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Marketing to the Dogs...and Cats Club Pet International of Chantilly, VA (703-471-7818) markets its services as if the pet, not the owner, is going on vacation. Air conditioned kennels for summer, heated floors in winter, play time, exclusive geriatric rooms for senior pets, separate quarters for cats away from dog noises, vet services available 24 hours a day, and much more. Appealing to the pet owner's tastes...and sense of guilt for leaving a beloved pet...is smart marketing. Wedding Gifts - In Stock How many of us still have those "interesting" wedding gifts that seemed like a good idea at the time? 'Fess up. We all do. Entrepreneur Gino Heilizer has come up with the gift that keeps on giving with Stockgift.com, an online gift registry - with a twist. Instead of offering customary household items that are often duplicated or underappreciated, StockGift.com focuses on valued securities, as it's an online brokerage firm that allows people to give and receive financial gifts for investment. As an example, engaged couples can create an online gift registry for between one and four specific stocks and/or mutual funds. A creative alternative to the lowly toaster and a terrific product idea. Orthopedic Clown Shoes? Yep, you read right. Jumping around all day to make 'em laugh is hard on the feet...and no laughing matter. Just ask George Kondiles of Funny Feet Fashions in Skokie, Illinois who designs and manufactures custom clown shoes made to fit the special orthopedic needs of professional clowns worldwide. Kondiles, a certified orthopedic shoemaker, gets as creative as his clients, providing shoes with multicolored LEDs, shamrocks and much more. Find the need and fill it. It's no joke. The Man in the Donut Suit A new donut shop opened this week in Washington D.C. The owners hired a fellow to dress in a donut suit to wave at folks driving by the new location during morning rush hour traffic. His presence caused most motorists to slow down so that a traffic backup ensued, which was announced on all the local radio stations...along with the new donut shop's address. You can't buy that kind of advertising. Talk About Aggressive Marketing There's an entrepreneur in the Pacific Rim who, for a fee, allows frustrated motorists to "beat him up". This fellow, standing on the side of a busy freeway dressed in a helmet and lots of padded protective gear, charges each enraged commuter $10.00 to punch him a couple of times to alleviate "road rage." As we always say: find the need and fill it. Diving for Dollars The Davis Golf Ball Company of Atlantic Beach, FL (800-545-1972) has a business that benefits both golf course owners and golfers. They hire professional scuba divers to retrieve golf balls from golf course water hazards without interrupting or inconveniencing golfers at play. Davis Golf then resells the reconditioned name brand golf balls in quantities from one dozen to 500 ball cases to golfers who want to save money as they play their favorite game. Visit the Davis Golf Ball Company site to find out more. Honest Officer - You Look Better in Solids It pays to think opposites when planning your marketing. An ingenious entrepreneur in a mid-Atlantic state came up with the idea for a POLICE FASHION SHOW. Yes, that's right. Seems each police department prides itself on its own look, and this saavy business person turned this fact into a money-making enterprise. He rented a hall with a center runway, contacted all the vendors who sell law-enforcement uniforms and related gear, and sold booth space. All the police departments in the area were invited to attend, and some of the invitee officers acted as models. The results: much fun for all the participants, much business for the vendors and a healthy profit for the entrepreneur. Line 'Em Up A new restaurant owner we know wanted to attract attention to his eatery without spending a lot of money. How did he do it? By offering 10 of his friends and family members free dinners in exchange for some "line time". On opening week, this smart entrepreneur had his 10 volunteers line up outside the front door of his restaurant during evening rush hour (4-6 p.m.) to create the impression that his new restaurant was packed and that it was difficult to get in. The volunteers entered the restaurant, went out the back door and got on line over and over again. Folks driving by got the idea that "this restaurant must be good" and many gave it a try. This helped "fill the house" and gave this entrepreneur the chance to create many loyal customers. Profits Going Up? Doug Darby of HomeStyle Delights (703-892-1195), a baker of homemade cakes, pies, cookies and muffins, isn't shy when it comes to building his business. On one occasion, Doug delivered a birthday cake to a manager of one of the large accounting firms located in downtown Washington, D.C. On his way up in the elevator, Doug struck up a conversation with two folks who were curious about the box he was carrying. Doug let them know what he did for a living and gave them both his card. The result: both have ordered over $1200 in birthday cakes and muffins from him over the last year. So don't just stare at the floor numbers on your next elevator trip. Make the most of the ride! Third-Party Sell Benefits Everyone Are you happy with a specialized software product that you're currently using? Call the software developer and tell them how much you like it. You may receive free publicity for your trouble. One entrepreneur we know has been using a small-business accounting package for over six years. She called the developer to gush about the product. Her testimonial, photo and a terrific write-up about her business was featured on the software box when the next update was issued. It pays to praise. Put Your Best Foot Forward Mike MacNair, owner of MacNair Travel Management (703-836-1100) in Alexandria, VA, wanted to meet with the Executive Director of a large trade association to talk about the organization's travel needs. After placing many calls, all of which were unreturned, Mike got creative. He visited the nearest Goodwill Store and purchased a pair of black wingtip shoes. He personally polished one of them, took the shoe to a local department store to have it professionally gift wrapped, and had the package couriered to his prospect. The Executive Director opened the package to find the shoe and a handwritten note from Mike that stated (in part), "I'm trying to get my foot in the door..." Result: Mike got his meeting and a brand new client. Fishing for Prospects? Is there a restaurant in your area that caters to a lunch crowd of prospects you're after? Time to go fishing! Buy a glass fish bowl (an appropriate size, of course) and propose this "win-win" situation to the restaurant manager: Offer to place the fish bowl in the reception area with the sign "Place your business card here! Qualify to reel in a free lunch." Make the arrangement that you'll pay for a certain number of lunches per month in exchange for copies of the business cards. Making the Best of the Weather A local restaurant owner made the best of the weather and his business during the major snowstorm that hit the Washington D.C. area a few years back. He stayed open for business the entire time and fed the snowplow drivers hot coffee and sandwiches at no charge. He also let the local news media know that he was offering this friendly service. The result: lots of local news coverage that home-bound prospects caught on the nightly news. Did much to boost his business. Get the Bugs Out! We recently heard about a landscape management firm that came up with a terrific idea of bugging its customers for more business. The company offered homeowner association clients the opportunity to have "good" bugs (such as lady bugs and praying mantis) released into their neighborhoods to get rid of destructive insect pests such as mealy worms and aphids. Great for the environment and the customers as well as the landscape management company, as they sent press releases to the local papers about the project. The results: less "bad" bugs, lots of free press and increased business. What Month Was Your Company Born? Throw a "birthday party" for your business and ask clients to bring *gifts* of testimonials that you can use in your marketing. Including these *third-party sell* messages in your promotions can't be beat! "Seasonal" Alliances Can Pay Off...Long-Term A clever travel agent we know has teamed with a very successful jewelry company in the Washington, D.C. metro area for a "seasonal" alliance. Buy an engagement ring from the jeweler and earn $100 off a honeymoon cruise from the travel agent. Better yet: the travel agent has a database of the participating couples' wedding anniversaries. Don't you know these couples always hear from him with offers for getaway weekends and special cruises. Wonder what he plans to do for their silver and golden wedding celebrations? More Unusual Marketing Ideas Return: Main Marketing Ideas Menu Return: Idea Site for Business Main Menu Idea Site for Business ©1999 gillINC. All rights reserved. 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