The PURPLE GOLDFISH PROJECT: 1001 Examples of Lagniappe
PLEASE RT —>
I need your help. I’m desperately seeking a purple goldfish. . .
I’m in search of 1001 Examples of Marketing Lagniappe for the book, In Search of Your Purple Goldfish.
A marketing lagniappe, i.e. purple goldfish, is any time a business goes above and beyond to provide a ‘little something extra’. It’s that unexpected surprise that’s thrown in.
Here are the basic ingredients / rules of a purple goldfish:
Relevant, Unexpected, Limited, Expression and Sticky.
5 examples / thought starters:
- Southwest Airlines – Grab you bag . . it’s on. Southwest doesn’t charge for bags
- TD Bank – TD Bank has a penny arcade in their lobby, a free service to all who want to exchange coins
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries – Free peanuts while you wait and extra fries with your order (lots of them)
- Stew Leonard’s – Buy $100 or more of groceries, the register MOO’s and you get a free ice cream or coffee
- Doubletree Hotels - Complimentary warm chocolate chip cookie when you check-in
REWARD – For each of the first 1001 examples of lagniappe I will donate a non-perishable food item to the Thomas Merton Center. The Merton Center is a soup kitchen in Bridgeport, CT that not only provides food, but other programs that help people move out of poverty to become self sufficient.
In addition – each Purple Goldfish example will be featured on the website and the best examples will be featured in my upcoming book.
3 easy ways to contribute:
- e-mail me your Purple Goldfish to stan [at] 9inchmarketing.com
- click the CONTACT button in the header above
- or write a comment on this page including your Purple Goldfish
Bonus: If your ‘purple goldfish’ makes it into the book in 2010 . . . you will receive a complimentary signed copy.
Which brands have made the cut?
(here is the alphabetical list of the first 210)
[A] adidas #204, Amazon #51+165, Aqua Pools #80, Acura (Bridgewater, NJ) #97, AJ Bombers #152, Alligator Lounge #205, American Girl #112, Audi #133, Apple #147, Aveda Spa & Salon #160
[B] Baron Funds #73, Beaver Creek Resort #129, Bed, Bath & Beyond #85, Ben & Jerry’s #4+13, BLT Steakhouse #182, BMW (Circle NJ) #72+150 (Bridgeport CT) #190 (Darien, CT), Bob’s Discount Furniture #126, bosc Marketing Muscle #139, Bridgeton Hotel #89, Hotel Burnham #141
[C] Canyon Cafe #159, Capital Grille #122, Caribou Coffee #2, Carnival Cruise Line #64+208, Carter’s #27, Chicken Delicatessan #127, Chick-fil-a #125, Citizen’s Bank #33, Classic Barber of Greenwich #157, Classic Shine Detailing #82, Clement Marketplace #209, Coca-Cola #186, Cosi #32+206, Courtyard by Marriott #57, Croc’s #184
[D] Del Frisco’s Steak House #118, Demas #173, Denny’s #7, Diamond Cabs #81, Disney #12+149+171, Doubletree Hotels #5+#16+30, Dr. Drysdale #197, Dr. Greg Preston #169, Dry Cleaning Factory #90
[E] endless.com #181, Enterprise Rental Car #105, Enviro Express #84, Ethan Allen #102, etsy.com #188, Exclusive Resorts #119
[F] Fairfield Granite #59, Father & Son’s #43, Fillmore San Francisco #37, Finger Nail Salon #28, Firebox.com #70, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Foam + Wash #121, Ford #155, Fort Wayne International Airport #176, Four Seasons Hotels #192+218, Friendly’s #75, Fromagerie Rumson #163
[G] Gallery Furniture #62, GAP #55, Good Giving #21, Google #46, Grand Central Racquet #63, Grooming by Debbie #104, Ground Round #53
[H] Hard Rock Cafe #26, Harley Davidson #178, Heights Restaurant #31, Herman Miller #158, High Voltage Tattoo #151, Home Warranty #201, Horizon Air #78, Hotel Murano #185, Hotel Vitale #194, HSBC #145, Hyatt #10+146
[I] IKEA #41+147 + 191, Ikedas #35, Insomnia Cookies #29
[J] J-six #207, Jason Deli #199, Jet Blue #19, John Allen’s #68, John’s Barber Shop #77
[K] Kid City #88, Kimpton Hotels #109+#110, Krispy Kreme #18
[L] Land’s End #128, Langhorne Hotel #24, Les Schwab #17+156, Lexus #1+23+48+69+200, Listel #99, Little Nell #98, Los Cabos #87, Lou Mitchell’s #83, Lovefilm.com #108, Lozano Car Wash #130, LUSH #189
[M] Maroni Cuisine #223, Mario’s Barber Shop #47, Martin + Osa #86, Martin Guitar #60, Maxwell House #183, McDonald’s #8+44+100+114, McLellan Marketing Group #136+137+138, Midwest Airlines #142, MIP #168
[N] Native Eyewear #58, New Belgium Brewery #162, New Jersey #132, NINJA #111, Northwest Airlines #106
[O] Odwalla #198, Ogori Cafe #203, Oxford Stuff #135, Outagamit Airport #180, Overstock #166
[P] Pacific Cafe #143, Panera #45+#50 + #154, Paste Magazine #34, Patriot Bank #61, Peabody Hotel #113, Pepperidge Farm #134, Plaza Cleaners #123, Port Columbus Airport #179, Publix #96+117, Purchasing Power #196
[R] Ralph’s #167, Redeye Grill NYC #79, Reno – Tahoe Aiport #177, Rod Oglesby Realty #153, Roger Smith Hotel #174
