What makes designer minds tick? Well, you can read a bit about what makes me tick on Jen Goode's blog post (thank you for the interview, Jen!), and the other thing that makes me tick? McDonalds Asian salad with crispy chicken and a small fries!
My favorite fast food lunch for three reasons:
1. It's salad, so I feel like I'm eating healthy.
2. The fries are only a $1...and I can totally justify them because I just ate a healthy salad.
3. If I blog about it and post a photo, I can participate in a cool promotion and earn money (and you can too) adding to my online experiences to share with you :-)
So yes, I put those last crispy fries from my lunch right on the scanner (looking for the glass cleaner now).
My tasty lunch aside, whether or not you love the $1 menu, filet-o-fish (my second favorite fast food lunch) or Asian salad, consider this: McDonalds knows you. They found you here, didn't they? And if you're running an online business with Cafepress or otherwise, you need to know your customers too. The better you know them, the more effectively you'll reach them, and the more responsive they will be.
McDonalds isn't even an online company, and they're finding a way to reach out to us bloggers and blog readers online. Because a blogger has to eat eventually, right? It's brilliant. And can work in reverse. If you run an online business, reach out to your customers off-line. If you sell hobby specific T-shirts, like quilting, for example, try advertising in a quilting hobby magazine. Many magazines will offer cheap advertising in the back if you're willing to buy up the "leftover" space for your ads. Or even more specific, if you're into the hobby yourself, wear your shirt to an event with like-minded folks.
One way that I've reached out off-line to specific customer groups is by donating some of my products to conventions and fundraisers. Luckily I've had people contact me for this, but you can easily look up conferences and fundraisers for specific interests, look at their advertising info, and donate mini buttons, stickers, or magnets to conference-goers' "goodie bags." By donating they will often print your name and company web site in their program and if your web site is on your give-away item, it also doubles as a marketing tool. Know someone who sells stamping materials at parties? Give them your latest stamping T-shirt to give away at their next party. Know a local sewing shop that has regular events? Again, offer to donate a few products as give-aways.
By tapping in to people's passions...and getting your products right in front of them, you'd be surprised how off-line marketing can boost your online business. Big off-line corporations like McDonald's are getting it right...finding us online where our passions are. We can learn from them. And I'm lovin' it.
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My McDonalds lunch came from the New Brighton McDonalds in Minnesota off of County Road D. The fastest, friendliest McDonalds I've ever been to.
Do you blog? You can participate in McDonalds blog promotion. Click the widget below for details...
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