What's Your Purple Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth

by Stan Phelps

  Those Milano cookies were an unexpected surprise and I can almost guarantee you that she will recount that story a few times. Turns out the folks at Pepperidge Farm make purple goldfish both literally and figuratively.

  2. An extra acknowledgement for a hotel guest [PG #57]

  Jack Monson shared this story from a business trip to Minnesota:

  A few years ago, I was traveling to the Twin Cities often and stayed several times at the same Courtyard By Marriott in the suburb of Eden Prairie since it was close to two clients’ HQ’s. By the third trip in a few weeks’ time, I had a nice surprise waiting for me. I walked in after a cold and delayed trip from Chicago to see a big sign in the lobby saying “Welcome Jack Monson.” The manager informed me that I was their guest of the week (or whatever the title was) and gave me a card for free breakfast in the morning. Not a huge thing, but guess where I continued to stay every time I had to travel to Minneapolis over the next year.

  3. KLM does a little extra for their fans [PG #595]

  Barry Dalton shared the following tweet:

  “A Purple Goldfish to start your morning and creative social engagement by @KLM (cc @9inchmarketing) http://bit.ly/cDs5nt #custserv #cex #scrm”

  Barry shared a story about the Dutch Airline KLM. Here is the backstory on the KLM program : {Endnote 68}

  KLM gives small personal gifts at Schiphol Airport to customers who have indicated through social media that they fly with KLM. If you use the location based social networking site Foursquare or place a message on Twitter at @klmsurprise , indicating that you will fly with KLM that day, it may just happen that the KLMsurprise team finds you and surprises you.

  As soon as someone checks in via Foursquare at Schiphol or another airport KLM flies to, KLM tries to contact him or her through the @klmsurprise account on Twitter. The message hints that KLM has a little surprise. Next the KLMsurprise team comes into action to quickly offer a surprising, personalized gift before the customer is on board.

  Chapter 9

  Third Ingredient: Limited

  “America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced

  human happiness, and it has prospered.”

  - Louis Brandeis

  SIGNATURE TOUCH

  The third of the r.u.l.e.s is the concept of being limited. What does limited mean? If it’s a small token or extra, it means selecting something unique to your business. Ideally you want it to be signature to your brand. Something rare, different or just plain hard to find elsewhere. A limited extra helps you differentiate your offerings, while providing insurance against being copied by competitors.

  Let’s look at four examples:

  1. Apples and Prints [PG #37]

  Gene Willis submitted this gem from the West Coast:

  The Fillmore, a famous San Francisco music auditorium has hosted everyone from The Grateful Dead to Snoop Dogg. At the end of each show they hand out a limited number of music posters… free. Each poster has its own unique artwork, and the date of the show and artist. People collect the posters, and sometimes look forward to getting the poster as much as the show. Generations of posters are framed and make-up the walls. Also, when you enter the Fillmore, there is a bucket of free apples and someone who welcomes you to the Fillmore. No wonder it’s one of the most loved places to see a band perform live.

  The posters and apples are brilliant. It scores high on the five ingredients/rules of marketing {Endnote 69} lagniappe, especially limited:

  R elevant – each is designed with the artist in mind

  U nexpected – the posters are handbills that are distinctive in size

  L imited – a limited run creates that “one of a kind” special feel

  E xpressive – the posters are handed out when the concert-goers leave as a keepsake

  S ticky – a collector item that folks share and talk about

  2. Donut Holes and Milk Duds [PG #83]

  There are reasons native Chicagoans and tourists alike consider Lou Mitchell’s a must visit. From the donut holes and the milk duds while you wait to the double-yolk eggs that make every dish even more sinfully indulgent, Lou’s knows how to do breakfast.

  Located in the South Loop, the restaurant has been a Chicago institution since 1923, and decades later, they’re still dishing out thick French toast, enormous platters of pancakes, fresh-baked pastries, and of course, those famous skillets. The extras are just as delectable. Lou’s boasts pure maple syrup, fresh-squeezed orange juice and slabs of toast served with every omelet.

  Be prepared to make some new friends — chances are good you’ll be seated next to strangers at one of the lengthy tables. Even if you don’t bond with fellow diners, the employees’ perpetually friendly smiles — and free Milk Duds for the ladies — guarantee that you’ll want to return soon.

  3. This example packs a CHOP [PG #218]

  A good friend Doug Pirnie shared his experience of staying at the Four Seasons and receiving a signature purple goldfish when checking out. In Doug’s words:

  “At the end of my stay at the Four Seasons in Singapore, 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 send you a note with my chop!”