[S] Sage Valley Country Club #120, Scrub a Dub #6, Sephora #101, Sky Lake Hospital #187, Slay’s on Main #172, Southwest Airlines #93, Speck #175, Splash Car Wash #67, Starbucks #9+20+36+40, Stew Leonard’s #91+124, Subway #39, Super Food Town #71, Sushi Time #164
[T] TD Bank #49+76+92, Tim Coffey #65, Tom Quick Inn #210, Tom’s Shoes #3, Toyboat Desserts Cafe #144, Toys R Us #15, Toyzam #115+131, Trader Joe’s #42+161
[U] USAA #56, US Postal #14
[V] Velocity #174, VW (New Country Greenwich) #193
[W] Wegman’s #116, Wells Fargo #38, Westminster Hotel #74, Whole Foods #11+22, WineLibrary.com #170
[Z] Zappo’s #107+195
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#203. Submitted by Valeria Maltoni from a post on PSFK
Ogori Cafe
Cabel Saasser brings word of a mysterious cafe that he recently experienced in Kashiwa in Japan. Located inside the Urban Design Center Kashiwa-no-ha, the Ogori cafe looks innocuous enough, but holds a surprise in store for its patrons. In a nutshell, you get what the person before you ordered, and the next person gets what you ordered. Thus, if you’re in on the game, you can choose to be either a generous benefactor, and treat those that come after you – or try your luck at being cheap. Either way, it’s an interesting experiment that explores surprise, kindness and encourages interactions.
[Full Post which includes a funny story: http://www.psfk.com/2009/10/ogori-cafe-service-with-a-surprise.html
#204. Submitted by Eileen Scully
adidas (from an article in Brandweek)
Taking their cue from cereal makers like Kellogg and General Mills and Cracker Jack, which pioneered the idea in 1911, sneaker makers are including a little something extra in their shoe boxes.
adidas, Nike, Reebok and New Balance have all recently started including in-box codes and other methods that let consumers get an experience that goes beyond wearing their new shoes. adidas is the latest to jump on the trend. On Feb. 10, adidas Originals sneakers will include a code that lets consumers partake in an augmented reality program.
The adidas initiative, via agency Sid Lee and Metaio, which developed the AR component, centers on a virtual neighborhood that the footwear maker created as part of its brand identity and ongoing campaign themed “celebrating originality.” Five sneaker models (Superstar, Stan Smith, Samba, Nizza and Forum) with an AR code printed on the tongue will hit exclusive retailers Champs Sports and Eastbay.com starting next month. By holding the code in front of a Webcam, consumers will be able to access the virtual neighborhood and interactive games (created by Xform) at adidas.com/originals.
The move is part of a scheme by adidas Originals to use technology to help sneaker lovers form an emotional connection with the brand, said Chris Barbour, head of digital marketing for adidas Originals. “We think we’re ahead of the curve by using AR in a way that hasn’t been used before—by tying it to a commercial product and online gaming,” Barbour said. “This is about giving consumers an additional benefit.”
[Editors Note: ‘an additional benefit’ . . . a little something extra . . . a purple goldfish. Full article @ http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/digital/e3i68e64a3cf2727350f92301207d9da1bc
Submitted by Matt Sheehan
#205. Alligator Lounge
Matt recommends the Alligator where the pizza is always on the house:
[Here is a snippet from the NY Magazine]
Inside what was once the Galleria pizza place, this bar’s turquoise walls, pink flamingoes and Romanesque details don’t quite gel, yet one crucial feature remains intact: the arched, wood-burning oven. Because of the owners’ sensational idea of serving free personal pizzas every night until 3:30 a.m., this unremarkable joint has turned into a loveable hangout that’s a great first or last barhop stop. Young and old Williamsburg folk congregate along the bar, in the maroon, open-angle vinyl booths, and around the green pool table. A booming jukebox and Big Buck Hunter Pro game in back provide entertainment. A selection of 10 draft beers complements the delicious crisp-crust pies, which are on the house with every drink; toppings like pepperoni, caramelized onions and flavorful sweet sausage are available for an extra $2. — Karen Hudes
Read more: Alligator Lounge – - Williamsburg – New York Magazine Bar Guide http://nymag.com/listings/bar/alligator_lounge/#ixzz0eatdDY4N
[Editors Note: A free pie with every drink . . . that's a lagniappe worth writing home about]
#206. Cosi and there free flatbread samples as you wait in line. Always hot and delicious
#207. J-six
I had the opportunity to visit J-six in San Diego. J-six is a restaurant run by the Kimpton Hotel Group. The conference I was attending was hosting a small networking lunch at J-six. Somehow the lunch order got jumbled and we did not receive a main course. I don’t know if it was the organizer or the restaurant, but suffice to say we walked away with an empty feeling about J-six both literally and figuratively.
