Success is like a 26-toed cat

When you look at something, do you see what it is? Or, do you see what it could be?

No one succeeds in this life by being ordinary. To succeed, you must set yourself, your business, or your product apart from the competition. To do this, it frequently requires the ability to see beyond the traditional. Case in point, the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center.

The shelter was facing a rent increase of 100% and was scrambling to raise funds to buy a building where all their animals would be safe. One of those animals is Daniel, an orange and white tabby who happens to be polydactyl (meaning he has 26 toes instead of the standard 18). Someone at the shelter had the brilliant idea of centering their fundraising efforts around Daniel, asking supporters to each donate $26 to the building fund--$1 for each toe!

The shelter has raised $80,000 dollars so far, $50,000 of that coming from $26 donations. Now, this is a creative promotion that has really delivered! (Daniel has since been given permanent residency at the shelter and is its honorary mascot. To donate to the relocation efforts, click HERE)

So, I ask, would you look at a kitty with way too many toes and see a freak? Or would you see a solution to your money woes? What are you looking at each and every day and completely ignoring? Is opportunity right in front of your eyes, but you can't see it?

What is your 26-toed cat?

2 cheap tickets + 1 thank you = loyal customer

Technology is great, but I'm a sucker for an old-fashioned hand-written note. Better yet, drop that note in the mail so I have something in my box other than junk mail and bills and I get lightheaded with glee. Nothing beats getting good mail.

Now, onto the back story. This week, I was lucky enough to attend the L.A. Dodgers versus Chicago Cubs game courtesy of Klout and Score Big. Score Big is a new site that allows users to bid for tickets to get better prices. Ask friends to join, they get a $10 coupon and you get a $10 credit to use toward future purchases. Score Big incentivizes you to tell your friends about the site. I like that. The site is easy to use and the seats were great (unfortunately, random bad luck put the four loudest, most belligerent people in the row behind us).

So, what does this have to do with my aforementioned excitement about getting something unexpected in the mail? Well, after I ordered my tickets through Score Big, imagine my surprise when I received this:

Aja actually took the time to write a note to thank me for using Score Big. I can't remember the last time the guy at the convenience store or the girl at the market thanked me for my purchase. It just doesn't happen anymore. But, Aja picked up a pen, put it to paper, tucked the note into an envelope, and addressed it by hand. Something so simple, yet so appreciated. So old school, yet so classic. Thanking people is timeless.

When was the last time you said thank you to your customers, your clients, your colleagues, or even a stranger? Try it. It wins instant friends and long term loyalty. And, it doesn't break the bank.

Oh, and if you would like an invite to check out Score Big (which includes a $10 coupon!), just let me know in the comments below. There is currently a waiting list to join the site, but I have ten invitations to share with my readers!

How can your business attract more "virgins"?

Most consumers are resistant to change. They find a product, a restaurant, or a vendor that they like and then stand by them, shunning the new guy on the block. But, would people be willing to give the newbie a try if they could do it for free? That's what Southern California restaurant chain The Veggie Grill is hoping.

This week, The Veggie Grill sponsored a "Virgin Night". Anyone who's been to the restaurant before was invited to bring someone to the diner for dinner who hasn't eaten there before. The veteran pays for his/her meal and the "virgin" gets any entree they want for free! No strings attached.

The Veggie Grill has an amazing assortment of vegetarian and vegan fare. Veggie steak strip sandwiches and veggie crispy chicken, salads, wraps, and more. The food is delicious, but many folks are hesitant to try fake meat. Hence, the "virgin" promotion. (Interesting fact: According to VG's Twitter feed, about 90% of its customers are meat eaters!)

I'm a huge fan of The Veggie Grill, so I brought a friend in for Virgin Night. She was curious about the place, but would have never gone on her own. Well, after she indulged in the Santa Fe Crispy Chicken Sandwich she was hooked! All it took was the incentive to try the food for free and now she's excited about going back on her own to try the other burgers on the menu. Sure, The Veggie Grill took a loss on the meal, but its gained an excited new customer.

As you look at your business, is there something you can do to expose more people to your product or service? Are there potential customers out there who just need to see, touch, or taste what you have to offer to convince them how great you are? Think about it. Sometimes, you just need to put it all out there and take away any objections a potential customer could have.

Undoubtedly, The Veggie Grill acquired some new fans with its Virgin Night promotion. People who just needed to taste the food to believe the hype. Can you reach out to people in a similar way?

5 WRONG ways to do online event promotion

As more people hop on the social media bandwagon, more of them are promoting their events online. In theory, that's great news. In execution? Well. some of the results are downright disappointing. Take these two invites below, for example.

First, I share with you a tweet I just received about a networking event. At first when I read "I enjoy following you and I hope to see you...", I thought it was so nice for this guy to send me this sweet invitation. Unfortunately, I didn't recognize his name so I went to look at his Twitter page. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that exact same tweet sent to several dozen people:

Perhaps this will be a wonderful event. And, I'm sure the organizer is a nice guy. However, I simply don't respond to templated, spammy tweets like this. Invite me or don't, but I'm not going to respond to a generic tweet that someone copies and pastes to lots of other folks. Tweeting the same thing over and over again is, by definition, s-p-a-m.

