Jerry Crotty’s Blog

Still thinking about marketing and my last post about a neighborhood retailer using free samples to start relationships—it seemed time to tell readers about a way to get a free Quattro Titanium Razor from Schick.

These offers are nothing new. I’m told Gillette first tried it in 1900, and since then razor companies have always given away razors to sell blades. They tell me that’s how Gillette introduced disposable blades to the public. They lowered the risk of trying something new by giving it away.

It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to sharpen a straight razor every day, but trying new things can be hard. This reminded me that those of us who sell things for a living need to reduce risks and make it easy for people to try new things.

I really like the refreshing feel of a clean close shave, but I really hate to shave, so I really value how reliably my Quattro delivers. Every morning, I appreciate the predictably satisfying experience.  It’s a ritual that makes me feel smart, secure, ready to roll and good to go.

At my in-laws over the weekend, a friend there talked about the disposable razors he uses. I’ve never been as pleased as he was.  In fact, once I tried them, I only used them when I had to, like when I was traveling and left my regular (cheap) one behind.

It may sound compulsive to put stock in such small things, but after years of dull blades, uneven results, nicks and cuts, little things add up. She may be kidding, but my wife calls them “quality of life” issues–reliable, predictable, satisfying and affordable.

With budgets what they are and the cost of everything going up, little things mean a lot to me and free gifts are more welcome than ever.

To get your free razor, fill out the form at  http://www.schicksamples.com/ –if you don’t use it yourself, they make great stocking stuffers.

Those of you how know me know I’ve been reading a lot about marketing these days. A prominent theme in all I’ve read is how important it is to build trust with potential clients and customers.

A number of experts recommend that one method of building trust in a product and reducing fear of the unknown is to “Give them something.” Their argument emphasizes that the business owner is asking potential customers to commit time and money and forgo alternatives in order to experiment with the goods and services offered, so why not reduce the risk and offer them something in exchange?

This lesson was not lost on the couple who opened Whiskey Creek Spirits not far from White Gables–in fact they way they did business impressed me from the start of their operation a year or so ago . . .

Those of you who know me, also know I’m not a teetotaler. Just the same I rarely go to liquor stores. (They’re known as “Red Dot Stores” in South Carolina–because state laws don’t allow signage outside the stores advertising what’s for sale inside, so like the ABC stores that use code to indicate the product for sale inside, South Carolina liquor stores are marked by big red circles on the buildings). 

What got me inside the Whiskey Creek store the first time was an invitation to a free special event. The owners greeted me at the door, made me feel welcome and offered me free samples of a wine I’d never tasted. They took the time to learn what I liked and didn’t like, offered alternatives and advice based on what I told them. Before I left they asked for contact info and added me to a list for future events, then stayed in touch.

Their approach is what all of us intuitively know is the way to build relationhips and make friends. It’s also a classic application of most of the marketing advice I’ve read recently.

The original owners have since moved on and the store’s been taken over by a pair of young men not long out of school.  Based on an invitation received from them this week, it seems they saw the value in the former owners’ approach and have learned the lessons well…

I’ve been invited again and invited to pass on the following to those I know and trust….I’m not pushing alcohol, I’m just endorsing their way of marketing. Enjoy!

This is your invitation to a spirit tasting …taking place from 4:00 - 7:00pm Friday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th.
 
The free samples offered on Friday include:
Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum; Café Boheme Coffee Crème liqueur; Alize French Cognac Liqueur; and Svedka Vodka
 
The free samples offered Saturday include: Dooley’s Vodka Based Toffee Liqueur; and Fiegling’s Fig Flavored Vodka
                        
Whiskey Creek Spirits is located on Central Avenue in the Knightsville side of Summerville right beside Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly. Please come join us this weekend for both events and feel free to bring a guest. 

Like everything, dates are subject to change, but the following list of events and dates could be useful in planning the coming month . . .

