Get Customers into the Fast Lane

I was driving my kids to school today and noticed a very large sign in the window of our local music store.Free Guitars...inquire withinEven though I don't play the guitar, I took notice.Is this store just handing out free guitars to anyone who walks through their door? Of course not.They're utilizing a very powerful marketing strategy that will ultimately bring them more prospects, customers and sales.And, it couldn't be more simple. Here's the brilliant strategy:If you sign up for 12 guitar lessons, you will receive a free guitar for the duration of the lessons. Once you've taken lessons for 2 years, the guitar is yours to keep.Very smart marketing.So, how can YOU implement a similar marketing strategy into your small business?1. Identify a BIG roadblock.

The music store realizes that there are prospective students who can't take music lessons because they don't own a guitar. That's a pretty big road block. If the students don't have a guitar, they aren't going to sign up for lessons.So, what roadblocks exist for your prospective clients and customers? Identify a few reasons why they are not taking the next step to do business with you. That's the roadblock.

2. Provide the solution.

The music store knows that if they are going to get more sign-ups for music lessons, then their students need guitars.Therefore, they provide their students with free guitars if they commit to 12 lessons. Problem solved.How can you provide a way around the roadblock that your customers are facing?

3. Build the cost into your pricing plan.

This is exactly how cell phone carriers are able to offer free phones to new customers. They have you sign up for a 2-year plan and then include the price of the phone inside that plan.And, the music store is doing the very same thing. They build the cost of the guitars into their lessons.Neither the cell phone company nor the music store is incurring any extra cost with this marketing strategy.

4. Deliver on your promise.

If you're promising a free guitar, then you need to provide a free guitar. There should be no hoops to jump through, no fine print and no surprises for your customers.

5. Put your offer everywhere.

Strive for massive visibility by promoting your offer on all of your marketing platforms. It should be Tweeted, Facebooked, blogged about and released in press releases.The more prospective customers who see you offer, the more "takers" you will have.So, does this strategy really work?Well, I stopped by the music store to find out if customers were interested in the "Free Guitar" offer.Not surprising, there were three customers signing up for guitar lessons. They couldn't wait to get their hands on a free guitar.My guess is that it's working pretty darn well!

I love witnessing good marketing first hand.

I was driving my kids to school today and noticed a very large sign in the window of our local music store.Free Guitars...inquire withinEven though I don't play the guitar, I took notice.Is this store just handing out free guitars to anyone who walks through their door? Of course not.They're utilizing a very powerful marketing strategy that will ultimately bring them more prospects, customers and sales.And, it couldn't be more simple. Here's the brilliant strategy:If you sign up for 12 guitar lessons, you will receive a free guitar for the duration of the lessons. Once you've taken lessons for 2 years, the guitar is yours to keep.Very smart marketing.So, how can YOU implement a similar marketing strategy into your small business?1. Identify a BIG roadblock.

The music store realizes that there are prospective students who can't take music lessons because they don't own a guitar. That's a pretty big road block. If the students don't have a guitar, they aren't going to sign up for lessons.So, what roadblocks exist for your prospective clients and customers? Identify a few reasons why they are not taking the next step to do business with you. That's the roadblock.

2. Provide the solution.

The music store knows that if they are going to get more sign-ups for music lessons, then their students need guitars.Therefore, they provide their students with free guitars if they commit to 12 lessons. Problem solved.How can you provide a way around the roadblock that your customers are facing?

3. Build the cost into your pricing plan.

This is exactly how cell phone carriers are able to offer free phones to new customers. They have you sign up for a 2-year plan and then include the price of the phone inside that plan.And, the music store is doing the very same thing. They build the cost of the guitars into their lessons.Neither the cell phone company nor the music store is incurring any extra cost with this marketing strategy.

4. Deliver on your promise.

If you're promising a free guitar, then you need to provide a free guitar. There should be no hoops to jump through, no fine print and no surprises for your customers.

5. Put your offer everywhere.

Strive for massive visibility by promoting your offer on all of your marketing platforms. It should be Tweeted, Facebooked, blogged about and released in press releases.The more prospective customers who see you offer, the more "takers" you will have.So, does this strategy really work?Well, I stopped by the music store to find out if customers were interested in the "Free Guitar" offer.Not surprising, there were three customers signing up for guitar lessons. They couldn't wait to get their hands on a free guitar.My guess is that it's working pretty darn well!How have you taken down roadblocks that your customers have faced? I'd love to hear!