  The hand stamp (especially for a Westerner) is something rare and unique. The addition of personalization on the stamp by the hotel makes it special. Two thumbs up for the staff at the Four Seasons who leveraged Chinese heritage to give an sticky compelling gift with the CHOP.

  4. Guatemalan Worry Dolls [PG #238]

  Besito means “little kiss” in Spanish. It’s also the name of an authentic Mexican restaurant based in Roslyn, New York. I met Lilliam Villafane De Giacomo and she waxed poetic about Besito. She spoke of the amazing food, but paid special attention to two added value items. At the end of the meal the restaurant hands out wrapped churros and little worry dolls.

  The following excerpt from a New York Times review mentions the churros and worry dolls : {Endnote 70}

  “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 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.”

  Here is another review from slapphappe :{Endnote 71}

  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.

  Chapter 10

  Fourth Ingredient: Expression

  “The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.”

  - Pierre Corneille

  The How of Marketing Lagniappe

  The fourth of the r.u.l.e.s is expression. Expression speaks to “how you give” as opposed to “what you give.” A purple goldfish is a beacon. It’s a sign that shows you care. That little extra touch demonstrates that the customer matters.

  Let’s look a three examples:

  1. Oh Steward... there is a dinosaur in my room [PG #64]

  One of the signature elements of staying in a state room on a Carnival Cruise is the towel animals. Every night guests return to find one of the 40 different types of animals. A cruise favorite, the folks at a Carnival create about seven million a year. That’s a lot of folding.

  About fiv
e years ago Carnival released a book called, “ Carnival Towel Creations.” {Endnote 72} The 88 pages encompass a “how to” manual on towel animal making. Think it’s easy? New stewards at Carnival spend 10 hours of formal training to master the art of the fold.

  One of the things that I like about the towel animals is how Carnival has leveraged them across their various touch points. They’ve been the focus of advertising, PR, direct mail and online. These towel animals literally have “legs.”

  2. Belt Buckles and a Post-it note [PG #608]

  This is taken from a post by Drew McLellan from Drew’s Marketing Minute {Endnote 73}:

  I am...

  A frequent traveler

  A wee bit impatient

  All about efficiency

  So it shouldn’t surprise you that I have my travel routine down to a science. I can pack for any trip in less than 10 minutes.

  I own a TSA approved messenger bag so I don’t have to take my laptop out when I go through security. I always wear slip on shoes. And I just ordered TSA approved belts so I can scoot through the scanner without having to re-belt.

  When the belts from BeepFreeProducts arrived, I was pretty pumped to open the package. This was the final tweak to my travel ensemble. (I know… I can’t help it. Don’t judge me!) But when I dug past the packaging, I found more than the belts.

  There was also a handwritten post it note thanking me for my order and saying that they’d included a couple extra belt buckles so I’d have some variety to choose from.

  On a simple post it note. Nothing pre-printed, nothing fancy. Just a note from Jim.

  It probably cost him 2 minutes to jot the note. But I felt the love. Why?

  It was unexpected: This was my first order from the company so I had no real expectations. I hadn’t spent a huge amount of money and they don’t have a super sexy website, product etc. So I wasn’t expecting the creativity and the personal touch.

  It was personal: If it had been a pre-printed card, it probably wouldn’t have been as memorable or noteworthy. He addressed the note to me, not “dear customer or sir.” Whether it’s true or not, I felt like Jim really did want me to have those extra buckles. He really cared that I could mix and match my buckles.

  Many people believe that creating a lasting love affair with your customers is going to be incredibly expensive. It doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can’t buy their love. If you try too hard or it feels like you are throwing money at it, rather than throwing your heart into it, it will backfire. Instead of them feeling your love, they’ll feel a little cheap, like you think they can be bought. But let Jim’s post it note remind us all that it’s the heart that counts, not the cost.

  3. It’s not about the Money

  Examples from BMW [PG #190], Les Schwab Tires [PG #17] and The Four Seasons [PG #192]... Total Cost = $0

  BMW of Darien [courtesy of Jack Sarsen]

  When I dropped my car off for service, I had to move 2 car seats to the loaner. Upon my return, a service guy, obviously recognizing the number on the car, walks out to the loaner as soon as I parked and told me to hold tight. Within a minute my car pulled up and two service guys helped me make the car seat switch with my small children in tow. Another walked out and handed me my paperwork and said, “Thank you, have a nice day.”

  Les Schwab Tires [From Cody Goldberg]

  “The service people jog to your car when you pull in to the service center.”

  Four Seasons Hotel [From Stephanie Hadden]

  “When you check in, the front desk attendant will walk around to the front of the counter and hand you your key while using your name and anticipating your every need. This customer service costs them nothing extra but makes you feel like a million bucks.”

