Walt Disney Marketers on the Ball

Marketing in the new Web 2.0 era was on the agenda when MaryEllen and I recently attended Rich Schefren’s "New Beginnings" conference at Disney World in Orlando.

But the folks at Disney itself clearly haven’t forgotten one of the oldest marketing axioms: The best customer is your current customer.

• When I checked into my room, a placard on my bed offered me "25% off a future visit - but only if you book before your current stay ends."
• The day after I checked out, I received a similar offer via e-mail.

If you don’t have immediate cross-sell programs (trying to sell customers a product similar to one they just bought) and bounce-back programs (making another offer shortly after a sale) in your sales cycle, start implementing them now.

Otherwise, it’s a lose-lose situation.

First, you are not giving your customers a special opportunity to take advantage of more of your products.

Second, you’re missing out big-time on the most efficient sales you’ll ever make.

[Ed Note: Charlie Byrne is Creative Director at Early to Rise. Sign up for e-mail delivery of his blog and get edgy and useful ideas on copywriting, marketing, and other category-defying posts.]