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al-tru-ism [noun]: unselfish concern for the well-being of
others.
When altruism meets marketing, the result is free publicity, revenue
now and later, phenomenal customer loyalty, and turbocharged
word-of-mouth for your wellness business.
It's the perfect marketing opportunity for health clubs, wellness
centers, yoga and other mind/body practices, and complementary and
alternative healthcare practices.
A few recent examples from other industries:
Jos. A. Bank, a men's clothing store: if you buy a $199 suit now and
lose your job in the next three months, they refund your purchase price
- and let you keep the suit
FedEx Office: provided free resume printing all day long on March 10
AutoNation, Kia and others: will make several months of car payments
for buyers who lose their jobs
Walgreens: will treat minor health problems at in-store clinics for
those laid off
What's the business payoff?
Your business scores karma points for providing real help to people
in desperate need.
You create a wonderful public relations opportunity at very little
cost.
You get some sales now...
(Do you think someone visiting Walgreen's in-store clinic bought a
few necessities on the way out?)
...and you get even more sales later, because the folks you help today will
be among your most loyal customers in the future.
And you can bet that they'll be singing your praises to everyone they
meet.
Use these five principles to design an altruistic marketing offer
that makes business sense:
1) Give a gift that keeps giving
Offer something that provides lasting value. A one-time freebie that
doesn't have lasting value is nothing more than a marketing giveaway.
Nothing wrong with that, if it makes business sense - but don't confuse
it with altruistic marketing.
So the recent free sandwich from Subway and the free breakfast from
Denny's aren't great examples of altruistic marketing.
Sure, free food is great. But these freebies were available to anyone
- not just people facing life challenges. And once you scarf down the
sandwich, you're right back where you started.
Notice that all the altruistic offers we mentioned above go to the
heart of the matter. People without jobs need suits to interview - so
Jos. A. Bank lets them keep the suit. People without jobs need resumes -
so FedEx makes resume copies for them.
A single free massage is a bright moment in the day for someone who's
just lost a job. But the relaxation won't last.
On the other hand, a free workshop for the newly laid-off that
teaches stress management and coping skills is a service that can make a
real difference.
2) Don't be greedy
Unless your special offer is an integral part of the product
purchase, resist the temptation to require a minimum purchase to get the
benefit.
Here's an example of an altruistic offer that's an integral part of
the product purchase:
People who are afraid of losing jobs won't buy cars. Car makers are
having trouble selling cars. Promising to cover payments if you lose
your job is a win/win for both the buyer and the seller.
On the other hand, a health club who offers to pay six months of a
gym membership for members who lose jobs - but only if they bought the
most expensive prepaid membership available - is greedy.
Sure, you can do it...but don't expect to get all the karma points
like free publicity.
Montana Athletic Club's offer is far more altruistic: a free family
membership for anyone laid off.
The River City Dance Studio in Bettendorf, IA simply offers free yoga
classes for anyone currently unemployed. And the Mind/Body Connection in
Cooper City, FL offers "Yoga For The Unemployed": a blend of yoga and
life coaching.
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