Upon my return I received an e-mail from the manager apologizing about the experience. He generously offered to provide a gift certificate, but due to our location (New Jersey) he extended a gift certificate to Nordstrom’s. That was a nice unexpected touch from J-six and the folks at Kimpton. A very purple goldfish indeed.
#208. Submitted by Micky Baehr:
Carnival was submitted earlier in the Purple Goldfish Project at #64. They create animals from their towels and place them on your bed at night. Here is a e-card from Carnival wishing Micky a Happy Birthday. Clever use of the towel animals:
http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/bdayecard/?sender=Carnival&receiver=Maurice%20Warren%20Baehr%20Jr
#209. Submitted by Gibby Hartnett
Clements Marketplace
“At the market that I shop at here in Portsmouth Rhode Island (Clements Marketplace) they do a bunch of “extra” stuff for kids and adults. The one I thought was most impressive is that they will sharpen your knives for free if you bring them in. Just a little something extra that you don’t get at stop and shop or shaws.”
#210. Submitted by John Phelps Sr.
Tom Quick Inn
“Here’s something similar. It might not qualify as an up-front lagniappe, but it sure left a positive impression.
The Tom Quick Inn in Milford, PA has a nice practice… If any part of your dining experience is less-than-hoped for, the manager is most likely to serve you dessert “on the house”. Nice.”
#211. UPS Store
The local UPS store has a nice little extra they offer customers in this tough economy. If you are unemployed they will print 10 copies of your resume and send 3 faxes for free.
#212. From Laura
Jesse’s Toys
The week before Christmas, I was shopping for my youngest nephew in Jesse’s Toys, a family-owned toy store in Orange, CT. The salesperson (who happened to be the owner), saw me admiring a particular toy, and asked me if I needed assistance. I told her I liked this particular toy for my 4-year-old nephew, but that it exceeded my $20 budget. She asked me a little bit about my nephew’s personality and interests, and steered me towards several appropriate toys in alignment with my budget. The perfect toy I fell in love with was actually $2 over my budget. As I asked her to retrieve it for me from the shelf, she asked, “But, what about your budget?” Wow! What really struck me about this was that she really had been listening to me, she was sensitive to my budget constraints, i.e., she cared about the customer. She was focused on selling the perfect toy, rather than selling an expensive toy. $2 may not sound like much, but when you are shopping for multiple holiday gifts, going over budget regularly can really add up! Anyway, I felt so appreciative for her concern, that I ended up also buying some brainteasers and fun jewelry for the older kids (who would have otherwise received impersonal Target Gift Cards), and ultimately spent more overall than on the original one toy I came in for.
From Eric Kutner
#213. TGIFridays are some of the only restaurants that consistently offer a free appetizer for completing their survey after eating there. One could argue this is to get one to do the survey, but it’s still an unexpected offer given that most chains offer nothing or next to nothing for doing the same thing.
#214. Mealey’s Furniture in Philly region has a cafe for anyone shopping there stocked with first class snacks (Doritos and other name brand chips, soda, candy, coffee, and water) and you can have whatever you want.
From Linda Glassel
#215. Was at Mealey’s Furniture over the weekend. they have a whole set-up in the middle of the store, where kids (and parents) can go and get treats including a whole fridge of sodas, water, etc., jars of candy, ice cream…..and then kids can play some pinball, etc. it makes it a pleasure to shop there…..and you can write your order up while dining on twizzlers. it isn’t “one per person” and monitored by someone. just a relaxing little area while shopping.
#216. costco….the king of samples….always a pleasure to shop there….
#217 From Brittany Bosse from Bloom Processing
“In New Orleans we have a saying. It’s called “lagniappe”. It means “a little something extra”. I’ve been raised by this saying my entire life. I’ve always believed that when you do something or give something, you always do “a little something extra”. That’s how I want to work for you.
I’ll do your first 100 images for free. I’d like to use those first images to get you to try me out. I’d like to use them to get to adapt to your style. Use them as a consultation to build a relationship with you as a client. It’s your images, they should reflect you. Many companies charge extra for this. Not me. It’s just Lagniappe. It’s part of what make me different from everyone else.
Send me 100 of your images. I can’t wait to work with you, to give you more time to give your clients “a little something extra”.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!”
Check out http://www.bloomprocessing.com
#218. From Doug Pirnie
Four Seasons
“At the end of my stay at the Four Seasons in Singapore in 2005, they gave me my own personal “chop” – a stamp with my own insignia on it. Chinese tradition is for all documents to be “stamped” with the owner’s/writer’s/artist’s chop.
If I can find it, I’ll end you a note with my chop!”
#219. PHD
There is a media buy agency in New York City named PHD. I had the opportunity to visit a friend there a few years ago. There was one thing that really caught my attention when I visited there offices. On the walls they had different pieces of art. Each piece represented a client they served. In each frame they found a way to incorporate a picture of whoever was the lead from the client. A nice and personal purple touch from the folks at PHD.
#220. From fellow AKPsi brother Joanne
Joanne relayed a story about a carpenter who was doing some crown molding in her house. The carpenter noticed one of the spindles on her staircase was broken. When the job was just about complete the carpenter brought in a new spindle and repaired the staircase as an added value to Joanne.
