Jump Out of Your Skin

My oldest son has started to go to discos. Every six weeks there is one in our local GAA club and it is literally the hottest ticket in town.  Tickets sell out in hours for what is basically a few hundred boys and girls full of hormones drinking water listening to badly amplified music while trying to get away with as much as possible under strict supervision.

It made me wonder about this type of event that is self perpetuating and needs no publicity and has been a roaring success for years.  How could you sue it for your business , market?  Here is what I think is what makes this product red hot.

• First Time Ever: For most of the kids attending it is their first time going to an unsupervised event where they can try their luck with the opposite sex to the sound of Ladygaga making their ears bleed.  You should make your product or event have this sort of buzz.  Give it that never done before buzz.
• It is Safe Despite the aforementioned hormones it is completely safe while there as has more security than Fort Knox and in there there are a LOT of people in the hall watching what is going on.  Only water served!   Nobody is going to get the crap kicked out of them and there areno drugs (well not that can be seen).  Do the same for your event or product.  Despite it being new there should be a safe feeling to it.  Don’t cloud it in technical speak make it familiar but attractive.
• Price.  The price of entry is 15 Euro.  Not cheap by any means but the price point means that people value it that bit more.  It is a typical sports hall, bare floors, badly ventilated, DJ, speakers blaring music and some uncomfortable chairs.  Not actually worth it but it hasn’t stopped sales.  Think about your product are you under or overselling it?
• It Will End Soon Deep down the young hormonal teens know that they are only going to be doing this for one season and next year they will move onto another scene.  Hence they know they have to grab it while its hot.  If you present your product in this manner it will encourage people to buy/use it.  How many ebooks do you see with special offer or 10 days left for this special discount.  It is a technique that works.

Finally a note to parents who may have found this through Google.  He has not got a ticket for tonight’s as it sold out as the ticket pusher in his class was crushed to death in the rsuh for tickets yesterday so if you know anyone ….

Haggle Like Harvey Norman!!
Post Update:  I got some feedback from people on this post and here is the summary.

Robber

Do ya think we came down in the last shower Kieran?

120 Euro for that – feck off!!

So in the spirit of Harvey Norman – if you want to haggle drop me a line and we can negotiate a price that you think is worthwhile for the offer below.  Worse case is that you will get a free report!!

If you have a website and think is needs updating or improvement or you think it isn’t working for you I will do a website report for you, you can read it and I will make any suggested changes for 120 Euro.  Here is what the report will cover.

• Site layout and structure – how it could be improved for better impact.
• Speed of site.
• On page SEO audit of site to improve it for searchability
• Analysis of text and content on site. Specific updates to ensure that you have a better chance of being found by Google.
• Google Local Business addition
• Implementation of Google Analytics code if not already in place.

If when you read the report you don’t think it is worth 120 Euro then no problem no charge.  If interested drop me an e-mail at kieran@grangewebdesign.com with your website address.

Snoringly boring blog post but as my New Year always starts on the 14th January (it just does OK).  Here are my running goals for this year.

• Run 4-5 times per week even if there is a hurricane, tired, travelling, stuck in a bog in Cavan.
• Raise a substantial (10 Grand) money in Cork marathon for Cancer – have domain – need idea to make it happen.
• Cork Marathon – Sub 4.30 is the goal.  Goal 1 will make it happen.
• Dublin Marathon – Finish is the goal.
• Break 30 minutes for 4 miles.
• Break 29 minutes for 4 miles
• Run Cork to Cobh for the first time

That’s it. What are your fitness goals – drop me a comment..

Your website is useless if.

1. You don’t know how many visitors you are getting.  If you don’t care then you are shouting in the middle of a forest.
2. You don’t know what your most competitive keyword search terms are for your business.
3. You are in the Banana Picking business and the words Banana Picking are nowhere to be seen on the site (yes this is so often the case).  There is a long piece onapples though!!
4. Your contact details aren’t quickly visible. I rant on this all the time.
5. You have a long elaborate flash intro.  Unless you are a world famous brand I am not going to wait.
6. Your initial information requires a scroll down (e.g. below the fold).  People are more and more in a hurry.  Most people haven’t even read this far in this post (if you have contact me for your free gift!!)
7. If your “Latest News” is not up to date.  It is like eating stale bread.
8. Your images are so big that it takes and age for he site to load.  Screeching tyres as people leave.

Half a reason:  You have never asked for feedback from people who will give you free advice who are in the business.  The only feedback you ever got was from your friends.  They probably lied.  Yes they probably did!