In my mailbox yesterday was evidence of perhaps the most brilliant marketing by a restaurant I've ever seen. Amerigo, a local restaurant, sent me a postcard yesterday explaining that it's their 10th anniversary (yay!), and to help them celebrate, they'd like to give someone a free trip for two to Italy. How do they know who's the winner? The postcard I got has a code on it (as well as a $10 off your next order coupon), and if my code matches the code at the restaurant, I win! Isn't that the best idea you've ever heard?
That's one of the many benefits of being a small business. You can be so creative with your marketing, making people like me excited beyond recognition at a 1-in-12,000 chance to win a trip and a $10 coupon. It's not the discount or the trip that matters, it's just how cool and unique it all is.
Corporate America, including some of the nation's biggest franchises, are catching on to the benefits of small-business ownership, says this Wall Street Journal article. Some restaurant franchises are loosening the reins on its franchisees, letting them make decisions about pricing and menus, among other things, to "give franchisees the flexibility to compete against independent businesses."
Posted by Lena Basha on September 19, 2007 02:25 PM
