How To Create An Event [PICS]

So I’m heading to the mall with the kids for a little play time. We just ate out last night, had leftovers and thought we’d be home by noon to finish ‘em up (that is if the pizza place right across the street didn’t tempt me in).

WHY am I talking lunch? You’ll see in a second…

So I check out some new stores, check in on a fellow business owner about some marketing (he’s still spending $2,000.00 per ad in coupon magazines, poor marketing idea!) and then head down to the play area.

After letting the kids go wild for a while, we’re heading to the pet store (a staple in our mall visits) before we head back home (or across the street) for lunch, when low & behold, is our fellow PTA members & Chick-Fil-A marketing gal (with the cow, naturally) soliciting mall patrons (as usual),

BUT THIS TIME there’s something different about her…

She’s dressed up (along with the cow) in pirate garb! She tells us that we can get our own pirate map (and a free kids meal coupon) if we head over to the food court.

Now, with twin 4 year olds and a 6 year old, you don’t need to guess where we head next.

Check this out, when we arrive:

There are 3 pirate lasses handing out the pirate bags, with a treasure map (scavenger hunt) and the free meal coupon inside.

Next Is the Balloon booth with 2 gals whipping up baloon swords and parrots.

Next is face painting (they’re giving out numbers).

THEN a Bean Toss Game AND a Crafts Table where you can color OR make your own pirate hat (they’ve already done the hard work, all you have to do is color it)… look at my boy go!

THEN MORE, a Picture Station where you can get your picture taken with Jack Sparrow (who has a LIVE Parrot on his arm!)

The whole area has been decorated, and there’s a Pirate musician singing over the speakers.

NATURALLY (since all of this is FREE… ALL OF IT), I spend some money on my own lunch and treat my kids to their free lunch (Check out my pirate snarl!).

NOW, we’re off on our treasure hunt, which takes us around the mall to 4 other stores that are handing out pirate (& Chick-Fil-A) “treasure.”

…I go into more detail online (& will have a video up) on our membership site, and I know fast food aimed at kids is a little different than salon spa services aimed at women, but the basics are the same, they are:

1. Get Exposure (standing center court)
2. Hook ‘em with an irresistible offer (free lunch)
3. Create an Event (pirate theme)
4. GIVE, GIVE, GIVE (*everything was free)… this creates a feeling of repricocity
5. INVOLVE THEM (the scavenger hunt)
6. Create Memories (the “treasures” that will be played with and keep them in the top of our minds, especially the little “Chick-Fil-A Cow” doll branded with their name/logo).

All we have to do is tweak what they’re doing and make sure we follow the steps (I don’t know about pirates, but a special Hawaiian Holiday event or menu sure would work nicely).

“Who Loves Ya?”
-Christopher

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