Are Your Customers Camping On Your Doorstep?
Category: Hot Marketing TipsBy: Drew Dinkelacker
Case Study: IKEA, iPhone & Fairview German
IKEA, the Swedish Furniture manufacturer, opened a new store yesterday in West Chester, just north of Cincinnati. The line started 48 hours before the scheduled opening. People slept outside in tents for two cold nights in March.
Are your customers that dedicated to you, your business or product? This Cincinnati Enquirer article explores this issue from the customer’s perspective. Click here to read.
However, I am more interested in this topic from the businesses perspective.
Below are three recent events of “customers camping out” on businesses doorsteps that I think you, as a small business, will find valuable.
Case Study #1 – IKEA: Since the announcement of this facility over a year ago, there has been a steady and orchestrated building of anticipation for this store’s opening. From it’s easily viewed location off of I-75 with millions of cars passing by, to it’s fold out mailer that I received at my home twice this week and it’s promise of a free chair to the first 100 visitors and other give-a-ways to the first 2500 visitors, IKEA has demonstrated excellence in marketing. All of this effort garnered substantial coverage in the media including print, radio, TV and online which is more valuable than any print ad or TV commercial. Throughout Southwest Ohio, everyone knows about IKEA, it’s basic location and has positive vibes about it.
Result: Mission Accomplished. Great job IKEA.
Case Study #2 – iPhone: Similar to IKEA, Apple’s iPhone launch was well orchestrated, with customers lining up to buy this one expensive product. There was plenty of media coverage. However, after the launch, sales lagged dramatically. Two months after the much celebrated launch, iPhone dropped the price from $599 to $399 which really ticked off their “campers”. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs published this letter to iPhone campers as he tries to smooth over this thorny problem with a $100 store credit.
Result: Oops. Never tick off those willing to stand in line to buy your product. They will sing your praises when they are happy and scream bloody murder when they are mad.
Case Study #3 - Fairview German: This elementary school is a magnet program and part of the much maligned Cincinnati Public School system. Yet, in February, parents were starting to line up on a Friday afternoon at 4 PM for a Monday morning sign up to get there little ones into Kindergarten. Just like IKEA, this phenomena was well covered in all media outlets. How does a public school with very little marketing dollars end up having prospects camping out on their doorstep resulting in all of that media coverage?
Since Fairview German has been a client of Teakwood Marketing, I can answer that question for you in great detail. It is a combination of a good marketing strategy and luck.
For over six years, Fairview German has had a solid marketing strategy in place and continued to refine it. The result has been a steady stream of prospective parents for the school. For more details of the strategy, read the case study “Building Demand for Elementary Schools” on Free Resources page of TeakwoodMarketing.com.
In order to get “campers” on the doorstep of the school required a bit of luck created by changing market dynamics. Fairview German is getting a new building in a better location next year. This has created a nice buzz in the community. As good options for public school parents in Cincinnati have declined , Fairview has succeeded at maintaining a solid level of academic performance through budget cuts. The teeter-totter effect that has played out as the other school options diminished in value in the eyes of parents, has caused Fairview German to rise incrementally in value. All of those factors together created the high demand with a deadline resulting in “campers” on the doorstep!
Recommendation: Always try to understand why your customer seeks you out. Don't be afraid to ask them. If you do end up getting "campers", be sure to document the experience with photos and copies of the media coverage. Hang them in your lobby which will remind customers for many more years that your business is worth camping for!