Marketing Punxsutawney Phil
Imagine a product that is bogus, a complete fraud. Imagine that people know well the product cannot deliver on it's claim. If it does, it's a coincidence, nothing more.
Now imagine these people line up to experience this fraud, tens of thousands of them. They travel, some traverse great distances, even coming from Europe and other parts of the globe.
They willingly part with their money. They go home glad they came. Some even come back year after year.
Photo Credit: Laval University
You don't have to imagine. This happens every February 2nd in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. February 2nd is Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil is the Official Groundhog.
How Phil got to be the official groundhog, I don't know. What I do know is that the good folks of Punxsutawney have been celebrating Phil and is faux prognostication for 132 years.
Legend has it if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of Winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, there will be an early Spring.
Once again, on February 2nd, locals will show up in formal attire while the world looks on at this most celebrated Marmot. There will be music and food. There will be parties.
Photo Credit: Anthony Quintano
There are a multitude of events in the days before and after Phil takes his annual bow. Wine tastings, tours, readings, art galleries, concerts, and vendors selling whatever might sell.
The 2,700 hotel rooms in Punxsutawney and its environs are sold out. Local restaurants will see their weekly business increase tenfold during the festival. Punxsutawney Phil adds up to $5,000,000 to the local economy. That's a pretty prosperous groundhog.
The people of Punxsutawney took a tradition and turned it into an industry. Kudos to them. They make it fun for people to come. They believe in their product.
Do you believe in your product? Anything can be sold if it is done the right way. The good folks of Punxsutawney know full well the groundhog's ability to predict the weather is no more accurate than flipping a coin. That is not what their selling. They sell an opportunity to be in a place that has the attention of much of the world. Even if it's just for a few minutes. They are selling the experience.
What are you selling? If you are an affiliate marketer, you are selling products that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can sell. There are groundhogs in every wooded area of North America. There is only one Punxsautawney Phil.
Have you found a way to make your site visitor's experience unique? They may be able to get the item anywhere, so what do you give them that they can get only from you?
Answer these questions and you will be a raging success.
Happy Groundhog's Day.
- Joe
Recent Comments
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Thank you, Leslie. About 30 years ago, marketing Guru, Cory Lidle made a small fortune selling small rocks. the kind you could find easily in your backyard. The Rock came in a bag with printed instructions explaining how to care for your Pet Rock.
signifies 6 weeks until spring
The groundhog in GA is called Beauregard(Beau for short) Lee and he predicts an early spring
Thanks, Davida. I've lived in Georgia 17 years and this is the first I've heard of Beau. Where I live there is always an early Spring followed quickly by a long Summer.
lived in Atlanta for 30 years and Channel2 would always talk about both groundhogs predictions
Thank you Joe. Never thought of this, marketing Phil! They have certainly taken nothing and made something out of it!
Great post and you learn something new every day. Sounds like a fun festival to me.
I often have to stop when I reach overwhelm with my sites and learning and what do I ask myself ?
Who am I and what am I selling ?
I don't return to working on my site until I can answer these two questions sufficiently.
I find it really works for me.
With Grace and Gratitude
Karen
Wonderful, Karen. That's a very important point. The "who am I" is one of the things only you can give your readers.
Thanks for adding that.
Finished a WA blog post which I started last October on the same subject right after posting this comment. I did give you credit in the post for prompting me.
With Grace and Gratitude
Karen
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Awesome post, I'm glad you brought this out. We just got to think of something people want to believe in then market it.
It's not just that others believe in it, but we believe in it. Further, we believe in the value that it brings. That value is what we are selling. That value is what will motivate customers to buy from us again and again.