treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion sho

As I stated in a previous article, every customer wants to be an Insider. Here are ten more tips to make that happen for your customers.

1. The Secret Stash

People enjoy small trinkets if they are of a limited quantity. Can you imagine having a piece of your product that was found in the World Trade Center rubble? You would value it as a memento of a historic event. What if you gave that to someone who had a personal connection to that day? It would have tremendous power in the gift and create a serious buzz about you caring and coming up with the impossible.

2. The Private Newsletter

A quietly distributed piece of information to a select group of recipients would be valued and appreciated. It would make the person feel important as an insider, and, depending on the impact of the information shared, could create a tremendous buzz as the information was spread virally. Some companies employ this strategy to let the cat out of the bag on new products to create a pull strategy from their customers. The Drudge Report started this way until it broke the Clinton scandal and suddenly became mainstream.

3. Scarcity Items

Staples created an icon with the Easy Button. If they only offered them to a select level of client usage and simply included one free into a large order without mentioning it, buzz would go crazy. Now you can buy the Easy Buttons and they maintained the icon, but lost the buzz. Create a select number of a particular special item and only provide those to your best clients. Resist the temptation of mass marketing. A few years ago I had 1,000 Brain feeders made and we provide those only to our best customers and fans. Once they are gone, there will be no more -- ever.

4. Personalized Products

When your sales team makes a pitch to a great prospect, what personalized items are you delivering for those in attendance? Do your research. I was calling on a multi-billion dollar prospect CEO and learned he was a John Wayne fan and a Trekkie. Most everyone hopped on the John Wayne theme and his office was covered up in that memorabilia. I found an original Star Trek "communicator" badge and a Klingon battle pin. He was gleefully shocked at the gift and marveled at my research, and yes, he became a client.

5. Personal Awards

Recognize a vendor or client loudly with style. In 2005 when I received my speaker award as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), my office staff and the first client I was going to speak in front of following the award notification pulled a fast one on me. They played a videotape introducing me for the first time as a CSP. I was told it was an HR video they wanted to view prior to my session. The client’s staff then jumped to their feet for a standing ovation. The client loved it, my staff was having a blast, and I was floored by the effort that was put into that.

A speaker colleague was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame several years ago, and the morning following the banquet one of his clients ran a quarter-page ad in USA Today recognizing him for his accomplishment. The speakers convention was abuzz with talk about the $50,000 ad. Not only did we respect that speaker even more -- we all wanted to know more about the company who did this for him!

6. A Trip

I'm not talking boondoggle to liquor up a client; I'm talking something product related and fun. A friend works with a tire manufacturer. He occasionally takes his best clients to the test track in Texas to let them have some fun on the new tires they hopefully will be ordering in the near future. It's a trip to a research facility so it is product-related, it’s a fun trip because it's a test track, and there is some great bonding going on. It is also a rarity and a treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion show

at out of the bag on new products to create a pull strategy from their customers. The Drudge Report started this way until it broke the Clinton scandal and suddenly became mainstream.

3. Scarcity Items

Staples created an icon with the Easy Button. If they only offered them to a select level of client usage and simply included one free into a large order without mentioning it, buzz would go crazy. Now you can buy the Easy Buttons and they maintained the icon, but lost the buzz. Create a select number of a particular special item and only provide those to your best clients. Resist the temptation of mass marketing. A few years ago I had 1,000 Brain feeders made and we provide those only to our best customers and fans. Once they are gone, there will be no more -- ever.

4. Personalized Products

When your sales team makes a pitch to a great prospect, what personalized items are you delivering for those in attendance? Do your research. I was calling on a multi-billion dollar prospect CEO and learned he was a John Wayne fan and a Trekkie. Most everyone hopped on the John Wayne theme and his office was covered up in that memorabilia. I found an original Star Trek "communicator" badge and a Klingon battle pin. He was gleefully shocked at the gift and marveled at my research, and yes, he became a client.

5. Personal Awards

Recognize a vendor or client loudly with style. In 2005 when I received my speaker award as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), my office staff and the first client I was going to speak in front of following the award notification pulled a fast one on me. They played a videotape introducing me for the first time as a CSP. I was told it was an HR video they wanted to view prior to my session. The client’s staff then jumped to their feet for a standing ovation. The client loved it, my staff was having a blast, and I was floored by the effort that was put into that.

A speaker colleague was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame several years ago, and the morning following the banquet one of his clients ran a quarter-page ad in USA Today recognizing him for his accomplishment. The speakers convention was abuzz with talk about the $50,000 ad. Not only did we respect that speaker even more -- we all wanted to know more about the company who did this for him!