#221. I was just thinking about one of my favorite Milwaukee Purple Goldfish, Pizza Shuttle. From the original Andy Warhol “Purple Cow” in the dining area, to the fantastic hold messages (old ones are archived at http://pizzashuttle.com/old.html), to the old Pizza Shuttle trading cards they let people collect of their drivers, to the fact you get free pizza on your birthday, to the in-store photo booth perfect for taking pictures, it’s all fun. Couple that with late-night delivery of pizza AND frozen custard AND chicken AND burgers, fun, unique people who work there and you get an amazing place to eat and an experience for everyone.
A few other wonderfully inventive things they do:
The world’s largest pizza, available for dine-in only;
An amazing program where they give back HUGE to the community they serve;
Delivery to all the colleges, hotels, and universities in the area;
Employing nearly 100 people in a town that can desperately using it.
Mark and Lou have a purple goldfish attitude, and deserve to get spotlighted as purple goldfish in your book.
#222. From Elisa Huijsman
Frontier.nl
“Hi Stan, have a look at http://casper.frontier.nl/ intriguing site, not their core business, just a spin off of their work, but gave them a lot of free press and attracted adverts. A purple goldfish in disguise?”
[Editors Note: Frontier makes interactive online tools / app's for the aviation industry. Casper was a way to showcase their skills by developing a free app. Check it out. Very cool]
#223 From Clark Johnson of http://www.misalestrak.com
“Maroni Cuisine in Northport NY is consistently rated by Zagat voters as either the best or among the best restaurants on Long Island. Mike Maroni beat Bobby Flay in a throwdown! The meals are exclusively customized tasting menus, prix fixe, with all the wine you can drink included.
At the end of the meal, hours later, guests are generally presented with jars of Maroni Pasta sauce as a Thank You. Once you have used it, you want to go back for more (both the meal and the sauce!).”
#224. Submitted by Russ Raman
Max Motors of Missouri
Buy a car at the dealership and they’ll thrown in a free semi automatic gun.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/16345443/detail.html
#225. Submitted by Cheryl Ahto
Josh Early Candies
“Word of mouth marketing will get you into the store. Sampling their famous nonpareils will turn you into a repeat customer before you’ve even walked out the door. Josh Early Candies is a fifth generation family business based in Allentown, Pennsylvania and they understand marketing lagniappe. The quality of their candy and their friendly, hard-working sales people make for an unforgettable customer experience. But it’s the purple goldfish – the free, incredibly delicious, nonpareils that will keep you coming back for more. Believe me. I’ve been buying their chocolate for decades!”
#226. Bistro Montage in Portland, OR
Tucked under the Morrison Bridge in Portland is a restaurant that boast a handful of purple goldfish. Here are 3 of my favorites:
1. A signature dish in Spam and Mac. Macaroni & Cheese with your favorite mystery canned meat.
2. Oyster and Mussel Shooters – slimy fellas served in a shot glass with some cocktail sauce and horseradish. Once ordered – the waiter or waitress will immediately scream to the kitchen . . . OYSTER SHOOOOOTER
3. Your leftovers get wrapped up in tin foil. Move over balloon animal guy, the staff at the Bistro will WOW you with their animals. Check out this scorpion http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3471644200_4cfda7bc2f.jpg
#227. From Andrew Lock of ‘Help . . . My Business Sucks’
Arby’s
Arby’s wants to give you a free roastbeef sandwich. Each receipt has a bold call to action. Fill out a customer survey and you receive a voucher for a free sandwich.
#228. From the blog of [Chris Brogan]
Disney
“Custom is everything. Look at these flowers. The Disney Imagineers made them for the Hanes event:
(see picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisbrogan/4354612465/ )
They’re made out of socks. First, it’s cool because they look like flowers. Second, it looks like a fun craft you could do with kids. Third, it’s something that didn’t have to be there. And yet, because it was, the dinner looked custom to the rest of the Hanes Comfort Crew and me. Disney SAW us. They knew we were there.”
[Full post at http://www.chrisbrogan.com/custom-is-everything-do-you-agree/ )
#229. Rimsky-Korsakoffee House in Portland, OR
Haunted tables and freaky bathroom at this coffee house with no sign.
Taken from a comment on Yelp.com:
Hidden coffee house is late night must
If some friends hadn’t brought me here one late night after dinner out, I would have never known about it. It’s in a converted Victorian house with no signage out front to give a hint that you’ve found the right place. That’s just part of the charm on the outside. On the inside, you’ll find cool tables that all sport some funky secret to them, but it’d be mean to spoil them here, so I’ll let you find out for yourself.
I highly recommend their desserts here. I had this dense, chocolate mousse bowl, and I salivated over every bite. My coffee friends love their creative drinks, and they also offer some tasty tea choices. They have live music on several nights, which just adds to the already funky ambiance. Definitely end your night here with a date, friend or family — it’s great for anyone.
Tip: Tables are hard to come by later at night but hang in there, the wait is worth it.
#230. Bar 89 in Soho, NYC
Bathrooms worth talking about . . .