My second example today is an invitation I received to join a group called Blacks in Tech. Now, I'm sure this is a great group. Unfortunately, I'm lacking the major criteria to be a member.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm sure if I went to a Blacks in Tech event, I have no doubt they'd welcome me. However, it's not called People in Technology; it's called Blacks in Technology. I'm not black and, therefore, probably not their targeted demographic.

So, at last, here are five things you can do to incorrectly promote your events. Tip: You can just do the opposite of what's here and this magically becomes a piece on how to promote events correctly! Ta da!

1. Blanket the world with your event or group invitations. Who cares if 99% of the people aren't going to be interested? Targeting your efforts is unnecessary.
2. Make people feel unimportant! No one likes to feel special, so be sure to be generic as possible when you invite them.
3. Promote your event on only one social media platform. Forget all the people who coordinate their plans on other social media sites. If they're not on the one you've chosen to promote your event, forget 'em!
4. Don't provide details that make attending the event easy for your guests. Forget including information like parking options and prices, a Google map, or contact info for questions. If they can't get to your event regardless of the obstacles, who needs them!
5. Stalk strangers. People you don't know will love to receive multiple invitations to your event. If they haven't responded the first three times, send them the same invitation a fourth time. People like that.

Alright, am I being snarky? Yeah. But my point is no less valid.

Putting on a great event is important, but getting the right people there is just as crucial to your success. If you're sponsoring an event in Los Angeles, don't send a Facebook Events invite to your 1,500 friends when 1,485 of them don't live in California.  If you want to tweet people about your event, do so in a sincere way. No one responds to things that feel automated.

What do you see being done right and wrong when it comes to online event promotion? What do you respond to and what alienates you? Got tips on how to promote an event? Let's hear it!

Nothing tastes better than FREE food

These days, it seems more and more food joints are trying to entice customers with free food. This week in Southern California, Chick-Fil-A is offering a different, free, snack for five consecutive days. Tomorrow, Jack-in-the-Box will offer free fries. Today, tax day, even more eateries are offering free edibles. This year alone, IHOP, Starbucks, Denny's, Ben & Jerry's, and many others have offered free food to hungry patrons.

So, if you try something for free and you like it (and, heck, doesn't everything taste better when it's free?), will you come back in the future and pay for it? Will that freebie create enough goodwill to increase your loyalty to that business all together? As for myself, I have to say yes (although, my encounter at Baskin-Robbins is a stellar example of how not to do freebies).

So, what say you, oh hungry compadres? Is the free food craze a smart move for restaurants?

This is one coupon I'll actually redeem

Isn't it satisfying when you see a company implement a smart idea? Something that makes you wonder why someone didn't do it before? Well, I had that very thought as I took my receipt from the cashier at Vons today.

Usually when you get your supermarket receipt, it is accompanied with a store coupon that entices you to return to the market and buy a specific item. Well, today, as I started to stash the store coupon in my purse, I noticed it wasn't a store coupon at all. What was it? It was a coupon for 20% off girl's best friend. Yes, I mean shoes.

In fact, the coupon was not for Vons at all; it was for Payless Shoe Source. It seems as though my local market isn't going to annoy me any longer with a 25¢ off coupon for generic peanut butter that expires in three days. It's actually realized that disseminating third-party coupons to its customers can be a revenue source. Wow!

Now, it's this kind of thinking that more businesses should implement. It helps the company, or supermarket in this case, bring in additional revenue without raising prices for its customers. This is the kind revenue strategy that I like and I wish more companies would explore.

Now enough blogging. I have shoes to buy!

Now THIS is good marketing

I love smart marketing and promotion. Something that's authentic, creates buzz, and is truly original. This video from Coca-Cola is all that and more.

Check out what happens when a "special" soda machine is put onto a college campus.

M&M's tries to attract new customers

A popular candy since 1941, M&M's are sold in more than 100 countries and recognizable to billions of people across the globe. Now, that chocolaty treat is getting a 21st century makeover. Customizable candies are now hitting the virtual marketplace!

Consumers can imprint slogans, photos, or logos on the hard-shelled chocolate treats and even choose from a variety of colors—including new shimmery hues. Perfect for special occasions like holidays, weddings, birthdays, graduations, promotions, and proposals, the candies can add that extra little something to any festive gathering. Also, a fun gimmick for businesses to utilize at meetings, conferences, and other promotional appearances.

Think anyone will print "Candy is bad for you" on any of them?

Soapbox derbies give you wings

If there's one company that does a killer job of sponsoring high-voltage events, it's Red Bull. From flugtag races and urban boulder climbing to b-boy dance contests and freestyle skiing competitions, Red Bull knows how to bring energy and excitement to the people.

