Outside of the Box Marketing Tools Which Made Me Extra Money

I credit these outside of the box marketing tools for the success in the various phases of my career – including helping me to garner 1.5 million followers. Read on for pointers…

Back in college, when I was working as a cocktail waitress, it seemed I was intuitively destined to become big in marketing – because I used some ballsy marketing tools to make more money than my other cocktail waitress peers.

Sure enough, after college, I later went on to become a Clio winning Creative Director in advertising. I still do one-on-one consulting for entrepreneurs and authors – helping them with branding and marketing. More about that over here!

But I digress…

I want to tell you my big outside-of-the-box marketing idea from my summer job during college.

I was working as a cocktail waitress at The Tamiment Resort in the Poconos.

It was a sweltering summer.

Unfortunately, I had to work poolside on these blistering days.

Even more unfortunately, nearly all my potential drink-buying customers were wisely cooling off within the pool – instead of lounging on the chaise lounges, where the management had positioned me to serve and make money.

No money to be made.

The summer heat had literally dried up my sales opportunities.

Plus I personally was sweating and miserable.

My Outside of the Box Marketing Tools?

I stripped down to my bathing suit, which was just one convenient layer beneath my standard Tamiment Resort apron uniform.

Then I slipped into the pool, with tray and order pad, and side-stroked around like an energetic bar-mermaid, and took lots of drink orders.

My big money results?

My customers loved the drink-ordering convenience – as well as the playful absurdity of a swimming cocktail waitress.

Everyone benefited. Particularly me. I made lots of money and got a nice, refreshing swim.

Plus, later in the evening at the cabaret lounge, I became known as “The Swimming Cocktail Waitress.”

This new moniker served me well.

Everyone wanted to order from “The Swimming Cocktail Waitress.”

There are a few Marketing Tools to be learned in this Swimming Cocktail Waitress story — so let’s plunge right in…

Marketing Tool #1

No matter how bad the times, customers with money exist. Seek and snag them!

During challenging times it’s essential you become a Maven of Trends and Demographics — then brainstorm new ways you might tweak your service/product to morph in your “Swimming-Action” to get you to paying customers.

Remember: Sometimes narrow focusing your skillsets/brand increases profits.

So, hone in on what your Unique Selling Point is — then sharpen that point!

The more you’re remarkable, the more you’ll be marketable!

Marketing Tool #2

Don’t think about yourself as having a specific job.

Think about yourself as someone who solves problems/needs/fears.

When I decided to become a teenage Swimming Cocktail Waitress, I recognized that those customers in the swimming pool were sloshing around there because they were sweaty and hot.

Meaning?

They’d also crave refreshment — which no other waitress was bringing them — because everyone viewed themselves as simply being Lounge Chair Cocktail Waitresses.

Money-Magnetizing Question:

How might your presence, talent, time, and energy solve today’s customer’s most basic problems/needs/fears?

The bigger and more untapped the problems/needs/fears, the bigger the money earned!

Marketing Tool #3

You don’t need to work longer hours, just more fearless hours.

You’d think the day after my outing as a Teenage Swimming Cocktail Waitress I’d have created a tidal wave in that pool of swimming waitresses all dipping into my sales pond.

But no, no, no.

All the other waitresses were too afraid to break the rules and stand out with a Unique Selling Point.

They all did exactly as instructed — not daring to think outside the box/inside the pool — and thereby they made a lot less money. The other waitresses let fear inter-fear with their success.

Money Magnetizing Question:

If you had limitless courage, how might you risk more so you could earn more?

What are you most afraid of? Failure? Poverty? Ego-bruising?

British economist John Stuart Mill had a great quote which helps risk-taking pioneers move forward past fear. He said: “Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.”

This quote makes a valuable golden rule for success… so…

Marketing Tool #4

Be ready for your fearless ideas to undergo ridicule and discussion, before adoption.

When I jumped into that swimming pool with tray in hand, the first reaction was sniggers (aka: ridicule).

Next came whispers (aka: discussion).

Then finally those dollar-producing drink orders (adoption!).

Your Assignment:

Don’t let fear inter-fear with your swimming in new career waters.

Write up 2 lists on a small card of:

• Why you should feel tremendous confidence to go for your goal.
• Why you feel passion to go for your goal.

Put this card in your wallet — where all your money is!

Whenever fear strikes, strike back with your confidence-boosting and passion-boosting lists!

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