Yes, you read that right! Mardi Gras & Marketing…
You see, successfully catching a lot of beads, and other trinkets, during Carnival Season, or on Mardi Gras Day is really a lot like Marketing. Now, let me explain…
“Throw Me Something, Mister!”
This is the time-honored traditional phrase to shout at the top of your lungs in an attempt to attract the attention of the Float Riders in the Krewe, so they will Throw You Something. You got it – beads, cups, doubloons, spears, stuffed animals, moon pies, and an assortment of lacy things better left unmentioned in this post. So it’s a lot like a solo-entrepreneur out there on the world-wide-interweb shouting, “Hey, Look at Me, Over Here! I have something very valuable I’m Marketing to you!” Probably not going to get you to the success level you desire, right?
Stick with me, because here’s how it works. When a parade-goer is shouting, “Throw Me Something, Mister,” he or she is communicating very clearly what they want the Float Rider to do next – it’s a Clear and Decisive Call to Action. If they shout loud enough (and maybe jump up and down, wave their arms about, and wiggle a bit), and manage to grab the attention of the Float Rider, they are very likely to get rewarded with some beads or other trinkets. Why? Well, they clearly stated what they wanted. Really quite simple, isn’t it?
In considering this over the last 10 days or so of our Carnival Season in the New Orleans region, I’ve been looking for those similarities, because I find it fascinating. So here it goes, a brief observation of Mardi Gras & Marketing, and how all of us Marketers out there should learn just a little from the Parade-goer who walks away with a bag full of goodies and beads to her knees. (BTW, that was me in my twenties – my kids would have loved it!)
Get In The Game of Marketing
When you attend a parade, you aren’t going to catch much from your friend’s porch, or from the sidewalk on the other side of the street. You’ve got to get in the crowd, and be a part of the ocean of humanity while each float is passing. You can take a break when the bands march by playing. Similarly, to “win” at Marketing, and catch any leads or customers, you’ve got to Get In The Game. You’ve got to put yourself out there, and be a little vulnerable while still showing your readers, viewers and followers that you are a leader with value. Share your bumps along the way, it makes you real.
Effective Marketing Requires Consistency
You can’t attend one parade, hold you arms us listlessly, and think you’re gonna get a bunch of anything. This approach doesn’t work for Marketing, either. For that parade, you’ve got to wave your arms, jump and shout for Every Float! In Marketing, you have to Show Up consistently. You don’t have to do everything all the time. However, when you decide on your primary engine of communicating with the world, be consistent in your actions and communications. Post to your blog at least a couple of time a week (every day is rock-star quality), or if Social Media is your thing, make sure you are engaging with your fans and followers at least 2 or 3 times every day. (And, yes, there’s an app for that…)
Ask for What You Want
We usually call this a “Call To Action.” You need to make sure that people are clear about what next steps they need to take to get the most value from what you are offering to them in your marketing. Do you want them to watch a video, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your product? For example, I help Home-Based and Small Business Owners Get Started Online, or Learn How to Grow Their Business with the Internet. I want to help as many people as possible, so I give a way a free Profit Calculator to help track your business profitability on ad campaigns. Your next step is to get it here: http://bit.ly/Profit-Calculator if you want to grow your business, and increase your profits.
I hope that you have found this post both entertaining and educational. Please fee free to like, comment and share with the links here.
Want to learn more about Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras 2016 will be on February 9th. You can read about the history of Mardi Gras here:
New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau: Origins and History of Mardi Gras
Huffington Post: Mardi Gras History, Traditions and Little Known Facts
CBS Story – Mardi Gras Indians
Also, I know the Online Profit Calculator I mentioned in my post can help you out in your business. You can pick it up here: http://bit.ly/Profit-Calculator