Two weeks ago the Electrolux vacuum cleaner rep came knocking on my door. She wanted to enter me in a drawing to win $1,000 worth of groceries. The catch: they are going to follow-up with me (relentlessly) in order to get into my living room, demonstrate their product, and try to convince me to buy one.
Yesterday, a neighborhood kid knocked on my door asking me to buy some pasta so he can go on a school trip. I guess those of us who don’t have kids are expected to subsidize those of you who do? Or subsidize the schools for offering a trip that neither the parents nor the school system can afford? At least it’s pasta; something I can eat; and not some useless wooden holiday trinket or wrapping paper that showed up eight months later. (I’ll save that one for another time)
But these two incidents got me thinking………………..
- Maybe authors should start holding story hours in people’s homes and offices? We could go in and read excerpts of our work in order to ”tease” people into buying. I can go into people’s homes and read them excerpts of Diary of the Happiest Employee on Earth. I can tell them how great the book is and how it will change their organization if they just implement a few of the 52 Provoking Thoughts for Creating a Great Workplace? I can talk about how I am using the tactic of engaging with customers personally; just like what is talked about in the book.
- Or maybe I could just tell people that I need help paying for my trip to the Caribbean this winter? Open communication always will provide for a better employee and customer experience. And surely you want me to be happy and warm this winter anyway. Don’t you?
But what this really got me thinking about is how the very old sales tactic of going door-to-door in order to sell something or grow a database is still en vogue; or schools and vacuums might not be in business. I wonder what other old sales and marketing tactics might still work. What’s working for you?
But in the meantime I have to go buy some pasta. I don’t want to be known as the cheap neighbor or be the target of snowballs this winter.
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RICH DIGIROLAMO, founder Recess At Work, works with organizations to create happier work environments, strengthen work teams, design new programs, and create better relationships with customers and peers. Sometimes even to save a customer.
Are you ready to take a Recess from so-so customer service and to inject more fun and engagement between employees and customers? Invite Rich to work with your team.