  Marketing Takeaway: You don’t have to tap into $$$ to go the extra mile. Being quick, responsive and alert with your customer service can make all the difference.

  Chapter 11

  Fifth Ingredient: Sticky

  “Why wait to be memorable?”

  -Tony Robbins

  Sticking out in a Sea of Sameness?

  The fifth of the r.u.l.e.s is sticky. You want something that sticks. A strong marketing lagniappe promotes word of mouth. Your purple goldfish needs to be memorable and talkable.

  Two questions to ask yourself:

  1. Is it water cooler material?

  2. Will your customer tell three people or 3,000 ? {Endnote 74}

  Let’s looks at four examples:

  1. Dropping the Sticky Bomb [PG #152]

  On January 2nd (officially the laziest day of the Year), “The Make It Great Guy” Phil Gerbyshak dropped a bomb on me. A P-nut bomb to be exact.

  I asked him if he had any examples of marketing lagniappe and he immediately posted this gem from Milwaukee. Phil nominated AJ Bombers. In Phil’s words:

  One of my favorite Purple Goldfish is AJ Bombers (@ajbombers) in Milwaukee. Joe [Sorge] and his team consistently provide the Purple Goldfish by offering free peanuts… shot at you in metal WWII bombers. It’s way fun to get those from the bartenders. Making AJ Bombers even more fun is the fact he is on Twitter, recognizing customers and anyone who mentions the place, hosts Tweetups at Bombers, has guest bartenders where he donates shots folks can sell…with all proceeds going to the charity of the guest bartender’s choice. Full disclosure: I’ve been a guest bartender and raised money for my charity. Last but not least is everyone who wants one can get a Sharpie and put their Twitter handle anywhere they want at AJ Bombers, so when friends come in, they can look for your Twitter name and leave you a tweet… in real life.

  Do you believe in love at first sight? I do now. I’m a huge Five Guys fan because of the free peanuts. In fact – I put them in the Purple Goldfish Hall of Fame based on their peanuts and the handfuls of extra fries. AJ Bombers takes the P-nut to the next level! Move over “El Muchachos Cinco”... you’ve got some company. Of the five main ingredients or R.U.L.E.S, Bombers scores huge on stickiness. At AJ Bombers, the bartenders literally send bombers attached to rails above the bar to deliver the nuts. Joe e-mailed me and added an interesting wrinkle,

  “By the way, not only do we offer free p-nuts to our guests while they are at the restaurant, they always get BONUS unexpected nuts with all ‘to go’ orders. Their reactions are priceless, they love it.”

  Here is a rundown of the Top 5 from AJ Bombers:

  P-nut Bomber – a signature way to deliver peanuts to the respective booths.

  Oversize Beach Chairs – a couple larger than life beach chairs. You feel like a silly little kid while sitting (but isn’t that the point).

  Quad Cow – take on the quad cow at AJ Bombers. After you’ve swallowed the last bite of your four patty burger you can sign your name on the sacred cow that adorns the wall.

  Sharpies – grab a marker and leave you name or Twitter handle on the wall. You are now part of AJ Bombers.

  Streamlined menu – your menu is a narrow piece of paper that details the various burgers. Grab a pencil and start writing... choose wisely.

  2. A handful of Goldfish... plus a real Purple Cow [PG #221]

  Phil also shared another gem from Milwaukee,

  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, 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 use it.

  I
find that businesses that tend to get the concept of marketing lagniappe usually have multiple purple goldfish. They understand that in order to stand out you need to differentiate by giving those little unexpected extras. Pizza Shuttle is no exception.

  Here is a summary of their Top 5:

  The Purple Cow (hat tip to Seth) – How many pizza places have a framed Andy Warhol on display? Genius interplay of pop culture and a homage to the dairy state of Wisconsin.

  A Picture Booth – Take your experience home with you with a branded strip of black and white photos. Great memento for a date with your squeeze or a night out with your friends. A picture may be worth a thousand pizzas.

  The Largest Pie in Wisconsin – Be memorable by offering a $39.95 gut buster. According to an article by Jason McDowell {Endnote 75}, it looks like they throw in the ice cream as an added lagniappe.

  FREE WiFi – This is becoming a no brainer as of late. But again – how many pizza places are offering you complimentary wireless access?

  Unique hold music – Imagine wanting to be put on hold??? Smart move when you have a robust delivery business. Create some fun messages so people can be entertained while they wait.

  3. Promoting Word of Mouth using spare change [PG #672]

  A clean example taken from a post by Ben Popken at “ The Consumerist :” {Endnote 76}