Rory Fatt and FREE Meals

[Millard Grubb]

I was reading an old interview Dan Kennedy had with restaurant marketing maven, Rory Fatt.

Rory was selling salmon dinners and people liked the food quite a bit. Dan Kennedy suggested that if people liked the food so much, he should GIVE food away as a pitch. Rory gave away meals and 75% to 80% bought again.

I remember another story where a new restaurant gave away meals to local real estate offices and was quickly filled with customers.

One time I was eating at a local Chinese restaurant and gave the owner a few tips to get more business, he was so pleased that I ate there for FREE ever after at his place.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, the power of FREE can be used to increase business even today with all the internet fluff and hype going on. What I was wondering, is whether or not FREE consulting still works.

Yeah, folks offer a FREE marketing audit to get business owners to open up about what their business is doing marketing wise... or at least some consultants do that. I know Glenn Osborn gives business owners plenty of FREE tips to make money in their business, so that they can pay him.

But does the offer of something FREE that is of benefit to business owners STILL work today? Say, at a local networking meeting. Instead of a card, give a business profits sheet or a true money-making tip sheet.

Does this actually work today?

Has anybody tried it?

I like to talk with people. It takes time, but I have the time to do it. However, it would be fun to experiment and give away something at a local BNI meeting or local Chamber of Commerce just to see what the reaction would be... and the results!

Anyone tried this lately?

Millard

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

I helped the owner of a Referral Network.

So he gave me Permission to Give a Little Speech.

I Wore a Clown Nose during my 5 Minute Speech to one of his Branch Meeting
Groups.

And he Got COMPLAINTS.

I had to LEAVE his Referral Network.

Glenn

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

You know how they go around the room and ask everyone to INTRO themselves?

Well.

I held up a Glass of Water.

Dropped 2 LED IceCubes into it.

And Explained that what I DO for a Living is Attract Millionaires.
Make them More moolah - for Free.

Then help their Friends.

And I passed around a container of LED Ice Cubes so everyone could
take one.

I WAS ASKED to Leave by The BNI Leader.

Glenn

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

I Created a Flyer for a struggling Deli Owner.

At first he said YES to the Free Small Snack offer.

Then he RAISED the Prices on his Steak Stubs.

And LIED.

But the Flyer Doubled his Sales.

So he sold the Deli to an Indian fellow who spoke no English.

Who Went BANKRUPT.

He didn't understand English.
Wouldn't Talk to me.
Didn't understand me.

And the RASCAL previous owner didn't TELL him he was running all over
nearby hi rise Buildings slipping flyers under the doors.

Glenn

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

These 2 paid Jay Abraham for 30 minutes of consulting.

Did the sign.

Held the raffle.

Collected 100's of Names and addresses and phone Numbers.

CLEANED the Winners Carpet.

Then thru the list away.

Complained to Jay, "We didn't make any money."

Had to START over when Jay Explained.

All those names you threw away had dirty carpet.

After doing it all again.

The 2 are millionaires in Pennsyvania.

Glenn

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

The Vitamin Store owners Snack Sales Doubled.

We put a sign on the door.

Doubled again.

We put GIANT footprints leading from the front door to the Free Snack
Table.

His Snack sales Jumped to 800%

I got Fired.

WHY?

His Staffers had to make constant trips (Van to Warehouse back and forth to get more bags of Snacks). The owner was understaffed.

Had
to do more work.

Glenn

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

By sending out an offer in his Newsletter.

Giving away 3 Little Tests
George was currently charging 25.00 for.

George had a huge influx of business.

Dry eye tests and 2 more.

The Extra 300 Grand was Important because George was 800Grand in Debt.

Unfortunately the FREE Offer Bankrupted George.

His Housekeeper who cleaned his office AND his house Told his wife.

WIFE was the BOSS.

SHE SCREAMED and YELLED.

FORCED him to Stop giving away the Tests.

His Creditors - who wanted the Property - got scared he might
make all the moolah back - Foreclosed.

GONE.

DONE.

The Free Offers KILLED his Business.

Glenn

[Millard Grubb]

WOW !

Thanks for the info about FREE offers and the danger that can occur.

Giving away a FREE gift as a list-building device is something completely different.

Glenn, I appreciate the fact that you have stories covering almost any business situation an owner could have. Ha! You must have THOUSANDS of pages of case studies !

The fact that you are willing to share so MUCH is a real blessing. Thanks again !!!

Warmly,

Millard

[Glenn]

Thanks Millard,

My former Partner, Judy Kendal, Mother of the FuzzBuster Radar Detector
told me, "Glenn Life is short. When you find yourself surrounded by Stick in the
Mud NON-Entrepreneurs Do Something RADICAL that fellow Entrepreneurs will
LUV but everybody else will HATE.

"That Way You Might Find a Hidden Entrepreneur and you will never see the others again - anyway. A quick way to Save your Valuable time."

SO....

A Friend of a Friend INVITES Me to his TOASTMASTERS Speaking Club Meeting.

YIKES #1 - Meetings are held in an Elementary School. Remember the smell of Child dust? And those tiny little wrap around desk chairs.

YIKES #2 - I chat with the 19 people in the room. Everybody has a boring JOB.
No small Biz owners.

YIKES #3 - The Leader is Anal Retentive Perfectionist. Rule Follower. The Toastmasters manual said, "Todays speeches should be Based on a Major News Event.

Everybody who speke ahead of me - Talked current events. Which is 99% Negative.

For MY 2 Minutes I said, "I don't wanna Talk about Bad News. Instead I'm going to Share a Fantastic Way to make money while you eat lunch.

"Here You. Hand out Lotto tickets to all 19 of you in the Audience.

"What you do is Buy 20 Instant Scratch Off Lotto tickets. Ask Permission to Tip
the Waitress and Cooks BEFORE you order lunch.

"1 for the Waiter. 5 or 6 for the Cooks in the Kitchen.

What Will Happen is this...

First - Nobody ever Tips the Cooks. So You Might get More food.

2nd - If you eat at the SAME Restaurant over and over the Golden Rule of Reciprocity Piles up.

3rd - This makes you money when you Invite a Biz Prospect to Eat Lunch with You.

All the Smiling waiters.
YELLING cooks when they Win.
Faster service.
Extra Food.
Free Food.
Visits by the Manager or owner
SMILES and Hand waves by nearby Diners.

Makes anyone you INVITE to lunch ASK to Join you again.
And Bring their Friends.

TIMES UP!

And The Anal Retentive Leader Escorted me to the Back of the room. Said I broker the RULES. I was a Bad influence. ASKED me to leave.

WHEW!

What a Relief.

I skipped the rest of the Depressing Speeaces.

Thanks,
Glenn

[Millard Grubb]

Sheesh !

There is always someone like the host you mentioned.

I like to have fun too when I am out. I used to carry tricks around with me everywhere. Now I just tell stories or use coins if I want to do a trick.

Although, if I were to do one trick that would wow folks... it would be changing a one dollar bill into a hundred. However, an even better version is to take several one dollar bills and with a simple move change them all to twenties, or fifties, or hundreds. I personally like the changing into twenties simply because everyone carries twenties, not fifties, or hundreds.

Just so you know, the best coin vanish is J. B. Bobo's Kneezy coin vanish in Bobo's book "Modern Coin Magic". This particular coin trick makes people sit up and take notice.

Back to your anal host experience, did any of the folks at the meeting want to talk with you about their jobs or ANY business idea.... or were they just worker drones?