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Newsletter #788: The “Repackage It” 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.]

Smart, resourceful marketers know they’ve already got everything they need. But sometimes, it may just need a little repackaging, rearranging, and updating. A few smart examples here:

1> Your restaurant
2> Your parking lot
3> Your albums
4> Check it out: Learn something every day

1> Your restaurant

With a little repackaging of what they have to offer, restaurants and bars can pitch more than a menu. Lots of people liked going to Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill in Boston to watch Redsox games, so they saw an opportunity to repackage the experience. For $500, fans can buy “season passes” to the bar to watch Redsox games (on TV). The package includes a reserved table for each game, no waiting in lines, and a $25 food credit and a free beer per visit. Now in the first year of the pass, they’ve already sold out and are taking names for their 2011 wait list.

The lesson: Look beyond your menu (or product line, existing services, etc.) to find opportunities to offer something more to loyal customers.

Learn more: JerryRemys.com

2> Your parking lot

Turns out, there’s more opportunity in your parking lot than the usual office politics of reserved spaces. Sam’s Club repackaged and retrofitted their existing light poles with small wind turbines. Though early in the experiment, they’re already producing more than enough energy to annually power six average American homes. And every green organization, blogger, and journalist is thrilled to talk about it (and rightfully so).

The lesson: There’s more to marketing than your website and sales brochures. It’s everywhere you’ve got a chance to get people talking (including the parking lot).

Learn more: TreeHugger

3> Your albums

Lots of artists, musicians, and businesses alike focus on selling one-off creations. But for big fans, that may not be enough. Funky rockers I Fight Dragons repackaged their offerings and created 100 Lifetime Membership USB drives for $100. The package included lifetime admission to any IFD show, free digital content for life, and some other special bonuses. They quickly sold out, giving the band a handy $10,000 and an opportunity to do something special for their biggest talkers.

The lesson: Sometimes, the whole is bigger than the sum of the parts. What can you rearrange, remix, and repackage to create something bigger than your individual offerings?

Learn more: Music Think Tank

4> Check it out: Learn something every day

Did you know bees can detect explosives? That only 3% of us get the recommended 8 hours of sleep each night? That scientists have found alcohol in space? Well, you do now.

Check it out: Learn Something Every Day

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