I'm a foodie. A slow-food foodie to be exact. I believe in the value of high quality ingredients cooked slowly with care and attention. (Fast food just isn't my thing)

I'm obsessed with reading cookbooks, magazines and newspapers and anything that ties in my 2 favorite loves - reading and cooking!

There is a wonderful food publication where I live. Definitely the target markets are mid-upper scale consumers who love cooking and going to restaurants. These are busy business people who have money to spend.

The magazine has TENS OF THOUSANDS of readers. This magazine hits the target consumer right on the nose. These readers are "passionately interested in good food and drink."

Which is why their recent back page advertiser made me laugh.

Full page ad. (BACK PAGE NO LESS) Which means it cost over $4,000.

What did the high-end cooking store advertise?

That if you filled out the coupon (and BROUGHT IT TO THE STORE) you would have a CHANCE to win ONE $70 salt and pepper grinder set. I mean ONE for the entire store. ONE for the entire promotion.

1 lousy little salt and pepper set for a potential audience of TENS OF THOUSANDS.

I don't get it.

Drop over $4,000 plus whatever they paid to get a graphic designer to create the ad...and then only offer a CHANCE to win ONE little salt and pepper set ($70 value) to people who are willing to drive for an hour to come to their store??

I call it "McCustomer Kind Of Thinking"

Would You Drive Across Town To MAYBE Win Salt and Pepper Shakers??

I don't think so.

Don't think your customers get excited about the unexcitable.

Promotions are important to selling. Absolutely. But they have to be promotions that actually MEAN something to your customer.

A promotion has to create a sense of urgency, a sense of excitement, momentum - a "Ooooooooooh - I'd LOVE that!" kind of feeling.

What Would I Have Done With That Back Page Ad?

First of all I wouldn't have purchased a Full Back Page. I'd have purchased a HALF PAGE ad (with very cool design) with this offer:

WE LOVE OUR SEASONED CUSTOMERS!

The first 200 customers Receive a FREE
Salt and Pepper Grinder (as seen on Oprah)
($70 value).

Or something even sexier - perhaps a new gadget out of Gourmet magazine etc. Or maybe a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to Gourmet magazine...something that would excite the foodies and actually give them a reason to come to the store NOW.

And then after the first 200- I'd have something to offer THE REST of the customers that would REWARD THEM for taking the time to come to the store and encourage them to buy more.

Remember -the hard cost for the stupid salt and pepper set is probably $10.

Would it be worth spending $10 to attract a customer who will be put into your ezine database, who will probably spend an average of $100 or more per visit FOREVER and who will refer you to other high-end customers FOREVER?

YES!!!

So remember - when you're coming up with your next latest and greatest sales promotion...to actually think of WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE.

And don't get caught in the trap of small-term thinking vs. LONG TERM.
Remember - you want your customers to be "SLOW FOOD" kind of customers who will stick with you for the long haul.

vs. a McCustomer who doesn't have ANY LOYALTY at all.

So there.