Taken from nymag.com:
In case you haven’t heard: As palatial as Grecian bathhouses, Bar 89’s unisex stalls have glass doors that are transparent until you lock them, an action that magically renders them opaque. But cool as they are, the potties can’t entirely explain this place’s popularity. The chocolate martinis are delicious, and the bar snacks irresistible enough. But we suspect that the real secret of Bar 89’s success has something to do with—dare we say?—democracy. Call it SoHo lite: The stark, glass-and-aluminum loft aesthetic feels chic enough, but it’s familiar (you’ve seen it in dozens of movies) and accessible to anyone able and willing to pay $10 to $15 for a drink. Or maybe it really is just the bathrooms.
Read more: Bar 89 – - Soho – New York Magazine Bar Guide http://nymag.com/listings/bar/bar_89/#ixzz0g22MpjoJ
#231 Fat Cat Pizza
Fat Cat Pizza
Fat Cat Pizza serves up tasty thin crust pizza. The little extra they throw in comes by way of Penzey’s Spices. Your server deliver a little red tray containing 8 signature spices from Penzey’s.
Check out this review from Steve over at TripAdvisor.com
“I measure time in DSLFCP: Days Since Last Fat Cat Pie. There is nothing else like it. Sure, you can get a better crust elsewhere, but a Fat Cat pie would not work with a different crust. For this combination of spices and ingredients this kind of flatbread crust is essential. And the Penzey’s spices make it totally addictive. I can’t go for more than a few weeks before I have to go back, it is that simple. And I won’t eat pizza anywhere else in the meantime (well, a few times a year I’ll go to a top notch pizzaria like Strada 18, but I don’t consider great traditional pizza addictive).
This is a place you love or you hate. Whiners and complainers seem to sometimes hate it. Those with discerning taste buds who recognize that pizza, wine, salad and cheese are in fact the only things worth eating will love it. The ambiance is not perfect, but in the presence of inspired food and wine at ridiculously low prices can it really matter?”
232. Tiffany & Co.
One of the nice extras that Tiffany provides (in addition to the little blue box) involves free lifetime cleaning of your rings.
From the Tiffany.com site:
“Tiffany offers complimentary cleaning to keep your ring as beautiful as it was the
day you received it. An expert will check your stone’s setting and give your ring a
thorough cleaning.”
My wife and I will stop by once or twice a year and drop off our rings. Come back in an hour or two and they’ve given you a complimentary steam, buff and polish. A very nice touch.
#233. The Village Market, Submitted by David Haney
Stan-
Good to see you this morning. My Purple Goldfish is from The Village Market in Wilton. They have a sign posted over the exit that says, “No Tipping Please” and goes on to say that they are happy carry your groceries to your car without any consideration of a tip or gratuity. Just part of the experience of shopping there.
Wishing you continued success with the project. And I’ll keep you posted on the progress we are making with USA Fitness Corps.
David
#234. From Seth Godin’s blog @ sethgodin.com
“When I was growing up, we used to stop in a diner in Deposit, New York to break up the long drive from Buffalo to New York City. This diner had a really engaged staff and always one practical joke or another subtly present. (I still remember the little notice on the bulletin board once, “Henway for sale, $45. Ask cashier.”) It was enough reason to drive three miles out of our way, a few times a year.”
[Editors Note: I think a henway is a reference to a joke. The notice is meant to entice the question, "What's a henway". I've never been to Deposit, but I think the answer is 'About 4 or 5 pounds'.]
#235. From the folks over at Gaspedal
“College students love Chegg for their cheap textbook rentals, free shipping, and eco-friendly business philosophy.
Chegg believes that renting a book instead of buying it new helps save trees. This isn’t just their corporate mission statement, the company actually functions around this core value. For every book they rent, they plant a tree in return.
As the customer finishes their transaction, Chegg presents a world map and asks the customer to pick a country or region to plant their tree in. It’s a simple, visual way of engaging during the transaction process and giving back to the community at the same time.
Customers can then tell the world what they did by linking their Chegg transaction to their Facebook profile or Twitter account.”
#237. From a guest post over at Repman blog by Sam Gordon
“Last month Domino’s Pizza started their Pizza Turnaround campaign, telling consumers that Domino’s has heard the complaints regarding their pizza and is responding. As I’m sure you’ve seen, Domino’s takes its campaign farther than simply advertising a new pizza. It displays real customers’ most negative tweets and comments with actual Domino’s chefs reacting to them.
I, for one, thought this was genius and audibly gave the ad a wow the first time I saw it. One of the rare times a company actually admits its mistakes (before a giant recall or government takeover) and makes a commitment to correct the course.
Knowing I had the money back guarantee in my back pocket if it was a train wreck, I picked up the phone and ordered two mediums for the first time in six years, i.e. college.
The result: eh.
Better? From what I recall of their pizza, yeah, it’s better – especially the crust. But I’m still not a fan of their pizza.
Here is what I am a fan of though:
After my pizza experience, I took ten minutes and gave feedback on their corporate site. I received no immediate reply and thought I suppose those comments went into a database and will be ignored, or they’ll just cut me a check or perhaps they are planning to film a surprise visit to me with free pizza and use it for their next commercial?!
