Saul Colt: How to create word of mouth on zero budget

9:29 — Cale Johnson introduces FreshBooks‘ Head of Magic, Saul Colt.

9:30 —

9:31

9:32 —

9:32 — Saul loves to start off his presentations letting everyone know how much ladies love him. 😉

9:33 — There are easy ways to let new customers know that they are special. Like sending them a personalized email when they sign up.

9:35 — Own the awkwardness!

9:36 — He created a custom twister board and played with others to create a brand impression.

9:37 — Once he brought a mime to a trade show so it would make him not the most awkward person in the room.

9:40 — With no budge he created buzz by selling a Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Ebay.

9:41 — Creating a myth is a great way to create buzz by allowing others to fill in the blanks.

9:43 —

  • make people laugh
  • make people think
  • create genuine emotion even if it is tears

9:44 — If you can’t compete with people on your own level, don’t… just change the rules.

9:46 — An Example: They made a  ten foot banana booth at a conference a la Arrested Development for only $800.

9:48 — They captured most of the press, gave away 10,000 bananas, and a third of the tweets from the conference.

9:49 — Best reason in the world to not do things the way most people do them is that most people are not successful.

 

Q&A

9:50 — Q: How do you know when you have come up with something really unique?

9:52 — A: You know your audience so take chances. Making mistakes is also a good way to engage and have conversations. When Freshbooks sent out friendship bracelets to customers it weirded some of them out.

9:54 — Q: Did you have any failures that you had to fix midstream?

9:56 — A: A bowling league that they try to start did really gain traction. and dinner when he comes to town.

9:57 — Q: Can some of these efforts cheapen a brand?

9:59 — A: Yes, if you are a luxury brand then you probably shouldn’t be doing zero budget promotions.

10:00 — Q: How do you balance your message to multiple audiences you cater to, like volunteers and users.

10:02 — A: You don’t always have to be shocking, just different. For instance instead of sending flowers, send flower seeds. Send personalized notes, and just go that extra step to show that  you care.

 

About Wesley Faulkner

Wesley's experience spans multiple facets of the technology industry, from manufacturing to product development. His passion for technology was fostered through over 13 years of experience in technical and customer service support, field engineering, and digital media entertainment development. Recently, Wesley has become a rising player in the social media scene; he has been a featured guest on several web media outlets such as CNET and ManiaTV. As part of the Social Media Counsel, and then as a Social Media Evangelist, he assisted in the development of AMD's social media strategy and helped discover new business partnerships. Wesley's previous employers include Applied Materials, Integrated Devices, Dell, AMD and Snoball. Wesley currently on the board of the Austin chapter of Social Media Club and is the Founder of WordRipple.

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