November 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . Southeastern Management Group decorates White Gables 

December 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . Tree lighting Historic Downtown & Town Hall, 6:30 PM

December 4 to 6. . . . . . . . . . . Bethany United Methodist Church Living Christmas Story, 6:30-9:30

December 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flowertown Garden Club Candlelight House Tour, 5-8PM

December 12-15. . . . . . . . . . . Summerville Baptist Singing Christmas Tree,

December 13, 20 . . . . . . . . . . Saturdays with Santa 12-4 at Wells Fargo Office–Short Central

December 14. . . . . . . . . . . . .  Annual Summerville Christmas Parade, 2PM

December 14. . . . . . . . . . . . .  White Gables Luminaria, Santa at the Clubhouse and cookie exchange

For more information about these events see the following websites

 www.whitegablescommunity.com,

www.summervilledream.org,

www.americantowns.com,

If you know of an event that is not listed here, that may interest readers, be in touch. Happy Holidays!                                                                

Last week I wrote about an article from a marketing periodical I monitor . . .

It described an effort by CVS drugstores to get sales moving before Black Friday–the day after Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas shopping season. The centerpiece of the CVS strategy was to put doorbuster prices on a variety of items, especially those not typically associated with drug stores and advertise them early–rather than wait until the Thursday paper, which at our house usually includes an extra three pounds of ads.  

Well, Sunday’s ad came and left me a underwhelmed, given the build up. I don’t keep up with the prices of most of the items in it, but nothing I saw struck me as a “doorbuster.” 

The lesson in the experience for me, was a form of “Don’t count chickens before the eggs hatch.” I made a blog entry and promoted it with a post on facebook and may have spent some credibility and disappointed those readers who woke up early Sunday looking forward to the CVS ad.

At the top of the page, facebook continually asks, “What are you doing right now?” So, to be a sport, I posted that I’d written a blog entry about “saving money.” 

Well I’ve learned my lesson. Next time i’ll wait and evaluate the ad myself, then post my opinion, not simply report what someone else wrote. I’ll conitinue to read and will soon get the hang of using RSS to refer readers here to articles and sites I found interesting, but it’ll be “a process” as they say (so bear with me). Saving money remains on my mind however, and I’m interested in strategies and ideas you have found . . . Let me hear from you!   

An item came to me this morning that may interest those interested in saving money (isn’t that everyone?) A marketing related publication I monitor announced that drugstore chain CVS will offer “doorbuster” bargains in its Sunday newspaper circular this week.

The piece suggested customers use “extra care” cards to take advantage of extra savings and rewards on items not usually associated with pharmacies–including gifts, electronics, seasonal decor items, and “daily essentials.”

I’m interested to see what we’ll find in Sunday’s paper, but i’m thinking if writers who study advertising for a living found it newsworthy, it may be worth checking out. 

A number of sites related to money saving strategies and family finances have reported these stores (which seem to be everywhere now) are becoming increasingly attractive places to find deals on groceries and other non-drug purchases.  Our family’s not figured out the loyalty card game like we should, but apparently that’s another source of savings. 

Let me know what you find, and pass along other money saving strategies when you write–nearly everyone I know tells me they’re “cutting back” on spending this season.

Richard D. Porcher, the Citadel professor emeritus who wrote The Story of Sea Island Cotton (2005, Gibbs Smith) will be in Summerville at 7:00 next Thursday night, November 20, to tell that story as part of the Third Thursday Speaker Series at White Gables, a series of free, informal and open to the public events intended to entertain, inform and educate residents and guests about the area’s history and what makes living in South Carolina’s Lowcountry so great.

The topic will interest any student of South Carolina history and southern culture because the cultivation, harvesting and sale of Sea Island cotton accounts for a lot of the wealth accumulated in the South from 1790 to the Civil War and several years after. Porcher’s book and presentation describe what’s distinctive about the Sea Island strain of cotton and how valuable it was to the economy of the area in a fascinating way, combining history, science and culture to show how fine and highly prized the cotton was worldwide.

Summerville Realtor Jerry Crotty began the series in 2006 while he was employed as the community affairs director in the traditional neighborhood development in the Knightsville area of Summerville. In the years since it has featured noted authors, journalists, storytellers and experts on variety of history related topics. He continues to host the lectures as a volunteer because he believes, “The more people learn about a place and what makes it special, the more likely they are to appreciate and preserve it.”

No admission will be charged and no reservations are necessary, contact Crotty at jcrotty@carolinaone.com; 843-343-7213 with questions or for directions.

