We’ve all seen executives freaking out trying to chase the social media fad of the day. I’ve always advised them to take a deep breath and chill. In my opinion, the only platforms you need to worry about are the ones where your customers are. Your job is to connect with a community of people, […]
You would have made $5.50, but you were too greedy
December 19, 2009
I would have bought a $3 bottle of water in my hotel room. Probably two. But you got greedy and got nothing. Someone with a spreadsheet told you that you could get away with selling $7 waters. But no spreadsheet warns you when you’re acting like an ass. No spreadsheet warns you when your pricing […]
A great direct mail campaign
December 18, 2009
A new parking garage opened up across the street from our office. They sent out this simple direct mail campaign: a flyer and a real pre-paid pass for $5 parking. It’s the first piece of direct mail that we were fighting over. It did what all direct mail should: Get you to open it Convey […]
Newsletter #761: The “Motivate Them” Issue
December 17, 2009
[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I Thought of That Email Newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.] If you’re trying to motivate people to do something — you’ve got an uphill battle on your hands. […]
Follow the Word of Mouth Supergenius conference live, free
December 16, 2009
We’ve got 30 amazing speaker teaching everything you need to know about word mouth marketing. Follow the live blogging here Twitter search on #supergenius Listen to audio interview with all 30 speakers
The Secret of the Secret Quesadilla
December 15, 2009
You can order a quesadilla at Chipotle, even though it’s not on the menu. Every parent knows this, because it’s the perfect thing to order for little kids — just cheese and a tortilla. Every parent tells their friends. Result: Tons of word of mouth. Why people share: Because it’s a secret. Because it’s special. […]
Meat of the Month Club
December 14, 2009
The crew at GasPedal got me an amazing birthday present: The Zingerman’s Bacon of the Month Club. Thanks! (My vegetarian wife got me a membership in the “Eat Your Stinky Meat Alone in the Basement Club.”) Your business should be selling a “thing of the month club” — recurring shipments, monthly installments, or a subscription. […]
Ask for the sale when they are most interested in you
December 13, 2009
Lots of websites use articles, blogs, and other content to attract visitors. It’s a fine strategy. But the challenge is converting those visitors to buyers. The Spice House in Chicago does an amazing job by putting a shopping cart right inside their recipes. You read the recipe you like and add the products to your […]
The biggest bag of M&M’s you’ve ever seen
December 12, 2009
Our favorite thank-you gift is a giant 52 oz. bag of M&M’s. It’s ridiculously huge. We get a better response to this gift than when we send fancy gift baskets, expensive cheesecakes, or gourmet desserts. Why? Because it’s surprising. A silly-sized bag of your favorite candy, even if it only costs $8 at Costco, is […]
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