I got this catalog today in the mail from Hubert. This thing is massive…probably an inch thick with a four-color cover. I'm sure it's filled with all kinds of cool stuff (hmmm?) The problem is…I didn't ask for it. I don't know who Hubert is (other than my grandfather's first name) and I don't know what they sell. (Although judging from the photos on the cover it looks like it has to do with food service). Their tag line is "PRODUCTS AND IDEAS THAT CREATE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE" Real nice…not only is it so vague I'm not sure what it means, it's in all caps. Why are they shouting at me?
This little project has to be expensive for Hubert. They're producing this massive paper catalog listing all the products they offer and I'm sure all the pricing. They must've rented the list–I can't think of how else they got my name. I'm sure they've been doing this for many years. This is the perfect example of sending the wrong thing to the wrong person. I'm not even going to thumb through the thing. It's going straight into the trash. All that money wasted. I can almost guarantee there's some poor marketing guy begging the decision-makers to stop this foolishness but unable to get anyone to listen.
Are you guilty of the same thing?
Are you sending the same big, multi-page, four-color summer camp brochure to the wrong people? Maybe its time for you to target your mailings and stretch your marketing dollars to empower your tribe to invite others.
Here's what I mean. If you are sending your big brochure to past campers it might be money wasted. Why not send them a simple postcard saying "The new camp dates and the new rates are available now on the web site. Sign up in the next 30 days and save 10%!" That way you can save your expensive brochure for all those camper prospects who have never been before and need the color photos and the detailed explanations of every session.
Or…send your brochure to past campers. But send them packets of 10 brochures each! Empower your tribe to hit the streets and spread the word about how great your camp experience really is. Give them a great tool that they can pass along.
In 2010, the smart marketer will spend less money blasting her message to the masses and more money empowering her tribe to tell stories and start conversations.
good word brother… this is exactly what i’m going to do…now that i’ve read this. great idea. thanks.
Hubert failed to understand their prospect and wasted a huge opportunity. You may not be that interested in food service at the moment but the 1,000 camps connected to you are quite interested. Perhaps Hubert would have had an opportunity to serve a few of those camps had they figured out a way to serve you. (Providing a fantastic marketing model that you could have pointed to would probably have fit the bill.)
Social media allows camps to engage camper families throughout the year in ways that are relevant and helpful to the families. It seems as though this process would also be tremendously helpful to the camp as it would allow them to get to know their prospects and their felt needs. Can you point to anyone in the industry doing this effectively?