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Newsletter #917: The “Do It Just for Them” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]

Something amazing happens when you make specific groups of people feel welcome, special, and understood: They talk about you. Even if your stuff is something for everyone, you can still do remarkable things to let special groups of people know you care. Here’s how:

1. Make them feel welcome
2. Make an event for them
3. Make their lives easier
4. Check it out: Gif.TV

1. Make them feel welcome

Pet-friendly hotels, while hard to come by, aren’t necessarily remarkable. But one hotel in San Francisco goes above and beyond to make pet owners feel welcome and not just accommodated — and that’s worth talking about. At the Argonaut, they write each visiting dog’s name on a welcome board and hand out treats from the “Pet Treasure Chest.” While a dog bed and some food and water bowls would have been enough, they sweat the details and made an exceptional experience for a special group of people: pet lovers. The next time their friends ask where they can take their dog in San Francisco, who do you think they’ll recommend?

The lesson: Focus on the little details that mean a lot to special groups of people.

Learn more: Brains On Fire

2. Make an event for them

Events are great ways to get your fans excited about your stuff — but you can make them even more impactful (and start more word of mouth) if you can personalize an event for a specific group. The Nashville Sounds minor league baseball team did this with “Faith Nights.” For five nights they tailored their game entertainment specifically to church youth groups with Christian bands and players who could talk about their faith after the game. Baseball is not an inherently Christian activity, but by making a special event for them, the Nashville Sounds’ average attendance went from 4,800 to 11,000 with all of the youth groups that “Faith Nights” brought in.

The lesson: How can you make an event something special for a specific group of people?

Learn more: National Communications Association

3. Make their lives easier

A lot of retailers require you to sign their packages before they hand them over — but coming home to a “sorry we missed you” note from the delivery guy is frustrating and inconvenient. That’s why Apple lets you pre-sign a form and tape it to your door saying it’s OK to leave it there. This is great for busy people — and a great topic for word of mouth. It’s a simple change that shows Apple understands their busy customers and wants to make their lives easier.

The lesson: What small change can you make in your business as usual to show a special group of people that you understand?

4. Check it out: Gif.TV

Here’s something for everyone. Click the channels to see what’s on Gif.TV.

Check it out: Gif.TV

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