How I turned $500 into $75,000+ (and you can, too!)

One of the delightful marketing reps I've dealt with (for more than ten years now) once had gotten on my nerves so bad...I just didn't know how to tell her to take a hike.

You see, she was trying to rope me into signing up for a booth at "Bavarianfest," which was a local event sponsored by the Business Association (of which I was a member). The event would feature German food (and beer!), rides, polka bands, games and lots of booths from local businesses trying to huckster a few bucks from the locals.

Not exactly the funeral marketing sweet spot...or so I thought.

So I pondered this rotten dilemma, and came up with a half-hearted PR plan that I really didn't put much stock in. I would rent a booth ($50) and man it myself (in khakis and a polo shirt with the company logo on it-I always believe funeral folks are much more approachable in garments outside the realm of the suit). I would hand out left over giveaways items from previous events (pens, matches, scratch pads, calendars, etc.) and chocolate chip cookies (about $70 worth from the local bakery). I also requested the purchase of a 20" color TV ($200) to raffle off. To justify this expense to my superior, I showed him a raffle ticket I had designed for each entrant to complete, with one single but very important line at the bottom..."Are you interested in funeral prearranging? YES/NO." Those that circled YES would be contacted by our preneed counselor du jour and those that circled NO wouldn't be contacted. With a skeptical gleam in his eye, he agreed.

That evening, as I stood there sweating and mentally composing my resignation letter (which would surely be warranted after this dismal flop), I sipped a cold one and waited for the crowds to fly past me and crowd like vultures amongst the Avon and Shaklee Vitamin offerings to my left.

I never got to finish that resignation letter.

When people saw that I had nothing to sell, only freebies to snag and cookies to snarf, they came, they saw, they stayed. I got to hear all about how we buried Aunt Mabel back in '58 and everything was SOOOO beautiful. I got to hear about the late owner's generosity and college hijinks (I'm sure they had him confused with someone else...) and most were more than happy to enter in the drawing for the TV. At the end of the evening, I got up on stage to announce the winner of the drawing and was carrying the TV to the lady's car when she curtly informed me that she had her arrangements already made (at our competitor)...

ME-(forced phony smile)-"All that matters is that you've had the foresight to help you family like that."

I tried not to drop the TV too hard into her trunk.

The end result of that night was about 20 people indicating that they were interested in prearranging, and the preneed books swelled by more than $75000 from those interested folks.

An investment of less than $500, with advertising included and valuable PR opportunities to connect with people and a tidy sum in the old preneed bank. Hmmm, I think we could all use some "dismal flops" like that, eh?

I'd like to here of some brave things you all have tried...long shots that may or may not have worked. You never know when a little tweak might send that idea right to the bank!

Thank goodness fall is coming soon!

Best,

Dan Heaman, CFSP
The Guerrilla Director
www.guerrilladirector.com