www.VisibilityCoach.com

April 1, 2008

In This Issue

Embarrassing My Kids! - A Note From the Coach

"Oh my gosh, Daddy please don't do that!" my 8 year-old daughter Sydney implores me this morning. We had stopped at the grocery store on the way to school and I made a b-line toward the produce section, grabbed a Chiquita banana sticker off the bunch, and promptly stuck it smack in the middle of my forehead. As I walked around the store, acting as if there was nothing out of the ordinary, Sydney did everything she could to pretend that she wasn't with me. Her horror only ensured that I would not take it off under any circumstances.

"You are so embarrassing, Dad," she says to me. "Are you kidding?" I reply. "I haven't even begun to embarrass you! Just ask your older sister. You have no concept of the lengths I am willing to go to humiliate you in the years to come." She just rolls her eyes. Too fun!

From others in the store, I get a few surprised and confused looks, but mostly smiles. Perhaps many of them were able to hearken back to childhood when they wouldn't be caught dead in a supermarket without a Chiquita banana sticker on their forehead. Or was that just me and my siblings?

In this month's article, I talk about the power of the unexpected and how to harness it to draw attention to your business and your brand.

On a side note, as spring begins to creep in and out here in beautiful Colorado, I hope the warming weather serves as a reminder to not only stop and smell the roses, but to plant a few as well.

Happy Spring!

David Avrin
The Visibility Coach

That Was Unexpected

By David Avrin – The Visibility Coach

The opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, is among the most familiar of all literary passages: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…"  And these words ring so true when it comes to effective brand marketing as well.  On one hand, we live in an amazing age where the promotional options, vehicles and venues are more vast and creative than in any time in human history.  But on the other, the competition for the eyes, ears, thoughts, time, attention and wallets of business prospects is almost overwhelming.

So how do you turn that head, perk up those ears and command the attention of consumers when so many are competing to do the same thing?  One of the best tactics that I share with my audiences is using the power of the unexpected.

Small business guru Mark LeBlanc (www.smallbusinesssuccess.com) talks about the importance of taking yourself from the back of someone's mind and traveling to the front.  Whether your business is new or you've been around for some time, it's important to constantly remind people who you are, what you do, what makes your different and why they should buy from you.  People are busy.  We forget.  You have to remind us.

At Denver's Children's Hospital we did a groundbreaking for a new expansion project some years ago, not with the traditional dignitaries holding shovels and wearing hard hats, but with cute little kids in plastic hard hats and plastic shovels scooping from a giant sandbox we constructed for the event.  Great photo op!  Made the front page.

A small-town jeweler wanted to draw attention to the fact that they were the only ones carrying new Russian diamonds, so when the first shipment arrived, they hired an armored car and drove down main street with a police escort, lights flashing and sirens blaring.  With velvet ropes holding "crowds" back, they made the arrival of the diamonds akin to the arrival of the crown jewels or a priceless work of art.  The press bit and awareness for the shop was off the charts.

Often times you can draw attention to your product, service or expertise by offering up an assertion that is contrary to public opinion or conventional wisdom.  It's the service expert that asserts that the "customer is always wrong."  It's the diet guru that explains that "fat doesn't make you fat!"  It's the futurist that tells you that everything you know will be wrong or outdated next year.  It's the "motivational" speaker who says: "Shut Up. Stop Whining and Get a Life!" (Larry Winget)

What's the net result?  You perk up.  You're curious to learn more.  You remember what was said or experienced in part, because it was not what you expected.  If you want to be remembered by your customers or clients, give them something to remember! 

Prior to the release of the iPhone, the internet was littered with pictures and diagrams that people had created, envisioning what the much-touted new phone from Apple would like.  None were even close.  Others had assumed it would be a variation of the classic white iPod with a track wheel and other overly-simplistic features.  But true to its history of innovation, Apple gave the world something completely unexpected and dominated the news and our conversations for weeks.

But it doesn't take massive budgets and vast R&D teams to deliver something worth talking about.  An offsite airport parking company in St. Louis has their shuttle vans covered in bright spots.  Scott Ginsberg speaks to companies about the power of approachability and wears a peel-and-stick nametag 24-7 that says: "Hello, My Name is Scott."   The local fast-food joint sticks a poor teenager out all day on the sidewalk in a chicken outfit. You want to draw attention to passing motorists?  Trust me, it works!

History is littered with great examples of companies that took off after doing something unexpected.  In 1958 Crayola introduced a big box of 64 crayons.  But the kicker was the fact that it had a built-in sharpener!  Twenty years ago, Freshen-up gum put gooey, minty gel centers in their square gum. The "squirt gum," as some called it, was a sensation.  (I loved it, but my dad didn't like gum that "peed" in his mouth.)  And who doesn't remember the first time they saw a car shaped like a giant hot-dog driving through their town.

In this age of commodity and a marketplace filled with "me too" companies and products, stand out and be remembered by doing something that catches people off-guard.  Be the "zag" to everyone else's "zig," and you'll be well on your way to achieving that coveted top-of-mind position with your customers.

David Avrin is known internationally as the Visibility Coach. A noted speaker, author, branding consultant and executive coach, David shows professionals and organizations how to stand apart and raise their profile in a competitive marketplace. Visit him online at www.visibilitycoach.com.

Meeting Planners: David Avrin's popular marketing and branding programs have been presented to enthusiastic audiences across North America and as far away as England, Singapore and Bangkok. Interested in booking David Avrin to share his engaging marketing and branding insights with your clients or organization? To learn more and watch his preview video Click Here.

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David Avrin is known internationally as the Visibility Coach. A popular speaker, author, branding consultant and executive coach, David helps position professionals and organizations to stand apart from their competitors and become top-of-mind with their top prospects. Visit him online at: www.visibilitycoach.com.

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