Photo courtesy of Lina Trochez @lmtrochezz
The typical Costco customer spends $114 every two weeks.
Costco executives know they must keep enticing shoppers through the warehouse doors.
So they came up with a clever strategy, one that may surprise you because it costs only $1.50.
Can you guess what it is?
It’s their hot dog/drink combo. And they recently promised to keep it at that price “forever.”
Yes, a $212 billion company uses wieners to attract customers. Hey, whatever works.
The Art of Hooking Customers: Harnessing the Foot In The Door Marketing Principle
We call it the Foot In The Door marketing principle. You might know it as a “loss leader."
The principle is simple: it’s offering something of value — free or at a low-cost — to keep customers connected to your brand.
Some examples:
$1 large drink (so you order food)
Razors (so you buy refills)
Oil changes (so you do larger repairs)
Printers (so you buy ink cartridges)
Free trial software (so you buy the full version)
Ebooks (so you buy a product or service)
Video tutorials (so you trust someone enough to hire them)
Think about it: how many times has a $1.50 Costco weenie turned into a big screen TV purchase?
Unlocking The Power Of Loss Leaders: How Small Investments Can Drive Big Purchases
The best benefit of a Foot In The Door is getting contact info. It's offering something of value in exchange for an email address. A true win-win.
Kinda like finding more fries at the bottom of your drive-thru bag.
The emails you collect are more than just data. They provide a direct window into the lives of your potential customers, without the “middle man” of social media.
Are you putting any bait on the end of your fishing line? Your homepage should already be doing this in an automated way. And if it’s not, contact us right away! Let’s get that fixed.
Our "Grow Your Business Game Plan" helps companies implement this principle and nine other key marketing strategies.
What's the Foot In The Door offer for your business?
About Me
Hey, I’m Brian, co-founder of Genie Jar Digital. Born a Tar Heel but now a Virginian, I’m a father of five and the husband of one amazing lady. My family has a thing for Golden Retrievers. Given the right circumstances, I can do a smooth moonwalk on a slick kitchen floor. I recently released a young adult novel called The Jungle Within.