6. A Trip

I'm not talking boondoggle to liquor up a client; I'm talking something product related and fun. A friend works with a tire manufacturer. He occasionally takes his best clients to the test track in Texas to let them have some fun on the new tires they hopefully will be ordering in the near future. It's a trip to a research facility so it is product-related, it’s a fun trip because it's a test track, and there is some great bonding going on. It is also a rarity and a treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion sho

ur research. I was calling on a multi-billion dollar prospect CEO and learned he was a John Wayne fan and a Trekkie. Most everyone hopped on the John Wayne theme and his office was covered up in that memorabilia. I found an original Star Trek "communicator" badge and a Klingon battle pin. He was gleefully shocked at the gift and marveled at my research, and yes, he became a client.

5. Personal Awards

Recognize a vendor or client loudly with style. In 2005 when I received my speaker award as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), my office staff and the first client I was going to speak in front of following the award notification pulled a fast one on me. They played a videotape introducing me for the first time as a CSP. I was told it was an HR video they wanted to view prior to my session. The client’s staff then jumped to their feet for a standing ovation. The client loved it, my staff was having a blast, and I was floored by the effort that was put into that.

A speaker colleague was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame several years ago, and the morning following the banquet one of his clients ran a quarter-page ad in USA Today recognizing him for his accomplishment. The speakers convention was abuzz with talk about the $50,000 ad. Not only did we respect that speaker even more -- we all wanted to know more about the company who did this for him!

6. A Trip

I'm not talking boondoggle to liquor up a client; I'm talking something product related and fun. A friend works with a tire manufacturer. He occasionally takes his best clients to the test track in Texas to let them have some fun on the new tires they hopefully will be ordering in the near future. It's a trip to a research facility so it is product-related, it’s a fun trip because it's a test track, and there is some great bonding going on. It is also a rarity and a treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion sho

y the effort that was put into that.

A speaker colleague was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame several years ago, and the morning following the banquet one of his clients ran a quarter-page ad in USA Today recognizing him for his accomplishment. The speakers convention was abuzz with talk about the $50,000 ad. Not only did we respect that speaker even more -- we all wanted to know more about the company who did this for him!

6. A Trip

I'm not talking boondoggle to liquor up a client; I'm talking something product related and fun. A friend works with a tire manufacturer. He occasionally takes his best clients to the test track in Texas to let them have some fun on the new tires they hopefully will be ordering in the near future. It's a trip to a research facility so it is product-related, it’s a fun trip because it's a test track, and there is some great bonding going on. It is also a rarity and a treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion sho

treat to go to this facility for the client, not just a junket or trip to a skybox to watch a sporting event.

7. Advance Testing

Some of your clients enjoy being in the know and on the cutting edge. Let them be your test run for new products and prototype products. By using specific clients as test pilots you are telling them their operation is cutting edge and respected enough to try the new trials for feedback. The respect buzz builds relationships and honesty and a strong alliance. You want this with your best clients!

8. Preview Major Event

Imagine you sold lighting to a movie set or your client had a product placed in a movie. Rent out a local theater for a midnight showing the night prior to the release of the film, invite guests, and throw a release party followed by the film! Fashion designers invite their top buyers to the Paris show. How could you invite your top clients to an invitation only "fashion show" of your products?

9. Montage of an Event

Whether it is a series of video clips or a photo montage set to a song, people love to see themselves or their event captured visually. The more creative, the more the buzz. Notice I didn’t say the more expense! YouTube has taught us simple yet clever video can take on a life of its own with buzz. I made a montage of a cookout done on New Year's Day with friends, with all the normal silly things being captured. The theme was Real Men of Genius (from a popular beer advertising campaign) because of all of the funny things that happened, such as a truck getting stuck in the mud, having to move the cooker in the mud, etc. The buzz was terrific.

10. Create Envy

A local car dealership was moving their fleet to their new location across town. They used it as a promotional opportunity by asking their most loyal customers to help them drive a vehicle to the new dealership location in a Saturday morning parade. A party followed at the new location. A commemorative keychain was given to only those drivers. It created envy in those people who wanted to be considered the most loyal and were not included as well as those that didn’t get to be part of the ongoing marketing of receiving the key chains (See idea #3.) Not to mention the media coverage and the surprise of Saturday morning errand-runners discovering the stream of shiny brand-new cars with lights flashing and drivers waving as they traveled down all the city’s busiest streets!