Try It Buy It ... Does It Work?

From: Alan Forrest Smith
Date: 21st November 2005

You want more cash in the drawer? Read this its pretty cool.

Sony had a really cool idea recently.

During the summer in London Zoo as you walked in there was a sign.

It read like this ...

Free Trial of the Sony DVD Camcorder In The Zoo Today.

WOW | WOW | WOW!!! Right?

Now that was cool and you can copy it let me explain.

The mindset of the family arriving at the Zoo was FUN! Fun meant getting the kids Ice-cream, sweets and paying for rides. Now there were ...

...Those Without The Camcorder.

When they saw that sign "FREE CAMCORDER FOR THE DAY" what do you think went through their heads?

Do you think they would be interested?

Sure they were, Sony were tapping right into the mindset of the visitors. The visitors wanted to have fun. Everybody wants fun as a memory. What an ideal way to capture the memory ... on a camcorder and, it was FREE to use for the day.

You can bet they left the Zoo discussing in the car with each other this one question "should we go and buy a Sony camcorder?" Imagine what the kids were saying ;-)

And ...

Those With a Camcorder.

These guys can be part of what we call "early adopters". These are the ones that see the next best thing and WANT IT right away before anyone and take no persuasion.

Now what is interesting they weren't up for buying a new camcorder, no!

But after having the recording carrot dangled in front of their noses which just happens to be,

1.The next big thing.
2. No one else has it.

These guys WANT IT and want it now.

INTERESTING!

I was wondering. What would be the cost of that London Zoo promo for Sony?

Or lets put it this way.

Sony could have splashed out £30,000 for a full page in a national newspaper.

That newspaper would have gone out to say a million buyers. The question is though ...

"How Many Buyers of the Newspaper Would Buy The Camcorder or Even Read The Advert?"

In my expereince unless the Advert has run more than a few time ZERO is the answer.

Apart from anything else it virtually immeasurable (some will say but they can bring in a promo code with the! Yes they can but most DON'T)

(the following numbers are all based on guesswork from myself)

So Sony in their wisdom decide to take say a 100 camcorders down to the London Zoo.

Lets guess 2 get damaged on the day. 95 are returned fine. And we'll guess 3 are stolen (Yes it will happen).

Yet ...

Out of the 100 cameras over 5,000 TRY'S from the public took place.

 

• Everyone loved the camcorder.

• 300 went out and bought one.

• 300 in the future will go out and buy one.

• The rest can't afford one yet but tell everyone about this amazing promo Sony were doing down over at London Zoo.

Now tell be letting your targets TRY BEFORE THEY BUY won't work, Mmmmmm!

The above applies to virtually ANYTHING even services when done right!

You want more business? Get your thinking hat on and work out how to let your targets try before they buy!

Because when targeted ... it works like crazy!

Alan

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