It was closing time at my job and I was asked to do the closing announcements. I was pleased to do the closing announcements as I enjoy them and have been told that my voice is incredible and people enjoy my announcements. I guess I went a little too far outside the box as after one of my announcements a sales manager told me I needed to keep it basic. I said okay and toned down the rest of the announcements. As I left the store and walked to my car I kept thinking that is the problem with Corporate America today as they are keeping it basic and lacking creativity. This thought kept permeating my thoughts and I started to think that it is time for companies across the world to go beyond the basic and do things that people will remember. I have come to realize that in my over 40 years of working for a variety of businesses the ones that were successful were the ones that went beyond basic. I worked for a sports memorabilia and apparel that decided to put together a street team and go to sports bars and youth sporting events to promote their business. Many scoffed and said it wouldn’t work the owner did it any way and a result his business revenue increased as he became the store that was on the top of the mind of the consumer when the sought memorabilia and apparel. Doing things that are unique and different that go beyond the basic is the way to go so that your business will be remembered in a positive way.
In a world where people are still using inserts and direct mail be the one that becomes a leader by being creative in your marketing approach. Look for new and innovative ways that will allow you to move beyond basic. Recently the store I work for did a round up fundraiser for The Pediatric Cancer Foundation where we asked customers to round up their purchase to the next dollar and that money was then donated to The Pediatric Cancer Foundation. I suggested that instead of just asking that we should give out a yellow ribbon with the company name followed by the word cares on them when a customer donated and encourage them to put the ribbon on and post a photo on social media and we would enter them into a contest to win a gift card to the store. I was told good idea but corporate handles that. Later I found out that of the local leadership team wanted to do this they could have. I was amazed but then again I realized that I had a sales manager tell me to keep it basic. If you keep it basic you are going to lose out on opportunities to strengthen your brand and increase your revenue.
Be open to new ideas as the person bring them to you may have a way to implement the idea and make it work. I recently made a suggestion to a charity that I volunteer with about doing min-helmets with their logo on them and using them as a fundraising incentive. I was told we have our own incentive program and people has shown they like apparel over anything else. I replied that in my 22 years I have accumulated enough branded apparel and that a mini helmet would be welcomed change and that I am sure there are many that would raise funds to earn the mini helmet. I did the math 144 mini helmets (The Minimum Order) at $15 plus shipping given to those who raise $200 or more would bring in a profit of $25,920. The mini helmets could then be displayed at volunteers homes or offices creating a conversation piece and thus possibly engaging more people and raising more funds. The organization still hasn’t adopted the mini helmet idea and recently reported that their donations are down. The reason is because they are keeping it basic and not being innovative or creative or listening to ideas that stretch the imagination.
I watch shows like Bar Rescue, Restaurant Impossible, and 24 Hours To Hell And Back and I wonder why many of the business owners don’t stay with the concepts that the successful business people coming to help give them. The answer is simple they are too concerned about keeping it basic that they do not change. If you do not go beyond basic you will continue to struggle. It is time to listen to people and find ways to go beyond basic.
