NEW SEASON MARKETING - Cheap as bird food...

This may sound a bit stupid to some of you – but I wanted to share this with those of you who want to start the new season with a customer relations focus who don’t want to spend a lot of $$$ and want to do something for your customers that reeks with ‘the personal touch’ for them.

Consider making homemade bird feeders. Not traditional wood & nail feeders but use bagels, peanut butter and birdseed and ribbon or twine. My wife and I did this for our customer Christmas presents this year. When it was all said and done, we had made roughly 400+ and gave each customer 3 in a small Christmas decorative bag along with a Christmas letter from our team and we included discount coupons and VIP customer specials – which was overwhelmingly successful (and to think we almost did not include these because we somewhat felt it might distract from the purpose – to actually give our customers something for nothing – that was a close one).

We had such a crazy response from our customers about how thoughtful, sweet, nice etc. that we are going to do the same for our new season marketing opener. I think what was so cool about this is YES it took us about 4 days off & on (around 20 hours) to make them and 20 hours of my time @ $80.00 per hour adds up to $1600. BUT – the response to the included coupons/specials and the relationships made stronger as a result cannot be measured thus far financially. However, I can tell you this, already we have concluded that the actual realized ROI (return on investment) is WELL beyond the $1600 in time spent.

Just goes to show you – what they say is true…what goes around comes around.

BTW - you can get the HUGE peanut butter containers & the HUGE bird seed bags/containers and a bakery of bagels all at Sam's with little cost when you look at the big picture.

-=KC=-

 

Sounds like a great idea. I gave out home made cookies, my fiance' helped otherwise would have been a disaster, but am thinking of something different for next year. How exactly did you construct the birdfeeders?

 

First, let me set something straight. My wife just came into my office and ask if I need anything to drink and I told her what I posted. Of course, she says to me "did you give credit where credits due" (because this is one of many kerryisms I say a lot). So, IT WAS MY WIFE'S IDEA - NOT MINE.

Anyway, no real construction to it - just repetitive task and time. Actually, just get all your materials together - peanut butter (smooth not crunchy - to hard to work with), bagles and bird seed. Get comfortable (rent a few DVD's or something) - spread out and begin. Split the bagels and spread peanut butter all over both halves (did I mention this is very messy - use your imagination of the fun you can have when it comes time to cleanup if you and your sex partner have peanut butter all over you at the end of the night). Sorry - anyway, then dip them into the birdseed (both sides all over). Last, tie ribbon or twine so they can be hung from tree limbs etc. - That's it!

-=KC=-

Make problems become situations with positive solutions

 

An excellant idea. My wife and I will give it consideration for this coming year's holiday season.

BTW, when you're doing this kind of work it's only worth $6.50 an hour, not $80.

 

Some of the simplest ideas yield the greatest return. I think this was a great idea and hope you won't mind if I become a copycat.
Dave

 

Richard Martin,

I think you missed my point sir. I could have been out doing my normal BULL GRAZER company activities - WORK at $80.00 hour and made $1600.00 (gross). However, because I went with the suggestion my wife (thank God) had about this and did the project with her, I now (to date) have well exceeded the $1600 I MIGHT have made working those 20 hours - GET IT. In other words, my time is my time. And when that time is BULL GRAZERS (company) related - its $80.00 hour regardless if I'm making money or not - this is what keeps me motivated. My salary and other company structure matters (like crew managers bonuses - sons college money - business operations - living expenses etc.) are dependent on me making $80.00 hour.

Do I always make $80 hour - NO

Do I have the potential to make $80 hour - YES

Actually, bottom line is this, $6.50 hour with me on the commpany clock is roughly 4 minutes and 42 seconds of my time - earning it or not.

BTW - why wait for Christmas? Birds eat in the Spring too and its your time to rock-n-roll for the new season.

 

Hi BULLGRAZER,

Thanks for sharing that unique marketing idea!

 

Very inventive all I sent was the chockolet oranges and a card at xmas(as per the wifes advice).I like your idea keeps ya bussi

 

a very interesting and unique approach that you took.