That's Outrageous A dash of good humor and a pinch of zany can be all it takes.
By Gwen Moran Edited by Frances Dodds
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Brooks O'Kane thinks nothing of challenging his customers .. . to games of Ping-Pong, that is. In fact, the 39-year-oldSunpoint Products founder actually printed that challenge on one ofhis company's products-and he's had more than one customertake him up on it.
Such outlandish stunts have become the hallmark ofO'Kane's marketing strategy for his company's twoprimary products, ClearVue glass cleaner and Red Cross Nursedisinfectant. His cheeky style has helped him grow his Lawrence,Massachusetts business from zero to $5 million in less than fiveyears. (Although he's since sold the ClearVue name andautomotive aftermarket business to Turtle Wax, he maintains thelicense to distribute the product to retailers.)
And while outrageous stunts can sometimes backfire, O'Kaneseems to have hit a good balance of funny and effective. He'sbeen known to stand in grocery lines and pay for everything inClearVue purchasers' baskets. He's also shown up bearinggifts at the homes of loyal customers.
"Our secrets to success are developing some kind of anemotional bond with our customers, and being really different andgenerating word-of-mouth," says O'Kane. "I mean, whohas any emotional bond with Windex or Glass Plus?"
Gwen Moran is president of Moran Marketing Associates. She iscurrently compiling a marketing workbook titled Promote YourBusiness. E-mail her at moranmarketing@erols.com.
Contact Source
- Sunpoint Products, (978) 794-3100, bok@sunpointinc.com
