I really wish I had a picture of this one, really. But I will try to draw you a mental picture of it. I was driving passed a very busy intersection on the weekend when I saw one of those light up changeable sign boards for a nationally recognized tutoring business. It started with 'does your 3-5 year old know how to read?' so it caught my attention as I have a 5 year old. So I continued to read and was totally shocked at the next line - 'bring them in so we can touch them'.
WOW!
I hoping that they either meant touch them as inspire them to read or 'teach them'. Someone really needed to be checking (AND FIXING) that sign on the way in. I can tell you one thing for sure, I'm in no hurry to take my son in to be 'touched'!
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
The Biggest Secret for Business Success..
DON'T LIE.
Seems simple I know, but I caught a company, a rather large company in fact breaking the rule.
Yesterday gas prices made a hefty jump (well, atleast in Kingston they did). I was at a red light when my gas light came on (I think I need to reread the chapter on planning, but anyways). Luckily the corner I was at had 4 gas stations on it. 2 of which said 81.9. The other two said 76.4. Well, I may not be good at planning, but I'm not stupid. So I cut across the two lanes of traffic, almost hit a car and turned into Petro Canada as it said 76.4 on the sign. When I got out, the meter said 81.9 though. So I went inside and asked if I would still get the lower price because that's what the sign said. The cashier said no, that he was in the process of changing it. I said I understand, but in the meantime, it would be false advertising and they should honour the lower price until the sign is changed. He said no. Petro Canada LIED! He then pointed me across the street to the other one still reading 76.4. So I left (and will never return) and went across to the Sunoco where they did honour the lower price.
You know the sad thing? When I left the Sunoco, Petro Canada still hadn't changed their sign.
Seems simple I know, but I caught a company, a rather large company in fact breaking the rule.
Yesterday gas prices made a hefty jump (well, atleast in Kingston they did). I was at a red light when my gas light came on (I think I need to reread the chapter on planning, but anyways). Luckily the corner I was at had 4 gas stations on it. 2 of which said 81.9. The other two said 76.4. Well, I may not be good at planning, but I'm not stupid. So I cut across the two lanes of traffic, almost hit a car and turned into Petro Canada as it said 76.4 on the sign. When I got out, the meter said 81.9 though. So I went inside and asked if I would still get the lower price because that's what the sign said. The cashier said no, that he was in the process of changing it. I said I understand, but in the meantime, it would be false advertising and they should honour the lower price until the sign is changed. He said no. Petro Canada LIED! He then pointed me across the street to the other one still reading 76.4. So I left (and will never return) and went across to the Sunoco where they did honour the lower price.
You know the sad thing? When I left the Sunoco, Petro Canada still hadn't changed their sign.
Meet the Meanie
Those of you that have known me a few years have probably heard this crazy idea I had a back in 2004. The idea is that instead of fearing and loathing your competitors, embrace them, in fact, invite them for lunch or coffee. I believe in this concept so much that I developed a set of lunch sessions called 'Meet the Meanie' for different tourism operators.
It worked like a charm, especially for the museum industry. Each museum was struggling to promote themselves on such a limited budget. Collaboratively, they realized their budget for advertising was much greater and they could stretch it further. So they developed a joint brochure, ad campaign and a visit multiple museums passport type activity. It worked to increase the pie and not just the piece of pie, therefore everyone's pieces increased.
In the tech industry I have seen several competitors get together to post joint job ads. Two different ways that meeting your meanie can be effective.
Have you met your meanie? More importantly, have you thought of ways to work with your meanie, instead of fearing them?
It worked like a charm, especially for the museum industry. Each museum was struggling to promote themselves on such a limited budget. Collaboratively, they realized their budget for advertising was much greater and they could stretch it further. So they developed a joint brochure, ad campaign and a visit multiple museums passport type activity. It worked to increase the pie and not just the piece of pie, therefore everyone's pieces increased.
In the tech industry I have seen several competitors get together to post joint job ads. Two different ways that meeting your meanie can be effective.
Have you met your meanie? More importantly, have you thought of ways to work with your meanie, instead of fearing them?
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