4/101 Relentless Marketing Ideas: The Biz Card Fishbowl (Classic)
If you run a restaurant or retail store, don't overlook the classic marketing
mainstays, like the business card fishbowl.
Make sure you've got the classic fishbowl with the sign: "Win a free lunch.
Drop your business card here." (or variation).
Have a sheet with name, address, etc. fields for those without a card.
Include lines for email address and fax.
Every day, you are building your contact database and identifying local
business prospects. You are getting a goldmine of information that can aid you
with corporate and group sales, gift card sales, etc. And best yet, when you
award the free lunch, odds are the winner will bring others. Keep track of party
size and incremental sales; you might want to award multiple winners each week.
Feel free to give them a time frame or even to get them to choose a day for
their free lunch. Consider adding VIP treatment and making them customer of the
day. Consider alternatives to actual fishbowls that fit your theme, such as an
Asian vase for a Chinese restaurant, a brass spittoon (unused) for a Texas BBQ
joint, etc. [Source: A classic as old as fishbowls themselves]
It's easy. Free. And relentless.
More ideas:
1/101 Relentless Marketing Ideas: Name-That-Customer! Contest
Remember CHEERS? People want to go where everyone knows their name.
2/101 Relentless Marketing Ideas: Free Photo Day (or Night)
Fun. Effective. Nearly free. Relentless marketing at its best.
3/101 Relentless Marketing Ideas: Mini-Business Card With
Freebie. Effective Marketing gets no cheaper than this, friends.
5/101 Relentless Marketing Ideas: The VIP FaxBlast Your
customers have money to spend. You've got stuff to sell. You've both got fax
machines. Let's get together!
Relentless marketer
Sean Kelly is a 20 year veteran of the franchise industry, and founder of the
award-winning marketing firm IdeaFarm. In 2006, he founded the FranBest franchise network, best franchise opportunities, the top new franchises, franchise marketing, franchise public relations and small business marketing. Contact
him at seankelly[at]ideafarm.net.
