The Honor Flight

Honoring our Heroes
My new favorite charity is the Honor Flight. This organization provides WWII veterans all expense paid trips to Washington DC to view the WWII memorial. The trip lasts three days and two nights, and includes many thoughtful ceremonies and speeches.

My grandfather, who served on the USS Pennsylvania (yes, he was on board when the Japanese torpedoed his ship), will be participating in the Honor Flight next month. He will be traveling with my Uncle, who is a veteran of the National Guard.

Getting Others Involved
Along with many of my family members, I would love to travel with my grandfather on the Honor Flight. However, that's just not practical -- this trip is meant to honor as many veterans as possible, and those of us who aren't WWII veterans take up room on the trip that could otherwise be filled by veterans.

However, my family and I very much want to support my grandfather as he travels to and from Washington DC. Much to our delight, leaders of the Honor Flight have invited family members of the WWII veterans to write letters to their loved ones in which we thank them for their service. We have been told to send our letters to a PO Box before the flight. While on the airplane home from Washington DC, the Honor Flight includes "Mail Call," in which leaders of the Honor Flight distribute the letters to all of the WWII veterans.

Even though we can't be there to support my grandfather, we can still get involved and honor him by sending him a letter. This is such a brilliant idea and one that makes the trip personal. It lets my grandfather know that while we are not with him on the trip, we are thinking about him and that we appreciate his sacrifices for our freedom.

Add This to Your To-Do List
The Honor Flight teaches us one key principle of marketing: Personal touches add a lot of value to purchases that we make. As marketers, we need to make people feel special when they are buying our products and services. Real estate agents should provide their clients with a bottle of champagne and a basket of baked goods after they purchase a new home. Car salesmen should give clients who have just purchased a new car a bucket, sponge, soap, and some wax as a thank you present.

These small gestures of thanks, congratulations, and appreciation go a long way in the mind of consumers. They create good will and positive word of mouth, which ultimately lead to positive brand perceptions and increased sales. Look to enhance customers' experiences by providing a personal touch and an individual "thank you" and your business will satisfy its existing customers and gain even more.

Thank a veteran for his or her service today.

There's never a lack of ideas.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Porta Potties: Hilarious Product Names

Image
I think the most entertaining product names in any one industry belong to the portable toilet industry. Porta potty names are hilarious! Here are eleven real portable toilet companies I found: The Honey Bucket Johnny on the Spot A Royal Flush Honey Do's Gotta Go Don John's Super Loo Pit Stop Pot-O-Gold Oui Oui (my favorite name) Floaters (slogan: "You Float 'm, We Tote 'm") See how much I love my readers? I researched porta potties for a long time to find these companies. You're welcome! Add This To Your To-Do List Am I right? Are porta potty names the most entertaining? Or is there another industry with even better names? It just goes to show you — sometimes the stinkier the industry, the better you'll stand out with a clever name. There's never a lack of ideas. PS If you're in the mood to see some hilarious slogans from septic tank businesses, check out this Reddit .
Read more

Only Old People Choose Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Image
Adapt or Die   Those who know me best often hear me proclaim my theory that only old people choose to eat butter pecan ice cream. Oh sure, some younger people enjoy its taste, but nobody under the age of 55 ever goes to the grocery store or Baskin Robins and buys butter pecan ice cream. The flavor is simply outdated. What does this mean for ice cream manufacturers? It means they should keep producing the flavor to satisfy current demand, but they had better create new flavors to adapt to changing tastes. That’s why they’ve created flavors like French silk and cookie dough — flavors that didn’t exist 15 years ago. In short, they adapt or die. Add This To Your To-Do List Have you taken a good look at your products or services lately? Are you still investing heavily in butter pecan ice cream and counting on it being your best seller for years to come? If so, you need to invest in innovation as quickly as possible. It could be as simple as offering new items on your menu, new servi
Read more

My TEDx Talk: Hey Marketers, Get Your Priorities Straight

Image
18 Minutes of Fame On April 12, 2013, I fulfilled a longtime goal: I gave a TEDx talk. I was honored to be one of six speakers at TEDx UofI Chicago. Everyone at the event was a pleasure to work with. It would be very difficult to add up all of the hours that went into preparing for my short, 18-minute talk. I think I practiced it enough to remember large parts of it for the rest of my life. I tried to bring my passion for the subject to the stage — along with a little humor and a little know-how. There's always room for improvement, but I think I did pretty well. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I must admit that I had so much fun doing the talk that I just may have to try and do another one someday. I guess we'll have to see if I have any more ideas worth spreading in the future. Add This To Your To-Do List Enjoy my talk! And let m e know what you th ought of it. There's never a lack of ideas.
Read more