Actually, the last was not far off. A week later I received a phone call from the local Domino’s franchise owner. After apologizing for the delay, she offered me a full refund, but said that she would love the chance to change my mind by sending my entire office pizza that day for lunch. She was confident if I tried a few options that I would enjoy Domino’s Pizza.
Impressed with the personal touch, I was game to try and have my mind changed. She ended up sending my office five pizzas and happily accepted everyone’s feedback, the positive (there was more than I expected) and the negative.
To me, this is the impressive part of Domino’s campaign.
Not only is the company taking a chance and displaying some vulnerability (my ex girlfriend would be so proud), but they are backing up their marketing efforts with good old-fashioned customer service and moderately improved pizza.
This campaign made me wonder why more companies don’t take such bold measures as to admit there might, just might be something they can fix with their product (I’m looking at you AT&T Wireless Coverage, United Airlines and Star Wars Episodes I, II and III).
Sure, after our office pizza party I still really didn’t love Domino’s pizza, but here’s what happened when I told the franchise owner that. She offered to have me come into the store and taste all of the different options they have. She’s still confident I will find something I like – I’m going in this week.
I suppose the reason that more companies don’t take such bold measures is because they are unwilling to follow them up with bold actions. Bravo Domino’s for trying.”
#236. From Joe Sorge (owner of the legendary AJ Bombers)
Stan,
The lagniappe story that I’d like to add is one of the super luxury resort Las Ventanas al Paraiso of the Rosewood group of properties. While the world has come to expect unparalleled facilities and service from this company and this resort in particular, nothing could have prepared my wife and I for the lagniappes we would experience here.
On our very first full day at the resort, while we were enjoying all that Los Cabos has to offer, the guests services group at the resort was busy preparing a personalized mending kit to match our wardrobe! Done in a slightly larger than matchbook sized kit emblazoned with the Las Ventanas logo. We’re quite proud of ours.
As we we’re enjoying cocktails and some late afternoon sunshine poolside our “pool butler” stopped by to offer a freshly iced bucket of bottled water and evian cool water misting spray, of course we gladly accepted. He then proceed to help himself to each of our sunglasses so that he could clean them by hand. It’s at this point that he points out the extensive library of current books, Kindles and Ipods that he has available if we so desire. We were blown away. Not less than 20 minutes later, the poolside service team stops by our sunning station to offer freshly made, ice cold, chocolate coated sorbet! It cannot get better than this.
At the end of each evening as part of the resorts “turn down” service for each suite, they left a small token of each day at the resort. This is a small sand pottery sculpture of some shape or form, one night a starfish, another a seahorse and yet another a sea turtle. We have quite a collection.
My wife and I recall these pieces of marketing lagniappe by this resort very, very fondly and certainly have told this very impressive story many dozens of times. If you’re ever looking to splurge a bit and experience the ultimate in a pampering vacation, please consider the very fine hospitality of Las Ventanas al Paraiso – http://www.lasventanas.com
Joe Sorge
Milwaukee, WI
@ajbombers
#237 Submitted by ‘Social Jack’ Campisi
Apple
Apple ‘One to One’. For those of you who may not be familiar, Apple offers a years worth of personal lessons when you buy a computer at an Apple Retail Store. The program is called ‘One to One’ and it cost $99 http://www.apple.com/retail/onetoone/
From Apple’s site:
“One to One features three different ways to learn. If you prefer to learn face-to-face, Personal Training Sessions offer an uninterrupted hour with a Trainer. As experts in all things Apple, Trainers provide guidance, support, and creative inspiration. If you prefer a small group setting, exclusive One to One Workshops are a unique opportunity for you and a few other members to work with a Trainer on special interest topics.
You can also learn from anywhere, on your own schedule, using your One to One web page. Your personalized One to One page lets you access hundreds of tutorials, schedule and manage your appointments, and explore projects created by other members.”
[Editors Note: I took advantage of the program in 2009 and probably took about 20 one hour lessons. Such a wonderful little extra . . . worth way more than the $99 investment]
#238 and #239. Submitted by Lilliam Villafane Di Giacomo
Besito
“So here’s the name of the restaurant with the link: Besito (http://www.besitomex.com/)
The following excerpt from a NYT Review posted on their website under Press mentions the churros and worry dolls.
“The best dessert was the churros given gratis to every table. The warm, long spirals of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar were delivered in a white paper bag. Along with them we were given tiny Mexican “worry dolls” to be put under our pillows to take away worries. My only worry was the amount of delicious food I’d just eaten.”
[Editors Note: Here is another review from slapphappe]
A fresh dish of chunky guacamole is created at your table side from perfectly ripened fruits in a molcajete, the authentic Mexican basalt lava version of a mortar and pestle. It was near perfect for my tastes. Even at twelve bucks a pop we occasionally have two bowls. Their beef enchilada, huevos rancheros and chicken enchilada in creamy tomitillo sauce are all very good.
Service is excellent. At lunch today we were each sent home with a complimentary “worry doll” and a wrapped churros to go. Legend has it that Guatemalan children tell one worry to each doll when they go to bed at night then put the dolls under their pillow and in the morning the dolls will have taken their worries away.
