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Newsletter #817: The “Look at it Differently” 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.]

Sometimes a great idea, product, or marketing concept is right in front your eyes, but you’re just not seeing it. What to look for:

1> The hidden benefits
2> The true savings
3> The leftovers
4> Check it out: Do Nothing For 2 Minutes

1> The hidden benefits

Odds are there’s a great benefit your product offers that you’re forgetting to talk about. The folks at Arm & Hammer must have recently realized this, as their deodorant now includes a sticker saying “Sized for Airplane Travel.” The size of the bottle didn’t change — they just capitalized on an existing benefit that they weren’t telling customers about before.

The lesson: What’s new about your community, your industry, or your world that might have created a new demand for your existing product?

Learn more: Drew’s Marketing Minute

2> The true savings

Help your customers see more than the cost of your product by showing them what they’re actually saving. Colorado-based Sir Richard’s Condom Company does it by comparing the costs of their condoms with things like fancy strollers ($754 less), a year of diapers ($1,144 less), or a new minivan ($32,994 less). By demonstrating the alternative costs to potential buyers, $6 can suddenly seem like a bargain.

The lesson: If you can find a creative way to look at your prices from a different angle, you can probably help your customers do the same.

Learn more: BrandFreak

3> The leftovers

Lots of new products come from looking for the potential in your leftovers. Big industries do this all time with their by-products, and you can join them. A great example is how Starbucks gives away their leftover coffee grounds for customers to use as compost or fertilizer. This simple recycling program not only makes gardeners happy, but their employees also love it (coffee grounds tend to make garbage bags heavy and cause lots of messes).

The lesson: Are you throwing away a great marketing tool?

4> Check it out: Do Nothing For 2 Minutes

If things are getting too hectic, try taking a short breather with the help of this site. It even has the soft sound of waves and distant seagulls to complete the effect.

Check it out: Do Nothing For 2 Minutes

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