Dropping the Marketing Ball at the 10-Yard Line: My Lunch Trip
This weekend, I had an eye-opening experience at a popular local chain restaurant. Picture this: a vibrant setup complete with the well-known national brand's mascot, a spinning wheel offering freebies like drinks and sandwiches, and an enthusiastic crowd including my 12-year-old daughter and her friends. But the atmosphere quickly deflated when the line of partcipants, including us, found out spinning the wheel wasn't exactly free—it cost a dollar.
When asked about the hidden cost - because it wasn't on a sign or anywhere on the display - the Marketing Director said it was announced on social media. But let's be honest: how many of us actively follow chain restaurants on the gram for updates, or attend a dining experience just for a "free dessert spinner" we saw online? I know I don't. This put the Marketing Director in a cumbersome position of having to field questions from confused patrons, leading to a stream of negative one-on-one interactions. Yikes. The worst kind of interactions for a brand: denying access to something that should be accessable to all.
Dropping the ball at the 10-yard line—it's when you're so close to a marketing touchdown but fumble right before the finish line. So, what could have been done differently?
Clarity and Visibility: If there's a cost, make it evident. A post on Facebook isn't enough - signs at the table would have saved a lot of disappointment and confusion. But this only moves us to the 8 yard line...
Payment Options: We're in a cashless era. Enabling digital payments like Venmo would have catered to a broader audience. But this only moves us to the 4 yard line...
Turn it Into an Opportunity: If the goal was to cover costs, why not make the payment optional and tie it to a local charity? Surprisingly, optional donations often garner more generous contributions. Plus, rotating the charity could engage the community on a continual basis. AND TOUCHDOWN FOR THE MARKETING WIN!!
By neglecting to include clear signage and relying solely on a social media post for communication, the marketing initiative unnecessarily complicated the Director's job and led to missed opportunities. Marketing isn't just about the big picture - the devil is in the details.
Furthermore, a little extra work of making it charity focused, partnering with diffrent charities each week or month and making it optional would make this in-zone territory!
So, would you have handled it differently? Your insights are welcome below.