#240. Submitted by Mary Heath
International Tennis Hall of Fame ( http://tennisfame.com )
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in historic Newport, Rhode Island. The Hall of Fame was looking for new ways to differentiate itself and provide added value. They decided to create a policy that kids 16 and under were admitted for free. They became the only attraction in Newport that provide that complimentary benefit, ie. purple goldfish.
#241. Staples
Staples offers a Free PC Tune Up.
#242. Brandeis University
Someone told me the story about a recent trip to Brandeis University with their son. After the campus tour they went back to the Admissions office and were given a fresh hot chocolate chip cookie. A ‘little something extra’ that stood out.
#243. Cum Laude Group
Cum Laude Group is a construction company in White Plains. I met someone who told me about their experience working with Cum Laude. Cum Laude was remodeling their kitchen. At one point they decided they wanted to do a small stone backsplash. The owner of Cum Laude mentioned that he had some left over stones from a previous job and that he would throw them in as a complimentary add on.
#244. Submitted by Mary Ann and Micky Baehr
Bank of the Islands in Sanibel Island, FL. Here is the description from Mary Ann:
“Micky was super impressed with the service of a local bank on Sanibel Island. We needed a document notarized and walked in for help. The staff was warm, welcoming and provided the service with….’no charge’…….and asked if they could be of further assistance……
(also suggested the best place for lunch in the area)
made him want to open an account at the branch……
The motto of the bank…..
“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”
#245. Submitted by Will Prest (CMO at Transamerica)
Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop
“When you pick up your professionally strung racquet, you get a new can of Penn balls with the Michael Lynne Tennis logo and Name in big letters on it. It is a nice gesture, plus his balls are left all over the clubs around town. Here is the website address: http://www.mltennis.com It got me to visit the site and I read a few of the articles on there…they were a nice surprise.”
[Editors Note: This is taken from an article about Michael Lynne's from Cynthia Sherman. Full post at http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/articles/2007/11/2007_prospecialty_retailer_of.html ]
“…it’s not only about sales. Fully supportive of Minneapolis’ large tennis community, Lynne puts kids’ and local team photos on his back wall along with local tennis stories and news. And he’s happy to offer tennis tips to his customers and encourages them to “test drive” racquets for free.
…Clothing is grouped by size and the price is always visible. Racks are never overcrowded and pieces are displayed on the wall so customers can see them as “outfits.” When customers try on clothes, they find large dressing rooms with excellent lighting. Also, all the employees don various tennis outfits to work so customers can see what the clothes actually look like “on.”
The store also has six stringing machines, so, as Michael notes, “You can have your racquets strung while you wait.” But even “waiting” at Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop is a pleasure. Customers can watch the Tennis Channel on TV while having a snack or sipping gourmet coffee the shop supplies.
“We’re a destination point,” Lynne says. “People have to drive here, so we want to make sure our staff is well-informed on the merchandise and offers great customer service.”
“Michael and Mimzy personify customer service, and they teach their staff to take this approach,” says Greg Mason, senior director of sales for HEAD. “It’s the little things like greeting each customer, then thanking them as they leave, writing thank-you notes to repeat customers — that really makes the difference.”
The staff, adds Mason, is always upbeat and motivated. “It’s apparent they ‘get it,’” says Mason. “The Minneapolis tennis market is the real winner.”
[Editors Additional Note: ... the little things can really make the biggest difference. AMEN]
#246 Submitted by Robin Sanderson of The Sanderson Group
Sephora
“Sephora has a Beauty Insider program. The customer signs up for free and purchases give you points redeemable for product sample sizes. The “extra” is that on your birthday they offer a free birthday gift (not tied to a purchase or any point accumulation). It is boxed, says birthday gift on it, and has a decent product assortment/theme. Last year it was 4 small tubes of lip gloss. This year it is a trio of eye makeup products – an eye shadow, eye liner pencil and a small mascara.”
#247. Submitted by Laura Posey (@lauraposey)
Dancing Elephants
“I’m a strategic consultant with clients all over the country. After our first consulting session, I send them a book that is hand-picked based on the area they need help with. Each month I send another book to keep them focused on what they really want to accomplish.
The books are not part of the consulting they buy, but rather an extra surprise each month.”
http://www.dancingelephants.net
#248. Submitted by Shel Horowitz
Principled Profit (Marketing Consultancy)
“I’ve been a fan of lagniappe long before I learned the word (on a
trip to New Orleans in 1984). I use it often in my business. Some
examples:
When a client is in my office for a marketing or resume consultation,
I will often provide a quick course in how to use Web or computer
software (for instance, demonstrate how to add content to a WordPress
site or set up a gmail account).
If I’m hired to do a small writing project (such as a press release),
I may throw in a mini-website critique (which often leads to more
work for me, as I may be hired to fix the copy).
If a client seems stressed on arriving at my office, I offer a cup of tea.
For two of my books, I include a substantial bonus package with a
face value considerably larger than the book. One of those books
includes an unadvertised bonus (an e-copy of the same book, delivered
immediately). The other, the bonus package is worth $2600, which is
109 times the retail price. (A third includes two extra chapters to
keep the book updated).
I give quite a bit of lagniappe in the form of publicly dispensed
advice, often to people who aren’t even clients. For 15 years, this
has brought me more clients thana nything else I do.