This weekend, Red Bull is hosting one of its popular Soapbox Race events. For four years, it has organized races across the globe, including stops in Jamaica, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Finland, and of course, America. This Saturday's free event boasts 40 hand-made, non-motorized soapboxes. Some of the fun designs include a time-traveling DeLorean, a giant nose, a bunk bed, and an Aztec temple. The races are free to spectate and feature celebrity judges, including the popular Eric Estrada.

I love it when companies find smart ways to bring events into their marketing efforts. The Red Bull brand is all about silliness, action, energy, and fun. So, a soapbox derby with high speed action and whimsically decorated racecars is a perfect way to reinforce Red Bull's irreverent style and love for the outrageous.

If you happen to be in the L.A. area this Saturday, why not spend a day at the races? It promises to be a fun afternoon with lots of action. And, if the heat makes you sleepy, I'm sure there will be plenty of Red Bull on hand to give you that second wind.

A nice twist on the bus bench ad

As I was taking my dogs on a walk this morning, I happened to pass a new bus bench ad. I don't know about your neighborhood, but in mine the realtors seem to have the monopoly on these benches. They all follow the same formula, too, with a huge mug shot prominently plastered across the ad. These folks must not have a fear of extreme close-ups.

In any case, I looked at the bench to see what local real estate agent got the space this time, and apparently Courtney Cox Arquette is now in the biz. Well, sort of. Courtney must play a realtor in her new show, Cougar Town. And, in a very clever ad campaign by ABC, they're doing the bus bench ads just like real realtors do.

If you check out the url, it goes to ABC. Nothing thrilling there. However, if you dial the number, it does provide a more authentic voice message from Jules Cobb (Courtney's character). The ad looks pretty legit. If you didn't recognize Courtney, you probably wouldn't even realize the ad was a spoof. At least not at first glance.

I like these kinds of ads. They're not in-your-face, but they do a great job of getting—and keeping—your attention. And now that I know I live in the greater Cougar Town area (I had no idea!), maybe my neck of the woods will become a bit more trendy.

99¢ weddings

This week (on 9/9/09 to be exact), nine couples received a discount wedding, priced at the unbelievably low price of 99 cents. The weddings, underwritten by the 99¢ Only Stores, were part of a promotion to wed nine couples and provide them with their wedding day essentials (e.g. flowers, dinner, photos, and a hotel for their honeymoon night). Nearly 3,000 couples entered the contest and the nine winning couples were married on Aisle 9 between 8:09 a.m. and 9:09 a.m. at the chain's Hollywood location.

Now you couldn't pay me enough money to get married at the 99¢ Only Store (not even $99 million would do it), but I have to hand it to the marketing folks over there. They do a great job of getting media exposure. This story was covered across the country and millions of people saw the products that are available at the 99¢ Only Stores, from decorations to food items.

As for the people who participated in the contest, I'm at a loss for words. If my fiance ever suggested such an idea, I'm afraid that would be grounds for an immediate break-up.

When the birthday freebie fails to deliver

Many restaurants readily embrace the birthday discount. Some give you a free dessert and others give you a BOGO (buy one, get one) coupon. Not everyone does it, but the ones who do generally understand the value of goodwill and positive word of mouth. Creating a good memory at their establishment on your birthday will only make you want to return for another special occasion, right? The answer should be yes, but my answer is an unequivocal no.

One of the sweetest freebies you can get on your birthday is a free ice cream cone at Baskin-Robbins. You have to sign up in advance on their website, but after that they send you a coupon for a cone. Last year, I got a scoop of Cotton Candy ice cream at my local 31 Flavors. The clerk said, "Happy birthday!" and handed it to me with a big smile. Mission accomplished—a warm and fuzzy feeling about Baskin-Robbins and the desire to encourage everyone I knew to go try the new flavor. This year, however, was a much different story.

I went to another store in my neighborhood and ordered a new flavor of sherbet. I took my cone and handed the woman the coupon before she approached the cash register. She promptly said, "Why didn't you show me this before? The cone I gave you is too big." I replied, "I'm sorry, it says a free scoop and I only got a scoop. What do you mean it's too big?" She snapped that the coupon was for a 2.5 ounce scoop and she gave me 4 ounces. "Huh?" I said. "It says a scoop and that's what I ordered. If you think you gave me too much, I guess you can take this back and give me less." The woman did just that.

She returned to the counter with my cone, however, instead of giving me a new scoop, she had scraped away sherbet from the sides and the top of my original ice cream cone. It was all lopsided and looked like someone already had their way with it. I said to her, "You know, this is supposed to be good PR for you. It's stupid to alienate a customer by giving me something that looks like this." Her response? "You're stupid for not telling me." Excuse me???? I'm stupid? Wow, happy birthday to me!

In short, I vowed never to return.

The moral of the story: Birthday promotions are smart marketing and can create brand loyalty that lasts a lifetime. Scolding a customer and calling her stupid can cause you to lose that customer and dozens more who will undoubtedly hear the tale. It's Marketing 101. I suggest you teach that to your franchisees, Baskin-Robbins.