Since moving to Summerville, we have been asked to vote in more than one location, so to be sure I knew where to go tomorrow, I visited a handy and impressive website www.scvotes.org maintained by the South Carolina State Election Commission.

The site allows you to check the status of your registration; confirm your polling location, voting districts (which identify the races in which you can vote) and offers a link to driving directions to polling locations.

The information it includes eliminates a lot of excuses and makes it easier to do your duty.

A separate message received today reminded me to bring a voter registration card and driver’s license, I didn’t see the same advice on the State site, but I intend to have them with me jsut in case. 

Maybe I’ll see you there, or at Starbucks afterwards (see previous post–if you present evidence you voted, Starbucks will give you a free cup of coffee).

Poll hours are 7AM to 7PM!

There are plenty of good reasons to vote tomorrow, but for those who needed one more reason to perform their civic duty, how about a free cup of Starbucks coffee?

According to their “Shared planet” website (http://www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet/news.aspx )  The Washington (state) based Starbucks, including its Summerville, SC location, is offering a free cup of coffee in exchange for doing what we should all do for free anyway.

The website indicates the promise was prompted by submissions to their ”My Starbucks Idea” website ( http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaAbout ) where any visitor can sign up to be a registered member of the site (and accept certainTerms and Conditions), read ideas, submit your own, vote and comment on ideas submitted by other people.

If you want to see a video promoting the promotional offer, click on the following link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2J8KJDsqqY or if embedding technology on this site works, click below to access a YouTube video.

Exercise your civic duty and know that Starbucks and Jerry Crotty will appreciate it, regardless of your choice of candidates.

If you are one of the many neighbors who’ve invited friends and family to White Gables for Trick or Treating tomorrow night, in the interest of safety, please encourage them to use the parking lots near the clubhouse and walk the streets and sidewalks while Trick or Treating.

The streets in the neighborhood are relatively narrow and parking is limited–in previous years, a number of accidents and many more near misses made the holiday a lot less happy for a number of neighbors.  Please use care and caution and have a Happy Halloween! 
 

For those who have young people in their lives–don’t let them eat Sherwood’s Milk Chocolate Pirate’s Gold Coins from China –they reportedly contain melamine. Read the full story at the following link from Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/coins.asp

The 2008 edition of the THIRD THURSDAY Speaker Series, kicks off at the White Gables Clubhouse tonight with a presentation on “Summerville’s Historic Garden Structures,” by Summerville Dorchester Museum Director Chris Ohm.

At the informal, free and open-to-the-public gathering, Ohm will share research, photos, designs and drawings of selected historic outbuildings, gazebos, “Summerhouses” and other unique garden structures found in the area.

Structures featured in his presentation will include the unique Victorian era example undergoing restoration at the Museum and the highly regarded example found on the grounds of the White Gables Inn, off Richardson Street.

“The structures are an important feature of Summerville’s architectural heritage– visitors to our town are often delighted to find that many are still standing” explained Ohm, a graduate of Historic Preservation programs at Clemson University and the College of Charleston.

The talk is part of a series known as the THIRD THURSDAY Speaker Series, a collection of history themed events offered on the third Thursday of selected months and hosted by Summerville Realtor Jerry Crotty, who started the series in 2006 to “Inform, entertain and educate residents about their shared heritage, the place they call home and what makes Summerville and the Lowcountry special.”

Crotty is excited about launching the third year of the series because he thinks “The more we learn about the area we call home, the more we’ll appreciate and care for what makes it special.”

The November 20th installment will feature Richard Porcher and his book about Sea Island Cotton and its cultivation in the area.

Previous month’s speakers have included long time Post & Courier writer Dora Anne Reaves, Charleston Mercury columnist, John Burbage, author and earthquake expert Dick Cote’, local history author, Doug Bostick, international tea expert and horticulture instructor Mack Fleming, director of the Dorchester Historic Site Ashley Chapman, veteran Middleton Place guide Dave Rainford, amateur historian and physician Ed West, and Charleston ghost tour guide Joanne Saylor.

All ages are welcome and no RSVP or advance registration is necessary. For directions or more information about the series, contact Jerry Crotty at 843) 343-7213 or jcrotty@carolinaone.com.