I recently spent 3 days in the esteemed company of the likes of Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, Yanik Silver, Ron Ipach and Dean Hunt – well, me and several hundred others that is! The Outrageous Academy & Workshop led us through many, many, tried and tested examples of outrageous marketing that WORKS! I do believe that after those 3 days, the ideas have finally been accepted by my subconscious, which is now very busy convincing my conscious mind that these ideas, while wacky and wonderful, DO WORK!
Bill Glazer gave us some in-depth training on the ideas presented in his book – Outrageous Marketing That is Outrageously Successful. He has used these ideas for
Bill Glazer signed his book for me
many years and made millions of dollars within his own menswear retail businesses, and again in the Glazer-Kennedy Insider Circle (GKIC) information marketing business. The book itself is a reference tool like no other, with multiple swipe-and-deploy examples ready for the swiping and deploying! You just have to train yourself to ask “How can I use this in my business to get more clients and make more money?” – and not shake your head saying, “that won’t work in my business.”
Since that weekend, I have seen some examples of advertising that while not particularly outrageous, they certainly are different and made me notice their message. Again, wondering “How can I apply that in MY business.”
Outrageous Marketing at Work
The first one is a rather unique effort by the elementary school to get more parents to give their email addresses to the school so they can better communicate with them… and save some paper by not having to send letters and flyers home with each kid. *Note: there was a 2nd step to this process, with a deadline! See the pic at the bottom of the post. Added Feb 4, 2010.
Pretty good idea to get the kids to get the parents to give up the elusive email addresses so they can get a free homework pass – rather ingenious, I do think!
The next one I saw was a billboard. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of thinking – “I’ll take a photo of that tomorrow”. Tomorrow came, and the billboard was gone! Another lesson taught by my esteemed pals – don’t think about it, do it NOW! Lesson now learned the hard way ; I consider myself appropriately wrist-slapped.
The billboard said “Men have rights too” and gave phone number and website for a local law firm specializing in
This firm are going the opposite direction to everyone else
divorce. It pulled on the opposite emotion to most other companies who advertise to the women. I bet it has caught a lot people’s eyes as they drive by. So, in it’s place is a new billboard – by the same law firm. Check this one out!
This time, by focusing on the kids, they are pulling on the emotions of both sides by intimating that they have the kids best interests at heart. If you don’t want a messy divorce in which your children might get hurt, try us – we’ll take good care of them for you. Pretty outrageous, don’t you think?!
So, now I have to knuckle down and put the outrageous in my own advertising. If you have any ideas you’d like to share, or just have me try it so you don’t look like an eejit (that’s Dublinese for idiot!), comment below and I’ll get back to you. Outrageous only please!
Free Homework Pass
Imagine my surprise when I got a note from my daughter’s school that was a follow-up piece to the notice board message regarding email addresses wanted in exchange for a free homework pass! Not only did I get a 2nd step but there is a deadline to it. Somebody in the school office has decided to become outrageous in their communication to us parents.
I’ve added a pic of the note into the blog post above.