As a speaker, I offer an additional program at a deep discount, since
I’ve already made the trip.”
[Shel is a marketing consultant and copywriter with an international
clientele and author of eight books, most recently Guerrilla
Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and
Your Planet (co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson). You can find him at http://principledprofit.com ]
#249. Submitted by EJ Kritz
Cartridge World
“To begin, we’re in the business of refilling and remanufacturing printer cartridges. We offer a free delivery service to our business customers during which time plenty of things can happen opening the door for added value.
For example, if we’re delivering a cartridge for a laser printer but the businesses fax machine is on the fritz, it’s only natural and fitting that we’ll do anything we can to help get their fax back up and running. Similarly, many of our franchises keep a “toner vac” in their delivery vehicle. This vacuum is specially designed to handle the fine particles in toner. It’s a HUGE benefit to our customers (as silly and small as it sounds) to bring in the toner vac for a complimentary cleaning of their laser printer before we put in their new cartridge. This service is the printer equivalent of getting a free car wash each time you get a tank of gas… it doesn’t help your car run better but it sure does make you feel good.
The last example is something almost universal regardless of which Cartridge World franchise you visit. It’s quite simple actually. Each and every business delivery comes complete with a _Tootsie Pop. _You see, purchasing our product is all about saving money. However, typically the person saving the money (the business owner) is not the same person taking the delivery (the office manager). This little token makes everyone smile in the middle of a busy day! In fact, many of our owners could even tell you the favorite flavor of pop for each of their top customers. Simple, and yes, sweet.”
#250. Submitted by Shawn Cribari
Thomas J. Walsh Contracting in North Salem, NY
“During major home renovations, we had to move out of our house for a week. Our general contractor let us stay in his summer home, as his guest (gratis!) for the week.”
#251. Submitted by Betty Wolf
Paradise Music http://www.paradisemusic.us.com
“Hello! We are an independent record label company of new age music. Our customers are the mom and pop book stores, gift shops, and unique stores, all mostly being very small. They purchase our CDs and with every title they purchase we send them a freebie (demo) so they can play it in their store if they like. We also send them a free acrylic counter top display case when they order 20 or more to help them have a place to put our product. We give 60 day terms, and do not require a minimum purchase quantity, so if they just want to try out one or two, that’s what we’ll give them (and with the free demos!) And finally, we don’t make them pay for shipping our product to them. We pay the freight. So in a nutshell, our value added little extra gift to them is:
free demos
60 day terms (almost like consignment for them)
no minimums
free display cases
free shipping
Not sure this is what you’re looking for, but it excites us to be able to give our small retailers a better chance for survival….”
#252. Submitted by Michelle Harris
Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Gifts
http://www.dedrickspharmacyandgifts.com
“We are a small gift store that goes to Heroic Lengths to exceed our customers expectations. We partnered with a wonderful American candle company called Legacy by ROOT. Each season Root introduces new fragrances and they generously send us samples. When the customer least expects it we hand them a free votive candle with a burn guide. They are always delighted and they love to hear about all the features and benefits of the votive. It is such a treat to hear the feed back, and even more when they purchase a full size of the sample.”
#253. Submitted by Julien McRoberts
Julien McRoberts
Editorial, Lifestyle & Architectural Photography
http://www.julienmcroberts.com
“I work as a photographer primarily for interiors and editorial
content. The norm in my industry is that the photographer shows up,
takes the photos and delivers the content. I go one step extra with
my clients and that is I help market their work or project as an extra
bonus. A few of my clients benefitted from that this month as I got
one the cover of the New Mexico Magazine, another I got a 4 page
spread and another co op of artists a 6 page spread in May.
My clients are ecstatic and I additionally pass leads on to them where
appropriate. Images available.”
#254 Submitted by Heather Logrippo
Distinctive Homes
http://www.distinctivehomesonline.com
“I own Distinctive Homes Magazine and have had a lot of success growing my business through social media sites through Facebook. So, one of the things I do for my clients, and even for people who aren’t my clients, is train them how to have the same success on Social Media sites. I will take my time, meet with them, talk with them about why it’s important, help them set up their own account and coach them on what kinds of activities lead to success. I believe that even though this has nothing to do with my immediate business – which is the magazine – if I can help my customers and potential customer find success, success will eventually come back and find me – and it has! We’ve had people who would never normally do business with the magazine, sign up because of my willingness to help them navigate the unknown of social media and I’ve also had people who aren’t interested in the magazine hire my company to manage their social media sites because they don’t have the time. So, I believe that going above and beyond is what we MUST do to stay competitive. What goes around comes around
”
#255. Submitted by Judy Roberts
Green Dragon Herbals
“Here’s how we do lagniappe. Every order at Green Dragon Herbals http://www.greendragonherbals.com
gets a little something extra in their shipment.
We like to wrap items in tissue and tie with a bow. We like to use
organza gift bags and cute printed cellophane bags. AND we always toss
in a little extra. It might be a tea light candle, or product samples,
but there’s always a little something extra.
I love getting packages in the mail, and I love finding a little
something extra in my order, don’t you?
Just adds a little smile to their day.”
[Editors Note: Nice way of looking at it Judy. Sometimes its not what is given, but how it is given. Love the bows and bags.]
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