See Andy's other stuff:

Contact Me >>

Newsletter #811: The “Ideas from Tasty Food” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I Thought of That! 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.]

From cupcakes to carrots, there’s a lot you can learn from food (and from those who market it).

A few ideas to get you started:

1> It’s easy to say sorry
2> Social media can be simple
3> Doctors can prescribe more than medicine
4> Check it out: The McGurk Effect

1> It’s easy to say sorry

When you make a misstep that affects your customers, apologizing is more than an obligation, it’s an opportunity. Like any growing small business, Nurse Next Door sometimes makes mistakes. And when they do, owners John DeHart and Ken Sim send a heartfelt apology along with a freshly baked pie. Sure, they spend almost $1,500 a year in pies — but they estimate the gesture has saved more than $100,000 in business.

The lesson: With a genuine (and tasty) apology, you can turn an annoyed customer into a loyal fan.

Learn more: Small Business Trend

2> Social media can be simple

Despite all the fancy new tools out there, you don’t need an engineering degree to get people excited about you in social media. Chicago’s More Cupcakes keeps it simple: If you’re tagged in a photo of their treats on Facebook, they’ll give you a complimentary cupcake. The result of this simple promotion for the boutique bakery is more than 6,300 Facebook fans and nearly 400 fan-submitted photos.

The lesson: If you’re getting a headache trying to figure out how to get started with this “social media stuff” — you’re trying too hard.

Learn more: More Cupcakes

3> Doctors can prescribe more than medicine

Healthcare is one of the most traditional professions when it comes to marketing and partnerships, but it doesn’t have to be. Doctors at several Massachusetts health clinics recently launched a program in which they partnered with local farmers’ markets to write prescriptions (with coupons) for healthy food for kids at risk of obesity. With the success of the project, organizers are looking to expand it by partnering doctors with healthy grocery stores. If you’re in the business of prescribing, referring, or diagnosing — is there a great potential partnership you’re overlooking?

The lesson: If doctors can get creative with their partnerships, why can’t you?

Learn more: New York Times

4> Check it out: The McGurk Effect

Our eyes have more to do with our hearing than you might think. For a demonstration of this bizarre brain connection, check out this BBC explanation of The McGurk Effect.

Check it out: YouTube

[contact-form-7 id="27185" title="contact-form 3 TellAFriend-Post"]