I am sitting in a hotel room in Cour d’Alene, Idaho about to go to my daughter’s softball game. She played three games yesterday and whoever wins the next game goes on to the State Championship! Even though we homeschool, the public schools in Idaho allow homeschoolers to play sports. It has been a great experience…and our kids have felt very welcomed by their public school team mates. It doesn’t hurt that they are pretty good athletes!
Anyway, my daughter hit a screamer to right field and through a series of overthrows and mishaps found her way to home plate and scored the tying run. They went on to win the game and Gentry was voted Most Valuable Player of the game!
I learned a valuable lesson that evening, one that had nothing to do with softball.
When we got back to the hotel, we were all badly sunburned, hot, and tired. Although we had to eat, nobody felt like going out. Pizza delivery was the perfect solution, so we asked the front desk clerks for a suggestion.
Both front desk clerks immediately and enthusiastically suggested the local Pizza Schmizza (honest, that was its name). They both began to rave about the wonderful pizza, great sauces, and gourmet toppings. Not only did Pizza Schmizza offer traditional pizzas, they even included spicy Thai options, even alligator sausage!
“How did you hear about them?” I had to ask.
They replied, “Well, the owners bring pizza to us every week for our break.”
At that point, I had an epiphany.
Who is in a better position to recommend a pizza place to weary travelers than the front desk girls at a hotel? Do you see any lessons here?Find the people who are most likely to connect with your prospective customers and GIVE them a sample of your product!
Now, I’ve heard all the objections. I know you need to make money, and I know you can’t afford to give your product away for free. But giving away samples costs very little, and offers tremendous returns.
Pizza Schmizza has given away dozens of pizzas in this little corner of Coeur d’Alene. Those free samples went to front desk clerks at area hotels, people who could refer Pizza Schmizza to travelers. And Pizza Schmizza backs it up with truly incredible food.
Of course, it is possible that some of those front desk clerks will NOT recommend Pizza Schmizza to travelers. But many clerks will, and Pizza Schmizza knows it. Word-of-mouth advertising is valuable, and they are getting a remarkable bargain.
Is there a chance someone may copy your product and hawk it as their own. Yes, but if you truly have an outstanding product with great follow up and a killer back end (higher priced product for those who want more), the copy cats will not last long. Besides, copy cats are lazy and have very little staying power. They are usually looking for the next thing to rip-off!
You can learn a lot about business promotions and marketing ideas from companies like Pizza Schmizza. By offering free samples, you can expand your business and develop a loyal clientele. It’s time to kiss that small mindset goodbye!
