Meet Gibby.
When I was consulting with Debbie, the owner of Olive’s Mud Puddle, she told me how previous marketers had told her to advertise sales to get people to come in the door for her eclectic art and coffee shop.
I get it. Marketing discounts are great for getting people’s attention.
But.
Every visit we have had at Olive’s, every coffee we drank, every art we have enjoyed have not been about being affordable.
Olive’s Mud Puddle is a wondrous work of an artist’s mind. From the name (named after a beloved pet), to the eclectic art, Debbie Whitsett’s love for nature, for fantasy and for art infuses every part of this coffee shop/gallery.
Understanding that, I could not agree with the other marketer’s recommendation that she focus on pricing as a part of her marketing strategy.
At the time, Gibby was a cute little bundle of fur (still is), and I recommended that we start a weekly pet share thread.
A star was born.
Now, I cannot recommend that any other business make their adorable pet the star of their marketing.
It has to fit your business and your audience.
This is why marketing cannot be about a fad. You have to use good marketing principles and techniques to create a system that is unique for you and your fans.
Don’t be a fad chaser. Do what matters, and connect with your audience over what matters, whether that is a love for your pets or any other passion.