“No woman should work this
hard on her birthday!”
That was just one of the many
comments that I heard while talking with customers in line at the Olde Creek Store in Dawson Creek last week. The mood was positively festive! Customers
were smiling, and not one bit concerned about having to wait a wee bit during
the busier moments throughout the day.
What began in 2004 as a
unique way for store owner, Tanya Machula, to celebrate her 40th birthday
(a birthday that many of us wish to forget), has become a highly anticipated
annual event. You see…..that first year Tanya didn’t just give 20% off, or even
30% off…..instead she offered her customers a whopping 40% off! For the past 8
years that percentage has grown in direct relation to Tanya’s age and last week
the sale was 48% off storewide.
Tanya’s Birthday Sale is a
perfect example of something called “Lagniappe” (pronounced Lan Yap)
What the heck is lagniappe?
Let me explain…two years ago I stumbled across a very cool website by Stan Phelps. His blog was all about this strange thing called “Lagniappe” and
something that he called his “Purple Goldfish Project”. I was intrigued.
Phelps defined Marketing
Lagniappe or Purple Goldfish as any time a business goes above and beyond to
provide a little something extra for the customer. He also described it as
Marketing G.L.U.E. (Giving Little Unexpected Extras). The blog was filled with
great examples of Marketing Lagniappe and his book, “What’s Your Purple
Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth” will definitely
make you think.
The concept resonated with me
so deeply that I have never forgotten about it. In fact, I watch for examples
of Purple Goldfish wherever I go and if I see a cool one…I either blog about it
or tweet about it.
Tanya’s sale is wonderful
example! In fact, it is the WHALE of a Purple Goldfish!
And the best part? Tanya’s
unique marketing approach isn’t another fish story….it is authentic, it is
sincere…..it is real.
Even more unusual is her
marketing approach for the annual sale. There is no designated twitter hashtag,
no radio ad campaigns….she shares the information via facebook, an email
newsletter and signage at the store.
I particularly loved the sign
at the store entrance titled, “Tanya’s Birthday Sale Rules”. The last rule was:
“Have fun and be gentle with other customers”.
“Gratitude is an attitude”
and when business owners live that statement each and every day, Marketing
Lagniappe can come easily.
Other great examples of
lagniappe:
·
Being served a free
beverage or appetizer while waiting in line at your favourite restaurant;
·
A note or a treat
waiting in your room at a hotel where you have previously stayed;
·
Dealerships who clean
your car (inside & out) when you bring it in for servicing;
·
A hotel which offers a
safety check-in for those guests who like to go for a solitary jog in the a.m.
or p.m.;
·
A dental office which
allows you to “plug in” your ipod or iphone and listen to your own playlist
during your appointment (music can assist with anxiety)
Have I got you hooked on
looking for Purple Goldfish? If you see one, you can always go to www.marketinglagniappe.com and
share it on the Purple Goldfish Project page. While you are there, take a
minute and read through all of the others that have been submitted. They are
pretty amazing!
