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Newsletter #719: The “Make It an Adventure” Issue

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Create some fun for your fans by offering them an adventure.

1> Mix it up

2> Make it a contest

3> Make it late

4> Check it out: Unnecessary "quotation" marks

1. Mix it up

Tradition has its place, but don't let it keep you from having some fun.
Switch, a fine-dining restaurant in Las Vegas mixes it up every night, changing
the lighting, music, and layout of the place about every half hour. Another
mix-it-up restaurant trend is "underground dinners," where chefs stage
one-night, invite-only dinners in different settings such as warehouses and art
galleries. While this isn't practical for most businesses, you could mix it up
with seasonal themes, limited-time products, or a frequently changing menu.

The Lesson: Mixing it up will keep people excited about you and will keep
them coming back.

2. Make it a contest

Is there a fun reason to explore your entire store, or to visit all of your
locations? Make it an adventure to do so by creating a simple game or contest.
The Iowa State Fair challenges kids to a scavenger hunt each year, covering all
400 acres of the event grounds. You could take this to a smaller scale by
encouraging people to try and find a list of items in your store, or — if you
have multiple locations — rewarding customers who visit each of your different
stores.

The Lesson: Make it an adventure by giving people a reason to explore your
business.

3. Make it late

Don't let your hours of operation get in the way of a good adventure for your
fans. Instead, create a reason for people to stick around. The San Antonio
Central Library hosted a sleepover for kids featuring readings, learning games,
and movies. Put a twist on the classic slumber party by throwing an all-night
event, or by opening your business for a unique late-night special once in a
while.

The Lesson: It's suddenly a lot more fun to visit you if it's at a time when
you're normally unavailable.

4. Check it out: Unnecessary "quotation" marks

Enjoy calling out grammar abuse? Check out The "Blog" of "Unnecessary"
Quotation Marks, where each day a fan-submitted case of quotation mark misuse is
mocked. If you're a grammar freak, you'll "enjoy" it.

Learn More: The
"Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks

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