Capture plenty of photos and video:

  • Client pickups

  • Team handing out pies

  • Special interactions

  • Any kids’ moments or family hugs (with permission)

• Encourage clients to share their pie photos on social media and tag the team.

2.3 Social Media Content

• Capture:

  • Instagram Stories

  • Reels (baking, picking up pies, team moments)

  • Group photos

  • “Thanksgiving messages from clients” (only if they opted in via the form)

• Post a recap reel within 48 hours.

3. Follow-Up (Within 1 Week)

3.1 Client Communication

• Send:

  • Thank-you email

  • Link to photo album

  • Optional: Google Review link

• Send personal texts to VIP referrers and long-time clients.

3.2 Internal Wrap-Up

• Add attendees to Follow Up Boss:

  • Tag: Event – Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway [YYYY]

• Add any referral leads triggered by the event.

• Add the year’s attendance and cost details to:

  /Marketing → Client Events → Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway [YYYY] → Report

3.3 Financials

• After the event:

  • Nick pays Life of Pie using the company credit card.

  • Receipt uploaded to Drive + Monday.com finance tracking.

  • Ops updates the annual events budget.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Nick

• Main host on Saturday

• Greets clients, records thank-you videos

• Pays for pies post-event

Karim

• Helps with setup and flow during pickup day

Chelsea

• Maintains RSVP signup sheet

• Coordinates bakery logistics

• Manages client communication

• Ensures pickup-day information is clean and organized

Hannah

• Designs marketing assets

• Captures and posts social media content

• Creates post-event recap

All Realtors

• Attend Saturday event

• Engage with clients

• Help organize, hand out pies, and take photos

5. Templates and Supporting Materials

• Google Sheet: Thanksgiving Pie Signup Sheet

• Canva Folder: Pie Giveaway Templates (Invite, Reminder, Recap)

• Drive Folder: /Marketing/Client Events/Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway [YYYY]/

• [Playbook: Event Setup and Checklist]

• [Playbook: Client Thank-You Cards]