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How 418 Pumpkin Pies Generated 60 Leads (And Got Her on TV): Yvonne Khoo's Thanksgiving Campaign
- Wendy Forsythe
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
A tactical breakdown of the partnership strategy that turned holiday appreciation into organic lead generation
Some marketing campaigns are about brand awareness.
Some are about lead generation.
And some—if you do them right—accomplish both while costing almost nothing.
Yvonne Khoo's Thanksgiving pie campaign did exactly that.
418 pumpkin pies given away. 60 leads generated organically in 90 days. Featured on local TV news. Zero paid advertising.
In my latest X Factor Marketing conversation, Yvonne walked me through the entire strategy—from finding the right bakery partner to leveraging new home builders as pickup locations.
This isn't theory. This is execution. And it's replicable.
The Foundation: Why Thanksgiving?
"Thanksgiving is the least commercial holiday," Yvonne told me. "It's all about the heart."
Families gather around the table. It's a time to give thanks—not to sell.
But here's the thing: when families gather around that table, they talk. About life. About changes. About real estate.
That's when you want to be top of mind.
Not through a sales pitch. Through genuine appreciation.
Yvonne's pie campaign wasn't about getting business directly. It was about showing gratitude to her sphere of influence while positioning herself strategically in the minds of potential buyers.
The Bakery Partnership: The Game Changer
Yvonne had done pie giveaways before. But this year, she took it to another level by partnering with a local bakery.
Not just any bakery. A bakery with 15,000 Instagram followers.
Here's what she did:
Step 1: Create Value for the Bakery
Yvonne brought her team to the bakery and filmed an introduction video. She told the owner (Hugo): "I'm going to feature you on my YouTube channel. I'm going to promote your business."
Step 2: Buy Pies for the Campaign
She negotiated bulk pricing on smaller pies (normal 9-inch pies cost ~$20 each). She ordered enough for her entire database.
Step 3: Ask the Bakery to Promote the Campaign
This is where the magic happened.
The bakery sent Yvonne's pie giveaway campaign to their 10,000-person email database.
For free.
Think about that.
Yvonne's message—her brand, her value, her generosity—reached 10,000 people who follow a local business they love and trust.
She didn't have to build that audience. She just had to partner with someone who already had it.
"You gotta partner with people who have the means behind them," Yvonne explained.
That's leverage. That's smart marketing.
The Builder Partnership: Genius Distribution
In previous years, Yvonne had one bakery location for pickup. But Las Vegas is big. Not everyone could drive to one spot.
So this year, she added a second partnership layer: new home builders.
She approached three major builders:
D.R. Horton
Richmond American Homes
Century Communities
Her pitch? "It's going to cost you zero. All I need is for you to let us use your model homes as pie pickup locations."
Ten locations total across Las Vegas—north, south, east, west.
Why This Worked for Everyone:
For Yvonne: Geographic coverage. Convenient pickup for clients across the city.
For the Builders: Free foot traffic. People picking up pies got to tour beautiful new model homes. If someone was thinking about buying and walked in? Yvonne gets credit.
For the Clients: Convenience. No driving across town. Plus a fun tour of new homes.
One location was so popular, they refilled the pies three times in one day.
The Execution: 418 Pies, Zero Sales Pitch
Yvonne and her team were present at some locations during pickup.
What did they say to people?
"Enjoy your pie. Happy Thanksgiving."
That's it.
No sales pitch. No "call me when you're ready to buy." Just pure appreciation.
418 pies given away.
"The joy of somebody receiving a pie during Thanksgiving is awesome," Yvonne said. "They don't have to go to another place. And they get to go for a fun tour. They get to see a new home."
The TV Appearance: Relationships Matter
Here's where the story gets even better.
Yvonne got featured on Channel 13, her local news station, talking about the pie campaign.
How?
A hockey mom connection.
Yvonne's son plays goalie in 12U hockey. One of the other moms works at Channel 13. She'd been asking Yvonne to come on as a guest for a while.
But Yvonne waited for the right opportunity.
"What am I going to say if I go on TV?" she wondered. "You gotta always give value. It doesn't matter what we're doing. If we're giving value, people remember us. If we're not giving value, they're like 'just another agent.'"
The pie campaign was the perfect value-driven story.
She shared it on TV. Built her brand. Showcased her community involvement. All because she had a relationship with someone in media.
Relationships matter. You never know where opportunities will come from.
The Results: 60 Leads in 90 Days
So what happened after 418 pies, bakery partnerships, builder collaborations, and a TV appearance?
60 leads generated organically in 90 days.
No paid ads. No Zillow leads. Just referrals from people who saw the campaign, appreciated the gesture, and thought of Yvonne when they or someone they knew needed real estate help.
"The moment they like you, trust you—they want to do business with you," Yvonne explained. "That's how you create a fan."
The Formula: How You Can Replicate This
Here's the tactical breakdown:
1. Pick a Holiday
Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter—whatever resonates with you. Pick a "big one that has a lot of things."
2. Find a Local Bakery Partner
Look for bakeries with strong social followings. They already have the audience you want to reach.
3. Create Value for Them
Film an introduction video. Feature them on your YouTube channel. Promote their business.
4. Negotiate Bulk Pricing
Smaller sizes, bulk orders. Make it economically feasible.
5. Ask Them to Share with Their Database
This is the leverage moment. Email, social media, however they communicate with their customers.
6. Consider Pickup Locations
If your market is spread out, partner with businesses across geographic areas. New home builders are perfect because they benefit from foot traffic.
7. Start Small
You don't have to do 418 pies in year one. Yvonne started with ~220 pies. This year she doubled it. Start where you can. Scale what works.
8. No Sales Pitch
Just appreciation. Just value. Let the gesture speak for itself.
The Bigger Lesson: Leverage Partnerships
What impressed me most about Yvonne's campaign wasn't just the creativity—it was the strategic thinking behind the partnerships.
She didn't just give away pies. She:
Partnered with a bakery that had 15,000 Instagram followers
Got her message sent to 10,000 people via the bakery's email list
Created 10 pickup locations through builder partnerships
Generated foot traffic for model homes
Got featured on local TV through a hockey mom relationship
Every element amplified the others.
As I told Yvonne in our conversation: "When you're working with a partner like that, leverage their database as well as your database. Then you're getting a double whammy."
She laughed. "100%, Wendy. 100%."
My Takeaways
This episode reminded me that the best marketing doesn't feel like marketing.
It feels like generosity. Appreciation. Community.
But behind that feeling is smart strategy. Tactical execution. Partnership leverage.
Here's what you should take away:
Don't just create campaigns. Create partnerships with businesses that already have the audiences you want to reach.
Food breaks down barriers. "If I bring you a pie, you've already overcome 50% of that 'I don't know who you are.'"
Always give value. That's how people remember you. That's how you create fans.
Start small and scale. Yvonne didn't do 418 pies in year one. She built momentum over three years.
Relationships matter more than you think. That TV appearance came from showing up at her son's hockey games.
Listen to the full episode with Yvonne Khoo here:
And if you're planning holiday campaigns this year, ask yourself: Who can I partner with that already has the audience I want to reach?
Start there. Build from there. Give value. Create fans.
Let’s grow,
Wendy
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