Give Away Cars, Just Like Oprah!
Written by JohnFord gave everybody in Oprah’s audience that day a new car. Oprah simply handed out the keys and accepted the credit. For the wholesale price of a few hundred cars, Ford got publicity they could not have bought at any price. You can do the same thing.
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey got a public relations windfall when Ford chose her show to showcase the launch of their new Focus model. During the show, Oprah built up the idea that someone in the audience would go home with a new car. She instructed audience members to look under their seats for a box with a key in it. Whoever got the box would get the car.
The cameras panned around to the audience as one member after another held up their boxes. The excitement turned to pandemonium as member after member held up their key.
Yes, Oprah announced, everyone in the audience was getting a new Ford Focus!
The media, from news shows to talk radio to late night chat shows like Leno and Letterman, buzzed about how “Oprah gave everybody a car.”
What really happened?
Ford gave everybody in Oprah’s audience that day a new car. Oprah simply handed out the keys and accepted the credit. For the wholesale price of a few hundred cars, Ford got publicity they could not have bought at any price.
So how does this relate to you?
You can do the same thing. Set up a seminar or workshop with a vendor that has a new product coming out. Tease potential attendees by hinting that someone in the audience would land one of the new, yet-to-be-released products free. At the end of the seminar, announce that everyone in the audience gets the product free. Use a “secret code” to give the 100% discount.
Leverage the giveaway by releasing the mp3 recording of the seminar or workshop– with the “secret code” bleeped out.
Send out a press release.
Depending on your approach, you could play the role of Oprah or Ford. For next to nothing you can get people talking about you and your new product.
Who knows? You might even get your own joke on late night TV…
Your comments and questions are always welcome – just play nice…
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