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Newsletter #760: The “Make Their Day” Issue

[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.]

Great companies seize opportunities to help out and make the day for their customers, their fans, and their communities. A few examples of it here:

1> Quietly
2> Publicly
3> Randomly
4> Check it out: Sketchy Santas

1> Quietly

Sometimes all you need is a few nice, kind words to make someone’s day. Women’s clothing retailer ISIS has been known to hide little notes in their coat pockets, saying things like, “You are a goddess!” — and while ISIS isn’t flashy or highly public with how they try to make someone’s day, it’s just as effective when these new fans blog, tweet, and tell all their friends about their experience. Try hiding some nice little surprises in your products, your invoices or your website and watch how it helps fans talk about you.

The Lesson: You don’t have to be noisy about being thoughtful. If you do it right, your fans will take care of telling everyone.

Learn More: Duct Tape Marketing

2> Publicly

If you have the chance to make the day for a whole community, why wouldn’t you do it? Tone Brothers, a spice producer based in Ankeny, Iowa, donated 18,000 pounds of garlic salt to their local community during a major ice storm to help de-ice more than 400 miles of roadways. Other than having the effect of making a few public workers hungry, it also made for a great story that earned national headlines. You might not have tons of salt at your disposal, but you do have industry expertise and a bunch of employees that might love the chance to volunteer.

The Lesson: The more people you can help with your smarts and your generosity, the better.

Learn More: Chicago Tribune

3> Randomly

According to research from the University of Washington, a customer who is made to feel grateful most likely becomes enduringly loyal as a result. It’s this kind of thinking that helped inspire Hyatt Hotels to start rewarding customers with “random acts of kindness” — like picking up the tab for hotel massages or bar drinks. If you were to test out going above and beyond once in a while for the customer, what would happen?

The Lesson: Hyatt shows us it doesn’t have to be a complex or detailed rewards program — a little random love for fans now and then can create some powerful word of mouth.

Learn More: NY Times

4> Check it out: Sketchy Santas

When you’re making the rounds at your local mall this holiday season, you might consider saving your children some childhood trauma by avoiding any Santas that would make this list.

Check it out: Sketchy Santas

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