Playback - Spring 2009 - (Page 21) make it exclusive! Last year, Ted Eschliman came up with an idea for a marketing campaign that was both “experiential” and “resonant.” Combining the call to recycle with his customer’s desire to save money, Ted devised his “Green Bag” promotion. During August, his customers could purchase a limited-quantity green linen bag with his store’s logo on it. The pouch could be used not only as an eco-friendly shopping bag, it also signified that the carrier was part of the store’s exclusive buyers club and would receive an extra discount on purchases over the next 12 months. It was also a constant reminder to the customer to return to the store. The bags were purchased at $5.50 each and sold at $15, so Ted and his staff needed to sell only 367 of them to recoup his costs. The bag created goodwill with their customers, helped the sales staff close more deals on big-ticket items and increased their chances of having these customers return to the store during the next year. ted eschliman Dietze Music Lincoln, Neb. offer recital dvds One way that Myrna Sislen creates community involvement and support is by holding music recitals. She schedules them after hours, allowing her to use the center of her store for the recital. And this year, for the first time, she videotaped each event and gave every student a copy of the DVD. This took an initial outlay of cash to purchase a camcorder, video-editing “this investment has come back software and a computer tower that made seven copies at a time. Myrna then designed the DVD labels to me tenfold in the goodwill we with her store logo and address on each disc. myrna sislen Middle C Music Corporation Washington, D.C. created among our 300-plus students and their families,” she says. “could i have charged for the dvds? sure, but i got back way more by giving one to each family.” “This investment has come back to me tenfold in the goodwill we created among our 300-plus students and their families,” she says. “Could I have charged for the DVDs? Sure, but I got back way more by giving one to each family.” So far, the response has been overwhelming, as people were more likely to frequent her store during the holidays instead of going elsewhere, as well as telling their friends and neighbors about the great things going on at her store. “Edith Head, one h of Hollywood’s greatest Oscar-winning costume designers, once said, ‘If you want to make a million, you’ve got to look like a million,’” says Myrna. “In our business, if you want to make a million, you’ve got to look like you’re giving a million. I had 10 recitals in December alone.” SPRING 2009 21
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